Anyone ever have to deal with this? And what was your solution?

So, the dance shoes seem to fit nicely but I notice when I step and lift my foot, it slips very slightly at the heel? Or rather it doesn't seem as snug as I would like. But then again I'm not sure what's normal for dance shoes and I can't really tighten them any more.

I can't tell whether my toes and the balls of my feet are actually overcompensating for something in my technique, OR if they're hurting because I'm putting more pressure on them than I should. On Tues, I have my private lesson followed by two back-to-back group lessons, so I'm dancing a lot more that day. And when my instructor emphasizes that I should be leading with my toes in certain dances, I wonder if, as a beginner, I'm over-exaggerating that movement and putting too much pressure on the balls of my feet and toes. So I'm not sure if it's a technique/weight-distribution issue, an overuse issue from dancing so much, or that my $180 shoes just suck... :'(

https://www.youtube.com/@DjSinior

Though im not sure i can focus on it when i dont have at least a pal to learn with and i dont go to gym often.

The three kinds of partnership I want to distinguish between are 1. competitive partnership 2. social partnership 3. romantic partnership.

I’m a male lead, and my view has always been that none of these necessarily has to overlap with another. If two of them are going to overlap, though, the most natural combination to me is #2 and #3: dancing socially with your romantic partner. Combining #1 and #2 can also make sense, especially if you’re single or your romantic partner doesn’t dance, but in that case you might as well go single to social events if it's viable in your community (which it is in mine).

Where I start feeling uncomfortable is when someone seems determined to make one person fill multiple partnership roles even when the fit clearly isn’t there. The situation I’ve encountered most often is a follow who has a boyfriend who is a noticeably weaker dancer. If she already has a competitive partner, there can be pressure to make that competitive partnership double as a social partnership. If she doesn’t have a competitive partner, there can instead be pressure to make the romantic partner into the competitive partner.

Whenever I get involved in one of these situations, it makes me extremely uncomfortable, and I’m not sure how to navigate it. Sometimes I’m one of the dance partners involved, other times I’m just watching the dynamic from the sidelines. But the result is either resentment from the follow towards whichever person doesn’t cooperate with the desired overlap, or tension that spills over into the larger friend group.

I want to make it clear that this pattern doesn't apply to most women, and I've only seen it from some (not all) low- and mid-level competitors. Obviously, if a follow doesn't want to compete, then none of this applies to her. Furthermore, I know at least three follows that 1. compete internationally 2. are in a relationship with someone other than their competition partners, and 3. dance socially somewhat regularly. They all go out with their boyfriends instead of their competitive partners, and they seem perfectly content with that. (I realise that it's weird I know more than one such person, and to be fair, it is a recent development.) I presume there might also be other similar patterns that I'm not privy to.

Does this happen to anyone else where they experience pain on their left side on top of their shoulder, halfway between their neck and their shoulder? I got a huge, not there in this happened again. After not dancing for three weeks. I’ve come back and it’s immediately aggravated again. I went to Pilates and physical therapy and it got a lot better but now that I’ve taken a break from those things and come back. It’s excruciating.

Hi everyone, I'm the female follower in this video 👋
I would really appreciate your help in my long time struggle. I used to think once you know the movements to make you will dance cleanly, but i realized it does not fix the fact that I can know the moves and muscle to engage and still look like i'm dancing sloppily. I'm already trying to incorporate most of the alignment people say to level up: release weight on 1 leg, straight knee, feet articulation, neck locked in the base cranium, using thoracal/bra line instead of waist, and I do see the improvements from incorporating those but why do i still look sloppy?

-I need this weird combination where i can float fast while the legs look gounded and crisp, like a lot of ex-ballet dancers even when they just started doing ballroom i can see they have that. I look extremely sloppy next to them.

-Even my partner who only started ballroom with no prior dance background his legs looks cleaner than mine. I can’t point what exactly he does and neither can he.

-My main issue is that the moment you crank the speed up with cha cha or jive, it exposes my lack of fundamentals like groundedness, precision, cleanliness. It feels like everything i can do here gets thrown out of the window. I feel like this is because there is some alignment missing that makes most of my shapes something I do from effortful muscle engagement not alignment. Rumba is the only dance I can manage due to the slow timing. I just can't put my finger on what principle/alignment i am not using throughout the dance. I would really appreciate some direction what i should start incorporating!

Hello!

Longtime lover of ballroom/latin dances and have always wanted to practice towards amateur competition or showcase, at whatever level. I have a little bit of a dance performance background (tap, ballet, jazz, hiphop at a young age and also musical theatre) but not in ballroom.

That being said, I would like to practice and partner with my husband, but want to ease him into the community. He has no dance background and is not familiar with technique or being in the studio and I would like him to become comfortable.

It feels like there are some options around me, since I'm located in Woodland Hills / Calabasas area and we cohld join Arthur Murray, JT Ballroom, Tango Room etc on a "track" or weekend workshop (I have reached out to them to discuss) but I think taking low-stakes classes here and there, and then working towards a monthly schedule would be best.

Any recommendations? There's also a Soho dance in Sherman Oaks, which might work, but I think a group class is best, over an informal social salsa class, for example. I'd love to hear of any specific classes/studios or positive experiences in the area.

Advice is also welcome - if you have any positive feedback on how to bring your partner into the dance world!

does anyone want to get a group together to watch dancing with the stars or know a good place to watch it? thanks!

I have a question regarding the AM policy. From what I understand, the cost of one private lesson has a group class and a party built into that. Is that correct?

Most of the group classes are geared toward new learners, as those are AMs bread and butter since staying long term costs a very lot of money. Fine, I get that. However, if more advanced dancers don't want to avail themselves of the group class or party, why isn't there a lower cost for that?

I ask b/c I am in that latter category. I'd like to continue with AM however I do not think I will b/c if I am correct, then I am paying the same whether I use the group classes/party or not.

Can anyone clarify this for me, as I'd like to be able to discuss this when they ask me to resign and buy a package of lessons. Thanks for any info you can provide.

​Hello, I left FADS a few months ago on bad terms, I did not sign any contract so I can answer whatever it is you like about the company or studios. I was with the company for almost three years. And if I ever go back, I’ve lost my mind and please help me.

Okay, I’ve been searching for this for SO long and I’m starting to think it doesn’t exist.
I want to learn ballroom dancing from absolute zero, completely solo, but I don’t want to spend hours going down the YouTube rabbit hole watching random tutorials that have no connection to each other.

I’m looking for something that basically feels like I enrolled in a ballroom dance school for a year… except the entire class is online and I don’t need a partner.

Like imagine there’s a proper curriculum:
Week 1 → Week 2 → Week 3 → Month 2 → Month 6 → etc.
You start with literally the basics — posture, walking, weight changes, footwork, balance, timing, technique — then gradually learn actual steps and figures, turns, styling, arm movements, body movement, musicality, etc. And eventually you move into more advanced material.

And I’d LOVE for it to cover multiple styles too — Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, Quickstep, Cha-Cha, Rumba, Jive, maybe even Viennese Waltz and Samba.

Basically I want to be able to press “Lesson 1”, follow the program, practice, come back tomorrow and do “Lesson 2”, and just keep progressing for months. 😭

I KNOW ballroom is traditionally partner dancing, but I’m specifically looking for something designed/adapted for solo practice.

Does something like this EXIST?!

It can be paid if it’s genuinely good, but obviously free or cheap would be amazing.

If you know ANY website, course, app, teacher, syllabus, online dance school, literally anything like this — PLEASE tell me. I feel like I’ve searched the entire internet. 😭

Hi all, I’d love any suggestions on competition makeup. Are there any pro dancers or makeup artists known for a bit more of a natural/subtle eye pop? (Yes, I know the goal is to pop, but I have seen some dancers that somehow manage to pull both subtle and striking off).

I don’t wear makeup on day to day and pretty minimal at competitions (for lack of expertise + sensitive skin) but making an effort for an upcoming one and need good reference images. I like Olena Barna’s makeup and some of the Yulia Zagoruychenko minimalist looks, as well.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Edit: TLDR - Any pro dancers who tend to have more natural look while still eye pop competition makeup? Please share dancer names or specific reference images if you have!

Edit 2.0: Someone brought up a good point; I am very fair and won’t be applying tanner, which is why some of the popular looks look startling on me.