Ballroom Dancing: How Long Before I Get the Hang of It?

When you embrace ballroom dancing for the first time, patience is the most important thing you need to bring with you to the first lesson. (A smile and a great attitude would be nice, too!)

• You need patience to be able to follow instructions.
• You need patience to stop yourself from getting overwhelmed.
• You even may need patience when you start to feel a bit jealous of those who swirl around the dancefloor like they were born to dance.

The truth is, however, every single person in the dance studio was exactly where you are today. They felt the same feelings of fear and awkwardness when they first embraced dancing. And, you know what? They all survived to be able to share stories of how wonderful ballroom dancing is for their social lives, their health, stamina and confidence!

Because, in addition to your concerns, you are excited, right? Focus on the excitement of finally trying something new to keep your mind off of the inevitable question: how long before I get the hang of ballroom dancing?

If you are going to actually ask that question, expect an answer you may not love. Again, patience!

Instructors will likely tell you “it depends.” Because that’s the only answer they can give you. Dancing isn’t math. It’s not a concrete science. It requires communication, and practice and commitment and…well… patience!

The real answer to the question about how long it will take before you begin to feel comfortable on the dance floor is after a few lessons. When you are able to concentrate more on the fact that you are having so much fun — and hopefully less on what you perceive to be your flaws — you’ll start to get the hang of it.

As you learn new steps and master them, you’ll feel more confident. When you are no longer the most recent addition to the dance floor, you’ll feel better, as well.

Figure out your true goals as they relate to dancing.

• Are you getting married and want to dance that special first dance in style?
• Are you looking for a way to get fit?
• Would you like to meet new friends?
• Do you love learning new things?
• Could your self-esteem use a boost?
• Are you invited to a special occasion party and don’t want to “sit it out” again?
• Are you going on vacation and want to be able to strut your stuff on the dance floor?

Once you figure out what you want out of dancing, you can chat with your Arthur Murray instructor. Together, you can set some goals and make a strategy to achieve those goals.

Contact Arthur Murray today to get started. Everything begins with the first step, right? At Arthur Murray, you can take that very first step — a free dance lesson — and find out what you’ve been missing by staying clear of the dance floor!