How Ballroom Dance Brings Couples Closer

National Dance Clubs Students Larry & Carter Owens share their thoughts on how dancing has affected their relationship.

Carter and Larry Owens began their adventures in Ballroom Valentine’s week of this year…you can’t get a much more romantic date. They came as a guest of one of our other students, and since then, they have been coming in regularly for lessons with their teacher Vince Schulz as well as for buddy lessons with other teachers at the club.

In addition to learning social dancing, Carter and Larry ventured onto the competition dance floor this month for their first taste of the glitter, the glamour, the camaraderie, the challenge, and the excitement of ballroom dance competitions.  Competing together as an amateur couple as well as individually as pro-am couples with teachers in the inaugural NDC Championships, they were able to see what the a short-term goal could do for them as individuals, for their dancing, and for their relationship.  We loved seeing this couple out there together, with their teachers, and cheering each other on from the sidelines.  They were able to see how the challenge of a competition could put rocket boosters on their social dancing as well as create memories and stories of their new identities as ballroom dancers.

When asked how dancing has impacted their relationship, Carter had this to say, “We approached dancing as something we had talked about but had never acted on it but soon after starting we noticed that our communication between each other had changed…..it became sharper, not in a harsh way but actually became more sensitive! We began to be move in tune with what the other one was doing. He became a stronger leader, and I really had to step back to allow him to lead…to be a better follower!”

“We have become more patient with each other as we’ve struggled with learning some of the steps. The surprises have been that we BOTH are enjoying learning and even practicing.  We’re truly having fun, and, most importantly, we are doing this together. We do a lot of things together but dancing has brought us closer.  Even though we are both fairly competitive, we are both working for this joint goal together!! The bottom line is this whole “dancing thing” has taken on a definition we had never considered nor imagined!!”

We love seeing couples come closer together through ballroom dance, watching them discover–or rediscover–things about themselves and about each other, and sharing their joy together through dance.  Larry and Carter will be taking the next step in their ballroom adventure this fall when they take to the stage in our Showcase in October.

photos by Donna Duda

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