5 Misconceptions of Ballroom Dancing That Strip Your Joy Out of Life
- E.O.-Help DanceSport Club
- Aug 6, 2021
- 7 min read
Are the best dancers naturally born talented ? We have to learn from young to be good in dancing? I need to have a partner in order to join ballroom dancing? I can't dance well if I don't have an athletic build? I need to have a dance background to learn ballroom dancing? If you ever have any of these questions in mind, read further to find out the answers. Even if these questions never popped out in your head, why not continue to be enlightened as you read on?😊 You might just find a pleasant surprise at the end of this article.
Without further ado, here are the 5 common misconceptions:
Misconception No. 1 - You're either a natural or you're not
Before I get to the gist of it, let me first share you a secret tip. Do you know what sets you apart from others? Discipline. Like what my psychology lecturer once told me. "Even my students who got a full scholarship for their degree are not the top scorers." What I'm trying to say is that, even if you are naturally gifted in other fields (be it academic or sports), you need discipline to be really really good at something.
So, for ballroom dancing, it works the same! From attending a workshop conducted by world Latin dance champions (Gabriele Goffredo & Anna Matus), they too, have shared how they sacrificed leisure time to swim with their friends just to train for dance and they practice every day. Yes, even if it means sore or painful muscles the next day.
That's why if you're feeling inferior when you first join the very first beginner class, I would like to urge you to try your best not to feel that way. Because ultimately, one of the goal every instructor wants to see while you're dancing is your boost of confidence. In fact, the dance community here views your positive mindset as equally important as your physical well-being. You'll be surprised how much an instructor can accurately see the way you think about yourself just from your dancing. Mine was spot on, and it makes sense because dance is a form of expression. ☺️
In a nutshell, remind yourself at times when you can't immediately pick up, that you're not here to compare yourself with others (even if it's not dancing). The only comparison you should be making is to yourself. If this is too deep, ask yourself these questions. Have I really done my best? Can I do better? Focus on the reasons you started learning dancing and stick to it. Then, you might see yourself learning or improving faster than a natural. 😃
Many people would think that people who are naturally talented can pick up really fast but the fact is that they could also get stuck while learning. This is because they are so used to learning dance quickly and easily that they become frustrated and discouraged when they are confronted with a challenge thus slowing down their improvement as they are not familiar with putting the dance steps into work. That's why I said you could beat a natural. ;)
Never let public thoughts cage you from a chance of seeing your better self. You decide what's best for yourself. Once you gave it a try, you might just discover your hidden talent that you've never known you had it before. Then, you might be thinking "Why didn't I join earlier?". But even if you don't see your talent here, you won't lose anything from learning these dances but to gain a fitter body, muscular strength, positive thinking and more.
Remember, hard work and dedication are the things that make it stick (which leads to the next point).
Misconception No. 2 - You should learn how to dance when you are a kid.
So, what about surpassing people who learned since young? If your goal is to become a professional dancer, then it is better to learn how to dance from your childhood. However,
most people could still achieve excellent results when they started taking dance classes when they are adults. So, it comes back to the same rule of practice, practice and practice. Hence, forget about having the talent and having trained since young. The only way to become the best in dancing is through consistent hard work and dedication.
If you're ready for the challenge, I'd suggest you to start taking parts in dance competitions. There are many national and even international dance competitions for amateurs; so, if you do want to become a professional dancer, don't miss out any of these opportunities. This is because competitions are the ones that really push you to improve fast. There are other benefits of partaking a competition too such as getting good recognition of your dancing skills, getting a great boost of confidence/sense of achievement and even a sports scholarship for any university course.
But if your goal in ballroom dancing isn't to compete or to become a professional dancer, then why bother what other people think of you while learning ballroom dancing even if you're not a natural or if you didn't train since young? Whether you're here for better posture, to lose weight, to gain stamina, to look better, to look aesthetic... Taking up the dance for these motivators are definitely not wasting your time. Instead, be proud of these goals and never give up until you achieve it. Because when you give up, then time wouldn't be the only thing you'll lose.
Dancing should never be stressful or worrying, but enjoyable. In fact, you'll find ballroom dancing easy to learn as your instructor break down the various dance principles such as foot placements, timing of music and other techniques. You'll find that every instruction is actually just black and white, a step by step process that requires no innate ability. Once you got the steps right, once you got the rhythm, you'll be enjoying so much that you'll wish there's more time. It's even more fun when you have a partner. ;) (which again leads me to my next point hahaha)
Misconception No. 3 - You need a partner to start dancing.
Nope. You can start learning at your own comfort zone first. Having a dance partner only comes in later to the picture once both sides are ready. When I say dance partner here, it can mean male or female. Yes, if you're a lady, you're in luck because you get to choose to dance solo or with a female partner or with a male partner (all conditions apply the same for competitions). If you're a gent, you're even luckier, you get to pick whom to be your partner as ballroom dancing is overpopulated by the lasses haha.
If you have always been enjoying dancing alone, try dancing with a partner, it's a whole lot of fun! You get to feel the connection, the momentum and the strength of your partner and how you can even borrow or use the strength to dance even better. Just like how a piano duet sounds better, dancing with a partner looks even more stunning. Though all these may sound really fun, bear in mind that having a dance partner is as serious as any other relationship. Both parties should have the same goal, same level of commitment, respect and many more. So, besides dancing, you also get to practice patience, tolerance and to carry your important role as a partner. 😊
Misconception No 4. - You can't dance if you’re not in shape
This isn't true. My friend once shared how her cute petite little sister dances ballet and how ballerinas who get to perform are usually really slim. You would think so too, yes? But she told me the ballerinas who actually dance better are those who are plump. In fact, one of my Latin dance instructor whom I so highly admire and who already looks perfect in shape, is still working towards gaining weight. Note that weight here refers to gaining muscle, because that gives you the strength and explosiveness in dancing. So, even if you are not in shape, you can dance. It's just the matter of how long and how much you can do so before you need a break.
I started dancing when I was plump and ballroom dancing became my motivator to lose weight, allowing me to see a much more beautiful side of me. Since young, I've always been attracted to people who could do sports, because I really like how they could have such strong stamina which I struggle so hard to obtain. But now, I'm starting to see an athletic side of me thanks to Dancesport even though I'm still far away from Dancesport athletes who could use each and every muscle strength with precision of body movement with speed and enduring it for 1 minute and a half or even longer depending on the competition event category, for 5 dances consecutively and for several rounds! They have seriously earned my respect and I hope to see you achieving this challenge too, no matter what shape are you. 🙂
Misconception No 5. - You need a dance background to learn ballroom dancing
Nada. You need no experience to learn ballroom dancing. These dances may seem extremely difficult like you need a degree in dancing before you can learn but no, like what I've mentioned earlier, the steps are black and white when you've got an instructor and the faster you get the concept or the picture, the faster you'll get the hang of it and be in sync with the rhythm. However, it is true that if you have trained in other styles of dance like Ballet, Jazz, Modern or even martial arts like Taekwondo, you’ll be able to pick up ballroom dancing more quickly than newbies. Basically, any activity that has trained you on balance, posture, flexibility or even music will help you learn ballroom dancing with ease.
Now that most of the big misconceptions have been clarified and if my writing have inspired you and removed your fear and worries away, why won't you contact us should you wish to enquire for more details or simply hangout with us in a free trial by clicking the link below.😊
#It'snowornever #Justdoit #Lifeishort #YOLO #Youshouldfearmissingout #Enjoylife
Time really flies and should I say in jet speed. It has been close to 2 years of staying at home for most of the time, making uni life kinda dull don't you think? We hope this opportunity can provide excitement in your life again and to give you something to look forward to, whether it's dance or new connections. ;) If you're unsure of the benefits you get from ballroom dancing, please have a read on the article below:
Here lies the end of the article. Till we meet again in the next one. 😉
Thanks for reading! Have a good day! Stay safe!
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