dwts question

[fantasiaitaliana]

hi i am a new poster on the dance forums. i have always been inwrapped in a love for dance since i was a child. recently i have rediscovered my love for ballroom dance. i am seriously interested in getting into it. i have a question though watching dancing with the stars from all the knowledge i have on learning and perfecting the different styles of ballroom and salsa how do the stars pick up on routines so quickly i mean in a couple months span? the level they perform on looks as though it would take much longer. if anyone could help me on this as how they achieve there level of skill they have now i would greatly appreciate it. i know they have the best of dance partners/teachers with them every step of the way but learning those steps and routines is still very hard.

[mamboqueen]

Welcome to the forums!

Well, they pretty much skip the "basics" and head straight to open routines; new students would be in a closed position for their early training (i.e., they don't separate from their partner). This is not the norm for someone who wishes to start ballroom dancing and walks into a studio on any given day. While you may think that their dancing looks very advanced, in reality, they are making a lot of technical mistakes (i.e., not closing their legs/feet when they should, not settling their hips, leading with a toe rather than a heel...the list goes on and on). Anyone can attempt to do this, but in the real competitive danceworld, these people wouldn't win.

You also have to consider that they have some of the best instructors in the country and they're taking, in some cases, 20 hours of instruction in one week. Most people take between less than one hour and maybe 10 at most. (I would think that 2-3 hours of private instruction is probably close to average).

[GJB]

Welcome to the forums!

You also have to consider that they have some of the best instructors in the country and they're taking, in some cases, 20 hours of instruction in one week. Most people take between less than one hour and maybe 10 at most. (I would think that 2-3 hours of private instruction is probably close to average).

I'll second that. It probably took me several YEARS or more to get the amount of training they have had!

[mamboqueen]

I spent my entire first year being told how to stand straight :) Ugh....I can hear that great sucking sound once again....

[latingal]

Welcome fantasiaitaliana! Hope you enjoy being an active member of dance-forums!

That's an interesting question you have there.

I have a feeling all of them are learning specific steps and body movement specific for each routine. It's necessarily a different approach then what dancers who are going to continue dancing in the style(s) would take. Someone who learns latin/ballroom from the "bottom up" would be able to do a variety of routines/steps having the body rhythm and technique of each dance's basics ingrained in their body memory (it looks much more natural and smooth), I don't think that is the case with these stars. They know they need to hit a certain step with the hip twisted up and back at a certain time for this particular move, it is not a natural movement for them.

Also, notice that all the latin numbers seem to be slowed down (I noticed it especially in cha-cha and samba), it allows them more time to think and hit the body positions - if some of these numbers were at speed I'm afraid there would be bodies strewn around the dance floor.

Don't get me wrong, they work very hard and many hours with the best pros. They do a good job with the amount of time they have, but they'd still have to put in a lot more work to really dance these styles.

I don't have as much background in standard, but I think you can see that the quality of movement isn't what it should be. Mostly they throw in more smooth movement so as to downplay the weakness in technique in standard.

Well that's my two cents....I'm sure others might have different thoughts!

[Laura]

The stars on the show said they started out training about 4 hours a day, and now are up to 8-10 preparing for the final. They're basically putting about a week or two's worth of an average person's dancing into a single day! If you danced that much per day, every day, with a high-calibre pro by your side every second, you'd start to look good really fast, too.

[fantasiaitaliana]

thank you so much everyone for your great replies. i actually do see at times that movements are incorrect or slowed but for the amount of time they have to do this they look great, i have such a passion for this type of dancing and am really looking to get myself into it. any other reccomendations for a starting out dancer? i appreciate any type of tips or anything you may have to say.

[latingal]

any other reccomendations for a starting out dancer? i appreciate any type of tips or anything you may have to say.

What type of dancing are you doing and how long have you been doing it?

[fantasiaitaliana]

in all honesty this is the first time i am taking the step to lessons. i never had the courage to do it but i finally decided i want to. im takin ballroom & salsa.

[latingal]

I am assuming you mean international standard by "ballroom"? I'm afraid some of our other forum members will be more qualified to give you advice there...I love standard though, I do pro-am and it feels like you're flying or floating across the dance floor!

And salsa, hmmm the only salsa I have done is with my pro when he's decided I need a lesson in following. Since I don't know any salsa (except the basic step), he knows I have to follow....

[Medira]

Welcome to DF fantasiaitalia and welcome to the world of ballroom and salsa!

My best advice for getting started is to be patient - you've chosen to dance something that can be very technical and precise, so it takes time to learn it correctly - and to try your hardest never to lose the fun in it. If you enjoy yourself, you're going to find yourself in a wonderful world unlike anything you ever imagined. :D