I'm not going to offer direction, just offer info on what you're getting into price-wise.

My first pair of shoes with suede soles cost me $50; introductory shoes still cost about that. Solid black, 1" heels, found by searching for "ballroom dance shoes" on google maps

Group classes are usually $5-$15 and teach you steps, but usually don't teach you how to lead them. Don't discount footwork

Private lessons are usually $50-$150 and teach steps, posture, frame, basic choreography and floorcraft. Rental of an air-conditioned, maintained floor is included in that price.

Coachings are $50-$??? and teach minute mechanics, choreography, or a combination.

"Team matches" (small competitions between local studios) can be as inexpensive as $15 a heat ($15 a dance)

The only collegiate competition I've done was $45 a person, as many dances as you want. This was all amateur partners

Adult amateur competitions can be $70 a person via USA Dance

Professional/Amateur competitions can cost $1000 or more. It's a lot more, but it takes YEARS for an amateur guy to lead correctly and YEARS for an amateur woman to follow correctly, so most people compete this way. This is done with the person with which you take private lessons.

Non-team match competition estimated prices don't include airfare/hotel/food if they are elsewhere.

I'm not going to post my salary, even with a pseudonym, but will state my career: I'm a software developer. Most other guys I've met who stick with it are the same, or doctors, lawyers, engineers, accountants... all middle/upper-middle class professionals who need an outlet for art & sport. Same with the women involved who stick with it.

Amateur men will learn to lead and amateur women will learn to follow most rapidly by working with an amateur partner. Pro/am, in addition to being the most expensive way to learn to dance, is also the least efficacious.

jj

Chester-Smith, your number one task is to find an amateur partner and you should not put off doing so. You will develop much more quickly as a dancer and you'll enjoy dancing much more than trying to learn to dance without one.

Good luck.

jj

This is the way I feel, but with some instructors they have sugessted that I wait and become more familiar with the dances. Right now I am in intro to Samba. After this class I am signed up for intro Cha Cha.

Assuming that your classes are well matched (i.e. have about the same number of men and women), you don't really need a partner unless you want to practice.

If you enjoy working with another student in the class, ask that person to meet you for practice sometime. Partnerships have developed from such arrangements.

Before beginning private lessons, though, you really should have a partner.

jj

Well thank you for your advice, and I think I will begin my search for a partner, because my classes are not evenly matched and it is quite difficult to practice without one.

I disagree. I know many dancers from beginners to pro-am competitors who do not have a regular partner. Of course, they compete or dance showcases, etc with their teachers only. I think the partner vs single issue is a matter of personal preference, availability, and partly one of disposable $$$.

For the record, I do have a regular partner with whom I take private lessons but I've also taken privates alone. We started partnering to save money on lessons (split the cost) and evolved from there.

When you took private lessons without an amateur partner, with whom did you practice?

jj

Depends on the definition of practice. I danced / practiced at home by myself. I also danced with different follows at studio socials. And I danced with my instructor at the time.

We may all not agree on much but I think I'm pretty safe in defining practice as repetition for the sake of mastery.

I'm well aware that many folks start taking private lessons without a partner. I did so myself and learned the value of a partner the hard way.

The primary value of having a partner is developmental. Being able to practice as much as necessary means that your growth as a dancer will be faster and more thorough.

What bothers me about your original post is that you may discourage Chester-Smith from seeking a partner simply because you didn't do so.

When visitors to this site request advice, we should help them find what's best for them and not try to validate our own decisions by leading others to make the same ones.

jj