Strictly Ballroom

On Monday I began training to become a certified ballroom dance instructor for Fred Astaire Dance Studios. I was so nervous. I feared that all the others would be practically professionals, leaving me embarrassed for even calling myself a ballroom dancer. Not to brag, but quite the opposite happened. I am actually the best ballroom dancer in the group! I am the only one with lots of experience, although all the classes I have taken have been beginning classes but one (intermediate social dance). I know most of the steps and technique. The only thing I need to work on is learning the man's part. I sympathize with you men now. I never realized how hard it is to lead!

The dances we have learned so far are foxtrot, waltz, rumba, triple swing, and tango, which is the hardest since I have never done it before and it is extremely technical. Later we will learn cha-cha, samba, mambo/salsa, merengue, country western (two step), and west coast swing. The only ones I haven't learned before are country western and mambo (it's a little different than salsa). I have been to a country western dance (freshman year at BYU) and it was so much fun even though I hate country music! The guys knew what they were doing. They twirled, dipped, and flipped me all over the floor. It was amazing!

For each dance we have been assigned a partner, and by next Friday we have to perform our own routine for each one. We will be graded. My partners are ok. My favorite is my swing partner, a girl (there are four men and seven women), because she is so much fun and she can dance. I would say she is the next best dancer in the group. Unfortunately, she is taking the later class starting next week so I am losing her. The others have lots of different dance experience, from ballet to belly dancing, but ballroom seems to be their weakness. We also have to learn how to teach and we will be tested on it as well.

The course lasts six weeks. I am not sure at what point I will know whether or not I am guaranteed a job; I have heard several different things. I just know I would be so excited to do the two things I love most: dance and teach!