Social Ballroom Dance

Social ballroom dance is less structured, more accessible and easier for many people to tackle than more formal or competitive ballroom.

Social Ballroom Dancing

Social ballroom dance encompasses any dancing that’s done essentially for fun, at weddings or other functions and that which doesn’t always require lessons, direction, control.

Why should you consider social ballroom dancing? Easy. Moving is natural for humans. We need to walk, to run and to dance. We need to move our bodies in time to music. It’s an outlet for our feelings, and a way to center ourselves creatively and artistically.

That sounds like a lot, but the reality is that dance provides that for many people. If you’ve never been great on the dance floor, but know you want to move and dance, social ballroom dancing might be just the right thing for you.

Who can benefit from social ballroom dancing? Let’s consider:

• Couples who want to spend time together
• Singles who want to meet other singles with similar interests
• Older people who want to enjoy an activity from their past while getting good exercise
• Young children who are interested in ballroom dance but want to enter the sport slowly rather than very competitively
• Just about anyone

Ballroom dancing is a highly social event that doesn’t discriminate. Anyone who wants to participate can, whether they have had formal lessons or not. Call it the great equalizer of the dance world.

What’s great about social ballroom dancing is that learning a bit of ballroom can benefit people in so many ways. No more sitting at the table during a wedding when everyone else has taken to the dance floor. No more avoiding formal dinners where there might be dancing for fear of looking the fool. Just a few basic skills and even the uninitiated can take the floor with confidence.

How can you begin getting involved in social ballroom dancing? It’s easier than you might think.

You can always head into an event where social dancing is being practiced, but remember that if you are even the least bit shy or introverted, heading to a dance floor with no dance experience can be intimidating.

You can take a social ballroom class. These classes are offered by community centers and dance studios but focus on basic social ballroom skills, rather than skills you might need in order to perform competitively.

You can get private lessons in the basics of ballroom dance. This is especially helpful if you are shy about learning this new skill in front of other people. You might pay more for the private lessons, but it might be worth the investment in developing ballroom dance confidence.

You might find after learning a few steps and doing a little social dancing that you really like ballroom. Perhaps you think you have a real skill at it and you are interested in pursing it further. The first step toward that would be to continue your practice of ballroom. Continue to head into social situations where you can practice your skill and hone the skills you have learned. Then apply them in the many lessons and practices that will be essential to your development as a competitive dancer.