So many people sit back and watch dancing shows on TV, all the while lamenting to themselves, "I could never dance like that." You could, actually, but you make excuse upon excuse not to. Here are some of the top excuses and why they're wrong.
I can't afford it. If you want to dress like the folks on Dancing with the Stars, you're right. You probably can't afford that, but neither can anyone that doesn't have Mickey Mouse's budget. In most cities, you can find studios and clubs that offer dance socials for as cheap as $7. The most expensive will be $20 and most of these socials include a basic dance lesson and people usually wear casual clothes. Your one investment is a good pair of dance shoes.
When it comes to any other hobby, people are willing to pay a lot more than it costs to dance. Take tennis for example. First, you have to either pay court fees or join a country club or neighborhood tennis association in order to use the court. Then you have to pay for lessons. Then, if you want to compete, you have to pay to join some organization such as ALTA or USTA. On top of that, you buy a racket, tennis balls, tennis shoes, a bag, a water bottle, appropriate court clothing. Similar expenses are necessary for any sport. All those things are way more expensive than the only real investment you need to make as a dancer: a good pair of dance shoes. In the worst case scenario, there are street shoes for both men and women that will suffice (don't tell Capezio I said that).
I don't have a dance partner and/or my romantic partner won't do it. Leave your romantic partner at home. In fact, go ahead and leave your romantic partner permanently because you don't need to waste your time on anyone who is too scared to try something new or who won't do something nice once in a while just to make you happy. Ladies, how many times have you sat through a three hour movie with a title like, "Explosionville: The Apocalypse," because you loved your man? Or, gentlemen, you know you've done the same thing for your lady only with titles like, "The Girl Who Did Stuff and Then Found Herself." Just sayin'.
If divorce isn't an option or if you're single, never fear. Most people who dance socially don't have dance partners either. Often, if they have romantic partners, they'll usually dance with everyone else anyway. This could be a problem if you want to participate in competitions, but it would be wise to try dancing socially before diving into shows and competitions. Even at that point, Jack 'n' Jill is a very common type of competition. You don't dance with a predetermined partner, you're just set up with another dancer and you may even switch partners.
I'm too old. No you're not. The end.
I'm too.......(complaint). These complaints are usually made by someone who is uncomfortable with her/his looks. Sure, the dancers on So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing with the Stars are all very glamorous, attractive people, but that's TV. Even those folks are severely enhanced with makeup, spray tans, lighting, and high quality camera work. You don't have to look like a TV star to do any of your other hobbies, do you? Dancing is one of the most diverse activities on the planet. People of all shapes, sizes, ages, genders, sexual orientations, belief systems, cultures, colors, etc., participate in dancing.
It's "gay." No, sports are gay. Guys who dance professionally might wear frilly costumes and heeled shoes, but you know what they don't do? They don't slap each others' asses every time one of them makes a good move and then all get naked together in the shower after a competition. They also usually dance with women, who are often in skimpy clothing, whereas, in sports, there are usually nothing but men in tight pants on both teams. So, you tell me what's gayer. Not to disparage sports, homosexuality, or male-on-man grab-ass, but if you can handle those blatantly homosexual behaviors in sports, why can't you handle any slightly homosexual aspects of dance? Besides, in social dancing, guys usually don't wear all the frills, sparkles, and heels. To your benefit, a lot more women dance than men. No matter what you look like, you will have your pick of any lady you like and won't have to sit down for even a minute if you don't want to.
I'm not coordinated enough. Yes you are, you just have to try, try, try. You don't expect to paint the Mona Lisa the first time you pick up a paint brush, so why do you think the first time you step on the dance floor, you're going to dance like Baryshnikov? You were pretty darn awkward when you learned to walk, but now you do it every day without thinking.
I don't want to look stupid. Well, that's okay because no one is really looking anyway. When you take a class, most of the other people in the class are focused on their own learning process. They're not even really paying attention to you. When it comes to mistakes in dance, most people have a goldfish's memory. They might see you do something silly and laugh at the time, but three seconds later, they've forgotten about it, because they're back to focusing on their own learning.
I won't know anybody there. Grow up. When's the last time you started any activity where you knew the majority of people there?
I tried a few times but nobody danced with me. This is an unfortunate aspect of the dance world that nobody likes to admit exists. There is a problem with being the new kid. There is no denying it. The only solution is to increase your face time with those folks. Go dancing as much as possible. Even if no one dances with you, people will start to remember your face and you will become familiar to them. You may even want to approach the instructor. Most of them are friendly and are happy to introduce you to other folks. It takes time. In fact, Latin dancers even have a term for this, Salsa Hell. Yes, this can be extremely difficult on the self esteem, but we've all been there. After you survive it and you become an experienced dancer, take it as your personal responsibility to welcome to new dancers.
Go ahead, try to make an excuse not to dance, but you know the only real thing holding you back is you!
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