Competition Ballroom Dancing

Many people who enjoy social dancing, and who have explored the area of lessons to learn different dances and improve their dancing technique, eventually decide to enter the field of competition dancing. Once having experienced the excitement and gratification of competition dancing it is difficult to give it up. Once begun, competition ballroom dancing becomes irresistible.

Initially, most individuals or couples, enroll for a few dance lessons at a local studio. As they progress and explore the fun of learning different dancing styles, they enjoy it more and more. If a dancer has some natural talent and learns to execute various dance steps well, the instructor may suggest competition dancing as the next step.

If a student is studying alone, his or her partner will automatically become the instructor, though of course the objective is to learn to dance with many partners in social dancing.
If the student wishes to enter the field of competition dancing, the instructor becomes the partner in competitions. The instructor is, of course, best able to show the student to best advantage in any dancing competition.

There are so many types and styles of ballroom dancing that there are wide choices for the student to pick the dance and style that is best suited to the student’s abilities.One might choose to compete in several categories by dancing the waltz, perhaps the tango and the rhumba. Others might prefer swing dancing or jive or even the fast-moving quickstep.

Preparation for competition dancing requires special lessons, especially for choreoraphed dances which are part of major competitions. Students also practice for many dedicated hours at the studio or even at home. Another aspect of competition dancing is the dance costumes, many of which, particularly for national events, are very elaborate and expensive.

Judging for competition dancing usually involves more than one judge for an event, and at advanced levels of competition dancing, a number of judges will be involved as it is too difficult (and potentially prejudicial) for one or two persons to judge the fine elements of dance execution when many talented partners are participating. Typically three prizes are awarded for each dance: gold, silver and bronze trophies or medals.

Competition ballroom dancing is exciting and challenging, and tremendously enjoyable to watch, as the dancers are talented and perform beautifully as they compete. If you like to dance you might want to explore the world of ballroom dancing and dancing competitions.

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