Ha! Ha!... i'm 78 and did my first competition in February this year...
Go for it...

How did you get started? Where did you go?

Too old to start dancing at 22? No, but you are too old to start now and become a world champion. Most champions started as children. Although you have been dancing "most of your life", everything you have done has been without a partner. If you watch 'So you think you can dance', you will know that the best hip hop, jazz etc. dancers struggle with learning to partner effectively. At 22, you will be starting all over again. Just because you can dance several other styles does not mean you can dance ballroom. Ballroom/latin has it's own special skill sets and strict rules for technique, footwork, etc. I doubt you will find a partner to go to the championship level with at your age. Anyone who wants to achieve that level has been dancing for years and will not start over again with a beginner. And you will be a beginner, believe me.
I don't want to discourage you but setting your sights on a world championship is unrealistic.

It really kind of depends on what you mean by world champion and in what arena.

If you are looking at being Slavik's next partner and winning Black Pool...well that is going to be difficult. It seems that the European Comps which I consider to be much more prestigious than the US comps are as political as they are about raw talent.

You have to pay your dues so to speak and it really can take years to be a good dancer. That can put you toward your late 20's before you are worthy to be on the floor with the best of the best and then into your early 30's before anyone will even pretend to acknowledge you no matter how good you are. On your side....youth, and lots of experience and all your work in the other dances is going to cut some of the learning curve out of your work.

If you are talking US comps then you'll fare better, In My Opinion. But being a World Champ isn't all there is in dance. There is a lot in between and tons of fun and good experiences. Don't let your age stop you. Get out there and learn and have fun...

Good luck!

ilovesavic21. If you could be ranked in the top 100 in the world in either of the Amateur International styles, you would be classed as a first class dancer. To reach that high would be quite remarkable.
As written by Ladydance. Setting your sights on a world championship is unrealistic .

I agree. To set your sights on a world championship is unrealistic. I have been dancing for 20 years and am only just beginning to be recognised as a champion and choreographer in my area. I dream of being world reknowned....

Your goal could be attained. When I was in high school in the late 70s, I competed in wrestling, and I was real good. One year, a young man came into the local scene who had never competed before, and he was phenomenal! He was born for it. Upon graduation, like many of my peers, I was already physically beat up from years of near brutal training. The young man I mention went on to be one of the world's best ever. He won Olympic gold, etc. His name is Mark Schultz. He moved fluidly. Watching him was akin to watching a very graceful dancer. And he got a late start.

If you really like it, then just go for it, later in life you don't wanna regret over the things you didn't do. There's always a room for you to be great. However, you need to be aware of the upcoming challenges you might encounter along the way. You have to make sacrifices (grueling dance hours, no social life etc) and you need to be a thick-skinned person because believe me, a lot of people will think it's impossible. But don't worry, if you read stories from some of the most amazing people in the world, they started with people telling them that their dreams were unrealistic. Just keep working on it & who knows you will surprise us in the future by proving to the world that you can turn the impossible to become possible ;)

It's never too late to start dancing, but you would seriously be at a huge disadvantage compared to everyone else that's already been dancing. Also you have to remember there's only one world champion in, so that will take a lot of work. Just remember dancing isn't just for the competition it's for the amazing fun and entertainment in it too!

No.. I 21 And im just starting with my dance lessons 1 month ago .. is never too late if you really wanna make your dreams come tru .. and .. forget whatever the other people will say about it .. just always remember when you are dancing .. enjoy and feel it is nt only the technic . :) good luck friend!