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Few things are more annoying than spending a ridiculous amount of money on a competition, only to find out you aren't actually competing against anyone at all, because none of your heats are contested. I offer some suggestions one how to determine if heats will be contested before you register - or at least to up your chances.
I also poke some holes in the "I only dance with the best dancers" mindset, while exploring how a newer dancer can find a more welcoming social circle to thrive in. Enjoy!
Transcript:
Hi folks! My name is Ian Crewe, and this is Ask an Instructor!
Our first question from the internet forums comes from flying_backwards, who says: "I've seen a lot of uncontested or near-empty heats, and I really want to avoid registering and paying for that. How do I know in advance which heats are contested?
There's a few ways to do this, and one of the best ways is simply to register closer to the competition date. Now true, the prices will be higher but at least more of the money you spend is going to go towards those contested heats.
You can contact the organizer as well to find out which heats are contested, and then jump in onboard those ones. You can even talk to the organizer to combine an uncontested heat with a contested one - although, be aware that organisers are very busy and that they may forget.
If you want to register early, checking trends for the previous year can improve your chances and if you register at a larger competition they often have more entries, even for some of those normally uncontested heats.
Spreading out which heats you register for and the age groups you register in is also a good idea. But be aware that ultimately there's just no guarantee when you are registering early whether it's going to be contested or not.
The best solution that I've heard is playing the long game: Get to know some of the other competitors in your division, and check in with each other before you start registering. Heck, if one person buys for everybody, maybe you can get a group discount!
Our second question comes from tangomaniac, who says: "I've seen a lot of women at the tango milongas who sit down and get frustrated, because they're waiting for somebody to dance on their "A" list. How long do you wait for somebody on your "A" list before you decide to dance with someone new?
First of all, for me tangomaniac, I'd rather dance more rather than just wait for my favorite dancers, so I tend to dance with strangers and friends alike. When comes to other social dancers though, it depends on the kind of social you're going to.
Some of the most clique-y places that I've seen are salsa clubs and - sorry - tango milongas. Ballroom dance socials that are a bit fancier can be tougher too, because you're more likely going to encounter a lot of couples there on a date night, and they won't want to dance with other people.
Some of the places where people are more open to dancing with strangers are studio socials, practice socials (i.e. socials where you are encouraged to practice your new steps and meet other people) and West Coast Swing socials - although let me know if you've had different experiences where you are.
Tango is one of the hardest scenes to break into, at least in my experience, so I would recommend starting by attending practicas - which are basically practice socials for tango dancers - and I'm also a big supporter of going to group classes that are followed by a social. That gives you a chance to meet other people and potentially expand that "A" list.
Ultimately though, I would say: Don't stay seated just because your favorite dancer is taken! Taking a chance on strangers is how we expand our social circle, and being narrow-minded about who you're going to dance with risks alienating some of those great "A" list dancers that you want to catch your eye.
But thanks for your questions guys, and I hope those answers helped. If you have any of your own questions, log on to socialballroom.dance, go to the members drop-down, and click on ask an instructor, and I will answer your questions within the next month.
Thank you very much for watching, and until next time, happy dancing!