Evening out ballroom dancing

[Alison Lewis]

First, it's been a year since I ventured out for the first time since Halloween in college, and I wouldn't have done it had it not been for this forum, so I want to thank everyone for the great advice, even though most of it was aimed at others.

I took a couple of days off from work and spent them dressed, including one evening. Last night, I went to an LGBT dance lesson dressed, for the first time. It was nothing special. On my way out, I saw a weekly ballroom dance party (not LGBT, mostly an older crowd) in another room. One of the organizers saw me hesitate and told me about the other LGBT events at that center. I decided, what the hell, I payed the admission, expecting to sit alone for the evening.

I should mention I don't pass.

Within a couple of minutes, the organizer I mentioned asked me to dance. I haven't done much ballroom since college, and not as a follower, so I was very rusty, and he taught me the basics.

Not long later, another gentleman asked me to dance. By the time I left, I danced with four men, including the organizer who I danced with several more times.

Side note: Back in college, I was fascinated at how ballroom dancing illustrates traditional gender roles. Men lead, women follow. Men make decisions, women do most of the work. I wanted to experience being the woman at ballroom dance class, which I recently got to experience!

There was no mention of my gender, and none of the men showed any interest in me outside of dancing, so I guess the low lighting made me pass. I doubt the men wanted to dance with a CD. The men were likely in their 50s, so they still have their eyesite.

[AmyGaleRT]

Wow! As a longtime Dancing With The Stars viewer, I've often wondered what it would be like to go ballroom dancing...and not always as the male partner, either! ;)

So I'll just give you a judge's opinion, courtesy of "Tiny Bruno," who lives on my phone: "You were like an earthy and fiery little mermaid floating above the reef in a festively decorated tiki hut, transforming into a seductive siren. The stuff dreams are made of!" (Amy raises the "10" paddle and pumps her fist) :D

- Amy

[AllieSF]

That is so cool, especially since you do not go out much. I did that once with , ready??, a great blind guy that I had met a few weeks earlier when I assisted him out of a subway station. He was a great dancer and actually taught sometimes. So, he taught me how to follow. It was great until they called a scramble, which I thought was just playing different music so you ended up dancing several different styles during the same run of music. Wrong! It turned out I was partially correct. The incorrect part was when they would announce "Change partners now!". I ended dancing with several much older gentlemen. I had to stop after awhile because the looks on their faces when they realized who and what they were dancing with started to make me giggle uncontrollably. All in all it was a wonderful experience.

[Helen Grandeis]

The man's job in ballroom dancing is to make the woman look good! And if perchance the she trips his job is to hit the floor first and break her fall.

[Maria in heels]

Sounds like you had a great time dancing....it's funny, because my wife always tends to lead and I follow...guess the roles are right

[Beverley Sims]

Most ballroom dancers just want a good partner.....

To dance with.

[DianeDeBris]

"I ended dancing with several much older gentlemen. I had to stop after awhile because the looks on their faces when they realized who and what they were dancing with started to make me giggle uncontrollably.[/QUOTE]
That had to be incredibly funny, I would love to have seen it!

[LisaBishop]

What a great experience. Are you planning on going again? I'd certainly dance with you!

[Alison Lewis]

I'll definitely make a point of going again. Next time I'll start with a lesson.

[Alice Torn]

One time, at a single dance, I noticed a very tall, longhaired woman walk in. She was about my size, a true rarity, and i seldom got a chance to dance with a reeally tall lady! So I asked her, and we did a slow dance. I soon realized she was a cd, and was very nervous, but did small talk, and thanked her at the end. This was before I restrted dressing myself.

[docrobbysherry]

Most ballroom dancers just want a good partner.....
To dance with.

Rite, Bev! When I attended a vanilla Halloween dance club event, I may have fooled a number of men as to my gender because I was masked. But my dance skills r such that if they asked me to dance once, they never asked again!

I sat waiting impatiently with a few other GGs for that rare man to ask me to dance. There was the occasional slow dance, and I was asked! But sadly, I had to refuse. Unlike Alison, I have no experience dancing backwards!

[Alison Lewis]

Rite, Bev! When I attended a vanilla Halloween dance club event, I may have fooled a number of men as to my gender because I was masked. But my dance skills r such that if they asked me to dance once, they never asked again!

I sat waiting impatiently with a few other GGs for that rare man to ask me to dance. There was the occasional slow dance, and I was asked! But sadly, I had to refuse. Unlike Alison, I have no experience dancing backwards!

With my dance skills, I was surprised the organizer kept asking me, but he probably wanted to recruit me. It started to work.

I told each man that asked me that I was new to dancing. Each was supportive and showed me the basics, or counted steps, or something.

Still amazed me that I passed to at least a few people, when it's obvious I normally don't pass. I hope for their sake nobody teased them afterwards for dancing with a tranny.

[jjjjohanne]

One Halloween, I went to a ballroom dance as a man in a dress. I danced with several women. They seemed to have no problem dancing with me in spite of my dress and heels. I intend to do this again, but not on Halloween just to see what happens!

[Alison Lewis]

One Halloween, I went to a ballroom dance as a man in a dress. I danced with several women. They seemed to have no problem dancing with me in spite of my dress and heels. I intend to do this again, but not on Halloween just to see what happens!

Wow, on Halloween it's not a huge deal, but I'd love to hear what happens next time! I'm trying to decide what to do for Halloween too and I'm thinking of doing something similar (maybe wearing my usual getup, but getting a Mac makeover and salsa dancing with women).