America's Ballroom Challenge - coming to TV in 2009

Warren J. Dew said:
Has there been a demonstrable impact on the popularity of ballroom from the show? More people coming through studio doors?

I know there has been previously from movies like Swing Kids, but since movies are one shot deals, those boosts were temporary from the ballroom studios' standpoint.
Click to expand...
DWTS began airing when I was a student at AM. I am presently at FADS. My observation is that DWTS has NOT increased business significantly at either studio. Both are still fighting to attract new students. Kind of glum, but I think that too many people just want to watch, rather than get off their sofas and do!
 
The earliest years of the PBS "Championship Ballroom Dancing" were my introduction to ballroom. Much later, at a social at Dan and Suzanne's old studio in Watertown, I thought, "how cool to have seen them on TV, and now get to dance at their studio!".

While the show didn't get me into ballroom at first, I got there eventually when the time was right for me. It certainly planted the seed that this was something people did beyond a social level.
 
So today was a marathon of ABC on my local PBS station. 2006 & 2007 respectively. I have to say, I was more impressed with the juniors than most of the pros. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but if one is dancing a "Showdance" in one's style, one would be expected to have at least one or two elements of that style somewhere in the dance?

Seeing Pierre & Mireille made me long for the "good ol' days". The only dancers I recognized were Ben & Shalene Ermis and Jose DeCamps, Julia Gorchekova & Katusha Demidova. :-( Not counting the DWTS pros. ;-)
 
White Chacha said:
The earliest years of the PBS "Championship Ballroom Dancing" were my introduction to ballroom. Much later, at a social at Dan and Suzanne's old studio in Watertown, I thought, "how cool to have seen them on TV, and now get to dance at their studio!".

While the show didn't get me into ballroom at first, I got there eventually when the time was right for me. It certainly planted the seed that this was something people did beyond a social level.
Click to expand...

I started watching them in 1988, watched it loyally ever since. I was already dancing by that point in time but it just made me want to get that much better at it.
 
I began watching the show around 1983? and encouraged me to find a studio when I moved to Maryland in '85. If I hadn't seen those programs, I wouldn't have even known where to begin looking for partner dance. In Baltimore, the shows were partially underwritten by a local AM or FADS studio. I was lucky to find a great independent studio in Towson. Excellent teachers and great students who quickly became friends.
 
Saw it last night. All I can say is "meh". We called the end result though. There was just *no* contest. Hubs wanted Eugene & Maria to win the latin. And I got a complement of out it too. He said I "dance like her". W00T! That's the NICEST thing he's ever said about my dancing *ever*. So the show wasn't a total waste. 8)
 
I've never been to OSB before, but everyone in that thread seems to think it will make for a better night for actual spectators/dancers there. So certainly good and bad aspects to it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Dance Ads

Advertise on Dance Forums Reach dancers, teachers, studios, event organizers, and dance-friendly brands. View ad options
Back
Top