Ballet/Jazz/Tap Dance

» WhiteRooster - Professional vs. Amateur

Could someone answer the following question(s) for me, please?

Could someone who had studied "classical ballet" and had attained a degree of expertise (i.e., "professional" only in this sense of the word) yet be considered an "amateur" with respect to other dance forms (e.g. salsa, tango, foxtrot, etc.)? Or are there too many similar elements involved, so that this person would have an unfair advantage over true novices (i.e. those who had never studied dance in any of its forms)? In other words, should an accomplished ballet student be barred from entering a "salsa" or "tango" contest as an amateur?

-- posted by WhiteRooster

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» meljo45 - Professional vs. Amateur

In response to Professional vs. Amateur posted by WhiteRooster:
To WhiteRooster,
Absolutely! Every dance style and genre has its own techniques. Ballet is considered the foundations which can be carried over to any and all other forms (like posture, extensions and awareness of body and its lines) but the steps are still fundamentally different. I myself have been dancing ballet for over 18 years now and have just started salsa and tango - although I pick up the steps quite quickly, the steps are different and there are slight techniques differences between all forms of dance. Being "barred" as an amateur is not meant to be a personal insult to the ballet-experienced contestant, but rather is the notion to all other contestants that there are easy advances in their genre and that there is a ladder to be climbed. But in an experienced-ballet-dancer's case, its how FAST you climb the ladder that counts! Just wait a year, enter the same competition and blow away the judges and audience with your not-so-amateur performance!

-- posted by meljo45

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