This is not the 1670s. Ballroom has so much more to offer than learning to lead and follow. It would be a shame to have anything stop you from trying it out. Read on to learn about the endless benefits of partner dancing.
Invalid Excuses For Avoiding Partner Dancing
If you have used any of the following phrases, know that they have no power over you.
“I’ll wait until I can get my spouse to join me.”
“He/She just isn’t interested in dancing like I am.”
“I don’t want my significant other to get the wrong idea.”
“What’s the point if I can’t get my other half to join me?”
“I might stand out because I don’t have someone with me.”
Why Do These Excuses Discourage Us?
Almost everyone who avoids taking ballroom lessons will fall into one of two categories: they have a life partner who doesn’t want to dance, or they don’t have a life partner period. Lesson number one- YOU HAVE NO REASON TO BE ASHAMED. Everyone goes through life in their own way, and THERE IS NO ONE RIGHT WAY. You do you. There is nothing wrong with being single in the latter half of life, nor is it wrong for your spouse to not enjoy dance. Now let’s go down that list together and learn why these phrases are untrue.
1.
You know your spouse better than anyone else. If you have asked them to come dancing with you, and they have said no, they never will. We’re all insecure about our dance moves, and it takes more to bring some people out of their shell. If the situation were reversed, would you want your spouse missing out on something just because you weren’t fond of it? Probably not.
2.
There’s nothing wrong wit having different interests. Does watching golf excite you as much as it does your husband? Do you love to garden like your wife? That’s what keeps a relationship interesting. If you both loved all the same things, what would you talk about at the end of the day? Distance makes the heart grow fonder. Having independent activities gives you a small break from each other, or an opportunity to miss each other.
3.
We’ve all seen Dirty Dancing. We fell in love with the moves and sexual tension when it came out, but let’s be real. How many times in your adult life have you heard of anyone falling in love with their dance teacher? None? Exactly. The ballroom world is very professional, meaning instructors are not allowed to fraternize with students outside the studio. If they are caught doing so, they would surely lose their job. And we don’t want to lose our jobs because we don’t make a whole lot!
4.
Partner dancing is a social activity, meaning we do it to meet other people. It’s not uncommon for a person to take ballroom classes and meet a good partner there. Also, it is completely ok for your dance partner to not be your spouse. Look at the professionals. In the real world, lots of “famous” couples are not actually married. No one can replace your spouse, and you can never have too many friends.
5.
You will never be the only single person in the dance studio. Just because you come by yourself does not mean you will not have a partner. In your private lessons, your partner will be your instructor. In group classes, partners will rotate, so you will get to meet everyone. Again, partner dancing is a social activity. Everyone around you wants to have fun and meet new people. Use this as an opportunity to make some new friends. No one is going to care that you came by yourself, and once you establish a friend group, you will have them to lean on.
And there you have it! No more reasons to not try out partner dancing. It would take a whole separate blog post to list all the wonderful things ballroom has to offer, so just come in and see for yourself! Check out the link below for more information on our Adult Social Dancing Program.
https://www.danceallyoucan.com/adult-social-dancing-orange-county-dance-classes/
Don’t know what dances you want to learn? Look through our YouTube channel for basic demonstrations of dozens of ballroom dances.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0tHVpU5Wb1d0tc9KPECXUg?view_as=subscriber