Yeah, I definately agree with you on the partner issue with ballroom that you don't have with jazz.

of course! i am having difficultiies finding even a girlfriend to take ballroom dance with me because the one who was is moving to texas... and my other friend is a loser and wont even just come and see what its like. so i cant find a partner and have no one to come and have fun with me... (yes she is sitting right here and i am doing this to make her feel guilty) and she just said she doesnt feel guilty... darn!

Wait, your friends who are girls don't even want to try ballroom???? Tell them they should feel guilty ;) If you want to show them some amazing ballroom (maybe persuade them) go to www.youtube.com and search for dancesport. Look through the videos and find something awesome to show them.

Everyone in the ballroom world has partner problems. One is so dependent on a partner--especially at a higher level when it is very limiting unless they have had equal training. Partner problems go with the territory.

We have one guy about 14 that attends all of our dances. All the older ladies love him. He comes with his mother and loves it. He dances every dance and is a real inspiration for others. He could be very good if he had a regular partner and spent lots of money on private lessons. Another downside to ballroom dancing--it's expensive--unless you can get some type of scholarship or discount. Get an adult to take you to social dances and have fun. Try and get a parent involved. Most of the guys will enjoy dancing with you--swing should be easy for you. However, don't expect to see many kids your age. In Utah, they have High School ballroom teams with very good coaches. Just go and have fun. It's hard to drag non ballroom people into dancing. Be ready to dance with much older guys. Keep taking your classes and maybe eventually you could find a partner with the same interest--until then just try to enjoy dancing and don't wait for your friends to go with you.

I've had about 10 years of ballet. It helps some, but I don't go to class anymore. Ballet helps you learn technique and patterns quickly, find your center, spins and so on. It helps you adapt to ballroom, but it is a entirely different discipline.

my mom is involved in ballroom with me. and we are (hopefully) goint to go to some socials. i am pretty sure that none of the highschools in my area (east county san diego) have ballroom dance teams... and if they did i would still have one more year until i am there. yeah- at the class i went to there were only guys around 30+... i didnt mind because i was actually ballroom dancing with someone other than my mother, but it would be nice to dance with a partner my age sometimes. thanks for replying- everyone... it is super reassuring!

farewell for now,
ballroom billy

billy--I thought you might have been in your 20's because you speak in a mature fashion. Contemporary dance is wonderful if you know you are goingto dance on stage the rest of your life. You are actually preparing yourself with ballroom dance..for the rest of your life. Lets say that you are 30 or 40 and you are not dancing professionally and you still love to dance, you can find partners for the rest of your life 40, 50 , 60 and 70. Hard to imagine now but you are actually making a great investment for your future. Weird isn't it. But while you are young do all the stage and performance dancing you can. If you don't like that, go with the ballroom side and you'll just have to continue to go to shows and meets to see who you can meet that is your own age. let me know when you meet that person. should be interesting

well, i am trying to convince my mom to take me to a social tonight but i am not positive she will. we just got a puppy so... yeah. anyhow, how do i find out about meets and shows? i dont take classes from a studio so i dont hear about them from my class but is there another way? and do you have any other advice on how to meet people my age who actually want to do ballroom?

thanks,
ballroom billy

If you are not connected to a studio, who is teaching you? I don't know where you live but go to www.dcdancenet.com and this is on the east coast but you can hook into the events around the country. See if you can place your name on a list to have a partner your age...partners looking for partners. let me know what you found. Have MOM help. I am sure she knows about this stuff too. Did you go to the social? How's the new puppy?

i am taking a community learning class with the local community college. i live in the san diego area... west coast. no i did not get to go to the social, but there is an open class at the same place on sunday... i'll try to see if my mom can take me to that one. my mom likes the ballroom dancing, but isn't that into it. she is also taking the comunity class and wants to keep taking it, but is not at all interested in a studio, and i, of course, cannot pay for lessons at a studio on my own. and i am too young to get a job. oh well, i shall keep trying and stick with the classes i can go to... hopefully i can go to some socials and maybe find a partner. thans for the advice.

ballroom billy

go to http://www.young-dancers.org/main.html