Dancing with professionals is a vastly different experience from dancing with one's regular dance partner, with whom you may have practiced but not studied for any period of time.
If an individual has made the decision to enter the ballroom dance field for pleasure and/or to expand his or her social life, the best route is to take lessons at a local studio. Such studios offer lessons in every type of ballroom dancing, the lessons being provided by professional dancers.

Ballroom dancing offers a great deal of pleasure when it becomes part of one's social life. If one has no permanent partner, this need not prevent the person's taking dancing lessons and attending dances at local clubs or dance sites. Indeed many persons have found permanent partners through studying dancing and attending local dances.

Dancing with a professional while taking lessons to learn or improve ballroom dancing is
probably the best, if not the only way, to learn to properly execute dance steps. One need not, however, dance perfectly to enjoy social dancing…you simply need to know how to execute the steps to various dances and be able to follow a partner's lead.

A professional dancer will patiently work with a student to teach such dances as the fox trot, waltz, rhumba, cha cha, tango or salsa, step by step, from simple to complex maneuvers. The professional will also teach how to follow the lead of a dancing partner, even if the partner is not a skillful dancer. It is extremely pleasurable to dance with a professional, as he or she guides the learner in a firm, strong manner, helping a student to
dance well.

If a student progresses to a fairly high level of dancing skill, the professional will possibly suggest competition dancing. If the student is studying alone and has no permanent partner, the professional will be her partner in dancing competitions. This also helps to show off the student to best advantage and often win dancing awards.

As one progresses in the study of dancing, and begins to attend regular dances held by the studio or dance organizations, a student must learn to replace the professional with other dancing partners. While one may miss the skillful leads of the professional, it is important to be able to dance well with non-professionals. With a permanent partner, regular study and constant dancing, an amateur dancer can achieve near-professional levels of ballroom dancing.