Q: Do we have to change partners?
A: I don't care if you don't change partners,
if YOU don't care if you don't learn to dance.
In other words: YES*.
1) Much of the "fun" of dance comes from leading and following a variety of patterns with a partner. While learning, your dance coach gives VERBAL and VISUAL instructions; these instructions may be outweighed (in your mind) by the "feel" (KINESTHETIC input) of your interaction with a partner. Put another way: if your partner isn't doing a pattern correctly yet, you're more likely to learn and retain his/her incorrect method, than you are to retain what your coach has said/demonstrated. By learning/dancing with a variety of partners, you're much more likely to build good habits than bad habits.
2. "But I'm learning for my wedding, and plan to dance with him/her for the rest of my life." Great: I hope you two DO dance together for the rest of your lives! In the meantime - in fact, probably at your wedding - you want to be able to dance confidently with all of your wedding guests, new in-laws, parents, etc. By practicing in class with a variety of partners, you'll gain the skills and confidence to dance well with almost everyone . . . while also becoming a better dance partner for your significant other.
3. "But we want to spend this time dancing together." Please: spend in-class time learning to be a better dancer, then spend LOTS of outside-of-class-time enjoying dancing/practicing with your favorite partner.
4. "I haven't got it right yet, so I'm embarrassed to dance with strangers." All the more reason to keep practicing with a variety of partners, rather than inflicting your (as yet) not-quite-right methods on the one you love, and inhibiting his/her progress. We're all here to learn; your various partners aren't expecting perfection.
5. Students - in all disciplines, including dance - will experience some frustration while trying to tackle something new. Significant-others tend to express their frustrations verbally toward one-another . . . resulting in BOTH being frustrated/discouraged. "Strangers" tend to laugh off one-anothers' errors, and be very patient and encouraging toward each another, resulting in a fun learning experience for everyone involved. Dance instructors will tell you "Changing partners saves marriages."
6. "But I a) just ate garlic, or b) just unloaded a truck, or otherwise may be unappealing to various partners in class." They'll probably forgive you once; next time, try to arrive at class more attractive to everyone involved, including your significant other.
7. "What if I don't have a partner; can I still take a class?" Sure, by switching partners we accommodate those who arrive single - either because they ARE single, or their significant other has an occasional conflict and misses a class or two.
8. Last, but not least: You meet the nicest people on the dance floor. Trading partners allows you to spend a few minutes at a time with nice people you might never have otherwise encountered. What a great opportunity to make new friends who share your new hobby!
* In short: If you're unwilling to change partners in our classes,
we encourage you to learn to dance elsewhere.
Trading partners is a vital part of learning to dance.
