Kaleidoscope
Dance Space
FAQs for
Social Ballroom Dancing
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What is Ballroom Dance?
In the most general sense, a ballroom dance is a dance done as a couple where one partner leads and the other follows. Traditionally, the couple consists of a male and a female where the male is the lead and the female is the follow. It is becoming more common for males and females to switch the lead-follow role as well as to have couples of the same gender dance as a couple. In this case, it is still necessary for one partner to be the lead and the other be the follow.
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What are the most common/popular ballroom dances?
Cha cha, foxtrot, rumba, salsa, swing, tango, waltz
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What is Social Ballroom Dance?
Basically there are 2 goals that one might have when deciding to learn ballroom.
1) To dance in a social setting
2) To dance competitively or perform
At Kaleidoscope our classes are designed for those who would like to go out in a social setting and be able to dance one or more of the traditional ballroom dances such as swing, rumba, cha cha, etc. This is known as "social ballroom".
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What if I have 2 left feet?
It really doesn't matter how many left feet you think you have. We can help you relax and feel comfortable dancing with whatever feet you bring. Our classes start from the beginning for every step we teach. There is plenty of practice time built into each lesson to let those feet get used to doing the steps. There is no pressure to get things "perfect". Rather, the goal is to put a smile on your face and enjoy practicing with what you you've got. The rest will follow.
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What if I can't find or follow the beat?
Consistently finding and dancing with the beat comes with time and practice. Even some of the best dancers will struggle sometimes. Our emphasis will be on counting so your feet will know when to move and how quickly to move. If you can keep the count, even if it doesn't happen to match the music, you are on your way to having fun dancing. As you become more confident and relaxed in your steps, your body will naturally find the beat.
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Where should I start?
Before you make a big commitment to learn a dance style, it is a good idea to make sure that it is a style of dance that you like and that also likes you. Take into account what your body is capable of doing, e.g. someone with knee or balance issues might want to avoid a dance style that requires a lot of spins or turns on one foot.​
A good place to try out dance styles on a small scale is our STEP 1 class. Each 55 minute class covers 2 styles. The same 2 styles are taught for 4 consecutive weeks. Examples include waltz/rumba, swing/foxtrot, and cha cha/tango. Each of the 4 weeks stands on its own. So, even though it is highly recommended, it is not necessary to attend all 4 weeks.
No dance experience is required.
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What if I already know what dance style(s) I would like to learn?
coming soon
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