BRONZE LEVEL DANCING
This is where it all begins. When you take partner dance lessons for the first time, this is the level you will be starting in. At this level, the focus is on building a foundation, and having fun, of course. Each dance has about 10-15 figures plus variations and can be broken down into four sections of 3-5 patterns. This makes the learning more digestible. Depending on the studio, these sections are called Bronze 1, 2, 3 and 4. The figures in Bronze 1 are usually simple, and as you move through Bronze 2 and Bronze 3 and Bronze 4, it will get more complex.
For those of you who don’t know what a figure is, it’s a standardized step pattern that may consist of only 1 step or as many as 2, or 3 steps, sometimes more. However, learning figures only gives us our context within a dance; learning the techniques and characteristics associated with the dance is what makes it dancing and not just stepping. In Bronze, you will learn basic techniques and skills that will help you become a better-quality dancer and help you effectively lead or follow the figures you are learning. For example, we are delighted for Bronze-level students to be able to maintain good posture, a toned frame, and coordinate bending and straightening their knees while dancing the Rumba at this level.
Many students spend years dancing at the Bronze level. This is for a few different reasons; learning to dance requires multitasking and some people are better at that than others. Not only do you have to learn where to put your feet, but you must also communicate through body actions and frame to your partner what should be danced, count the timing, and listen to the music all at once! Because all these aspects are new, it takes longer to learn the figures in multiple dances. However, after a few months, some of these skills will become easier and you should notice that you are able to pick the material up quicker than when you first started – so keep up the great work!
