Are online ballroom dancing classes effective?
I've always wanted to learn how to dance, but I've never managed to go take a lesson. Now that I'm staying inside, I thought maybe I could watch some videos and learn the basics. Is YouTube the best place to go for that? Can I really learn enough to be comfortable going out to dance when things return to normal?
Answers ( 1 )
Great question! I taught ballroom dancing professionally for more than 15 years, back in the before times, and the truth is you don't need to know hardly anything about dancing to have a good time! However, many people are uncomfortable with showing up to a dance not knowing the basics, or enough of the basics to participate immediately. That is why many social dances begin with a short lesson on the very basics, so even people who have never danced before can participate.
So absolutely yes, you can learn enough from YouTube to learn the basics. Being "comfortable" is another question! I see that the subtopic of your queston is Waltz, so I'm going to address that dance specifically, but what I'm going to say applies just as much to swing, salsa, tango, or really any other partner dance - and that is, nothing can really prepare you for dancing with a partner except dancing with a partner! And that learning experience, where you are negotiating how to move through space in time to music together, can be uncomfortable sometimes.
That said, once you have learned to hear the downbeat, and how to move in time with your partner so you both know where you are going, and how to navigate the dance floor when there are other people also dancing, it is pretty amazing. Go for it!
You can certainly learn the basic box step of the waltz and a couple of other simple patterns - but remember that dancing with another person is a very different experience than dancing alone! When we're all able to get back to the dance floor, plan on attending a basic class before your first dance, so you can see how your moves fit with another person. And don't worry about feeling a bit uncomfortable at first - everyone started right where you are today, not knowing anything yet!