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Frequent Questions:
What to wear, who can join, about competition, commitment required... How much does it cost? Why would I want to compete? Some people like to compete.
Some people prefer to dance just for fun. Either way is fine. The goal of competitive dancing is to learn the
skills that make you look better than someone else on the dance floor. On the social dance floor, you will still be
able to mess around and have fun, but you will look good doing it, and therefore more people will be excited to dance with
you. Competition is also an excellent motivator. People
who compete or at least perform showcases almost always advance faster than those who do not. And lets not forget - a competition is a road trip, with your team, and who doesn't like a field trip.
Also, once you arrive, you get to meet dancers from other universities, and try what you've learned. Will I make a fool of myself at a competition?
When you compete, you will be dancing on a very crowded dance floor. The events are separated by experience level, so the people around you will have about the same amount of experience that you do. If your dancing is noticed for being superior, you will be invited to dance in a smaller crowd. This happens over and over until there are only 6 couples left. If you are in that group, then everyone may be watching, but you have nothing to be embarrassed about. We are proud to say that Purdue couples are often in that final 6. fIf I am just terrible, will it bring down the reputation of the team?
When you compete, each couple is judged separately. Your participation earns points for the
team, no matter the result. If you do well, we also earns points for every round that you get called back. We
can enter as many couples as we like, so you are not taking up any space. If you dance poorly, you will not make it
to the final rounds, but you will then be free to cheer on your teammates who do make it. Under the current system,
the team will never be punished for any one couple's dancing. Plus, if you put in the effort on our team, you cannot
remain a bad dancer for long. Sometimes we put together a formation group, where all participants
must be proficient. For that, we would have auditions. You are welcome to join, but bring some friends along to make it more fun for you. Fortunately, ballroom
is a sport which emphasizes natural, efficient movement, making it possible at any age. There are many health benefits
as well. Our team practice space has chairs all around in case you prefer to just sit and watch some of the harder exercises.
Are my kids too young to join? We are aware that there
are many amazing young dancers. They may join as long as they are comfortable around college students, and mature enough
to not disturb the class. We may require parents to be present to reduce our liability. All members under 18 are
required to sign a parental consent, and hold harmless agreement. Contact us for suggestions of local studios that focus
on younger dancers. What do I wear to class? It is a
sport, but a sport of glamour, and physical contact. Wear something you can move comfortably in. Something not too baggy
so that the instructor can see your movement. Cool enough for exercise. Women, a skirt allows the coaches to see your leg actions better. Make sure the skirt is not too short
or tight that you need to worry about it rising up while you spin and move. Wear conservative dance pants underneath.
Well fitted stretch pants work well also for class. Wear a top which is secure and covers your back and armpits where
the man's hands and arms go. Men, business casual is nice, but make sure the pants aren't going to
split if you lunge or squat. Many people just come straight from class, and therefore dress the same
as they did all day, but we try to dress nice to impress our instructors and our partners. Avoid jeans.
Jazz pants or sweat pants are ok, but skirts and slacks look nicer. Wear deodorant. Use
breath mints or gum. Go easy on the purfume. Hygiene will be enforced so that we don't lose members. If your partner stinks, let us know before you consider quitting the team. We know how to handle this. hint: Synthetic materials hold odor, and can get smelly more quickly than cotton. SHOES!?!?! Ok, calm down. You wont need great shoes on your first day. DO NOT GO AND BUY SHOES until you have spoken to one of our more experienced members about the proper fit and style to buy. Find something that allows you to stand on your toes, and spin around. You will notice this is not possible in rubber tennis shoes. And if you wear flip flops, they will fall off when you walk backwards, and ladies walk backwards all the time. Guys - leather soled
dress shoes work well. If you don't have anything, socks work really well also, for now. Get advice from other members BEFORE you purchase shoes. If you must buy shoes before the official "Shoe
run" make sure the color is right. Ladies - Tan or skin tone preferred. Men - BLACK shoes only. The Enchanted Pointe in downtown Lafayette is a good place to ask about ballroom shoes. Or at our coaches
studio in Indianapolis. Otherwise just wait until the "Shoe Run", or until you meet the vendors at our first
comp. I am too busy, can I come to team just once per week? Yes.
You get out of this what you put into it. You will still have a great time, although you may not learn as much as the
others. The dues will be the same. I have two left feet. Well
good, you have an advantage over those with just one. You may be able to dance in ways that no one else thought possible.
Left turns will be easier than right turns. We will try to help you use one of those two feet in a manner that looks
like a right foot. In the meantime, try to find a partner with two right feet.
Other schools have some great FAQ's with many similar policies. So rather
than copy those, here's the links:
MIT advice on shoes, practice wear, and music What are competitions like? Won't I embarrass myself competing against advanced dancers?
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