Ways to make ballroom more inclusive

[Scotweb]

Hi,

I often speak to people who, when I tell them I dance, respond by saying they would love to try it but don't have a partner. Other dance styles such as Ceroc and Salsa are experiencing great success partly because people can go along on their own and dance with others.

I recognise that to reach a competitive standard one needs a regular partner but has anyone got any ideas of how to make ballroom more inclusive for those who don't have a regular partner but would like to be involved?

I think if this could be addressed we would see a dramatic increase in the poplularity of ballroom dance as in my experience I have rarely spoken to someone at ceroc or salsa who doesn't want to try ballroom. In the UK the BBC are about to screen a new ballroom series on prime time Saturday evening television, this is a golden opportunity to get more people dancing if only we could find the right formula.

Dave R
Aberdeen, Scotland
www.godancing.info
www.northerndanceclub.org

[KevinL]

Aberdeen, Scotland? How much ballroom social dancing is available there? If the only outlets for ballroom dancing are competitions I don't see much point in trying to attract more single people since the only way you can dance is with a partner.

However, if there are opportunities for social dancing, and I'm sure there are lots of opportunites available, there are lots of ways to attract non-partnered potential dancers. Advertise group classes as "no partner required" but then ensure that everyone who comes gets a chance to dance by trading partners. Have mini-lessons before social dances to give people with no experience a taste of what they can learn (and have everyone trade partners).

There are lots of ways to make ballroom more inclusive, who else has other suggestions?

Kevin

[Sagitta]

Have social ballroom dances with a free lesson at the start to attract those who don't really know how. Then during the dance have danec host who are willing to dance with anyone and even teach moves if someone so desires. This is helping out in my area. If I look at what it was like a year ago and what it is like now there is a noticeable difference.

[Scotweb]

There are lots of dances in Scotland and dance in general is big here.

The ideas suggested are as with ceroc where you have 'taxi' dancers and you change partners regularily throughout the evening. I guess the trick would be to convince the teachers to give it a try and the dancers who have partners to share them. Not everyone shares my thoughts on the expansion of the dance scene :)

[Genesius Redux]

I don't find there are a lot of opportunities for strictly social ballroom dancing in the states either. Most studios I know have to throw their own parties. My suggestion--take classes at a studio, hook up with a pro partner, and keep your eyes and ears open for anyone else who wants to be a practice partner.

[KevinL]

There are lots of dances in Scotland and dance in general is big here.

I expected as much, besides Aberdeen is a large city, isn't it?

The ideas suggested are as with ceroc where you have 'taxi' dancers and you change partners regularily throughout the evening. I guess the trick would be to convince the teachers to give it a try and the dancers who have partners to share them. Not everyone shares my thoughts on the expansion of the dance scene :)

Not everyone here shares my thoughts on the expansion of the dance scene, either. I think trading partners is an incrediby valuable way to include everyone who wants to learn, but not every person wants to share their partner, and that is fine. There is at least one other local teacher who doesn't even suggest that people trade partners in his class. Unfortunately that leaves anyone who attends his classes without a partner either stuck with no partner, or with whatever extra partner they get the first dance. It's good for me, though, because unattached dancers tend to come to my classes...

Kevin

[Laura]

I really prefer group classes where people are asked to trade partners, but not forced to if they just don't want to. It's simple enough for the rotating partners to just skip over the 'permanent' couple.

I don't go social dancing much, but I very much enjoy mixers where people switch partners during a song. It's a good way to meet people and sometimes it's the most dancing I get to do the entire night because I'm shy about asking guys to dance with me.

Some people in our city have (or had, I'm not sure if they're still doing it) a monthly dance party in a club (rather than a studio) that was very successful at attracting social dancers -- especially those in their 20's and 30's. The party featured Latin, Salsa, Lindy, Swing, Disco, Soul, and other forms of higher energy dancing. Some of it was for partner dancing, and some for freestyling. They didn't play classic ballroom music for waltz etc. The party was quite popular because you didn't HAVE to be able to partner dance to attend due to the mixture of traditional partner dance music with music you can freestyle solo to.

[Scotweb]

Where I was coming from with this question wasn't from a personal perspective. I have a perm partner and for a while danced with two regular partners at different levels.........not some thing I would recommend :shock:

As a person who loves dance and wants to see dance grow - for lots of reasons - I was looking for peoples experiences with respect to making partner dances more accessible to those who don't have partners.

It's been a good debate in that respect but there's no simple answer but if a solution could be found I believe it would find favour wit hmany people.

[Warren J. Dew]

I often speak to people who, when I tell them I dance, respond by saying they would love to try it but don't have a partner. Other dance styles such as Ceroc and Salsa are experiencing great success partly because people can go along on their own and dance with others.
Even if there are such places for ballroom, which there have been in the cities I've lived in, telling such people about them isn't enough, in my experience.

I'm not sure whether it's just that "I would love to try is" is just a polite way of saying "that's nice", or whether they need some support in actually trying it. If the latter is the case, arranging an outing they could go on, so they could feel they were going with friends, might be the way to handle the situation.

[dancin_feet]

The studio I go to is mainly a social studio, so the majority of people that go are singles. There are some couples, but they mix and match anyway. Group classes change partners and if you don't want to change partners, you are encouraged to only take private lessons.

I was told that the whole theory behind our studio setup came from the US, so I am surprised that you guys say there is not much opportunity for social dance over there.

[pygmalion]

I think opportunities for ballroom social dance are in pockets in the US. Some areas of the US have very active balloom communities; some have very little activity at all. A lot depends on the local demographics -- financial, age, etc.

[DancePoet]

At my studio, beginner classes are held immediately before the social events. These are advertised as no partner needed. The classes are conducted with a rotation from one dancer to the next. There are at least two social events each week. At the socials, the owner's of the studio, and many of the dancers rotate through the folks that attend. Guys do most of the asking, but their are even women that ask the guys. The veterans tend to keep an eye out for beginners or newcomers to the studio and are certain to include them in the dancing. The studio and those that attend encourage a friendly and personable atmosphere. It has grown since it's inception about a year ago.

Folk's attitudes are critical to the growth of any dance community, and at this studio there are many who participate with positive and encouraging attitudes. Leadership starts from the top, yet everyone has an individual responsibility to contribute a healthy attitude.

[virginiadancegirl]

I really prefer group classes where people are asked to trade partners, but not forced to if they just don't want to. It's simple enough for the rotating partners to just skip over the 'permanent' couple.



As an instructor, I appreciate this view. Some people just have no clue how beneficial trading partners really is to learning!!

Just wanted to say thanks! 8)

[Sagitta]

I really prefer group classes where people are asked to trade partners, but not forced to if they just don't want to. It's simple enough for the rotating partners to just skip over the 'permanent' couple.



As an instructor, I appreciate this view. Some people just have no clue how beneficial trading partners really is to learning!!

Just wanted to say thanks! 8)

Ditto!!

[pygmalion]

Folk's attitudes are critical to the growth of any dance community, and at this studio there are many who participate with positive and encouraging attitudes. Leadership starts from the top, yet everyone has an individual responsibility to contribute a healthy attitude.

Well said, DancePoet. 8)

[DancePoet]

Thanks Pygmalion.

Another idea:

The studio I attend has been developing a Teen program. They started out with lessons on Thursdays geared towards teens. Now they continue to be creative with these, and have even started a teen beginner lesson with a teen social dance on Sundays. They also are working with a local middle school to get younger folks involved. They have offered a prom survival course, and a teen formation team, too. Working with young people is a good way to grow a dance business, community, and the long term health of ballroom dancing.

P.S. I like the fact that the approach has been towards teens and not those who are even younger. It seems to me teens can better make choices for themselves about what they choose for activitiees, and there seems to be less "parental pushing". But this is heading off on a tangent.

[pygmalion]

LOL. Tangents aren't always bad! :wink: :lol:

I think there was a thread about parental pushing. For the life of me, I can't remember what it was called, but I'll try to remember and dig it up. 8)

[DancePoet]

If you are not able to unearth the thread on "parental pushing", I'll be happy to start one.

[pygmalion]

Go for it! 8) My synapses aren't working properly today. :wink: :lol:

[Sagitta]

I like what is happening at your place DancePoet. Very cool.

[etchuck]

One of the studios here even holds some of their classes at high school gymnasiums. I don't know if they specifically cater to teenagers in the same vein that has been described, but I will place props for those studio owners and teachers for their publicity strategy.