Absolutely not!  In my opinion, 19 is a great age to start training to become a professional ballroom dancer. As a matter of fact, it’s considered to be a little young.  Even so, I started at 20 with no previous dance experience. But first, before we get into the reasons that 19 or 20 is the ideal time to start your ballroom dance career, we have to answer this question…

Exactly what is a professional Latin and Ballroom dancer?

A ballroom dancer who gets paid to dance is a professional. It may be as a performer, but in ballroom dancing, especially in the States, you’ll almost certainly start out as a teacher.  For some suggestions on how you can become an instructor, check out this Dance Safari post, “How Can Adults Learn to Ballroom Dance Professionally?”

To become an instructor, you must learn three things.

• To begin with, you have to learn to do your part of the dance. As a result, the man will learn to lead and the lady will learn to follow.
• The next step is to learn how to teach ballroom dancing. Specifically, the lady will learn to lead while the gentleman learns to follow.
• Finally, you’ve got to be trained to sell dance lessons. It’s important to be able to explain to your students why they should invest in your services. If you fail to do this, all your dance training will be for nothing because you won’t have anyone to teach.

What’s so good about a younger trainee?

As someone with a fresh face and pleasing personality, younger trainees will find it easier to get their foot in the door.

As recent graduates, most 19-year-olds are considered to be professional students. Learning ballroom dancing is the same as learning any new subject. For this reason, their dance training should be smooth sailing.

Some of the best reasons to begin working towards the goal of becoming a ballroom dancer at the age of 19 are:

Excitement and Enthusiasm

How exciting it is to be preparing for a career in ballroom dancing! Let’s face it, what 19-year-old wouldn’t want to sleep late and get paid to spend the workday dancing? In addition, there are competitions, shows, world travel, and a glamorous lifestyle.

Enthusiasm for dancing comes easily to younger instructors. Furthermore, it’s contagious. A passionate teacher means an eager student. That’s a plus! Read here about how having lots of enthusiasm will change your life.

Bravery

Being young and bold is a terrific asset as you’re beginning a career in the arts. I can remember starting as a student and transitioning into becoming a professional ballroom dancer. One day I was attending a group class and next thing I knew, I was teaching it. You gotta have guts!

Follow your dream and always be grateful for the opportunities.

I am grateful to the people who helped me become successful. Starting with the studio owner who gave me a chance, and the dance directors, coaches, and instructors who taught me the ins-and-outs of dance technique. Finally, I appreciate the supervisors and managers who showed me how to be successful in sales. And, most of all, I owe a debt to my students. Obviously, without their support, my career would never have taken off.

In conclusion, just because you didn’t start ballet at 3 doesn’t mean a career in dancing is out of reach at 19. Your desire to ‘cut a rug’ will come true as you train to become a professional ballroom dancer.