Hello!!
what is the best age to start ballroom/latin dancing? is it ok to start at 14 and 4 months if i want to become a national or even world champion one day if i am good enough?

im 14 too and i was thinking the exactsame thing

Sally - I am not a pro and have no statistics to back up my claim. But my guess would be that you would be able to dance extremly well - but not at the level to become world champions (unless you have some outstanding in-born ability).

Just look at it as you would at some other sport. Would you say that someone who started playing tennis at the age of 14 has a good chance of winning the Wimbledon? It is possible but quite unlikely.

My daughter started dancing at the age of four - so by fourteen she would have ten years of learning and competing experience under her belt. Yet I do not believe she would have any chance of becoming the world champion - just because she does not grow up in the country with a great dancing tradition or very good coaches. Meaning that these ten years would give her much less dance-wise than to someone who started dancing at the same time in the UK or Italy...

So, please, do not hesitate to learn - you can be a great dancer and cause people to hold their breith when you move on the floor. Who knows - you may even achieve your dream! But the situation is very much against you on the matter.

Hey guys! Carmen, world latin champion didn't start dancing until she was 17! Think about that one.

Yeah, this isnt gymnastics and figure skating where you peak at 16.

That's great! I did not know about it. Has she done any other serious sport / dancing before? Still - I'd say that it may fall under the "great inborn talent" category.

Possible - but I'd still say that starting in early childhood gives you an enourmous advantage. In any case - good luck!

I'm 15 and dance. I think age does not matter. As long as you have the detetmenation and willingness age should not matter

'a guy from outside'- i did start doing ballet at age 5 would that help???

Sally,
Anything that I tell you - is just my personal view, not supported by any study.

I think that ballet experience will help you. A non - dancer has to spend a lot of time just to condition his/hers body and to learn "how to learn". In the same way a sportsman can much easier switch to a new sport and achieve good results than someone starting from scratch.

I'm 14 and i started dancing about a month ago, i absolutely love it but im not particularly skilled. Could I still be a good dance by the time I'm 25?