Dance goals for beginner :)

[LovingIt28]

Hi,

I am super keen. Love this dancing caper.

Admittedly, ballroom is a bit to fixed for me overall but I do love so many elements. Most of all, the incredibly passionate following worldwide.

So what are some dance goals to ensure I improve as efficiently as possible.

With my dance/sports background, I find learning quickly quite easy BUT I find the confusing elements to be the travelling across the floor in set directions/patterns and the sheer number/character of dance styles.


Super keen though so please feel free to share your suggestions (currently goal is medals in November. Bronze and is it too much to try and do silver simultaneously?)

[Josh]

Are you a man or a lady? What style or styles are you dancing? Do you have a teacher currently? All these details are important! :-)

[wonderwoman]

Too broad to know where to begin answering...

It's nice to go with a franchise that has a set program for you to follow and an instructor that knows exactly how to help you do that, and fun rewards and incentives along the way. I am towards the end of an intro program and 95% sure I'm continuing on to bronze. :) Don't create big long term goals at all just yet, just think: What is next?

[etp777]

flirt with each and every cute student of the opposite sex during the various studio soccials? Don't miss anyone, they might be person of your dreams. ;)

[wonderwoman]

flirt with each and every cute student of the opposite sex during the various studio soccials? Don't miss anyone, they might be person of your dreams. ;)
And never ask anyone's age. That's the advise a fellow student (age 65) gave me the week I started. lol

[Terpsichorean Clod]

I admire your enthusiasm for learning. :) I think you should focus on fundamentals. When I see advanced dancers having lessons with high-level coaches, they're often working on rumba walks or natural turns. Here's a nice, if slightly dated, article about Eugene and Maria: http://ballroomblogger.blogspot.com/2005/01/just-stick-to-basics.html.

I've done medal exams. I like them. They're a great way to structure goals, particularly for dancers who prefer not to compete. However, what you get out of them depends on you. It's a bunch of steps to be danced at some arbitrary standard, which around my area, in my opinion, isn't very high. Beyond that minimum, it's up to you how far you want to go. I've seen beginner-ish presentations of silver material. I've seen pre-bronze exams executed quite well. All were good enough to receive at least a passing grade. I think rather than viewing pre-bronze and bronze as items to be quickly checked off the list on the way to silver and gold, it may be better to treat them as old friends to be revisited over and over again for the rest of one's dancing life.

[LovingIt28]

I admire your enthusiasm for learning. :) I think you should focus on fundamentals. When I see advanced dancers having lessons with high-level coaches, they're often working on rumba walks or natural turns. Here's a nice, if slightly dated, article about Eugene and Maria: http://ballroomblogger.blogspot.com/2005/01/just-stick-to-basics.html.

I've done medal exams. I like them. They're a great way to structure goals, particularly for dancers who prefer not to compete. However, what you get out of them depends on you. It's a bunch of steps to be danced at some arbitrary standard, which around my area, in my opinion, isn't very high. Beyond that minimum, it's up to you how far you want to go. I've seen beginner-ish presentations of silver material. I've seen pre-bronze exams executed quite well. All were good enough to receive at least a passing grade. I think rather than viewing pre-bronze and bronze as items to be quickly checked off the list on the way to silver and gold, it may be better to treat them as old friends to be revisited over and over again for the rest of one's dancing life.


Thank you all especially this post. I will keep you guys informed :)

[Jananananana]

Thank you all especially this post. I will keep you guys informed :)


Practice a lot! Doesn't matter what you do or even if you do it right! Just practice what you can and try to do it correctly as much as you can. Even if you're doing it wrong, you're developing a work ethic and learning how to use your body. Don't worry, your coach will fix your mistakes and then you'll know how to practice to fix them :-D

I like concentrating from the bottom up

[wonderwoman]

You can never practice basics enough. They're like a foundation you have to have there to build anything on. I like to find a song that works for a certain basic dance step, put it on repeat play and pratice the basic steps. After a while I will realize I stopped thinking about it, instead I've let my mind wander to what I'm going to make for dinner, but my feet still did what they were supposed to. At this point, start concentrating again, and if possible watch yourself in a mirror and see if there's anything you can do to make it look/feel better. My goal right now is getting every basic so well ingrained that it's easy like breathing. The way the best dancers make all of it look.

[ireniecat]

I think your first goal should be to find a good teacher who can give you the proper fundamentals and set you on the way to success. This may be difficult to judge at first when you still don't know what you're learning... But a few things to keep in mind: (1) it takes lots longer to "unlearn" a bad technique than to learn it correctly from the start, (2) not all good dancers are good teachers, (3) not all good teachers teach the correct technique (that is to say, their teaching skills are good, but the information they are giving you is wrong). I would visit your local studios, find the experienced dancers and ask them who they would recommend. Their experience can help you narrow down your options. Good luck :)