Changing partners

[elisedance]

I've only really had one competition partner and have no intention of doing the above.  However, I am interested as to how often other couples change and what the main reason for doing so is.  Was it at your, or your partners instigation?  Did your dancing improve?  Are you pleased with the outcome?  Or maybe changing is not a serious option because your married?

[SwingWaltz]

I first started competition dancing at the start of 2007 as bronze medallist. We did ballroom, latin and new vogue. We were together until august 2007 and split up because she wanted to focus more on latin but i wanted to focus more on ballroom.

My second partner was from the start of 2008, we competed in open syllabus (yea big jump from medals) in ballroom and new vogue. Loved that part cause we both got to do what we really loved! Results were good too, we won the nationals in our division in june. But sadly we broke up two weeks after winning the nationals. Reason I think was that our goals totally changed after winning the national. It went from enjoying dancing together to how to get up the ladder as fast as we can.

My third and current partner was from august 2008 till now. This is the most enjoyable partnership I've had. We dance in open syllabus in ballroom and new vogue. We're both students and what we match eachother's needs in dancing perfectly. We're always having fun at practice or competitions, we love travelling together, and just generally eachother's company. We're more like best friends than dance partners....well ofcourse dance partners too. I couldn't ask for better!

[waltzelf]

My first real partnership was a reasonable one. Lasted around a year, although it was sporadic, as we often fought, though when we got along we really got along. It ended when she decided to go to England for a holiday.

Then I was with another girl for 2 months and one competition. It was always going to be a temporary thing, while she searched for a more suitable partner, and she was significantly above me in level, which was great for me - those two months my dancing improved a lot.

Then I was lucky enough to find my new partner, and I really hope I never have anyone else. I am utterly in love with this one, and the dancing is almost as good as her company.


I've been really lucky. I've never really been without a partner.

[cornutt]

My DW is my regular partner, although I often have several other partners for a few dances in any given comp.  I did do one comp with a different partner several years ago, because my DW had a hip problem at the time.

[malakawa]

I've only really had one competition partner and have no intention of doing the above.  However, I am interested as to how often other couples change and what the main reason for doing so is.  Was it at your, or your partners instigation?  Did your dancing improve?  Are you pleased with the outcome?  Or maybe changing is not a serious option because your married?

never. When I danced as an amateur I had one partner the whole 12 years. 

[elisedance]

wow.  Was that usual in your dance set?  Its quite amazing that you didn't grow out of each other, move, have medical problems etc etc. 

Must have been very hard to break up after that long....

[Lioness]

When I started dancing I dragged my ex-boyfriend into it with me. That dance partnership ended when he got bored, and didn't really enjoy it. For a few months I danced with whoever came along, the main person being a guy about 15 years older than me and more advanced. That was only ever a temporary thing because I was in a different division to his current partner and so he could partner me for my events.
Then the girl that my current DP was dancing with quit, and as we were about the same level, we formed our partnership. About a year after that we started dating and we've been dancing together now for about 18 months. As long as our dancing goals continue to be the same I would love to keep dancing with him. Even if our goals are only slightly different I'd keep dancing, because I don't want to lose his company and friendship because of a slight difference in ambition.

[malakawa]

wow.  Was that usual in your dance set?  Its quite amazing that you didn't grow out of each other, move, have medical problems etc etc. 

Must have been very hard to break up after that long....

nope. we are the only dance couple in my country that danced that long. now, couples are splitin if they have one bad result on a competition. they found out that they are not good.

my partner was sometimes pain in the bu**, we had fights (while we were in puberty - we fought like a cat & a dog), we had an awesome moments and bad moments.

it is very important to talk in the partnership. set up the goals, and go towards them. it is important to respect each other. we defend each other, cover in front of the parents  , we were a good team.

when we had a problems we will sit and discus and resolve it.

if you want to have a good partnership, you need to work on it. it will not fall of the sky.

i was never in a love relationship with my partner. but i can say that we understood each other better than some love couples.

it was hard when we split, but i choose another way of my dancing career. 

[elisedance]

I think you were very fortunate to have had such a long standing partner and the whole experience.  If my current patner and I dance for 12 years we will be eligible for retirement benefits to cover the end of our competition years

[standarddancer]

 My coach said it’s really not good to change partner often, she said the reason US couples don’t rank high in international stage cause too much change of partnership, people don’t’ have patience to each other, blame on a good partner even after one bad result etc. In country like Italy or other European countries where good couples are produced, top dancers work with one partner for ten or 15 years to achieve good ranking, e.g. Dominico / gialo and Mirko/ Alessia  dancing together for more than 10 years, if you search couple in dancesportinfo, you don’t find search results showing these top dancers’ name popping up with 3 or 5 different partners. In USA, if you search results for someone (some good dancers), you might even be able to find some dudes’ name linked to 10 or more partners in a short few year:( this sort of things not typically happened to good European couples.

[elisedance]

I think its easy to underestimate how much of your dancing is due to the dynamic with your partner.  We might like to think that we are brilliant dancer s who can do the same thing with anyone but its just not reality.  For compettion dancing so much is getting fundamentals into automatic so that you can focus on developing depth to your dancing - and that only works if you don't have to worry about how that particular partner is going to do (for example) a natural turn...

[catsmeow]

Its interesting that women always say men cant memorize routines. Has this always been the case ? I can memorize routines easily if given enormous amounts of time. What is the equivalent for men criticizing womens dancing

[elisedance]

..we can't follow a perfect lead

[mummsie]

my hubby has problems remembering steps - it takes him ages.  My son is brilliant. At the beginning of the year they were given a tango routine and had one lesson on it.  He and his partner have been doing it every week at practice and I saw it the other night - its fantastic.  They just found out they have to dance tango in October.  At their level (level 2) tango is not included but he will be dancing up in level 3 at one of our local comps.  Its one of the best and nicest tango routines I have seen for a while and one lesson.  - totally blows me away. - mummsie 

[QPO]

looking further day the original thing I see is changing partners. I think unless the partnership is really unproductive  staying with one partner gives you a chance to really know each other and perfect your routines and partnership.

on mummsie comment. I too can remember a routine quickly, making it look great is another thing but it helps that you dont have to think about the steps too often.