Improving at ballroom dancing, like any other sport or hobby, requires dedication and focus. The new year is a perfect time to step back and take a look at where you are in your dancing, where you want to go, and how to get there. Here are five suggested New Year's Resolutions you can use to recharge and make this your best dance year ever.
New Year's Resolutions for Ballroom Dancers #1: Set Goals
This is a resolution every ballroom dancer should make if they want to improve. What are your goals for the year? What do you hope to accomplish? This is an individual decision that is different for everyone. Whether you want to make the move from Novice to Pre-champ, or have the fitness to dance every song on Saturday night, or learn five new patterns in every dance, or even master a new dance, it's up to you. Decide what is important to you and write it down. Make a commitment to yourself that this will be the year you do it.
Whichever goals you choose, remember to set them so they cause you to stretch and work for them, but they must be attainable or you'll get frustrated and likely give up. If you just started dancing, you can't expect to compete in Open this year. However, you can set that as your goal for four years from now and break that down into smaller goals so you can celebrate your accomplishments as you go along.
New Year's Resolutions for Ballroom Dancers #2: Dance More
In order to get good at anything, you have to do it a lot. Particularly with partner dancing, you need hours on the floor to get comfortable on your own feet, in another person's arms, and moving in traffic. The more comfortable you are with this, the easier it is to concentrate on the minutiae. Whether your goal is competition or just good social dancing, spending a lot of time on the floor, especially during social dances when there are other people to maneuver around, is good for you. It might even be fun, and isn't that what dancing was supposed to be about when you first started?
New Year's Resolutions for Ballroom Dancers #3: Dance Better
It's easy to say you want to dance better, but unless you set out to do it, it won't happen. This takes focusing on your technique, diagnosing what's going wrong and fixing it, watching yourself in the mirror, and practice, practice, practice. Every time you go dancing, whether it's a social dance or a practice session, make a goal for that session. Focus on one or two techniques, whether it's pointing your toes, using your hands better, or keeping that pesky right elbow from creeping back behind you. Eventually, that technique will become habit and you can focus your energy on something else.
New Year's Resolutions for Ballroom Dancers #4: Take Lessons
If you haven't been taking dance lessons, now is a good time to resolve to do so. If you have been taking them, are you taking them often enough, consistently, and are you taking them as seriously as you should? Is there a coach you can take some additional lessons or workshops from so you can get a new perspective? No matter how good you are, you will always need another pair of eyes to help you improve.
New Year's Resolutions for Ballroom Dancers #5: Add a New Dimension
If you feel like you're in a rut with your dancing, you might just need to add a new dimension to it. Maybe you've only taken lessons and practiced, but never go social dancing. Maybe it's time to step onto the competition floor for the first time, or you can take a smaller step and dance in a ballroom showcase to show off what you have learned. Maybe it's time to make a shift and do some performing, rather than competing. There are a lot of different ways you can enjoy your dancing, and it just might renew your enthusiasm for the sport.
The new year is the perfect time to renew your energy and refresh your mindset so you can take your ballroom dancing to a whole new level.
Jennifer Walker - Jennifer Walker is a freelance writer, professional ballroom dancer and an avid equestrian. She is a Northern California native and enjoys ...
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