Do I need a partner? Do I have to change partners?

We’re often asked, “Do I need a partner?”  The short answer is, “no”.  But this is one of those places where Cued Ballroom Dance differs from traditional Ballroom Dance, so we thought it might be worth explaining the partner situation in a little more detail.

Because cuing eliminates the need for a leader (or a follower), and because the choreography is always so enjoyable, it is quite common in Cued Ballroom Dance for people to dance without a partner.  Both men and women do so.  In fact, it would be quite unusual to attend one of our classes or dances and not see people dancing alone.

That said, single dancers will usually partner up when a partner is available.  But if the numbers are uneven, or the partners are not well matched, no one thinks twice about dancing alone.

On the other side of the coin, those who do arrive with a partner can dance with that partner exclusively if they choose to do so.  Again, the difference is cuing.  Since developing leading and following skills is less important, the pressure to rotate partners often encountered in traditional Ballroom Dance lessons does not happen at our lessons.

In fact, we usually observe the opposite.  As dancers rise through the levels, they often find the figures easier to learn if they have a regular dance partner.  Sometimes, this partnership extends beyond the dance floor (we have our fair share of “met dancing” couples), and sometimes it does not (we also have our fair share of “just dance partners” couples).

So, whether you’re a single just looking to dance, a single looking to meet that special someone, or a couple looking to kindle (or re-kindle) the flame, Cued Ballroom Dance has something for everyone!