Answer: Without question, the best way to start with ballroom dance lessons is to learn in a dance studio. As easy as it may seem, dancing can, unfortunately, be miscategorized as an activity that is only for those born with "dance skill", which couldn't be further from the truth. The road to ballroom dance skills begins with finding a studio, scheduling an appointment, and taking your first steps onto a dance floor, and into a world much more accessible than you may have once thought.
When looking for the right dance studio, it is essential to find one that has a great reputation, first and foremost. Sites like Yelp, and Google Reviews, make that much easier and more accessible than ever. While it may be easy to go with an option that is close to your home or office, a reputable school that is a further drive will create a much better experience in the long run, than a convenient school that isn't.
Compare this to your favorite restaurant, a great hair salon, or your favorite kid-friendly museum - there are places that are worth the drive because they deliver a memorable experience.
No amount of alcohol, faking it, or "feeling the music" can take the place of instruction from a professional instructor in a reputable dance studio. Unfortunately, many of these situations have to be experienced, in embarrassing fashion, for corrections to be made.
If this were a game of golf, driving a car, or cooking a meal for dinner guests - the same advice would be true. There's a reason why there will always be some that struggle with any given activity, and that reason usually was the result of a decision to dismiss the idea of lessons.
There are resources like manuals and videos, but instruction works best when it is a collaborative and interactive process. Beginning with consistent private lessons will develop a foundation in your dance skills, and muscle memory to make them an eventual habit.
Since ballroom isn't an activity that people generally grow up doing, it's important to try out a lesson before making any purchasing decisions. Any product, not just ballroom dance lessons, has no value if you lack interest or experience in it. This is precisely why most studios will start with a complimentary lesson. So you, the prospective student, can see and feel the value first hand before making any commitment of time or resources.
Your first steps into your first dance lesson may take a bit of courage. It's a new activity, and it may have all the same adrenaline spiking attributes as walking in to your first day of a new job, a new gym, or a new school. As is the case with most things outside of your comfort zone, there are internal rewards for crossing the physical threshold of your chosen dance studio.
Next Article: Should I Choose Private Lessons or Group Classes?
| Answers to Difficult Ballroom Dancing Questions | |
| The Side Effects of Ballroom Dancing | |
| Ballroom Dancing Wounds and How to Recover From them | |
| Are You a Ballroom Dancing Conspiracy Theorist? | |