Why aren't ballroom dancing popular?

Answer 1

Because it takes too much time and too much skill, and the vast majority of Americans look for quick fixes for everything. I've seen this in martial arts as well--you get the enthusiasts coming in and when they find out they're not gonna turn into Jackie Chan or Jet Li in a few months, they leave.

On top of that, there's nowhere really to go ballroom dancing except the studios that teach it. There's more of a living tradition in the Salsa world. Nobody really wants to learn how to Salsa either, btw. Because that also takes too much time and skill.

From the standpoint of those of us who have put the time into the dance, there is no great joy in dancing with the graceless Barbie dolls who frequently show up thinking that the sort of sex appeal that gets them by in a bar is going to work in a salsa club. After a courtesy dance or two, I'll ignore them and dance with the more experienced dancers regardless of whether they are "prettier" than the non-dancers. Sexy on the floor comes from the work you put into it--so the girls who want to find sexy in synthetic perfumes and makeup and clothes and manicures and pedicures wind up being resentful about the dance scene and make snide comments about it. Make no mistake. Those comments come from envy.

One of the reasons ballroom teachers can make so much money is that most of the population is too damn lazy to learn how to dance. So the teachers are essentially the only game in town. Sad but true!

Answer 2

With the recent shows on television, it's become more popular, but formal ballroom takes a lot of space. Even social ballroom takes a substantial amount of dance floor. In the thirties, people danced a lot more, but later the places that had dance floors found it more cost-effective to shrink the floor (often to nothing) and expand the area for seating, because selling alcohol makes a lot more money than charging a cover for a dance floor, and dancers drink less than non-dancers anyway. This started as a small trend, but it's spiraled down to the point that most bars and restaurants don't even consider the possibility of putting in the dance floors you see in the old movies. I've heard enough people ask some version of your question, though, over the past few years to think there's probably a substantial unrecognized market if a few entrepreneurs pick up on it. It seems to me that any city of 100,000 or more could support a few such places, but it's surprising how many have nothing of the sort.

Answer 3

i agree with weredaleboy
learning ballroom dances is a process. you need to have money at first. then you should be serious about learning. you should practice, practice and practice.
but where to practice. either a dance bar once a week probably or extra lessons which again means money.
you have to obey rules, even if you do one single mistake such as displacing your elbow, you can hit your partner from the face when you are turning. imagine if it happens on a show, disaster....
you need to be really perfect. if you wanna be a good ballroom dancer you should never ever give up.

Answer 4

It's "old fashioned"

It requires you to have a partner of some kind - permanent, or just for one dance.

It requires a set of skills that's not learned overnight. Moreover, people *think* that it requires a lot of skill than it really does, and they think they have to look good right away. My mom never took a single ballroom lesson in her life as far as I know. But somehow she can waltz pretty well, and most importantly - have fun doing it. Her dancing is not perfect by the book, far from that actually, but hey there was no book in her time - people just danced to music.

Some people are too demanding when it comes to social dancing - they expect a lot out of their partner. This is intimidating to many people. Beginners have a hard time dealing with this attitude. On the other hand, it is boring for experienced dancers to dance with someone who has no clue.

People are afraid to look too romantic with a stranger. I don't understand it - grinding is somehow OK, but holding each other by the arms is somehow too much. I notice a lot of discomfort of this kind in a beginner class that I teach.

Cost of the lessons - if you want them.

Limited opportunity to apply what you know in real life. For most people, it's limited to their own wedding and their sister's wedding.

Answer 5

Because it requires people to actually dance with a particular set of rules for each dance. Most young people these days dislike rules in general. The belief that "do it your own way and don't let others tell you how to be" is very prevalent in out society. The older generations, I would guess, have been used to following rules all their lives and they never minded being told how and when to do something.

Answer 6

i think mostly because its old-fashioned. nobody wants to dance the same dance as their gramma. every generation needs to have their own thing. i think its cool if u kno it but i dont think it will ever gain in popularity by much. also, most people would have to take classes and that takes too long & costs $$$. where as the dancing of today is free, & most people can do it w/o lessons.

Answer 7

Probably because of the amount of practice it takes. In college, I would go for lessons every Tuesday, and at the end of the year was still a "beginner." It was a lot of fun, though.

I can still do a bit of a Swing, and I love the Cha-Cha.

Answer 8

Could it be because so many girls are really good dancers and because their guys are such klutzes on the dance floor?

I blame the men.

Answer 9

maybe because everyone who does it has bad grammar? Seriously, I love it.