Yeah, it’s hard. To begin with, you feel embarrassed and totally uncoordinated. Because of this, you think everyone’s looking at you and that makes you even shyer. Then you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror and you can’t believe how bad you look. In contrast, you were always great at any sport you tried…what’s up with ballroom dance lessons? Could it be that you’re just not cut out for partner dancing?

The problem is that some people make it look so easy. Regardless, it takes a lot to make it appear effortless. Therefore, if you think you’re gonna waltz into the studio, take a couple of lessons, and dance out looking good, you’re about to be disappointed. In that case, I guess jogging would be a lot easier to do. But, you’d be missing out on something special.

How to avoid the ‘new to ballroom dancing’ blues.

The way to avoid the new student blues is to enjoy the process.

You might say ballroom dance lessons teach the universal language of dance. Have you ever tried to learn to speak another language? Challenging, no? Sure, it is, but stick it out and you’ll end up with a fun and useful new skill. Strangely enough, it’s the same with ballroom dancing. They both take time to master, but it’s so worth it. Never give up!

What’s good about ballroom dance lessons? A few things you can look forward to are:

• Music…Enjoy the sensation of moving to music with confidence.
• Activity…Become more fit as you grow your dancing abilities.
• Make new friends…You’re a part of a group with a common interest – ballroom dancing.
• Stress relief…Don’t worry, be happy!
• Impress a particular person…Is there a special someone who would be soooo happy if you learned ballroom dancing?
• Look and feel better…Embrace your outstanding poise and posture both on and off the dance floor.

Learn dance techniques so you can get up and use your dancing sooner rather than later.

The levels in ballroom dancing are Bronze, Silver, and Gold. I’m guessing you can figure out where new students begin.

To execute patterns well, you’ve got to learn the proper ballroom dance techniques. To be specific, Foot Position, Timing, Dance Position, Partnership, Leg Action, Footwork, and Style. Learn more about them in this Dance Safari post, “Ballroom Dance Technique – Foot Position vs Footwork“.

Becoming a better ballroom or social dancer requires a lot of repetition. With this in mind, here’s what you can expect on your ballroom dance lesson:

• Warm-up dance to help you get in the spirit.
• Review of the previous lessons’ steps or techniques followed by the introduction of new material.
• Cooldown dance and preview of the next lesson.

So, yeah, it’s not easy to learn partner dancing.

Nothing worth your time is. However, a well-prepared instructor will hold your hand and give you encouragement on your dance journey. Therefore, you’ll never be alone. Go ahead, jog if you must, but find yourself a dance studio with parties and get with the system. Dance, baby, dance!