Hi! I am an instructor at a unversity in Japan. Recently, in a discussion with some students who are in the Ballroom Dance Club, I learned that they tint their skin to a darker shade to create a more favorable skin tone during competitions. They went on to say that this is standard in Ballroom Dance competition throughout the world. Though I I am hardly an expert on Balloom Dancing, this was the first I'd ever heard of such a practice. I can conceive of neither a purpose nor a logic to it, nor can I imagine it being a standard practice, or even a standard practice in certain locals. Might anybody out there be know what I am referring to, or possibly fill me in on its purpose or origin, etc?
Thank you in advance for any information anyone may be able to lend.
Mark
riseson@par.odn.ne.jp

It's true.

Especially for the latin style dances, the norm is that eveyrone uses fake tanning products to really darken their skin before competitions. It's not quite as common for the more traditional waltz/foxtrot events at competitions, but happens there too. Personally I think it's silly, but I can understand why it happens in a situation where people have tens of thousands of dollars of training, several thousand dollar dresses, and perhaps a few hundred on personal grooming right befoe an event.

Of course ballroom can also be danced, and even competed, without any of these aspects, or with only low cost home-grown imitations of them.

Grooming counts!!

Makeup and tanning serves to prevent looking 'washed out' in the lights of the comp floor.

It's a tradition in Latin competitive dance to cultivate a so-called "Latin" look, which to many people means a deep tan and black hair. There's all sorts of arguments about it looking better under the lights or making one's muscles stand out more and so forth, but to me it sometimes comes across rather stereotypically. Oh well dance is performance, and people are playing the part of sultry Cuban lovers or something like that.

Hi! I'm the one that posted the question in the first place. First of all, I would like to really thank those people who were kind enough to respond, and with qualitive information at that! I will visit the site again in a few days to check for any possible additional information. If anybody has anything they woild care to add, I woud most certainly welcome it!
Mark

I just think tanned skin looks better than pasty white skin...it makes you look more fit (I'm sure I'll get plenty of arguments on that...my husband doesn't agree with me either, but that's how I see it!).

You probably don't see it in Japan so much because your skin is naturally darker and probably doesn't need it.

I have been doing that coloring stuff on my two "champions" friends.
Well, it is right that they look better with it (healthier & in good shape).
it's kinda weird seeing all those competitors entering with pale skin the training room and entering the floor latin-like looking !

Are you gonna try Mark ?? lol