We have been working on Bronze Level (all dances). Just trying to get techniques down really, really good!
I think we should not move to Silver until we are almost perfect. My husband wants to move to Silver, and that the technique, will just automatically follow & improve!
So, for all you guys who have may years of experience, in teaching, please give us an opinion!

Thanks, ScottyBoysDoll
I thought a reasonable goal to move to Silver would be: To be able to do all the Bronze, with great techs. approx. 90% of the time! ScottyBoy says, "Ain't Gonna Happen"!He gets to bored with Bronze. Is there a compromise?

Make the move when you're ready. You will obviously know when you want to make the move, but then confir with your instructor to make sure you have the foundation to go there. I eased into it at one point. I was bored with the bronze figures, and I wanted more challenges. Also, the silver figures were my mind's image of what kind of dancing I wanted to be doing, so I was motivated by internal desires to get there. Now that I am focusing more on the silver figures, I have come to realize that so much of what I really want ("That look.") doesn't work well without the foundations of solid body movements that the bronze figures can teach so well. However, I wouldn't let some level of attainment be the sole factor in your decision to make the move. The added complexity of the silver figures suit me well, and much like learning a knew language, my move into the realm of the silver figures has also taught me a greater appreciation of other aspects of learning to dance both properly and well.

For lack of a better term, my instructor was kind of "tricky" in that he would show us something new, and then he would announce -- "That was a silver level step."
We wouldn't particularly master it right away, but it gave us a taste of the more advanced steps and the confidence that we were ready to handle those.
We wouldn't plunge forward, so to speak, too quickly. To this day, we go over all of the fundamentals and bronze steps when we get to the studio, even though we know a fair number of silver figures.
Because we don't compete, we don't particularly care where we'd fall in the categories. However, it is like anything else when you are advancing and becoming more competent. It is always good to have a goal in mind or a reason to want to improve. Getting competent at the next level is how all of that works, even for those who simply dance for social purposes.
So, maybe a slower intro into the next level is a good way to look at how you'd want to make the transition to satisfy both partners?

Scottyboysdoll, I think it would depend on the syllabus/dance. Compare, for example, American Foxtrot and International Foxtrot. In the former, the Bronze and Silver (and Gold) levels differ significantly--they are like two different dances. In the latter, one doesn't "move out" of Bronze level.

Sadly, many dancers who dance silver American smooth often "forget" how to dance the bronze figures.

In the Waltz, too, the International syllabus preserves the basic character of the dance at all levels. Whereas, the American silver syllabus incorporates passing of the feet in many of the figures. This, in my mind, often renders the dance little different from the Foxtrot, save for the timing.

Perhaps you're referring to rhythm/Latin, which is a whole new kettle of fish.

Thanks to all! Yes, we do American Smooth & Rhythm. And Rhythm, you are so right a whole new kettle of fish!!!