Ballroom dancing?

[OccasionalSkirt]

I used to ballroom dance in college, and LOVED it! I remember a friend teasing me about how ballroom dancing was so un-manly, and after dragging him to a dance, he was shocked to see that the latin dancing portions looked more like a club with style than a ballet.

I've often considered going back for lessons, and figure it would be fun to go as a girl. I used to practice a lot of the girl portions of ballroom, since it made you a better dancer overall, and helped you as a guy know how to lead properly.

Has anyone actually done this? The ballroom crowd was always fun, but that was college and I'm not sure how that may be received if I showed up looking for a guy to dance with.

[Jorja]

When I was young (7 – 13) my mother insisted I take dance lessons. “You will need to know how to dance later on in life. Now shut up and get to dance class” she would say as I protested and whined about it.

I learned everything from the Foxtrot to the Waltz and back again. Now in my hometown (population 63) there were more boys than girls. That meant some of us had to learn to dance the girls part as well as the boys. I became very proficient at both parts.

Jump ahead a few years. I joined the Navy and made a couple of Westpac trips and one World cruise. When out on liberty (shore leave for you landlubbers) I got the hottest women because I knew how to dance. Thanks Mom!

After I left the Navy and got settled I received a phone call from one of my former dance partners. She was looking for a dance partner for competitive Ballroom dancing. We won several dances together but she became ill and had to stop dancing. She died of breast cancer a few months later. I still continue to dance but it is just for fun only these days.

[Michelle.M]

Actually, that sounds like fun! I'd love to do that in girlmode, though.

[Tybalt]

That's intresting because as gg I would live to do this with a guy, I did a little swing dance in highschool and I was always on the boys side of things because I'm not swingable I enjoyed it very much it's not ballroom but that sounds just as much fun

[DebsUK]

I do streetdance and Zumba (which took over from salsa aerobics) at my gym, and a lot of the other aerobics classes I do are very dancey. Being a fan of Strictly I've suggested to my wife that we could do ballroom, but she's not gone for the idea. This is a recent thing for me. I've never tried formal dancing until I came to my local gym and got drawn into it from th aerobics and I love it now
Of course the ballroom would be difficult to do if I wasn't wearing the fabulous frocks the girls wear when they're doing it LOL

[Phyliss]

DANCE, one of the "banes" of my existance. In grammer school, one of my classmates was Kathleen Murray, ( Daughter of the famed Arthur Murray, dance schools). One year she gave out to the class as Christmas presents, free dancing lessons. In my infinite 11yr old wisdom I said "Who needs that "girly" stuff" and pitched the invitation.

I attended First Event and one night there was a dance for all the ladies. Not many of them were dancing, and it dawned on me, WE don't know how to "follow",we never learned.

It'd be an interesting, seminar, presentation, workshop, at a "convention"

[Magickman]

Among the ballroom dancers, I think it would be regarded as pretty subversive for a crossdresser to show up, looking for a guy to dance with.

I am a dancer, but I dance only with the women. Just my preference.

Almost always, I wear a short skirt, tights, and high heels for dancing. It is a style i am quite comfortable with.

Spinning the women round and round and round, is what I do. It is great fun.

For the most part, the women are agreeable to dancing with me. A few of the women will tell me that my skirt is VERY short or that my heels are VERY high, but I already knew that.

As a general rule, I will be wearing the shortest skirt and the highest heels at a dance party.

Even though I conscientiously manhandle the women, some will ask if I am gay. I tell them no, I'm just a guy in a skirt. Occasionally the women will blurt out, "You're so cute!"

Ballroom dancing is a great recreational activity. And I highly recommend dancing while dressed.

[Charise52]

I have taken ballroom dance lessons, and I still like the male role, although I wear women's jeans and tops and sweaters and it works well

[dilane]

I've taken lessons in ballroom en-femme at a gay-oriented class, and salsa and swing at a straight studio.

At group lessons, the men rotate to a new partner every few minutes, so everyone gets lots of partners. In the straight place, I only recall one or two guys out of 50 who didn't dance with me. Everyone was nice. The teachers (who for some reason all knew me by name would sometimes use me as a demonstration partner in front of the class -- that was always a trip!

At typical dance clubs with live music, most dancing is non-partner type, with some swing and salsa showing up now and then.

In the real world, I do get asked to dance by guys, most recently by a former ballroom instructor who said I was the spitting image of a former girlfriend

In places where everyone knows I'm a T-girl, it happens less frequently, though I also get asked to (non-partner) dance by some of the hottest women, which is a treat, since I'm oriented toward women.

-- Diane

[OccasionalSkirt]

That's intresting because as gg I would live to do this with a guy, I did a little swing dance in highschool and I was always on the boys side of things because I'm not swingable I enjoyed it very much it's not ballroom but that sounds just as much fun

We should obviously meet up at some point!

[RADER]

When I was younger, My 1 ST wife and I would go Big Band Ballroom Dancing about
6 to 8 times a year. Loved it. Then we got divorced (CDing was 1/2 of it) and I could
never find a date that wanted to do it. Fast ford ward 40 years, I wish I could dance
like that again, however the knees, and legs say no. Wife can not dance ether, health
reasons also. Do not get old!!! If some one told me at age 30 something that retirement
was full of aches and pains, well I would have made a time machine to stop the aging thing. Rader

[docrobbysherry]

I say don't NOT do something you'll regret LATER IN LIFE, OS!
As a kid and young man in SoCal, males DIDN'T DANCE! Unless they were gay!(Well, that's what THOT back then! I KNOW BETTER NOW!)

As Radar said above, I didn't start dressing until after 50. Turns out, Sherry LOVES dancing! Unfortunately, I'm over 60 now. Too old for ballroom, jazz, or my favorite, ballet dancing! I only wish I'd learned when I was younger, so I could at least do a few proper moves now! I'm so jealous of u girls, or guys, that know how!

I recommend ANYONE that thinks they may enjoy dancing, TRY IT! Learn how. In boy or girl mode! Whatever works for u!
If u DON'T, u may have regrets later! And, take it from me, THEY SUCK!

[Danni Bear]

Doc,
you are never to old to learn to ballet or any other style or type of dance. yes you will be more physically challenged in it due to age or other considerations but better late than never. Radar, you can still trot your stuff, I have a male friend who is now over 90 and he still swings me when I get to dance with him. he is always in demand and he has a hard time walking but can still light up a dance floor

Danni

[Eryn]

I took lessons, but I never really go the hang of it. I'm reminded of this quote:

Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did,

backwards


and in high heels!

[eluuzion]

The ballroom crowd was always fun, but that was college and I'm not sure how that may be received if I showed up looking for a guy to dance with.

Let me try and answer that will a little humor...

"He didn't know if it was a gun in her pocket or she was just pleased to see him, but neither option looked good."


Ok, first my "disneyland internet world" reply...

Sure I would go for it! I am sure none of the other paying customers will mind being surprised to find a CD in their class. A few guys may not be comfortable, but that is their fault for not being open minded.It is your right to be there and society should get used to these types of issues.Yakity, yak yak...
************************************************** *****
Alrighty then, now for my common sense "real world" reply...

I would place a courtesy call to the instructor of whatever studio you wish to attend and describe the scenario you want, and will present when/if you attend group classes. Then see what options are offered, which I would predict will be private instruction.

It does not require detective skills to understand the potential issues the studio/instructor might face, by your presence. At some point,( which is generally every point, lol) empathy and common sense comes before fighting or inviting an ACLU battle. It is just a dance class, not a dance class & gender awareness training class. Some customers may not find dancing with a CD as entertaining as we would, particularly with no advance warning.

anyway...yes, I grew up in a pretty "affluent" school district. Everyone took ballroom dance lessons before proms, dances, etc. Also attended lots of civic functions and parties on yachts in Miami (parents were socialites of sort...)where ballroom dancing was routine. I just enjoyed dancing with all of the hot women those events attract...lol.




Plus, I was also shipped off to a military academy for high school years. I spent my share of time out on the ballroom floor, "Officer and a Gentleman" style in my dress uniform and spit-shined shoes...

[AllieSF]

I say go for it, but try to take your own partner the first few times. Most of the dancers there probably already know each other and have no problem switching partners as the good dancers enjoy dancing with good partners. I met a blind gentleman this last Fall and when he told me he danced the swing and other dances, I said I love to swing dance. So, just before Halloween we went dancing. He turned out to be a very good dancer and sometimes amateur instructor. Everyone at the dance hall knew him, and I was there as his partner for the evening. We had a blast, I learned a little but not a lot. Ballroom dancing is really not like the true dance. The Tango looks almost nothing like a a tango danced in Buenos Aires. I persevered and he had his patience. By the end of the night I was finally getting used to following and was learning some follower techniques, like leaning back into the leads hand on my back. The highlight of the evening was when they called a mix dance. I said, yippee we get to dance a little bit of each style of dance. Boy, was I mistaken as it turned out to be, girls in this line and guys in that line. Girl dances with whomever is in the opposite line for awhile and then recycles back to the line again for a new partner. I had to sit down after I danced with two octogenarians and started laughing at the surprised look on there face when they actually looked me in the face. Oh, the dance night was held in a seniors hall, little to my knowledge. I would definitely do it again.

[Cheryl T]

I would love to be able to take ballroom lessons as Cheryl!
Only problem is I would have no one to dance with afterwards...lol.

[OccasionalSkirt]

Let me try and answer that will a little humor...

"He didn't know if it was a gun in her pocket or she was just pleased to see him, but neither option looked good."


Ok, first my "disneyland internet world" reply...

Sure I would go for it! I am sure none of the other paying customers will mind being surprised to find a CD in their class. A few guys may not be comfortable, but that is their fault for not being open minded.It is your right to be there and society should get used to these types of issues.Yakity, yak yak...
************************************************** *****
Alrighty then, now for my common sense "real world" reply...

I would place a courtesy call to the instructor of whatever studio you wish to attend and describe the scenario you want, and will present when/if you attend group classes. Then see what options are offered, which I would predict will be private instruction.

It does not require detective skills to understand the potential issues the studio/instructor might face, by your presence. At some point,( which is generally every point, lol) empathy and common sense comes before fighting or inviting an ACLU battle. It is just a dance class, not a dance class & gender awareness training class. Some customers may not find dancing with a CD as entertaining as we would, particularly with no advance warning.

anyway...yes, I grew up in a pretty "affluent" school district. Everyone took ballroom dance lessons before proms, dances, etc. Also attended lots of civic functions and parties on yachts in Miami (parents were socialites of sort...)where ballroom dancing was routine. I just enjoyed dancing with all of the hot women those events attract...lol.




Plus, I was also shipped off to a military academy for high school years. I spent my share of time out on the ballroom floor, "Officer and a Gentleman" style in my dress uniform and spit-shined shoes...

I thinl that's pretty good advice...I wouldn't want to dance with someone who really was uncomfortable!

[linnea]

I haven't done it, but I started to take ballroom dancing lessons (in male mode) about ten years ago. Too many things got in the way of me continuing at that time; now I may try again but this time as a woman. It's one of my fantasies; I hope to make it a reality.

[katrinakat]

When I was in college I would go to a weekly adult ballet class. I had so much fun. I loved the femme motions and the outfits. lol
I would wear, black tights, a black leotard, black leg warmers. And over all that I had some cute oversized shirts. Walking in to class was so much fun. I bought the cutest pair of pink satin ballet slippers. After class some of us would have a ciggarette and chit chat. They were so nice. They taught me proper femme dance positions and addresses to dance wear stores in the area. At times
I was just another one of the girls. I think I might try and find a class. It's great exercise for your legs and buns.