What Made You Want To Dance?

[Aura]

Okay, so I'm going to try my hand at creating a thread. Here's my question: What made you want to pursue ballroom? "Dancing with the Stars" and "Strictly Come Dancing" have made it more mainstream, but I don't really find it to be a common hobby, at least where I live.

As for me, I was inspired by DWTS, and I wanted to avoid ballet. Ironically, now I take a weekly ballet class for adults that I've been involved in for four months now.

 

[cabbagefairy]

I used to dance ballet, dabbled in hip hop and gymnastics but all performances for those pretty much stop after your teens unless you join a company and make a career out of it. Ballroom you can dance your whole life, even after you stop doing comps there are still socials

 

[Aura]

Welcome to DF cabbagefairy! That's an awesome answer, and one I also believe in. At our studio, we have a guy in his late sixties to early seventies that still competes.

 

[toothlesstiger]

I really wanted to dance to salsa music, the music moves me. That made me take lessons in a dance studio that teaches ballroom. Salsa dancing was my gateway drug.

 

[Paul.Long]

I started because I thought it would be a neat skill to have for social functions like weddings and fancy parties. Ironically the weddings that I've been to have very little (like none) partnership dancing. The exception being my previous partner's wedding.

 

[drejenpha]

Ballroom happened to be on my list of Cold War era spy skills to acquire when I went to college. It was completely out of character for me and it was the only class I planned on taking my first semester that I actually got to take.

 

[want2dance]

I have been dancing since I used to dance on my dad's feet to American Bandstand in our living room. Now at the ripe old age of 55+, I finally found a way to still dance. Wish I found it earlier!!!!

 

[Foreveradvanced]

I started dancing because the first girl I ever said "I love you" too liked to Salsa, so I planned to take Salsa lessons in secret and then surprise her by taking her out dancing..... too bad we broke up before that could happen.

years later I had the opportunity to take a Ballroom class, Salsa being one of the dances that would be covered, and in thinking of her I took the class anyways and figured why not. Turned out, I liked and wasn't bad at it.

 

[fascination]

I have been dancing since I used to dance on my dad's feet to American Bandstand in our living room. Now at the ripe old age of 55+, I finally found a way to still dance. Wish I found it earlier!!!!

such a nice memory...I remember doing the same on my Grandfather's feet, to polkas in the living room when I went to visit them on weekends...I also remember that as early on as I can remember, I always yearned for body flight, leaping from imaginary stone to stone on the side walk or from one piece of furniture to another at home to get that feeling, or pretending I was a dancer....

 

[mjnemeth]

Fred and Ginger. I remember growing up watching the old movies on tv. I always loved the ballroom numbers better than the tap! Except for waltz and hustle I didnt learn any other dances until my 50's.

To Paul Long. Yes that the way it seam to be but there is the satisfaction of be out on the floor dancing and be complimented later!

 

[sambanada]

sparkly dresses

 

[bia]

Even at 20 years old, I was still in the habit of copying my older sister. She rarely led me wrong. She had gotten involved with her college ballroom club and really enjoyed it, so I decided to check out mine.

I really wanted to dance to salsa music, the music moves me. That made me take lessons in a dance studio that teaches ballroom. Salsa dancing was my gateway drug.

tt, this is exactly the same story as my DH.

 

[danceronice]

I was doing ice dance, and wanted to take some ballroom for help with posture, understanding the music, etc. Of course I'm too old and too heavy to make competing in ice dance worthwhile (or possible without passing a LOT of test to get past the levels that have age limits) and I hadn't known you could compete in ballroom without being really good, young, and having a partner....

Dancing in general, I don't know. I've always liked the idea but as a kid I didn't have time or the inclination to take ballet lessons, and I was too heavy for ballet anyway.

 

[debmc]

It's hard to identify exactly what made me start ballroom dancing but certainly TV shows like DWTS and movies like Shall We Dance, Dance With Me and Strictly Ballroom were influences/introductions into the ballroom world. I started with some group lessons, really liked it, took one private lesson and was hooked! I also like the versatility of ballroom: different styles, different ages, social or competitive....there is something for everyone.

 

[dancing_moogle]

I think I just fell into ballroom dancing. I had a roommate in college who was the president of the ballroom/swing club. I didn't even know that such an activity existed on campus. After a few social outings and my first collegiate comp, I caught the bug and didn't want to quit. I continued to dance and now compete in the amateur circuit.

sparkly dresses

The dresses too... I can't help thinking about blingy dresses; I've been very dress crazy these days!