I am very new to the world of ballroom dancing, and I am trying to learn as much as I can as fast as I can. I have been looking for books or magazines I can read - but all I find are books that tell me how to dance. That's fine, and if anyone has any recommendations, I'd love to hear them - but isn't there anywhere I can find out about competing, rules, types of competitions, ballroom dancing organizations, etc.? I read the messages here and I get very confused about USBDA, NBDA, bronze, gold, etc.

USA Dance (formerly USABDA) has a magazine, but it's not going to answer your questions. The NDCA has a web site at www.ndca.org , and USA Dance has one at www.usabda.org .

Your best bet might be to just start asking questions. Ask your teacher, ask people at your studio who are already competing, and of course ask us right here.

So...how can we help?

Also, what kind of competing are you looking to get into? Dancing with another amateur partner? Dancing in Pro/Am competitions with your teacher? What style(s) are you interested in dancing?

The last three issues of USABDA's house magazine are online on their website.

thanks for the responses - I think I prefer smooth as opposed to latin - at least so far. I love dancing with my instructor (of course) so a pro-am would be fun, but I think teaming with another amateur would be more challenging and interesting - learning with someone else. I have the impression, too, that for all the dancing I want to do, this might end up somewhat cheaper.

But I get confused about how do people get into a competition - must it be through a studio? what's with this bronze/silver/gold stuff? If I had a partner (and I have been looking) do we have to go to the same instructor - or can we go to private lessons alone and then work together with sometimes a coach or lesson together?

see - I don't even know where to start (I have talked a little to my instructor, but I'd really like to get a sense of the bigger picture myself)

"But I get confused about how do people get into a competition - must it be through a studio?"

It depends on if you're dancing Pro/Am or not. If you're dancing in Pro/Am events, then sometimes the studio handles the entries, sometimes the teacher, and sometimes the student. It really depends on each particular case. My teacher was an "independent" -- not affiliated with any chain or studio -- and we chose what competitions to enter ourselves and I'd handle the entry forms etc.

You can find out about when and where a lot of competitions are by checking out usabda.org and ndca.org

"what's with this bronze/silver/gold stuff?"

These correspond to syllabus levels. Most dance schools, and many teaching organizations, divide the foundation steps for each dance into different levels. Students often start by learning the Bronze steps, then the Silver ones, and then Gold. Many competitions have syllabus-restricted events where students can enter at whatever level they've been working on thus far.

"If I had a partner (and I have been looking) do we have to go to the same instructor - or can we go to private lessons alone and then work together with sometimes a coach or lesson together?"

You two can do whatever works best for you. Some couples see a coach together. Some couples keep their own private teacher and also see a coach together. You will need to see a coach together, for sure. What most people do is see a coach together once a week, and practice as much as they can together in-between, and then they'll see special coaches together from time to time for extra help.