Sweat, tears and running mascara

Under 21 event at the Perth Ballroom Challenge.
 Image: randombaubles - CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

'Who's here?', I ask my dance partner and long-suffering husband. 

My heart starts thumping harder in my chest.

I see X and Y, but where's U and V?

'Not dancing today, she hurt her knee', hubby replies.

'Good', I think.

Well, not 'good' obviously, but it means more room on the dance floor and a better chance at ranking well in the competition.

'Good luck', my coach mumbles as she walks past on her way to the adjudicators' area. They're not supposed to speak to their students when they're judging, but most stop for a quick chat before the day begins.

The real tension builder of the competition day, though, is the waiting.

Like most competitive sports, waiting your turn is the hardest.

Hubby waiting for our next event
(image: randombaubles, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)

I'm really not selling this sport, am I?!

And I haven't even mentioned the prohibitively expensive outfits – about $2000 for a men's suit, and $500 to $3000 for a dress depending on condition and quality.

Or the rules about what steps you can and can't dance if you're in a lower grade category.

What I love about this sport and what keeps me hooked is the physical, technical challenges.

'But it looks so easy and graceful', I hear you say. Yup. And just like other, more obviously aerobic and acrobatic sports, a lot of work goes into making it look that way.

I'll paint you a picture.

Ladies and gents, go into your wardrobe and put on a long-sleeved shirt and jumper. Oh, and two long skirts to mimic the weight of a costume. Dresses can weight between 3 to 5 kilos depending on the skirt type and decorations. Men, the same, or pants instead of skirts.

Now go outside and jog gently for 3 minutes. With your arms above your head.

Don't forget to relax!

Now, jog a bit faster for an extra 4 ½ minutes. Keep those arms up!

And now, relax. 
Congratulations! That's just one round of an event. If you're in a big competition overseas, expect to do that at least 5 or 6 times over. More, if you dance other styles like Latin or New Vogue.

For a better insight into the suffering and joy, read this blog post by ballroomjunkie. And to see our latest progress, check out our Standard and New Vogue. Sorry, no Latin. I'm allergic to tanning lotion... 

updated 23/09/19 to include link to Dancesport Australia rules and regulations document. 
updated 22/10/19 to edit paragraphs and minor wording.