I've been dancing for two months. I know this may be too early-on, but what is the best time to begin competing? I'm not sure how to tell you how much skill I have so far, but I do the basic/semi basic steps very well of: merengue, mambo, samba, foxtrot, quickstep, viennese waltz, american rumba, cha-cha...

da.

hey, thanks a lot for the info. My teacher actually suggested that we do Pro/Am yesterday.

da.

You are ready when you want to take that next step. It doesn't really matter how much experience you have, as you will enter into the 'newcomer' division. My first comp was three months after I started dancing. I consistantly placed near last and/or last for many comps thereafter, but 13 years later, I'm still competing. For me, it is not so much the placement, but the fun and thrill of dancing and competing- of course placing well increases the interest. Your experience will increase with group and private lessons and continued competing.
Good luck with your dancing- wherever it takes you.

Yes, this is the same Ghostdancer from the other forum. I think you're the first one I've seen that's on both of them.

See ya in August.

Tom

"Wherever you go, you represent the team. You will talk like, you will look like and you will act like the most dignified professional in your hometown" - Vince Lombardi to his players.

Is go see a competition. Better yet, if you're thinking of doing Pro/Am and your teacher has another competing student. Tag-along to a competition, and shadow that student. Ask questions. If your heart is still pattering over competing, then you're ready.

If you're doing an amateur/amateur or student/student competition. It's whenever you both are ready.

IMHO, doing your first competition is like jumping off the high diving board into the pool for the first time. It may be scary up there, it may be an ugly dive, but once you step off the board, you'll want to do it again and again. And hey eventually, you may want to try it head first, instead of always feet first.

I'd say go for it soon. Figure the first comp
you are mostly going to be getting a feel for things - walking on and off together, showing
what you can do in 105 to 120 seconds to judges spaced around the floor, etc. It's a total rush, and totally unlike lesson or social dancing or even a mock comp in your studio. I did my first a week ago (with 2 months experience) and loved every minute of it - and we actually placed in both of our newcomer dances. But even if we hadn't, I think it would have still been the right thing to do - as long as you can do the basic dance and (for the travelling dances) follow line of dance convention, go for it.