“Hold your head up!”
“Smile!”
Ballroom dancing events are displays of color, motion, and hard work. And like other sporting events, dancesport comes with lots of coaching! Dance instructors see your dancing from the beginning to just before you go onto the floor. Sometimes, they are on the floor with you – right in front of you to help you perform your best.
I actually don’t remember these few minutes I was on the dance floor – thank goodness my partner knew what she was doing. Muscle memory just takes over for me, and instructors can get us back on track in case we drift off somewhere in the middle. During the last heat before the break for dinner, I caught these few photos of an instructor shouting encouragement to her students, an amateur couple on the floor.
For me, I can remember people shouting our names and even though I can’t feel my hands or feet, I can get through 2 minutes of dancing in front of the judges and the rest of the audience with a little more confidence. Maybe I don’t remember every piece of advice on posture, foot placement, or cues to lead my partner, but I can get through it, and build a little confidence to go out for another heat.
It is hard to get these in photos with all that’s going on during a competition, but I am sure every dancer knows the experience. The teachers put in so much work to get students ready – and to convince us to get out there. It must be satisfying to see the results!
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