Amateur American Smooth
- Thread starter zlapi
- Start date
smidra86
Active Member
1. The place to be for amateur large rounds is ndca nationals in provo. First rounds in everything.
2. Some people turn pro not to just dance pro but to teach. Sometimes it is required for their job. The dancing professionally is just a bonus on top of the teaching.
3. Embassy had a semi. I had checked the heat lists earlier
2. Some people turn pro not to just dance pro but to teach. Sometimes it is required for their job. The dancing professionally is just a bonus on top of the teaching.
3. Embassy had a semi. I had checked the heat lists earlier
danceronice
Forum Master
Why would you stay am if you were under 35 and have a partner? If I had a committed partner and wasn't pushing it in age I would turn pro. More opportunities to make money and better competitions.
smidra86
Active Member
True but that sort of defeats the purpose of being a pro. In that case its no different than being an amateur dancer. And in that case you can't really be very competitive as a pro because of the high stress of your real job, you can't dedicate the sort of time needed to keep improving. As a teacher you discover certain qualities and new methods about yourself as well as being a role model for your students.
5678dance
Active Member
Except for the fact that you can tell your friends and coworkers that you're a professional ballroom dancer... definitely sounds snazzier than just saying "competitive" dancer or "amateur" ballroom dancer. Maybe that's a bit shallow, but I think for some people, that's really cool and something to work toward, even if it is just for hobby!
More importantly, like others have alluded to above, if you dance as a hobby but still want to go up against the best competition as part of your goals, and the best competition is at the pro level, then that's a legitimate reason enough to go pro without having to turn it into your career. So it is a different ballgame from being am.
smidra86
Active Member
I know it is a different ballgame. If you are dancing as a hobby you have no reason to be pro as stated in the ndca rulebook. On top of which, name me 3 professionals who have either been in the usdc or ohio final who are not also dance teachers. If you haven't made it to the top in the amateur field then unless you are teaching, which both the people from the usadance champ final are (me being one of them), then you still have plenty of competition and challenges as an am. When you win champ smooth at the ndca nationals in provo, ut from a first round, then you can consider turning pro and then think about whether it is worth doing so by not being a teacher.
When you think about it, it is more logical to be a teacher in order to be a pro. And you can ask any professional what would be the best way to turn pro and they will say to teach.
syncopationator
Active Member
so being under 35 and having a comitted partner are all you need to turn pro? nevermind if you dont have a clue about timing, balance, poise or even the tiny sense of musicality... and i would say placing in the top 3 in most champ amateur finals will earn you more money than not making it out of the 1st round in any pro competition.
syncopationator
Active Member
and a northeast couple took second (only a couple of marks from 1st) over a mostly BYU field. we're catching up very fast.
syncopationator
Active Member
it starts with responsible coaching. most top amateur dancers have various coaches they go to not just for lessons, but for advice. this decision should be made with the advice of a coach who truly has your best interests in mind.
I have a "flash " for you.
I grew up in the day ( in the UK ) were 90% of teachers had daytime jobs, and VERY successful evening and w/end studios.
It also may surprise you to know that, there are many Pros. who never taught , competition ,was their only ambition .
Probably the most famous Prof. who combined a highly successful and Prof. dance career ( hes STILL lecturing in his 90s ) is Lyndon Wainwright .
smidra86
Active Member
Its a different time now as well as how things are run in different countries. The ballroom scene is completely different in the usa than it is anywhere else. Heck, up until last november or so (don't remember exactly when but I know the change was recent), our paso doble was a few measures faster than the rest of the world. Its a whole other ballgame wherever you go.
suburbaknght
Well-Known Member
And this is why being a pro teacher is different than being a pro dancer, as defined by both NDCA and USA Dance: one becomes a pro not by teaching professionally but by dancing as a professional in a competition.