Hi everyone!

I am 30 years old and just signed myself up for ballroom dance classes. I'm going to be doing one hour of "dinner dances" like the waltz, foxtrot, etc., followed immediately by an hour of the latin dances.

I did ballet when I was very young, but don't remember a whole lot. However, I do pick up dancing quite quickly and have always been athletic.

I have a few questions...

1. Am I too old to think about eventually competing? I am a stay-at-home mom to 2 young kids and I live in Maine, if that makes any difference. I know that most of the pros out there started when they were like 5, so is it ridiculous to think that I may eventually make it there?

2. I have to buy shoes because all I own are sneakers and boots. Any advice on what to buy?

3. The guy said on the phone that I could dress casually for class. I'm used to wearing stretch dance pants and tank tops to dance classes - is that appropriate for casual ballroom attire?

Thank you all so much!

"1. Am I too old to think about eventually competing? I am a stay-at-home mom to 2 young kids and I live in Maine, if that makes any difference. I know that most of the pros out there started when they were like 5, so is it ridiculous to think that I may eventually make it there?"

It's probably too late to start if you plan to compete against those who have been working hard since they were 5, but there are many different divisions of competition so you will be able to find one to enter that is appropriate for your experience and age.

"2. I have to buy shoes because all I own are sneakers and boots. Any advice on what to buy?"

Wear sneakers or causal shoes to the first class and then talk to the teacher after the first lesson - each style really requires a different type of shoe, and once you wear ballroom shoes on a wood floor, you can't return them, so don't buy until you have advice. And don't trust the judgement of the people in the shoe store, they are ballet people not ballroom people.

"3. The guy said on the phone that I could dress casually for class. I'm used to wearing stretch dance pants and tank tops to dance classes - is that appropriate for casual ballroom attire?"

Stretchy pants are probably good (leggings/tights might be a bit too intimate) A tank top is fine, but with anything sleeveless you can't wear anti-perspirant as it will end up on the men's cuffs and migrate from there to other ladies tops.

You're never too old to think about competing. Competing as a pro? Possibly, but I would never say never. You may be that one person in a thousand that will be a natural at ballroom and go as far as you want in a just a few years time. Oh, and some of the top pros are in their late thirties and forties.

As one other poster said, there are divisions at almost all competitions for all dancers of every age and experience. If you've only been dancing for a month, you're in luck because there are categories just for you. Been dancing a decade, same thing is true. And don't worry, they won't stick a newbie into the open pro division just to see them sweat.



Go to a couple of lessons before you start looking seriously at shoes. Talk to the other ladies and see what they say and also where they have bought their shoes. There is only one piece of advice I would give you on shoes. Buy two pairs. Buy a pair of heels, if you think you'll be wearing them to dance parties or other classy events. Wear them to dance class once in awhile, just to get used to dancing in heels, if wearing heels isn't something you do very often. And for your second pair, I would suggest a pair of dance sneakers. After weaing your heels for a bit of time, your feet will scream out their love for you when you slip the sneakers on. You just need to make sure to get plenty of practice in heels when prepping for a showcase or competition.

We have one teacher at the studio who wears sneakers exclusively, even to the social dance parties. The only time I've seen her wearing heels is during the showcases. Of course, maybe she wears the sneakers to protect her toes from clods like me. She, too, is from the world of ballet and is used to wearing little or no heel.



If it's like the group classes I've seen and attended, you will see everything from bluejeans to dresses, from dress shirt and tie to t-shirts. One thing you won't see is tights. To be on the safe side, wear a pair of bluejeans or slacks and a button down blouse. You will fit right in and after you've been to one class you will see what other ladies are wearing and what is appropriate. If you showed up in a pair of tights and a tank top, I can assure you, you would feel out of place. It won't be like the ballet classes you took all those years ago and it definitely won't be dance class at Julliards.

One last piece of advice, have fun! And try to formulate some scheme to get your husband to go with you. Dancing is almost always better when you have someone to dance with.

Dave
http://www.BallroomDangers.com

You've gotten good responses to # 1 and 2, so I'll just chime in on 3.

In a beginning class, you won't be doing anything very physically demanding, so you don't need to dress as you would for exercise. Rather, wear casual social clothes, maybe what you would wear to a casual dinner and a movie. They jsut need to be comfortable enough to move freely. Jeans, for example, can be too stiff.

You might enjoy wearing a skirt, as long as it's full enough to step freely. It's fun to feel your skirt move when you do turns, etc.

I recommend wearing something with at least short sleeves. Your partners will be placing their arms under your arm with their hands on your shoulder blade. Some people find bare armpit-to-arm contact uncomfortable, espcially with total strangers.

Have fun!

New Dancer. Might add something to that, that Ellen said about the skirt being full enough. A young lady taking a Bronze Medal decided to dress up a bit in her Sunday best, which was a dress that was narrow at the knees. Her side step in the Waltz had to be so narrow it almost wasn't one. Whatever you wear make sure it is danceable.
About your age you are thirty this is a fact of life.I wouldn't let that stop me from doing what I wanted to do. Who knows you could become a better dancer than those that have been dancing for years.
Clothing. Look at what the others are wearing. Best of luck there.