What a Man Should Wear to Ballroom Dance Class

I know the guys have less trouble with their wardrobes - but probably because of this - I have seen some really inappropriate dressed men in beginner's dance classes! So what should a guy wear to his first ballroom dance class? Well fortunately the days of jackets and ties are long gone, but its still not acceptable to show up in sandals and shorts! Well OK maybe in Australia - in an un-airconditioned studio in the middle of summer - but not on your first night!

Shoes for Ballroom Class are Critical

Although you may have seen ballroom danced barefoot on TV shows such as "So You Think You Can Dance" - these dancers are highly trained - and its a studio situation. Never, ever expect to dance socially or in a dance class with bare feet - its totally unacceptable - and very difficult to do as well.

Serious ballroom dancers will end up buying proper dance shoes - you don't need to go to that expense immediately but if you happen to have a pair of leather soled shoes they will be ideal. Otherwise a pair of "dress" or "office" lace up shoes will probably be fine - the more slip on the sole the better. Don't wear athletic or sports shoes - you will damage your knees or ankles as these shoes have way too much grip for you to slide your foot over the floor as is required in ballroom dancing.

As you will step backwards sometimes and also turn on your heel chose shoes that are reasonably securely fitting. Most men dance in ballroom shoes with a 1/2" heel - a normal shoe's height. If you are doing Latin American dance as well you will probably notice that men will sometimes wear shoes with a higher heel - up to 2" or even higher. Don't try this immediately though - otherwise you will discover the real pain of high-heels that the girls have been talking about for years!

What Clothes for a Guy in Ballroom Dance Class?

The good news is that you won't need to be wearing a suit and tie! In fact a normal suit jacket doesn't work at all well for Ballroom Dancing. When you see men dance in tail suite or even with a jacket - the jacket is very specifically cut so as not to bunch at the shoulders when you raise your arms into the typical dance hold.

A shirt or t-shirt and dress trousers will be fine for almost all dance classes. If you sweat a lot and its going to be a long session - consider bringing a spare shirt - your partner will appreciate it!

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