Foxtrot Project

I have a very large interest in ballroom dancing. Can anyone help me?

I've seen two movies that really sparked my interest in ballroom dancing. I love the elegance, the moves, *the dresses.* So could anyone tell me how I would go about working on this interest? I live in a fairly small town with very few opportunities and am not sure where or how to get started. Also, could you tell me your favorite ballroom dance(s) and why? Thanks!

Public Comments

1. Foxtrot, rumba, and Viennese waltz are my favorites. I also enjoy tango, salsa, and swing, but they're more difficult to work with if your partner is inexperienced (which is often the case). Finding places to participate can be difficult if you live in a rural area, but I've taught at my local gym and have taken lessons from a private instructor at a karate studio. Larger towns will have instructional classes.
2. How about putting ballroom dancing in your search engine. there are probably 1000s of sites that'll help you find what your looking for.
3. I would try http://www.clickforlessons.com - best resource out there to find local dance teachers
4. You'll just have to travel to a larger city in all likelihood. I have to drive a good ways myself. If you're interested in International Standard, you might want to get the ISTD syllabus and/or Alex Moore's classic book. At some point you might want some DVD's as well, but they're not very useful, especially for the absolute beginner. Some styles of dance lend themselves better to learning from video clips, but ballroom is more about the connection and communication than it is about the figures.
5. When shopping for a ballroom dance studio, you need to remember the following if you are in the U.S. ... you get what you pay for in most cases. If you go with a small school that charges very little, you will get little in return. If you go with a larger school with a reputable name, you will pay more but get a better quality of dance education. In my years of teaching, I have worked with all studio shapes, sizes, and methods of teaching. Online is not a bad way to begin searching for schools. It can sometimes be daunting to see a cold list of schools and not really know anything about them, however. My advice is to try a few and go with the one that gives you the best service regardless of price. I really cannot emphasize that enough. Ballroom dancing is not a cheap hobby and you need to understand that going in. As far as favorite dances go, I prefer Bolero, Tango, and Swing. I like Bolero because of it's sensuality, Tango because of it's intensity and challenge, and Swing because I feel like I am least restricted in that dance. I guess I should also clarify that I prefer American style to International.