I have been taking ballroom lessons for almost a year now (though I have been dancing other styles since I was very young.)

I am currently working on a Rumba routine with my instructor for a showcase next week and last night we finally started working on the ending.

The problem is...he wants to add a dramatic dip, and I am terrified to do it. I'm not entirely sure why...I certainly trust him not to drop me, but I think I just don't trust myself to do it right. Or I am far too self-conscious.

Does anyone have any advice for me on how to get over this fear?

I can feel for you on being afraid of someone dropping you. If your teacher is fit and experienced it shouldn't be a problem. However, if you tighten up it may throw everything off. Just try and follow and relax.

I'm a guy and I have had a lady fall
down on me socially. She fell on her shoulder while I was doing a very simple spin and someone next to her clipped her. She stayed on the floor for about 10 minutes. I thought that the studio was going to call an ambulance. It wasn't my fault, but I was dancing with her and I was very embarassed. She finally got up and was ok, but from now on I am extremely careful with ladies and won't dance with some if they don't appear to have good balance. I am also very of aware of what figures I'm attempting. Floorcraft issues on a crowded social floor is another issue.

Thoughts:

-- Ask your instructor to teach the dip from scratch to another woman while you observe.

-- Do the dip holding on to a bar, perhaps with a helper for holding, beginning with the amount of dip that you're comfortable with, and through successive approximations, dip increasing amounts as you're comfortable in doing so.

-- Mentally prepare and desensitize yourself for the show dip by imagining yourself doing it fully, successfully, and to dramatic effect.

Best wishes, and let us all know how things went (I trust spectacularly well).

Anonymous. Words of advice from Steven Hillier. If you have a group which you dislike. Get rid of it. The chances are you will never do it well.

My wife was scared of dips at first. Just doing them many times eventually overcame that. Apparently this is very common, because we see very few people doing dips, when we go out dancing.

We have probably done 5,000 dips by now, without coming close to any falls or drops.

Another key is to relax and give the lead control until he brings you back to your feet.

Do a less dramatic dip or one that you feel comfortable with. Or don't do a dip. Good quality dancing is not necessarily related to "trick dips."

Anonymous. If I were you the only dipping I would do is into a bag of potatoe chips. Don't be led into anything you dont want to do.

Trust your partner and arch your back. Make yourself long and arched like a bridge - then it is easier to hold you and you will feel safer. But if you absolutely don't want to do it - don't do it.