I was a Senior III competitor, but two years ago when I moved into Senior IV, I lost my amateur partner to the competing Pro-Am circuit. I returned to the Carolina Fall Classic, this year, because it is driving distance, and I wanted to see dance friends on the floor competing. I entered as an amateur, competing in Pro-Am events with my original dance teacher, Tara McGough, who I have worked with for nearly 12 years. 

Pro-Am events, are relatively new to USA Dance, but have been supported at several USA Dance competitions for a couple of years. When competitors hear “Pro-Am”, one immediate reaction is “oh-boy, we get to watch professional dancers”, another is “that is too expensive for me”. These events are priced differently than the amateur couple events. The price tag is likely to be higher than for amateur couples, but the USA Dance version is quite economical compared to some other circuits. At CFC, registration fees for a single-dance event were $25; a multi-dance event was $40 for four dances. This is approximately half the cost seen on other circuits. The amateur also has a bill from the professional partner for expenses and for services. My bill for the entire weekend at CFC was about 1/3 of the bill for a similar set of heats at a Pro-Am competition on a competing circuit. 

The Pro-Am heats on the USA Dance circuit currently have only one-to-three entrants per event. Although this does not seem like a lot, there are enough total entries to significantly impact the competition’s revenue for the weekend and could be important for keeping these competitions viable in the future for all dancers. In addition, these entries can be quite helpful and useful for amateurs who are without an amateur partner, for amateurs trying out the idea of competing, and for professionals who are getting their students used to the competition floor. The environment at USA Dance events is very supportive and enthusiastic. It is a good place for dancers to have a good experience regardless of the scoring result, especially early in their competitive efforts. 

Here are my thoughts on the differences between Pro-Am and Amateur couple experiences since I have now done both. In Pro-Am, the amateur can focus more on their own responsibilities. The professional is typically more seasoned in competing and provides a sure and steady “rudder” for the amateur. This can apply to pre-dancing nerves, general presence in the ballroom, floor craft, and unexpected events such as mishaps on or off the dance floor. For competitors repeating dances, the professional dancer provides a consistent performance. The amateurs can compare repeat performances more accurately, based on differences in their own dance efforts. On the other hand, the professional dancer may have other dance partners requiring attention, and you must be ready to plug into their event schedule which may eliminate practice or warm-up activities together. I suggest that you should plan this out as a “team” for the best outcome.

Our dance studio — Charlottesville Ballroom Studio — in Charlottesville, Virginia came with two professional instructors, five amateur Pro-Am competitors, an amateur couple, and three spouses to help cheer us on, plus colorful posters. This culminated in a top-studio title and a nice big trophy awarded on Saturday night, not to mention a wonderful team-building experience for us all.