I'm new! too late to dance?

Dancingirldancing: You're far from too old. Just go for it! Five years younger is not a problem at your age at all, ask the guys. At least one of them will be smart and snatch you up.

Though I do understand, I've been too old (or too fat) for so many things I'd have wanted to do. Luckily not all. :)

We also ran into this 'too old' thingy a couple of weeks ago, when a mother of one of the other girls in my daughter's group started on how, "It is such a pity that D is too old to get a new partner." She said that in front of my 10-year old, who took it very hard and as the gospel truth. I've had to spend hours boosting the girl's self-confidence again and I am quite miffled with the lady.
 
I kinda feel same way sometimes, too.

I discovered ballroom dancing in my late 20s. I started slowly, just doing social groups and then some private lessons, because I was determined to prove that I can do it, despite having various family members tell me that I don't have the ability to do anything which involves being able to stay with the beat. I didn't discover competitive/performing side of ballroom until I was 30. I did my first competition when I was 31. I have advanced considerably in the last few years, and I know I have not maxed out my potential for development as a dancer yet.

Sometimes I feel like I don't know where I am going with this. I think I said this somewhere before, but I don't know what would be a reasonable long-term goal for someone like me.
 
And you have to remember that thinking about where you might be if you had started young is nonsense. You might have had a career ending injury. You might have burned out. What's important is that you are dancing NOW.
 
dancingirldancing said:
Oh my what would I give to 'rewind' 10 years of my life.

I feel like I am too old for achieve anything with my dancing.

A teacher kept on telling me this.

Yet I am too young to give it up all together.

I have been looking for a partner for a year now.

Most of the men are about 5 years younger than me and I do not dare ask them for a try out.

I think I have 'wasted' the prime of my life on things that never mattered to me.

I feel like I am playing catch up all the time.

I saw a ballet movie last night and remembered the time of my childhood.

I always dreamt about being the lead that was never realised because I was a big girl.

I lost so much weight after that and discover ballroom dancing. I was actually good at it. Yet I was told again that I was too old to be any good. I was in my late teens or early twenties then (can't remember exactly).

Sometimes I get so disheartened....and I dont understand why I should feel so old when I barely reached 30. I look reasonably young, trim and in good form, yet I kept on being told that I am too old.

I am sorry to vent....
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I'm feeling a lot like that lately. No one has told me I'm too old though - if people are saying those sorts of things to you then they are being rude and ill mannered. No one is ever too old to dance. Look at some of the pro's who dance a lot longer into their later years..... Sure, as you get older you may not be as quick but if you've got the technique, rhythm and pazazz then who gives a funk? You're as old as you feel.

So it's never too late for anything :)

Wish I'd taken a different path in life when I was younger but alas there is nout I can do about it now apart, from, erm, dance?! 5 years ago I would never have thought I'd be on stage dancing let alone enjoying tap dancing!! I was a shy wreck back then... Just think to yourself... for all these thoughts you are having you could be dancing instead :p

Women should never ever ever have to ask a man to dance, that works the other way round ;) Foxtrot/frog march them onto the stage instead and enjoy.... (you would only need to say 'bunny' and I'd hop on over for a boogie)

Oh, well done for losing the weight... :D Keep up the good work...
 
Get away from those negative people!
You are NOT too old!!!

I wanted to be a ballerina since I was a tiny tot and didn't get to start lessons until high school.
Then I started teaching ballroom at 19 then moved on to other things. I would cry watching ballroom dancing on PBS thinking if only I'd stayed with it "I could have been a contender." My BF at the time said "why don't you get back to it now?"
"I'm too old" I said. But I was only 32 and I did get back to it. It was my career and my joy for 17 years. Then I got a heart condition and couldn't dance for many years. Now I'm back teaching again and I love it.
It's Never Too Late! You could have a whole career! Go for it!
 
I was sorting some older photos and found a couple of pics from my very first competition. It was St. Louis Starball 2004. Yeah, I did come a long way since then (and no, there is no way I am posting those pics anywhere :) )
 
Have anyone notices that as you get older your personal nuances becomes stronger ?

I watched a video of myself dancing when I was 20 and while I was much faster I feel my dancing was a lot less personal and much more technical.

When I am referring to younger guys I don't mean asking them to dance in social occasion but more to ask them for try out as a competitive couple. I have no reservation about asking anyone to dance in a social but asking for a try outis very different !
 
dancingirldancing said:
Have anyone notices that as you get older your personal nuances becomes stronger ?

I watched a video of myself dancing when I was 20 and while I was much faster I feel my dancing was a lot less personal and much more technical.
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True expression of dance?

dancingirldancing said:
When I am referring to younger guys I don't mean asking them to dance in social occasion but more to ask them for try out as a competitive couple. I have no reservation about asking anyone to dance in a social but asking for a try outis very different !
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They probably feel the same way as you... what have you got to lose anyway? I think it's one of the nicest things to be asked to dance... professionaly even more so...
 
But honest- is it too late for me to dance?

First off I'd like to say I don't want BS responses like "It's never too late". Please be brutally honest.

I'm a 24 year old female and I want to learn how to dance again. I've loved dance all my life, but in my teen years I became depressed and I wasn't interested in anything anymore. I watch all the Dance shows on TV and I always wish to be able to dance like that. I'm out of that funk now and I'd like to get back into dancing.

I took 8 years of Jazz and Acrobatic classes when I was a kid- that was over 10 years ago though. I'm out of shape (I'm 5'8 and like 145 lbs) and I'm not very flexible. I was wondering.. is it too late for me to get back into dancing? It would probably take me a year at least to get back in shape in weight, strength and flexibility. I'm mostly interested in learning contemporary, ballroom and/or bollywood.

Most people who dance have started as a teen.. is it too late for me to become a good dancer?
 
I can name at least 4 USBC finalists this year who didn't start dancing ballroom until they were in their 20s. And can add even more if I go back a few years. So definitely not too late.

And welcome to DF!
 
Welcome to DF kipia!

kipia said:
Most people who dance have started as a teen.. is it too late for me to become a good dancer?
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It depends what your goals are kipia and how much you are willing to devote to it.

If you want to be a world champion in the amateur or pro divisions in the international styles, you may be a tad late...though not by much. World Champion Pro Int'l Latin dancer Carmen started I believe when she was 16 or so?

I think you will find that there are dancers who started later in the American style dances too - I believe US Finalist D. Weise and I believe Larinda McRaven started in or after college.

"Good dancer" means many things to many people. What does it mean to you?
 
kipia said:
.. Most people who dance have started as a teen.. is it too late for me to become a good dancer?
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Hi kipia, welcome here. I will bolster you: I have started at about 47 and had good cutups soon afterwards (after 4 years, which is very short in the TA world). Never danced before. But trained every night for one year. Keep on!
 
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