Do "fat" girls get to Ballroom Dance???

I am new so bear with me.

I have been walking two hours a day in an effort to nurture my already very good health. I have also been walking so that I can get thinner BEFORE I embark upon dance lessons, dance partners and before I cry because I can not fit into one of those beautiful size 2-8 dance dresses that I envision wearing at my dance competitions...somewhere in the future.

I shared the above with a couple of people and they said that what I was doing was good for many reasons BUT, it was really good because in Ballroom, Salsa, Tango and Swing dancing because "fat" girls do not get to dance...

I looked at the photo gallery and yes, I know that many of these are Pros and that a few are Amatures. I did note that no "fat" girls were in the gallery.

Is it true? Even a little bit?

I do not mean to offend least I offend myself at this time.

My thanks.

Oaktown Dancer

YESYESYES ( to the fat girls get to dance part)

We do ( or did thanks to dancing again and a good eating plan I'm geting closer the skimpy dress size again)

I never had problem getting dances when I was a size 18 ( I'm a 12 now) because contrary to popular believe big girls can learn to move well

It is certainly not true--and I wouldn't waste one more second trying to lose a few more pounds before you start to dance. Dancers come in all shapes and sizes.

Now it is true that many of the more competitive dancers tend toward the slender--whether this is because slender people have more mobility or dancing makes you conscious of the way you look anyway, I don't know. But I've danced with many women who wear sizes larger than eights, and some of them are quite delightful partners.

Kudos on your concern for a healthy lifestyle--anyone making the effort to become more fit will have nothing but unflagging support for me. But for Heaven's sake, don't let a few extra pounds get in the way of the start of a lifetime of dancing!

What if the Earth was destroyed tomorrow by an alien race who needed to clear the way for a new intergalactic highway? Live this day completely! [/i]

Oaktown Dancer said:

I looked at the photo gallery and yes, I know that many of these are Pros and that a few are Amatures. I did note that no "fat" girls were in the gallery.

Is it true? Even a little bit?

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Hi Oaktown, and welcome

While you were browsing the photos, did you see this one?
Sarah
That's me, in costume for belly dance. Not exactly skinny, which is fine for a belly-dancer but you might like to know that I also dance salsa, swing, and a tiny bit of waltz and tango. I'm not short of partners, either .

Don't let your current shape stop you starting. Dancing's way more fun than walking.

Cheers
Sarah

Hey, Oaktowndancer and welcome to DF. Rest assured larger girls do indeed get dances, lots of them. In fact, one of the best dancers at my studio is a lot larger than is traditional in any field, including dancing. Men vie to dance with her.

When I started ballroom I was largish. I've still got a way to go before I "look" like a dancer, but I'm on my way and any weight loss has been a result of dancing madly.

The only problem I've noticed is that you can't move as quickly as someone who's say, a size 8-12 (I'm not sure about other sizes, but 8-12 is small down here) and being overweight generally means you're a little unfitter than you would be if you were thinner, but of course, one's thinness is not indicative of their fitness level. Again, as you dance, you'll get slimmer, fitter and lighter on your feet.

I suspect the person who told you that has a problem with dancing with larger people. It's probably only the comp dancers that face such problems. I've certainly heard of comp dancers (even low-level ones) being told they're too overweight to compete, but for social dancing, I think you'll find people are fabulous and only judge you on one thing...how well you dance!

In salsa, there is a tendency for the girls to be slim. However, as others have said, it really is down to your personality/dancing because at the end of the day, your partners want to leave the dancefloor going " wow! That was fun!" I have seen some well endowered women US 12 -24, for their height, dancing and believe me when I tell you, that some of these women look better on the dancefloor than some of their slimmer counterparts who basically have no co-ordination or their posture is all over the place :?

To illustrate, here is a website for an all women's salsa/mambo group in NY Mambo Mamas. I have only ever seen them performing as a group and they were great. So, the bottom line is: If they can do, anyone can. So, if you love it, go for it. Goodluck.

Pacion said:

In salsa, there is a tendency for the girls to be slim. However, as others have said, it really is down to your personality/dancing because at the end of the day, your partners want to leave the dancefloor going " wow! That was fun!" I have seen some well endowered women US 12 -24, for their height, dancing and believe me when I tell you, that some of these women look better on the dancefloor than some of their slimmer counterparts who basically have no co-ordination or their posture is all over the place :?

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That's a very good point--I'll admit I'm as prone as the next guy to asking a woman to dance if I find her very attractive. But believe me, there's nothing that shatters the whole illusion more completely than when she really can't do anything. Besides, I think sexy has a lot more to do with how comfortable you are in your body and how you move with it--so you will see plenty of larger women who are a whole lot sexier than their more slender counterparts. And more fun to dance with.

It seems to me like the stereotype of super-thin girls dancing ballroom and lating probably comes from watching the really advanced pros. And of course they're thin - they've been dancing for hours a day for years, and many of them work out on top of that! Anybody would be in shape training like that. Fortunately, that sort of superhuman fitness is absolutely NOT a requirement for the rest of us to enjoy dancing.

Genesius Redux said:

It is certainly not true--and I wouldn't waste one more second trying to lose a few more pounds before you start to dance. Dancers come in all shapes and sizes.

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I agree 100%!! Get out there and DANCE!

My sister is a larger girl and she is never lacking for a man to dance with. There is a big girl at one of the places I dance and man can she move! I wish and hope that one day I can move like she does.

Like delamusica says, these top competitors train for hours every day, dancing and at the gym, they need to be strong, not just thin.

My advice is to get out there and take those lessons now!
Good Luck!

delamusica said:

Anybody would be in shape training like that.

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The thing is though, that even if a woman or man dances 28 hours a day, 9 days a week, (and they don't take steriods or any such medication) unless their genetic material *entitles* them to be relatively flat chested and slim hipped then unless they go underneath the knife, they are not going to get that body type. :?

Example: In the *olden days* when Communist was still around, I heard and read rumours/stories that the Eastern European coaches gave the female gymnasts/skaters drugs to delay puberty. Therefore, a birth certificate gymnast, aged 18/19 would have the body of a 10/11 year old. By comparison, the US gymnasts look "heavy and out of shape" because even though they were the same age or perhaps even a couple of years younger AND doing similiar amount of training, there was the drugs and body types that came into play. :?

So, we have "same sport", "same training" but yet the bodies looked different.

Ditto to what everyone has said. Get out there and dance! :banana:

I dance with all the ladies I can....

peachexploration said:

Ditto to what everyone has said. Get out there and dance! :banana:

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plus, if you do continue to lose weight, remember who asked you to dance - and those who didn't - should you care to enjoy a little payback!

For social dancing, just do it. If people don't get to you because you're too big, tough for them.

There are certain dances that for whatever reason larger people actually seem to do better. Samba and swing seem to be the prime examples for whatever reason.

Everybody...THANKS, Thanks and THANKS!!!!!

I feel so confident. If not for you guys I would be still thinking that I have to loose like 40 more pounds before I darkened any dance instructors door!

It never occured to me that ummm...DANCING would be yet another great way to slim down a little more! Go figure...

I think because I have had a tendency to approach things with such a serious attitude that I was probably just about to mess up my dream of dancing by trying to be "perfect".

All of your photos and websites are simply excellent! Thanks for sharing with me.

This weekend I head to my first competition as a full three day spectator, staying in a lovely hotel for two nights, attending all of the afternoon and evening events and taking in all three dinner, breakfast and midnight banquets...see, I do like to eat and drink and dress up too...my bad! giggle.

My hubby will join me for the Saturday night gala and I just want to dance and dance and dance...now I will. I need to work off all that food somehow.

You all have the best attitudes and I think I will do more work on mine and I will try and stay far away from the negative people.

My dad said that he was proud and excited for me. He added that sometimes people who wish that they had the courage to start something new resent those who actually do. He and mom said that whenever I put on my first competition dress they will be there cheering me on!

Thank You to all of you...I pray that I continue to meet such wonderful people as all of you as I take baby steps into your world.

Oaktown Dancer