AM or PRO partner

[elisedance]

I've (been forced) to think hard about this and now have quite a bit of experience with both.  I've no doubt that an AM partner is the way to go when you are younger however, its a tossup when you are a senior dancer.

Cost: no question AM-AM is cheaper!  You get to dance as much as you like and you get the added fun of going social dancing [though some pros will make themselves available for social dancing at their studio usually - or will do so, sigh, at a price... :p

Convenience: toss-up.  An enthusiastic AM is very convenient - but may also be over-demanding.  A pro is convenient in that you get to book time - but for some there may be large distances or competition for time (for top pros).

Attention: pro!  You get what you pay for

Competition quality - almost always better with AMs.  Thats because the competition is only about the competition - not about cost and also AMs tend to get better heat times and are often taken more seriously (but lets be honest, its really about the up-and-coming-AMs and the pros).

Dance quality: Almost always far better with a pro.


Its interesting - as my interest seems to be shifting from competition to just dancing all out the pro is working better for me, even though I went to pro-am kicking and screaming as it were.  If a good AM came knocking now I actually doubt that I would switch back... I hope I don't have to make that decision.

I wonder what othes think?

[QPO]

I have not done pro/am so perhaps I am not a good judge. but comments made to me by those that do, say they love it but it is the practice time that they miss out on. as the only time you get to practice is when you are having a lesson.

But in the end if you want to dance and dont have a partner it is the only choice available and one would hope that your skill level would increase quicker

[phoenix13]

Not to quibble (because I personally don't much care about terminology)  but I have witnessed LONG, emotional conversations about whether or not a pro-am student should characterize ones dance pro as a partner.    Just sayin.

And BOT, I think that the biggest gap,when it comes to pro-am, is likely the practice gap. With another amateur, practice time is limited only by your calendars.   With pro-am, it's limited by your pocketbook.

[elisedance]

And BOT, I think that the biggest gap,when it comes to pro-am, is likely the practice gap. With another amateur, practice time is limited only by your calendars.   With pro-am, it's limited by your pocketbook.

dead on.  OTOH, when you dance with a pro the practise/lesson timeis worth three times that with an AM, so there is a quality factor too.

[I'm just coming off a 1.5 hr DYNAMITE tango lesson...]

[phoenix13]

Hmm.  Yes. I can see that the quality of practice would be much, much higher with a good pro. Especially at higher levels, it would open up opportunities for you to dance your full out best. 

[QPO]

There are pros and cons to both and especially when you dont have a partner, what choices do you have...mmm dont dance or dance with a Pro?

[phoenix13]

There are pros and cons to both and especially when you dont have a partner, what choices do you have...mmm dont dance or dance with a Pro?

Exactly. It never ceases to amaze me when people say stuff like, "Just get an amateur partner," as if it's somehow simple to do that.  It's not.

[elisedance]

...try it when you are nearly 5'11"

[phoenix13]

...try it when you are nearly 5'11"

Wow.  I can only imagine.

[elisedance]

...try it when you are nearly 5'11"

Wow.  I can only imagine.

now if they would let women lead I'd have an infinite number of possible partners (er, male and female )

[phoenix13]

...try it when you are nearly 5'11"

Wow.  I can only imagine.

now if they would let women lead I'd have an infinite number of possible partners (er, male and female )

I'm sure I'm only stating the obvious, but the culture where you are in NOT woman friendly.  Everywhere you turn, you bump into another restriction. *sigh*

[elisedance]

...try it when you are nearly 5'11"

Wow.  I can only imagine.

now if they would let women lead I'd have an infinite number of possible partners (er, male and female )

I'm sure I'm only stating the obvious, but the culture where you are in NOT woman friendly.  Everywhere you turn, you bump into another restriction. *sigh*

I think its pretty general in ballroom that the woman follows. To be honest, thats all I really want to do, its what I'm good at and also what I enjoy.

I have learned some leads tho

[phoenix13]

Oh sure.  The woman generally follows.    I could be getting things mixed up, but I thought I remembered your saying that same sex couples are frowned upon where you are.  Add in the difficulty of finding a partner and the proprietary attitudes of those who are partnered up, and you have (what I think is) a distinctly non-woman-friendly environment.

[elisedance]

Ah yes, if you add it all together it is - but its not really a man-friendly one either

the odd thing is that Canada has been at the forefront of social rights (we've had gay marriage for years for example  since about 2004) - and yet it sustains old fashioned social behaviour mores.  I think that both are the result of Canadians being rather private people - I won't interfere in your life if you stay out of mine, whereas Americans - for all their talk of freedom - are totally in each others faces judging each other all the time.

[elisedance]

I'm actually rather happy dancing with my pro right now - I would certainly think very hard before taking on another AM - he would have to be pretty near ideal.