How to Compete in the Latin Dances

Traditional Latin dances are popular for fun and competition, but breaking into dance competitions can be confusing for a beginner. Whether you have a little dance training, years of classes under your belt, or no experience at all, you can learn the competitive Latin dances and prepare yourself to compete by following these suggestions.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Be Prepared

1. Find a local dance studio that teaches the Latin dances including Rumba, Salsa, Paso Doble, Cha Cha and Jive. Check the background of the studio to determine the length of time the studio's been open, the experience of the instructors, and their involvement with local and national competitions.
2. Sign up for lessons. Even with previous dance experience, a current series of classes enables you to put more focus on the moves, retrains your body to withstand the rigors of competitive dancing, and gives you hours of practice time.
3. Find a partner if you don't already have one. Ideally, your partner should attend classes with you, and have similar dance experience.
4. Practice your chosen dances with your partner as often as possible. The more you practice, the better you'll do in the competition.

Find Your Competition

5. Determine what type of competition you are looking for. Primary categories are amateur and professional, while secondary categories in the amateur group include college, studio, regional and national. Your qualifications depend on your age, dance experience and location, in addition to any rules specific to the competition you are considering.
6. Register for your chosen competition, and verify that you meet any other required memberships or qualifications needed to compete. See the Resources section for a calendar of events.
7. Determine dress/costume rules. These can vary widely from one competition to the next, though the smaller ones rarely require and often don't allow true costumes. In this case, choose clothes that are comfortable, flexible and well fitted. For Latin dance, men should wear dark dress pants, a solid colored dress shirt, simple tie, and the best dance shoes you can get.
   
   Women should wear a short dress or skirt, full enough to flip around with the Latin leg movements. Professional dance shoes are best, but high heeled sandals that strap securely to the ankle are also a good choice.
8. Practice your routine in your chosen clothes, especially the shoes. The shoes you wear determine a great deal about how your feet move, how you balance your weight, and how you move across a floor. Wearing the rest of your dance outfit during practice ensures the clothes not binding or limiting and that you are happy with the movement of the woman's skirt during the dance.

Competition Day

9. Pack a bag to take with you, even if the competition is local. Carry water, energy snacks, extra shoes, an extra outfit in case you have a rip or a spill, safety pins, over the counter pain reliever, towel and grooming supplies to freshen up before each dance.
10. Arrive at least an hour early to sign in, pick up the number the male of the couple will wear during the competition, stretch, relax, warm up, and be ready before the competition begins.
11. Stay confident and have fun. The attitude you have while dancing affects the judges' perception of you, and even if you don't win, it will be a much better memory if you enjoy yourself.