When did you start Ballroom and Latin dancing?

Officially I started on Sunday 6th October 2019, I was first introduced to my current ballroom partner in one of the partnering sessions run by the society. But I started attending classes in fresher’s week for fun. Previously I had a bit of knowledge on the waltz steps and cha-cha via my god brother who had competed many years ago.

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 What age were you when you started?

I was 18 years old when I first entered university and those fresher week lessons.

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What made you choose it?

I think it was a multitude of reasons, including good timing and luck. I’ve always had an interest in ballroom dancing as I viewed it as a good life skill and a cool hobby. Coming to university gave me an opportunity to branch out into a previously un-adventured territory of dancing, and therefore, during fresher’s week I sought out both swing and ballroom dancing to try to find what I wanted to commit to. One reason I chose ballroom eventually was because one of my first friends in Edinburgh was in the ballroom society, and he convinced me to partner up with Ignas (my current partner) and introduced me to the amazing world of ballroom, showing me how much more nuanced and in depth this goes. I fell in love with the skill requirement, the commitment and dedication needed for competitions and to master this sport. I fell in love with the variety, the diversity and differences between the dances and dancers. I fell in love with the feeling of gliding across the floor, the euphoric adrenaline rush the moment the music starts and you get into hold, and the absolute rush when you complete a hard move flawlessly when you have been previously struggling with it. That feeling is pretty unparalleled. I think the aim of something that’s tantalizing unachievable just serves as ultimate motivation, especially as a perfectionist, I love the thrill of a challenge and striving for something unattainable.

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Have you been to competitions? If so, how was your first experience at competition?

I’ve been to the Leicester friendly, Manchester Winter, NUDC and IVDC. My first experience at a competition was very rushed as we only had around a week's notice Before we decided that we wanted to compete in it due to some other circumstances surrounding entry. But we ended up managing to pull everything together and thanks to the support from the rest of the society,  the competition went smoothly, because they walked us through the entire experience and really helped with advice, or hair and makeup beforehand, getting us ready for the competition. Ended up 1st in Waltz and Quickstep and honestly had such a great time.

 

 How does it differ from that of your last?

I think since we've been doing well in competitions before IVDC, There was quite a lot of pressure for us to achieve a similar standard put on by ourselves, because we know we had the potential, and the training to do it. As you can only stay as a beginner here for one year I felt a lot of pressure to perform well because it was ultimately the fairest year, and IVDC was the biggest competition. I've always said the goal of finalling in all four dances, because it was UK Open, which contained the stiffest competitors. I think competing beforehand really allowed both of us to relax and know how everything goes, and still have a great time even though we had many more rounds to dance. We were relatively more prepared but also fully enjoying the experience. Since this is a much bigger competition, the atmosphere was much more charged and energetic, but also so much more tiring. We ended up 1st in Waltz and QS, 2 in Cha and almost semi-finalled in Jive, showing the improvement in our skills even when faced with a huge amount of competition. 

 

 What is your favourite competition and why?

 I actually think my final competition was the most enjoyable because it really felt like a combination of so many months of hard work and training, as well as really good results, and we had the honour of dancing in one of the most prestigious halls, the Blackpool Winter Gardens, which was an experience unlike any other. We also got to see the standards of the dancers around us from advanced, intermediate and meet other dancers from universities all around the UK. Even though there were many rounds, every one was different, the music vibrating through the floor and igniting an energetic feeling in all of us dancing, and doing something we’ve dedicated so much time to perfect. The competition floor is a performance. A showcase of all the skills we've been honing and just an expression of how much fun we're having, and how much we love doing this. 

 

Do you think attitude is a factor in winning?

Definitely. Attitude towards training, towards how you view the sport as a whole, attitude when you're going through your day-to-day life, attitude when you're competing, all of that factors into how well the performance is,  which directly correlates to how well you place. Although winning is not the ultimate end goal, attitude allows you to truly enjoy this sport for what it is.

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What are your plans and ambitions for the future?

I think it's a really good thing to have a long-term goal to work towards, but at the moment that's something my partner and I need to discuss, as generally partnerships would have a similar or if not the same long-term goal. Because this would impact commitment levels and time spent practicing. But for me, at the moment I think my goal is to win the pre-intermediate category at IVDC  by the end of university. I’m truly starting to enjoy dancing (socially or otherwise), and that I think is more important than results. 

 

If you want to achieve one thing in your sport what would it be?

To truly enjoy reacting to one another and creating art with your partner in perfect unity and balance. I want to to have the ability to display or perform ballroom in a way which attracts other people to want to explore this as well and to showcase my love for it.

 

Does it have any impact on your life – positive or negative?

With every commitment comes a cost, whether that be time, money, or mental effort I think that in a way has negatively affected my life especially with regards to what I could be doing instead. However, the positive side of things is that it's all worth it and if you're doing something you love, then that’s never a waste of time. It is what you make of it, and your mindset towards how and where you spend your time ultimately determines the impact that you allow your hobbies to have on your life.

 

How long/ often do you practice? 

It varies, as we currently do not have a competition to work towards. There is a lot of practice that you can do by yourself,  so I tend to solo practice, or do a little bit of stretching/exercises everyday but partner practices are honestly just whenever we have time and space.

 

How important is the role of a partner?

Especially in a partner sport like ballroom, your partner is pretty much the most important person. They are the only person on that floor that wants you to win as much as you do, and I think appreciation and loyalty are so intricate within ballroom partnerships because it's pretty much a sport which requires unity with your partner.

 

 Even though practice is a very serious part of every sport, it sometimes can feel like too much. Do you and/or your partner find ways to make it fun?

It really depends on what your goals are for that particular practice session. I think most of the fun that I get from “practice” is in social dancing, where the atmosphere is a lot more relaxed and fun, and you get the chance to  dance with other people. The variety and freedom to just express yourself and let go really makes dancing that much better. I am generally a very intense person, and therefore would train very hard especially if I'm pursuing something else as unattainable as perfection, but at the same time I also have to be aware that everyone has their limits and to be mindful of that. 

 

 Do you require any additional physical training?

Ballroom dancing is a lifestyle.  I can walk down the street and notice things I haven't noticed before, such as my posture, how I walk, the weight changes in every step and just muscle awareness. Although I am aware that some dancers  also go to the gym to build muscle, I feel that at this point in time it is unnecessary for me.

 

What is your favorite memory connected to this sport?

I think it is moments like when you manage to do a series of steps better than you've ever done before, or the thrill of performing on beautiful halls like the Winter gardens, or the moments of unity between partnerships, or the freedom and speed in gliding across the floor that really stand out to me. 

 

Do you have any rituals before or after practice/ competition?

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Hair and makeup, and if there’s time (which often we don’t…) I tend to like to feel and react to how we are both feeling that day, and just warming up and stretching beforehand.

 

What do you give up to play sports beside free time?

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Money, for private lessons and ballroom memberships, plus social dancing. Mental energy in thinking and planning for practices or future, as well and reflecting on how things went and general body awareness. 

 

  What one word describes you regarding the sport you chose?

Captivating.

 

What was/ is the biggest challenge?

Oh, where do I start.... I'm unfamiliar to partner sports,and therefore the idea of having to rely on someone else is very daunting. Additionally,  being able to interact with them so frequently and listen to them and co-operate with them takes a lot, both mentally and physically. Communication and reliance were two of the biggest struggles in this sport, and is something that I constantly have to work on.

 

If you could do any other sport what would it be and why?

Previously having done competitive gymnastics and basketball, I would either go back to those or start a new sport. Swing dancing, trampolining, skydiving etc.  honestly the societies that the university offers have quite a large variety, so I would like to try new things, maybe even pole dancing.