One of the great things about dancing is that it truly is for all ages and all levels. This applies to both medal exams, competitions and Pro-Am dancing. If you’ve just said to yourself: ‘What is Pro-Am dancing?’ read on!
What is Pro-Am dancing?
Pro-Am is the combo of a professional (Pro) and an amateur (Am) dance pair. Unlike regular dance competitions half the partnership is a professional who teaches, coaches and partners the amateur half. There are some great advantages to having a professional partner and it is also a lot of fun.
In the USA Pro-Am dancing is by far more popular than regular competitions. This is because of the constancy the amateur half receives from the professional and the large amount of events that are offered all over the country. As an amateur your goals are completely individual and personalised coaching helps you to produce great dancing… and results!
Private lessons are essential for Pro-Am as the time with your professional partner is key to your improvement and increases your ability to enter more events. Each competition is structured differently, but generally the amateur can enter a range of events varying from 1 dance to 5 across the 3 styles available in Australia. *An entry fee applies to both the event organiser and your professional partner.
Often during a Pro-Am competition there will be a number of events dancing on the floor at the same time. Each amateur competitor is individually scored out of 100 and then ranked against the other competitors in their event. This allows the organiser of the event to maximise floor time and offer more events to the competitors. Don’t be alarmed if you think there is someone on the floor that is not in your category. Chances are they’re probably not! Use them to help you dance better and enjoy the energy that your feel dancing next to them to improve your performance.
Pro-Am events run in Australia are increasing and are offered at some beautiful venues with a high level of dancing. Less stress, faster improvement and individual goal setting are all reasons why Pro-Am is successful.
So, if you are looking for a more relaxed way to step on to the competition floor this is definitely the best way to go about it!
FAQ’s
Who is it for?
Largely Pro-Am competitions are for beginner dancers or for those looking at getting in to competitions for the first time. Also, these events are a great alternative for higher level dancers who may be in between partners or wanting a break from the regular competitive scene.
What do I get out of it?
Pro-Am is an excellent way to excel your dance skill level while also giving you a different dance experience. Having a professional as your partner helps maintain your discipline and help control your nerves. Also, because competition dancing is so goal orientated, the speed in which you learn increases dramatically with constant direction from a professional partner.
How do I get involved?
Ask your teacher about how to get onboard… the floor boards!. They may have other students that already participate in Pro-Am events and may be able to accommodate you for an upcoming event. If not then they should be able to recommend another professional to partner you.
You can find the Australian dance competition schedule HERE!