Ballroom Dancing: Essential Preparation for The Beginner

 Ballroom dancing is an increasingly popular exercise all over the world. Dancing is a social dance because it encourages interaction between dance partners. Ballroom dancing provides an atmosphere for men and women to gather together.
It is good for people to develop their friendships and have a good time. Learning ballroom dancing gives you a different experience of life. Dancing benefits your heath, self-confidence, and society. If you are interested in dancing and want to learn it, I am going to suggest that you need to prepare some basic things: you need to look for a good instructor, practice the dance a lot, and dress appropriately for a beginner learning ballroom dancing.


For the beginning dancer, you must be looking for a good instructor who teaches the right ways with patience and encouragement. When you learn a new sport such as bowling, a good coach teaches you how to win. He patiently offers you bowling knowledge, teaches you about its skills, and encourages good posture. Similarly, you have to carefully choose a good instructor for comfortable learning and improving the dance. For example, I had two teachers during dance class. My first instructor was very nice and patient. When I had mistakes in my steps, he was always careful to correct me. Thought even I repeated my wrong steps or poses, he never turned away from teaching me over again. Therefore, I liked to being in his class and was more interested in dancing. In contrast, my second teacher was extremely strict. When I made one false step, he got angry at my mistake. I felt so upset and nervous. I was afraid to attend his class. I was sometimes absent because I did not feel comfortable learning from him. Thus, a pretty good and patient teacher is very important in the beginning. “Successful teachers create an effective learning environment, one that is enjoyable, informative, and stimulating to students. Let them know that it is okay to make mistakes- this is the way we learn” (Patterson, 1946, p. 1). After getting a good teacher, you must practice the basic steps by yourself for improving your dance skills.


Besides, you need to practice ballroom dancing with your partner a lot. When you master with the ballroom dance steps, you start with your partner in interaction tries to adapt to different typically posturized conditions and familiar with any type of music. You will spend a lot of time working on communication to become comfortable with each other in order to learn the joy of moving in unison with each other to music. “Practice makes perfect” in learning ballroom dancing. “When these Dance Sport disciples get in the swing of it, practicing becomes part of their weekly regime. ‘ We practice all the time,’ said Jakwerth. ‘The more we do, the more confidence that shows on the dance floor.’ The Jakwerths keep it all in the family, too, studying with wife Florence’s son, a world-class competing ballroom dancer” (Beyer, 1999, p. 3). Later, if you completely practiced dancing well, you can expect to attend a ballroom dancing party, complete with costumes.

You need to dress appropriately for a formal party. Popular dancing just requires comfortable clothes, but ballroom dancing requires specific outfits, and dressing in formal clothes. “Once they decide to compete, couples must devote time to lessons and practice, and must invest some money in the proper garb. The requisite ballgowns can cost as much as $ 3, 000 (which is why some dancers make their own), men wear full tailcoats and both must wear shoes with chrome leather soles to prevent slipping” (Beyer, 1999, p. 3). Although the dresses of ballroom dancing are not easy or cheap to buy, you may feel as prince and princess dancing in a gorgeous palace. There are costumes to express everyone’s unique style and quality. Since you wear suitable attire, you will stand at a party.

To conclude, for the beginning dancer, getting a good instructor is the most important in learning ballroom dancing. That has a great influence on you learning to dance well. Next, taking time to perform the dancing skills makes you dance smoothly. Last, by making costumes, you look great and confident dancing. Ballroom dancing is not only an excellent art and exercise, but also you may meet your mate. Ballroom dancing is a good way to meet people and have fun.