Starting your journey in ballroom dancing can be exciting, but when you’re joining a collegiate team like the UNLV Rebel Dancesport team, one of the most important aspects to get right is building a strong, successful partnership. Whether you’re a complete beginner or already have a bit of experience, the key to success on the dance floor—and in competitions—is fostering a supportive and aligned partnership. Here are some tips and tricks to help you get started on the right foot!
1. Align Your Goals from the Start
One of the first things you should discuss with your dance partner is what both of you want to achieve with your partnership. It’s essential to make sure you’re on the same page about your goals—both short-term and long-term. This will help avoid misunderstandings down the road and ensure you’re working together toward common objectives.
Things to discuss early on:
- Competitions: How many competitions do both of you want to attend? Do you plan to compete at all, just locally, or travel with the team? Knowing the level of commitment will help you prepare adequately and understand how much time you both need to invest.
- Private Lessons: Will you be taking private lessons together? If so, how often? Private lessons can significantly speed up your progress, but it’s important to decide if you’re both ready to invest in this extra time and expense.
- Practice Schedule: How often can you both practice outside of regular team classes? Be realistic about your availability and communicate clearly. If one partner is only available a couple of times a week and the other wants to practice daily, it could lead to frustration. Make sure to be clear about school schedules as well.
By discussing these points up front, you’ll avoid potential conflicts and start your partnership with a clear understanding of how much effort and time both of you are willing to commit.
2. Communication is Key
Effective communication is essential in any partnership, and ballroom dancing is no different. Dance partners need to understand each other’s needs, both on and off the dance floor. This means being open to giving and receiving feedback and being clear about your thoughts, needs, and frustrations.
Tips for good communication:
- Positive Feedback: Always try to give constructive criticism rather than negative feedback. Focus on what your partner is doing well and how they can improve in specific areas.
- Non-Verbal Communication: Ballroom dance is largely about non-verbal cues. As a partnership, you’ll need to learn how to communicate through your body language—whether it’s a gentle lead or an encouraging smile.
- Listen and Be Patient: Effective communication is a two-way street. Listen carefully to your partner’s concerns or suggestions and try to be patient as you both learn and grow.
Clear communication helps ensure that both of you feel supported and confident in your partnership, which ultimately leads to better dance performance.
3. Be Flexible and Adaptable
It’s important to remember that you and your partner will likely have different learning styles, strengths, and weaknesses. One person might pick up a particular movement quickly, while the other may need more time to get comfortable with it. Being flexible and adaptable to each other’s learning pace is essential.
Ways to be more adaptable:
- Help Each Other: If your partner is struggling with a particular move or concept, offer them support and encouragement instead of getting frustrated. You both grow when you help each other out!
- Adjust to Learning Styles: Some people learn by doing, while others learn by watching or listening. Be open to trying different approaches and figure out what works best for both of you.
- Accept Mistakes: Mistakes will happen, especially as beginners! Embrace them as learning opportunities and don’t be too hard on each other when things don’t go as planned.
Being patient and adaptable will not only help your partnership grow stronger but also foster a positive and productive practice environment.
4. Build Trust and Respect
Trust and respect are the foundation of any successful partnership, and ballroom dance is no exception. You’re both relying on each other to create beautiful, synchronized movements, and that requires mutual trust.
How to build trust and respect:
- Support Each Other: Support each other both in your successes and challenges. When one of you has a breakthrough moment, celebrate it together! When things don’t go as planned, work together to find a solution.
- Respect Boundaries: In ballroom dance, there’s a lot of physical contact. Always be respectful of each other’s personal space and physical comfort. Make sure to communicate openly if something feels uncomfortable.
- Consistency: Consistently showing up for practices and sticking to your agreed-upon schedule will build reliability and trust.
When you both respect and trust each other, it becomes much easier to push through challenges and enjoy the journey of learning and growing together as a team.
5. Have Fun and Keep the Right Attitude
While ballroom dance is competitive, it’s also meant to be enjoyable! Keep a positive, fun attitude even when things get tough. Remember, you’re in this partnership because you both love dancing and want to improve. Keeping a lighthearted perspective can help reduce stress and make practice sessions more enjoyable.
How to keep the fun alive:
- Celebrate Progress: Even small achievements deserve celebration. Whether it’s nailing a tricky move or improving your timing, give yourself and your partner credit for the progress you’ve made.
- Stay Positive: A positive attitude can help you overcome frustrations and keep the momentum going, even on tough days.
- Enjoy Each Other’s Company: Remember that you’re not just dance partners, but teammates. Having a good rapport and being able to laugh together can make your partnership feel more like a friendship.
A happy and motivated attitude will keep you and your partner energized and focused, even when the learning curve gets steep.
6. Stay Open-Minded and Flexible with Feedback
As you progress, you’ll receive feedback from coaches, teammates, and even judges if you start competing. While receiving feedback can sometimes feel tough, it’s important to stay open-minded and use it as a way to grow.
Embrace feedback:
- Constructive Criticism: Don’t take it personally—feedback is all about helping you become better. Take it as an opportunity to improve your technique and performance.
- Keep an Open Mind: Listen to your partner’s suggestions, and be open to trying new things. Sometimes, a small adjustment can make a big difference in your dancing.
Staying open to feedback not only helps you improve as dancers but also strengthens the bond between you and your partner as you work together toward shared goals.
Building a successful ballroom dance partnership, especially as beginners, requires a combination of alignment, trust, communication, and a positive attitude. By starting with clear goals, being adaptable, and supporting each other through the ups and downs, you and your partner will create a solid foundation for success. Most importantly, remember to have fun and enjoy the journey as you dance your way through this exciting new adventure with the UNLV Rebel Dancesport team!