A Ballroom Dancing Award or Medal is a dance performance, normally with your teacher (or possibly your partner) where you are assessed by an examiner for your dancing.  You are being assessed against the technique of the dance according to the technique books, and also for your characterisation of the dance and your musicality.

I believe that preparing for a Ballroom Award is a wonderful way to learn how to dance well, to progress and fully understand how to become an accomplished dancer.  I like to consider that one goal of becoming a wonderful Ballroom dancer is feeling amazing to dance with.  It’s not only our dancing experience that is important, but the experience of our Ballroom dance partner as well.  Ballroom medals or Awards contribute to becoming wonderful to dance with.

Then the performance itself is quite magical. Nerve-wracking, but magical.  Performance can be both a frightening and exhilarating experience, and it’s a gift in itself to perform for others.  We love watching others dance.  The key, however, is to not expect perfectionsism.  Perfectionists regrettably fail in Ballroom dancing if they are unable to accept a less than 100% performance.

Even after 17 years of competitive dancing, and the last few years as a Professional Ballroom dancer, I never really felt ready for any performance and sometimes I felt amazing afterwards and others I was disappointed. In my experience, students who “wait until they are 100% ready” to do a Ballroom Medal either never get out there, or when they do it’s such a build up that they are too stressed to perform well and enjoy themselves . Ballroom Dancing is not a perfect activity, it’s an art form. If I got the chance to perform again, I’d be less worried about perfect footwork (don’t tell anyone else I said that though! ) and more about allowing spectators to join me in my absolute enjoyment of my dancing . I’d try not to care so much about the result.

Monica Fincham, Owner,