Youthful Inspiration

At the end of March, I participated in the Texas Challenge Dancesport Championships with some of my competitive ballroom dance team.  Among the group who competed in the event were two amateur Rhythm dance partners who I have been coaching for about 4 months; they are a great partnership of two young adults.  As I reviewed some of the terrific photographs of their performance, I felt inspired and excited as I realized the great fulfillment I gain from the role of coach.  This feeling is never more true than when I am working with youth, junior, and collegiate level dancers.  Like the young amateur couple that I have been training, young dancers bring an enthusiasm to ballroom dance that is contagious!

Whether I am leading a youth ballroom class in the studio, coaching my competitive youth and junior dancers, or participating as a judge at the Austin Open Ballroom Dance Competition at the University of Texas at Austin, I am thrilled to see a younger generation embrace ballroom dance. 

As I have watched these amazing young dancers grow as artists, I have also watched them gain self-confidence, social grace, knowledge, communication and performance skills that will stay with them throughout their school years and well into their adult career paths.  What an advantage each of these young people will have when they discover all the ways to apply the subtle nuances of this training in real life. 

Dance builds grace in young people on many levels.

Like many of us who find a path to dance in adulthood, I envy the opportunity that early ballroom dance training provides youth.   The younger dancers have physical ability to grasp the technicality of dance in the early stages of training, they possess a limitless creativity that becomes a part of their artistic expression, and their minds are sponges soaking up the language, skills, and many lessons taught through ballroom dance.



What these young dancers will one day learn is that ballroom is gift that can be applied throughout a lifetime!  While most ballerinas enjoy only short-term careers, ballroom dancers have an unlimited potential to find their passion on the dance floor at any age!

Coaching these amazing young people brings me the greatest joy as a teacher.