U Can Dance Studio St Louis for dance instructions in ballroom, wedding first dance, ballet, tap, Jazz, hip hop

Cost: $50/hr Adults  - $35/hr Juniors (ages 3-18) - Times: call to schedule a lesson

Learn how to compete in real Dancesport and Ballroom Competitions that are held in St Louis and all over the US.

Below are instructors Atanas Pavlov and Mary Poll-Collins at the St Louis Star Ball Competition.

Do you want to compete and win in Ballroom Dancing like Dancing With The Stars? U Can Dance Studio in St Louis Mo is your place to start. Our nationally ranked, award winning Pro-Am staff are ready to train you today!  Give them a call for any questions at 314-209-9228. Annual ballroom dance competitions and dancesport championsips in the US are growing each year!

 Competition Elements

 In competition ballroom dancers are judged by diverse criteria such as connection, frame, posture, speed, timing, proper body alignment, proper usage of weight/ankles/feet, and grooming.  Judging in a performance-oriented sport is inevitably subjective in nature, and controversy and complaints by competitors over judging placements are not uncommon. The scorekeepers—called scrutineers—will tally the total number recalls accumulated by each couple through each round until the finals, when the Skating system is used to place each couple by ordinals, typically 1-6, though the number of couples in the final can vary.

Medal examinations enable dancers' abilities to be recognized according to conventional standards. In medal exams, each dancer performs two or more dances in a certain genre (e.g., International Standard) in front of a judge. In North America, examination levels include Newcomer, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Championship. Each level (i.e. Newcomer, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Championship) may be further subdivided into either two or four separate sections.

How competition levels are separated may be different depending on the competition in question. In addition to the previously mentioned competition levels, most competitions offer a specific competition series for competitors that include Pre-Novice, Novice, Pre-Championship, and Championship. Pre-Novice usually consists of Cha Cha and Rumba in closed position dance steps. No sequins are allowed on costumes at this level and choreography is basic in nature. Novice consists of two or three dances, Cha Cha, Rumba, and Samba. Novice is open to any costumes and choreography contains both basic dance moves and fancy and expressive movements as well. Pre-Championship and Championships have the same costume and dance rules. The only difference is they add on Jive and Paso Doble to the routine. This breakdown can vary per competition. Competitors choose their corresponding level of dance skill and experience to compete in and are further categorized as amateur dance couples, and professional teacher dancing with their amateur students. One can only compete against dancers of their own category for both the level and category.

Tips  for Competition

Step 1 Know what to wear. Check out the competition criteria before hand so you can prepare your outfit. Ballroom dancing can be very informal or formal, and you must dress the correct way for the particular competition.

Step 2 Practice your ballroom dancing routine in your competition clothes many times before the big day. You must make sure that you and your partner are comfortable in the clothing and can move easily.

Step 3 Work with a professional. They can help you fine-tune your steps and together you can create wonderful, winning choreography.

Step 4 Prepare physically. Getting ready for any ballroom dancing competition should be seen as a test on your physical prowess. You should eat right, exercise, drink lots of water and practice as much as you can before the contest.

Step 5 Read the rule book. You must ensure that your song choices, dance moves and simply ballroom etiquette are up to the standards of the competition. Make sure you aren not disqualified for sloppy mistakes.

Step 6 Confirm all fees, addresses, hotel and travel reservations. Ensure that entry fees, hotel deposits and airline reservations have been made and paid. Always ask for a confirmation number and keep it handy.