There’s a funny scene in the movie “To Wong Foo,” where a bunch of drag queens are deciding on a car at a dealership. Because they are traveling across the country, the question of whether they should take the more stylish Cadillac or the more reliable Toyota Corolla comes up. One of the drag queens says, “It’s that age-old question: style or substance.” Then they drive off in the Cadillac.
And so when I’ve been dancing and teaching ballroom lately, I’ve been oddly thinking about this question: style or substance? Ballroom is a dance style that looks a lot easier than it really is. With all the showmanship and glitz and glamour of the costumes, some of the more technical aspects of the dancing often get overlooked. Furthermore, because ballroom is often associated with the older generation, most people automatically assume it’s not that difficult and that anyone can do it. This cannot be further from the truth. In fact, ballroom is the hardest dance style I’ve ever done—even trumping the you-need-be-trained-everyday-from-a-young-age ballet.
Photo taken by: Sharon Holck Photography
Hence, I find myself asking what is more important as a dancer, teacher and choreographer: the style of the dancing or the technique (substance) behind it. And as politically correct as this will sound, they both are equally important to me. Since this may seem like a cop-out answer, I will say that finding that happy medium is extremely hard and that most Ballroom and Latin dancers (including myself) will never achieve it. Let me explain why briefly:
First and foremost, Ballroom and Latin Dancing involves a partner. Dancing by ourselves is hard enough, but with a partner, it is even more difficult (refer to my previous blogs about lead and follow). Having a partner is just one more, big thing to worry about. Secondly, ballroom is extremely competitive in the way it is performed and formatted. Couples are usually on the floor all at the same time, performing their routines or freestyling. This makes for some very interesting happenings and dynamics, because couples are not only focusing on the partnership and techniques, but they are focusing on standing out with their distinct styles—in their looks or dance. Lastly, style is such a broad and eclectic thing. The way you present yourself in costume or the way you articulate your arms and hands are all parts of style. At the same time, technique is very black and white in Ballroom and Latin dancing; there is a right way to do things and a wrong way. This makes it extremely hard to find a balance because both style and techique are such opposite things.
In the end, I want to say to share a video of one of my favorite female ballroom dancers ever. Her name is Yulia Zagoruychenko. She is the perfect blend between captivating style and flawless technique. If you don’t think so, I know the drag queens from “To Wong Foo” would.
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