I'm on a highschool ballroom troupe and we've been... graced with a scarcity of guys.
Do you have any tips on getting some guys more interested in ballroom and helping them see that it's not the "homosexual" past time like everyone thinks it is?

Any advice would help :/

-v-

Take your guy friends to a competition or showcase: they'll learn that dancing isn't an effeminate activity when they see how much physical contact there is with near-naked women in the latin dances!

Dancing is a Social asset. How many office parties have i been to, music playing, reasonable space to dance and the only people on the floor are a couple of girls. Learn to dance to about a Silver Medal standard, any style. You would be able to handle any music being played. I don't mean a full blown Foxtrot or Waltz. A person of that standard should be able to improvise. To finish. I go to a lesson on a Sunday. After about six, nearby, i pop into the local hotel. There is a very good live band with top class vocalists singing. There is a floor. The area is extra large and is packed to the rafters with people between about 20 to 40'years of age. Up to this point i have never seen one person on the floor dancing to this excellent music. Where i originately came from i would have to fight to get on the floor.So i don't know. Maybe it is the football image which seems to get most of the publicity is part to blame.

Seen TAke the Lead? They need to see it to believe it- do a performance (in body hugging outfits)- tell them they should prefer to dance with a girl that get sweaty playing sports with a bunch of guys. If they're competitive tell them that its too hard for them and they'll be intrigued by a challenge- so many possibilities. You just have to entice them.

Juice23,
Would you advice your teenage daughter this?.You watch too much movies.Katherine,find out if you could ask your school to organize a dance party in your school and let your troupe do a number and hopefully you could get some guys to sign up.Me and a couple of friends teaches in High school and I just started last week in one of the High School and we do this every year for eight weeks.Last week we had 50 students and more than half are teen agers(boys.Even in the Studio where I take my lessons are packed.I also teaches there part time(beginners only)The owner ask me if I can work more hours because there are more students signing up.I have a daughter who is 19 and I take her out dancing every now and then and she enjoys it and have plenty of young guys to dance with and I never had a problem to find a partner for her to practice.My daughter keeps taking dance lessons but never competed,she just like to dance.

After translating what "parent" wrote into English, I'm not sure I agree with them.

Sometimes you just plain can't entice males into doing something. It's the way they were raised, and until they realize they can use their own minds, it won't ever improve.

lol- I am in high school! i was kind of kidding. I'm sorry if you took it wrong, but I meant to make it fun, tangible, and and relatable for the guys. My guys friends that dance love the competitive nature, tha challenge of learning, the fun of dancing with girls, and the music. Guys mature slower than girls, so you just have to get them to see the light!

In the latest Banderas movie, he confronts that same problem and solves it by doing a very sexy tango, to show the guys what it's really all about.

You dont have to be a Banderas to appeal to the things the boys are interested in. Boys want to think of themselves as strong, vigorous, athletic- but not particularly as graceful. At least that's my opinion, and I'll bet I could find some personality development studies that would support that. You're a teacher, you should have sources available for stuff like that.

Having said all that, I think that you should attract the boys with the vigorous, athletic dances: swing, salsa, cha-cha, etc. Later on, get into smooth.

Jerry

oddly enough, my ballroom club in college has more guys than girls alot(not sure why) but yes, a preformance in skintight, skimpy clothing is the easyiest way to get guys attention. its not nessicaraly going to make them join, but it will get their attention, what you do with their attention after that will determine weather or not you get some guys to join. also it might be a good idea to see if any guys in the drama club are interested. if they are in the drama club then they already like to preform. alot of the guys in my club and other clubs i know have history preforming.

I have to say that I completely agree with putting on a performance with tighter outfits and do some dances that look difficult and telling them that it's too difficult for them. Boys are all the same. They'll respond.