Honestly. I've been doing this sport for about 5 years now, mostly as a social activity but I also take lessons and practice a LOT. I find that most new dancers are quickly attracted to studios where they spend a bunch of money and burn out. Some with a larger bankroll will go to competitions. These things are like a "kangaroo court" for dance studio businesses. The women (or men) will typically practice choreographed routines for hours on end with their INSTRUCTOR then go show what they've perfected. This does NOT make a good dancer! Perhaps a good showman or woman, NOT a good or skilled dancer. Ballroom, latin, and most all social dances are based in lead and follow and it's a proven fact you can't learn that unless you dance continously with dancers of all levels for years on end and NOT as an instructor! Few if any studios direct students to social dancing which is the ONLY way to be a good dancer of this sort. I understand they did direct students better years ago.
2007-01-09 17:27:03 · 5 answers · asked by fldancerjax 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Dancing
Seems like your dance studio have dollar sign in eyes,
*They don't tell you for a reason cos you might pick up bad habits
*They might think that you will enjoy yourself n not come back
*They need students who will spend heaps of money even when they really can't afford it.
* You need to go out and dance with as many partners as possible to fully realise where your at.
*If you need to compete whatever hook up with a dancer in your studio if possible so you can both be instructed in whatever style.
* Keep instructors as teachers nothing else ,you make the rules when it comes to what you want to learn etc..
* Most of all enjoy ,cos if you have any reservations then maybe you need to move to a different studio,, Good Luck ♥
2007-01-09 18:04:37 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Hmm, are you talking about one particular dance studio that seems to be less successful or you really do mean in general?
From what I see in my area, ballroom dancing is on the rise (partly due to Dancing With The Stars) - there are more people interested, and prices for lessons are going up (unfortunatelly for me).
I don't agree that ballroom dancing is *based* on lead and follow, unless you are talking strictly about social dancing. But if you are talking about ballroom that includes social, competitive and performing, - yes, there is lead and follow wich is called partnering skill. But there is also a lot of personal skill involved. Personal skill can be delevoped while dancing with amateur partner, or with instructor (called Pro/Am) or dancing by yourself. The trick is to develop them all, not just one set of skills. I'm a competitve dancer who has been without a partner to compete with for about a year now. I never dance with my instructors except brief moments during the lesson. Serious people don't do it. This is how my coacher learn, this is how I learn. Despite of that, I believe I improved as dancer in the last year. I can follow and I enjoy dancing socially on occasion, but there is so much more to it than just follow, or just memorise the routine with your instructor for that matter.
Yes, I don't see a great joy in Pro/Am myself, but people are different. Some people say they don't want to put up with their partner mistakes and they don't want to wait for him/her to improve. Some people simply can't find an amateur partner. Yes, some people burn out after spending too much money with too little result. Some people just lose the passion for it. Some people (hopefully like myself) are steadily learning and enjoying every stage - with a partner or without him. I think what you see is "burnouts" that have never really defined their goals or ever understood what do they really whant out of it, or decided that they can't get what they want. Unfortunatelly, I have seen in one of the studios that their promises of good training are simply not delivered. It also might be that you are looking at a bad studio.
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Hmm, you're not supposed to answer you own questions you know. There is "add detail" on the question menue. I didn't mean to make you all mad. I go to 4 different studios on a regular basis because I take lessons with more than one instructor and neither one of them is employed by a particular studio. I also dance with my college team where we have yet another set of coaches. I would like to hope that I wasn't brain-washed by any particular studio. (Well I was, in my first year, I was one of those who paid a bunch of money to learn nothing or close to that, but that's over.) I think you have too many assumptions about me in particular including my age and about competitive dancers in general. I have nothing against social dancing. It is great recreational activity, and this is where most competitve dancers start (unless brought into it as children by their parents). I think I've mentioned somehwere that I'm a good social dancer and I enjoy social dance on occasion. It is a common misconception that good competitive dancers are always bad at social dancing.
In ballroom, good instructors are not hired by a studio. They either own a studio or rent the floor from a studio on "as needed" basis. This is why I go to 4 different studios.
As for what is personal skill that can be developed whithout a partner: I'm talking about balance, flexibility, range of movement, foot strength applied to ballroom. You don't need a partner to make your stride smoother and longer. You don't need a partner to make your toes be able to support 1/3 of your own weight (presslines). You don't need a partner to develop the coordination for kick-ball-changes in jive. Now, it's NICE to have a partner for all that, but it is not necessary. And yes it is hard to have a partner who you don't date who'd practice with you 10 hours a week.
2007-01-09 17:32:30 · answer #2 · answered by Snowflake 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Snow: had to respond as you really seem to have been brainwashed by the old dance studios. seen this many times before.
"Hmm, are you talking about one particular dance studio that seems to be less successful or you really do mean in general? "
All of them, and it sounds like the one you attend as well.
"From what I see in my area, ballroom dancing is on the rise (partly due to Dancing With The Stars) - there are more people interested, and prices for lessons are going up (unfortunatelly for me)."
Yes, this is unfortunate for the customers, but GOOD for the studios! :)
"I don't agree that ballroom dancing is *based* on lead and follow, unless you are talking strictly about social dancing. "
No matter of opinion, you are flat out wrong. What EXACTLY have your instructors been filling your head with? Put it this way, without lead and follow you simply stand STILL in any ballroom dance. If you agree with that statement and still want to argue it's not "based" in it ... then I don't know what language you speak?
"But if you are talking about ballroom that includes social, competitive and performing, - yes, there is lead and follow wich is called partnering skill. But there is also a lot of personal skill involved. Personal skill can be delevoped while dancing with amateur partner, or with instructor (called Pro/Am) or dancing by yourself. The trick is to develop them all, not just one set of skills. I'm a competitve dancer who has been without a partner to compete with for about a year now. I never dance with my instructors except brief moments during the lesson. Serious people don't do it. This is how my coacher learn, this is how I learn. Despite of that, I believe I improved as dancer in the last year. I can follow and I enjoy dancing socially on occasion, but there is so much more to it than just follow, or just memorise the routine with your instructor for that matter."
I'm glad you have money to afford such entertainment, but this doesn't make you a better dancer.
"Yes, I don't see a great joy in Pro/Am myself, but people are different. Some people say they don't want to put up with their partner mistakes and they don't want to wait for him/her to improve. Some people simply can't find an amateur partner. Yes, some people burn out after spending too much money with too little result. Some people just lose the passion for it."
This partner you speak of would have to be a close friend or someone else you could otherwise build on dancing with. I have at least two such partners and would like to get another. Again, SOCIAL DANCING is what you are describing.
"Some people (hopefully like myself) are steadily learning and enjoying every stage - with a partner or without him."
How EXACTLY do you do that WITHOUT using constant social dancing?! Not saying you don't, but you seem to be indicating throughout that social dancing isn't your thing.
" I think what you see is "burnouts" that have never really defined their goals or ever understood what do they really whant out of it, or decided that they can't get what they want. Unfortunatelly, I have seen in one of the studios that their promises of good training are simply not delivered. It also might be that you are looking at a bad studio"
Again, the "bad studios" themselves are what has brainwashed you to their benefit. BULLETIN: Studios are mostly BAD for dancers. ANY good dancer will tell you this. A collection of goofs that usually know less about dancing than you do led by a businessman. If they actually hire good instructors, they'd go out of business. Think about it. If you know about running a small business (most studios are small) then this is obvious. I go with independents for privates and currently ONE studio run by an old friend where I take lessons from him/partner only - so basically the same thing as independent.
2007-01-09 18:15:45 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
no. dancing is an awesome thing. love it.
2007-01-09 17:31:00 · answer #4 · answered by Holdielocks 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No I don't think so. I think it is pretty polular nowadays.
2007-01-09 18:06:42 · answer #5 · answered by Everybody's Favorite 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋