I was referring to a time when they were known as USABDA and there were no professionals.

I hope I have answered your question about why professional partners can be good for amateurs

With respect to leading (and following), I remember two pieces of advice from two professionals:

1. A lead is a suggestion.

2. Leading is (usually) influencing the motion of a partner who is already moving.

In my opinion, following is harder than leading. A professional partner knows how to follow.

(There is a third piece of advice, for followers in a competition: If he falls, fall with him. But don't hit the floor first.)

But you will learn to lead better by working with an amateur partner. An amateur woman who applies herself can learn to follow just as well as a pro.

jj

Because, sometimes, partners of equal skill level are not available.

In addition, there is also ( in the US ) an age problem. many older ladies cannot find partners who are willing to dance in the comp. arena.

Proo/Am has " driven " the dance profession for over 60yrs.. it has, thankfully, produced some very fine dancers, Pro and Amat .

Would that have happened without that system?.. moot point .

Sometimes in the world of dance, we make do with the situation at hand, it may not be the most ideal, but it serves a purpose . And, by the way, that system is being promoted by the WDC .

I'm curious. Why do you suggest that the problem of unpartnered widows is peculiar to the US? Are surviving-spouse demographics that much different in Europe?

I'm not taking issue with your point. I would just like some clarification.

jj

There just aren't the numbers needed. In Europe, there are far more men that know how to dance. A competitive couple from our studio went to a comp in Italy. In the senior 2 category (over 55, I believe), there were 85 couples entered!
Also, I find that the older gentlemen who persevere and really learn how to dance, suddenly think they are hot stuff and want a younger partner. Younger women don't want them, but that doesn't stop them from trying and rejecting women their own age. These are my observations from managing a studio and trying very hard to match women up with appropriate partners.

I'll never dance with a young woman again!

Seriously, I had a much younger partner for about a year and a half. She put up with me because she wanted the dance training and had zero prospects for another partner (this was not in Atlanta). As should have been expected, we never really learned to communicate with each other but were wise enough to understand the value of the partnership (even though, competitively, we were a terrible couple - she never wanted to practice).

My experience tells me that your comment about skilled older leads - while not pleasant to contemplate - may be true more often than not.

However, I can honestly say that I've never rejected an older woman in favor of a younger one. At the time of my partnership with the younger woman, I had not danced in a few months and had no other immediate prospects.

Thanks for the explanation about the situation in Europe.

And bless you for helping students to find partners.

jj

Despite your opinions on pro-am partnerships, I think we could make it work.

jj

Because the numbers of single ladies over 50 at public ballrom dances ( and attending class lessons ) is so minimal its not countable .

In matter of fact, most schools in the UK will not take unpartnered ladies ( or men in most cases )irrespective of age .

The facts in the US are quite documentable.. in fact, most of the chain schools would not have survived, thus depriving future champions, of the opportunity to enter the world of dance ( You know we have just had this very discussion on a nother site ).