Hey!
Thanks for the reply and sorry to hear that you are in the same boat as myself! I have considered taking private lessons and may do some more checking...it might be the only way I get to dance. I have to admit that it really frosts my cookies that my husband won't dance with me. Do you only dance at your lessons or do you get to go out and dance? How long have you been dancing?
-Robin

I started just this month and I'm beeing told that I have great potential. They said they will skip all basic and go straight to bronze level. My dilemma is that when I go to practice parties to "get" some dancing(it's one hour long) none of the male students dance @ level I've already learned. Plus practice parties @ my studio always have at least 30 females and about 8 males(that's counting instructors). So I do dance but hope I get asked by instructor(usually two dances). To me those parties are disappointing as they don't calm my hunger for dancing. My studio do have packages which include so called "starlite". On certain days of the week(not weekends) you go out dancing with instructors. It's 3 hours long event. I have not been to one yet but ever since I've learned there's someting like that I can not stop thinking about it.

I think it's great that you are pursuing your interest. I am proud to say that I am doing the same! I signed up for private lessons and had my first one on Tuesday...what a blast!!! I am so pumped. It's pretty expensive, so I am hoping that I will be able to continue. I picked up some dance shoes today...ended up dancing in my socks on Tuesday! The place where I am going offers the practice parties that you speak of. There is one this Saturday and I am planning on going. I probably won't get to dance much...kind of like your situation with the male/female ratio, but if I can get two in, I will be happy. My instructor told me that it was nice to dance with someone who wasn't starting out at the very beginning and actual asked me if I would be interested in instructing!!! Can you believe?! What an unbelievable opportunity...I would do it in a heartbeat! Anyway, just wanted to tell you that I was inspired by your determination in being able to dance...solo ;) What area of the country are you in? I am in Southern Indiana.
Finally dancing,
Robin!!!

I'm in Arizona. What studio are you going to? Is it independent or franchised? So far I am being worned about all franchised studios as they'll try to butter you up so they can talk you into buying expensive packages of lessons

I am actually going to a place called Dance Crafters. It's a private place with only one instructor. I was hoping that he might be able to help me with some amateur competitions, but he doesn't compete...bummer!

rkonert,
I disagree with your instructor when he told you that they will skip all the basic and go straight to bronze level.First of all,most if not all will tell you that "you're natural" secondly;you need those basics to have good foundation.Everything needs a good foundation,otherwise, it will collapse.It seems to me that your instructor is on a rush.Don't rush,be patient and you will get rewarded.

My husband is still angry with my passion in ballroom standard dance. He said : I have to tolerated you are so closed with other people because I love you . I answered : that not make sense, If you do love me as you said, try to understnad and turst me. I do right thing ,so I never give up . Don't try to treat me . It is the most I hated. If I will live more than 10 years, dance is important in my life. I will be very appreciated if he dance with me , I even taught him the basic steps of waltz, He practiced with sweating but lack of interesting and any improvement. I know , he can not dance well with such thinking . I said: Maybe you are right.It is wrong to force you to dance with me . I will play tennis with you and I will continuouly dance with my coach selected . That's's all.
By the way, I enjoy only at my lesson. Maybe after 1-2 year, I will consider to participate the senior group with my current coach in China to test if I can really dance continuity and rhythmically . I believe hard practice with skill coach and studying the books, dvds, talking with the friends is much more effective and real than the words, potential or better ...

ylchen

It happens. Unless you meet and marry someone through dancing, the chances are that you won't find a partner that enjoys it as much as you.

So, what are your options? Give up dancing? I would say NOT. Go out dancing on Friday or Saturday night, by yourself. That works.

The dance studio I go to (as with most I'm sure) hosts Wed., Fri. and Saturday night dance parties for their students and guests. I'm getting ready to go right now as a matter of fact. The Friday party will have about forty people there with a fairly even split of men vs. women. I will probably dance with 10-12 women during the evening, some married and some not. Some of the married women come alone, while others in the same boat as you, bring their husbands, who sit on the sidelines while their wives dance the night away. I'm sure most of those husbands aren't about to let their pretty wives go out dancing without keeping an eye on them. Then you just hope that they catch the bug sooner or later and start dancing with their wives a little.

Will you get to dance at a party like this? If it's anything like the ones I go to you won't have much chance to sit down. I know that if I try to take a break for a song or two I'll get approached by some lady, which by the way, is quite acceptable in my book. Don't be shy about asking a guy to dance.

So, your question of it being tough to dance solo ... not at all when it comes to the actual dancing part of it. How it affects your husband's psyche and your relationship with him is another story altogether and only the two of you will be able to answer.

Hi there!
Just wanted to thank you for taking the time to reply to my e-mail...such a tough situation I am in! I think I am going to try to take some private lessons and get some more information about the available "dance parties." Truth be told, I am quite torn. I want to dance so terribly bad, but the thought of going out dancing with other fellas is rather awkward for me.
It sounds like you are having an absolute blast...kind of what I have in mind! JUST DANCING. For some reason, I have this stigma I just can't get over. It seems okay for a solo guy, married or not, to go dancing...whereas, as lady would never do something like that. Guess it's just something I'll have to get over. Thanks again for your words of wisdom and happy dancing!
-Robin

It is a fact that the women usually out-number the men in social dances. From what I have observed however, the people who go to our local ballroom dances are truly there to dance and not to "pick-up" anyone. I would encourage you to go to as many dances that you can find in your area (there is at least one every night of the week in the Buffalo area), and don't be afraid to ask men to dance.
We were at a local studio dance on Friday and there were at least 50 people there and the men were outnumbered by 6 women. That meant that those 6 women had to sit out dances until someone asked them to dance or vice-versa.