It all started when my daughter and I traveled to Buenos Aires ten years ago. It’s the land of Argentine Tango, and my daughter insisted that I take dance lessons. I said, “But I don’t know how,” to which she responded, “Exactly… you will be taking tango lessons in an hour.” I did — and I was hooked.
It wasn’t because I was so good at it; I clearly knew nothing about this genre or any other ballroom dance. But hearing the melancholic, dramatic, and deeply evocative music of Astor Piazzolla and listening to a knowledgeable instructor reminded me how much I love to learn. I’ve always had a passion for classical music and have played piano for decades. This was now a new avenue — one that opened the door to a world of movement to sound.
I stumbled upon Dance A Lot Ballroom Studio quite by accident in 2015. I just knew there had to be a studio closer than flying to Buenos Aires — which, by the way, I did for three years. Dance A Lot Ballroom became my Buenos Aires at home — a place where the same passion, music, and elegance I first encountered in Argentina found new life just minutes from where I live.
Learning anything, whether it’s a new language, a difficult college course, how to play a Chopin Nocturne, or how to execute a simple Rumba box step, is a challenge. The reward for ballroom dancing, however, is immediate. There is a sense of joy when the dance flows effortlessly. The body is positioned correctly, the head is tilted just right, and there is an immeasurable satisfaction in coordinating all the rules of dance.
While the joy one experiences when everything starts to come together is motivation in itself, competition takes that motivation up a notch. Amateur dancing with a professional in a competition is very exciting. There is the preparation, the thrill of wearing a Latin gown, and the adrenaline rush of being watched by an audience. The dance might be only two to three minutes long, but during that time there is an exhilaration like no other. It is not about being the best. It’s a moment in time when the clock stops and all the practicing is realized. And then there’s the bow… the punctuation that says, “I did my best, and thank you for watching.”
The physical benefits of dancing are well known. While a gym may be the locale for a workout, a dance studio is the home where lessons are truly learned. It’s in this studio where the professional imparts their knowledge, and the beauty of dance takes place. There are many frustrations, but one does not give up. A good laugh always mitigates the frustration, and the student starts anew. Maybe the music changes. The beat slows. The goal remains: to execute, to the best of one’s ability, all the nuances of the dance. It’s not about the steps. It’s about absorbing the knowledge so generously given by the teacher.
One goes to a museum to see the beauty of art. When I attend a classical concert, I don’t have to know how the music is played — but for that hour, everything stops and the beauty of the composition is appreciated. The same can be said about dancing, for it is beauty in motion.
Going back to where it all started, I must add that I also went horseback riding on that pivotal trip to Buenos Aires. I made the right choice in choosing dance and not focusing on horseback riding! Lastly, with the right teacher (which I have), one can make mistakes and no one is judging.
If someone reads this and decides, “Hey, I can do this too,” go for it. No one ever cries when they are dancing.
About Judy:
Judy is a wife, mom of two beautiful daughters, and grandma of three — and she has a twin sister! Born in Israel, she moved to the U.S. with her parents when she was just three years old. Her favorite things are family, classical music, and of course, ballroom dancing.
