I am very new to the world of ballroom dancing, and I am trying to learn as much as I can as fast as I can. I have been looking for books or magazines I can read - but all I find are books that tell me how to dance. That's fine, and if anyone has any recommendations, I'd love to hear them - but isn't there anywhere I can find out about competing, rules, types of competitions, ballroom dancing organizations, etc.? I read the messages here and I get very confused about USBDA, NBDA, bronze, gold, etc.

USA Dance (formerly USABDA) has a magazine, but it's not going to answer your questions. The NDCA has a web site at www.ndca.org , and USA Dance has one at www.usabda.org .

Your best bet might be to just start asking questions. Ask your teacher, ask people at your studio who are already competing, and of course ask us right here.

So...how can we help?

Also, what kind of competing are you looking to get into? Dancing with another amateur partner? Dancing in Pro/Am competitions with your teacher? What style(s) are you interested in dancing?

The last three issues of USABDA's house magazine are online on their website.

thanks for the responses - I think I prefer smooth as opposed to latin - at least so far. I love dancing with my instructor (of course) so a pro-am would be fun, but I think teaming with another amateur would be more challenging and interesting - learning with someone else. I have the impression, too, that for all the dancing I want to do, this might end up somewhat cheaper.

But I get confused about how do people get into a competition - must it be through a studio? what's with this bronze/silver/gold stuff? If I had a partner (and I have been looking) do we have to go to the same instructor - or can we go to private lessons alone and then work together with sometimes a coach or lesson together?

see - I don't even know where to start (I have talked a little to my instructor, but I'd really like to get a sense of the bigger picture myself)