I'm new! too late to dance?

I think, if you've done all the other styles of dancing, you are at a definite advantage to get further in your Latin aspirations than those who have no dance background. If you're serious about it, and are willing to practice long and hard, then 20 is a fine age to start! I wish I was 20 again! If you're willing to stick with it long enough, you can do it! More power to you!
Best if luck! :applause:
 
I started dancing when I was 19 and now I'm 21. I started doing competition when I was 20. After almost 2 years of competition I have reached adult C grade, I only compete in Standard.
 
I can totally relate! I started dancing a few years ago. All my people told me that I'm wasting my time. I am progressing rapidly. I am doing it for me, and I don't care wjhat people think. I am not on a couch, I am moving. You're never too old. Dance is a language, and I choose to speak it.
 
Well, Luca Baricchi makes analogies between walking and Standard-style dancing. Must be that if you can walk, you can dance like a world champ. :rolleyes:
 
I don't know if starting in your 20's is old ... I am older than dirt. LOL

I am 37 and just starting dancing a yr ago. I have a LONG way to go ... but my goals are to compete and be the best that I can be. I mean, I am harder on myself! But I am setting goals to compete and I can taste the win ... :)

But honestly, I think it is all relative. Never to old and with hard work, dedication, etc ... there is no way not to be a top competitor!

Go for it.

BTW ... Polina Pilipenchuk started later (I think like 19 or something ... please don't quote. I just remember a brief conversation about it.) Her and Igor went on to win some pretty major titles in 10 dance. So never to old!!!!
 
Older than dirt!, heavens at 37 you are in the prime of your life, I started dancing at 48, I have the same goals. if you have talent an ability age is no barrier, you will do very well.:p

emeralddancer said:
I don't know if starting in your 20's is old ... I am older than dirt. LOL

I am 37 and just starting dancing a yr ago. I have a LONG way to go ... but my goals are to compete and be the best that I can be. I mean, I am harder on myself! But I am setting goals to compete and I can taste the win ... :)

But honestly, I think it is all relative. Never to old and with hard work, dedication, etc ... there is no way not to be a top competitor!

Go for it.

BTW ... Polina Pilipenchuk started later (I think like 19 or something ... please don't quote. I just remember a brief conversation about it.) Her and Igor went on to win some pretty major titles in 10 dance. So never to old!!!!
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QPO said:
Older than dirt!, heavens at 37 you are in the prime of your life, I started dancing at 48, I have the same goals. if you have talent an ability age is no barrier, you will do very well.:p
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I thought you were in your 30s...oops.
 
this thread cracks me up...as someone who didn't start dancing til 41, and started latin at 43...

dansa, don't let any concept of age or "lateness" dilute or diminish your idea of what is possible for yourself. just put your head down, get to work, believe in yourself, and raise the bar. :)
 
I'm with emeralddancer, QPO, samina, etc.

I agree, and chuckled when I realized this was about teens/twenties . . . because I'm just getting going and am probably older than some of your fathers!
:D
:banana:

In any endeavor, you'll find people who started before you or had a leg up in one fashion or another - and more so as each day passes . . . so if you let that bother you, it'll only get worse! And as you become more involved you might find your goals evolving in ways not imagined when starting.

In other words - go, go go!
 
Correct me if I am wrong, but I think the OP was wondering if she was too old to have a shot at becoming a champion. On that I am not sure. We have discussed older people getting into dance before but I'm not sure how many champions started late - and also did not grow up in a dance environment even if they were not young competitors (Corky Ballas was one example I remember - but I believe his parents had a studio)
 
elisedance said:
Correct me if I am wrong, but I think the OP was wondering if she was too old to have a shot at becoming a champion. On that I am not sure. We have discussed older people getting into dance before but I'm not sure how many champions started late - and also did not grow up in a dance environment even if they were not young competitors (Corky Ballas was one example I remember - but I believe his parents had a studio)
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I think it would more depend on a person's level of commitment at that stage. If the OP is willing to give away everything in pursuit of her goals, starts training 40, 50 hours a week, and has 5,6,7 lessons per week, there's no reason she can't compensate for the late age she started.
 
Come back dansa and tell us more about yourself and we can be more specific.

If your question is to be Top Standard or Latin in the World, we'd ask one more question to clarify whether Amateur or Professional. Let's say Top handful of Professional Latin - then breaking into those ranks you would be among Joanna Leunis, Yulia Z., Kristina Stokkbroe, Maria Mausova, Melinda T. We also have our very own Nik who is coming "up in world class competitions" to use your original phrase.

It comes back to what many have said here - the people currently at, or soon to be at those levels, have been working hard at it for years. Forget that it may have been their entire life - that's not the point as much as its that they have a 20 year head-start, with the best coaches, and experience on the floor which can't simply be taught but which must be experienced (and that takes time), and it also takes time to get around the circuit, much less after you're coming up in world class competitions.

So can you do it? Why not? All you have to do is pretty much dedicate your life for the next x years to this task, get the best coaches, and immediately start working on a focused program, feed yourself, and avoid the distractions of life that trip up many people.

Every day that you don't spend in this focused program, you then add to the other's advantage over you. Its not that you can't do it - we've been supportive about "yes, you can", but there are brutal facts behind that encouragement. Some may call it realism - it depends on the rosy-ness of your glasses.

I see Pro's arriving in their 20s and 30s who do wonderful things in the dance world - you'll find your own path.
 
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