To specialize or not to specialize?

[Warren J. Dew]

So, I actually don't think its necessary to learn ballet to be a good tap dancer (I was just playing devil's advocate before)... just like I don't think its necessary to learn latin in order to become a good standard dancer.

I did leave out tap in my response for a reason! But again, my main point is that it's not generally considered necessary or even useful to learn other dance styles if your primary style is ballet; most ballet instructors would say it's better to spend the extra time on ballet instead.

Practicing learning how to dance other styles helps you get better at learning how to dance your own style.

The question then always is, is it better to spend that extra time learning other dance styles, or is it better to spend that extra time on your primary dance style as well.

I keep coming back to this point, and I'm not sure why. I think I'll use a different analogy than ballet... Personally, I don't like bacon (cue the mob with pitchforks... its true, it's weird, I know. I just don't like it.) If I said I don't like bacon just based on how it looks, you might say to me, "You can't say you don't like it unless you take a bite!!!"

I wouldn't. If you don't like bacon based on the smell, or the look, or because you think pigs are unclean, it's your choice - just like if you don't like latin based on the music, or the look, or because you think the clothes are too revealing. Heck, even if you just don't like the sound of the word, that's your choice.

 

[5678dance]

I wouldn't. If you don't like bacon based on the smell, or the look, or because you think pigs are unclean, it's your choice - just like if you don't like latin based on the music, or the look, or because you think the clothes are too revealing. Heck, even if you just don't like the sound of the word, that's your choice.

I agree........ I do. It very much is up to the person, and they can choose not to eat bacon for whatever reason they want. Even if they never take a bite.
But sometimes, you don't know what you're missing out on!

 

[tanya_the_dancer]

I guess the main reason there aren't any (many?) top couples that dance two styles, is because you could spend all week in the studio working on both styles, and there will always be a couple who spends that long just working on one. Unless you're spectacularly talented, it's gotta be hard.

I think that's a very good point. If you do more than one style, you can expect your progress to be slower compared to someone who spends same amount of time as you do on just one style.

 

[Leon Theou]

Maybe it would be more attainable for American style 9-dancers, simply because of the lower sheer numbers of people that need to be beat. National champions in two styles, also more attainable, over world champions.

It would not surprise me for a couple to be at the top of both Rhythm and 9-dance, simply because in 9-dance, Rhythm is weighted more heavily than Smooth (if only by 1/9 of the result). In fact, in a three-way showdown between the top couple in Smooth, Rhythm, and 9-dance, the Rhythm couple would take 1st (assuming the specialized couples would place 1st in their style and 3rd in the other, with the 9-dancers taking 2nd across the board).

 

[Sania]

I think that's a very good point. If you do more than one style, you can expect your progress to be slower compared to someone who spends same amount of time as you do on just one style.

I don't think that is necessarily the case - there are skills that transfer and skills that are learned more easily in one style or the other - for me, as one example, the strength and body awareness I gained in my abs through doing latin (and also crunches at the gym, but that's another topic ) have helped my posture and stretch in standard.

 

[fascination]

but again, the whole point of ten dance is to be awesome at ten dance relative to those who dance ten, so I cannot fathom why folks keep harping that you won't be as good as people who just do one style at that one style...okay...so what?....

 

[tanya_the_dancer]

but again, the whole point of ten dance is to be awesome at ten dance relative to those who dance ten, so I cannot fathom why folks keep harping that you won't be as good as people who just do one style at that one style...okay...so what?....

I think because there aren't as many competitions which have 10 dance events, and so couples doing both styles enter separate competitions in both styles, and they do end up placing closer to the top in their stronger style, and probably somewhere in the bottom-to-middle of the pack in their weaker style, but they rarely come out on the top in both of them, they get beaten by couples who focus on one style.

 

[fascination]

right, but again , that IS their choice....

 

[scullystwin42]

Just popping in to say this is a really interesting thread. I do smooth and rhythm pro-am, but have often considered specializing due to budget. Lots of food for thought here. I haven't specialized in one yet because I enjoy both styles and I can't decide which one I would rather specialize in.

 

[tanya_the_dancer]

right, but again , that IS their choice....

But someone who's considering their options should be aware of the consequences of making a choice one way or another... I thought that was the purpose of this thread...

 

[ajiboyet]

I think because there aren't as many competitions which have 10 dance events, and so couples doing both styles enter separate competitions in both styles, and they do end up placing closer to the top in their stronger style, and probably somewhere in the bottom-to-middle of the pack in their weaker style, but they rarely come out on the top in both of them, they get beaten by couples who focus on one style.

Patryk and Anna placed 9th in Latin and 1st in Ballroom at the Internationals.

 

[ajiboyet]

I did leave out tap in my response for a reason! But again, my main point is that it's not generally considered necessary or even useful to learn other dance styles if your primary style is ballet; most ballet instructors would say it's better to spend the extra time on ballet instead.

Here's what I think: ballet is higher up on the dance discipline spectrum than anybody else. So taking ballet would help your contemporary, but taking contemporary might not help your ballet.

I may be wrong.

 

[middy]

Patryk and Anna placed 9th in Latin and 1st in Ballroom at the Internationals.

I love them. That is pretty darn awesome.

 

[fascination]

But someone who's considering their options should be aware of the consequences of making a choice one way or another... I thought that was the purpose of this thread...

absolutely, I am just pointing out that there is more to considering ten dance than not being the best at either set of 5, which is what seems to be the main perspective ...

 

[Warren J. Dew]

Here's what I think: ballet is higher up on the dance discipline spectrum than anybody else. So taking ballet would help your contemporary, but taking contemporary might not help your ballet.

I tend to agree.

I don't think there's any such general discipline hierarchy among the ballroom styles. There may be in some studios, but it's only studio specific.