Getting the Next Generations into Ballroom
Miguel Melgar
The main reason that I became a Ballroom Disk Jockey is to get the next generations into
ballroom dancing. When I talk about the next generations people automatically think of the
teens and twenty-year-old youngsters. That is not what I mean. By “next generations” I mean
the 50-year-old and the 40-year-old groups. We have to have continuity.
One of my observations has been that our generation wants the next generations to join
ballroom, but wants to stay in control. That is like the original 13 states wanting more states to
join the union but to keep power in the original 13 states. What really happened was that each
new member state was accepted as an equal. The result is that the original 13 states soon
became a minority.
That is the essence in ballroom. If we want ballroom to succeed in the future, we have to
cede control to the next generations. The control of social dance functions has to be
transferred to the 50- and 40-year-olds.
In order for a club to survive it has to maintain a reasonable constant average age of its
members. If the average age is already elevated, in order to expand, it has to lower the
average age of its members. This is simple arithmetic.
Now the question is, how do we get the next generation involved?
1. We cannot impose our nostalgia onto the next generation. We have to play more
contemporary music while maintaining ballroom.
2. We have to establish an environment attractive to the next generation, e.g., the same
environment that we had 20 years ago. Example; having dances until 12:00 midnight, or later.
Early termination of dances only alienates the younger crowd.
We can establish this environment by:
a. Keeping the break time between 10:00 and 10:30.
b. Having a midnight drawing. If people leave early, give a door prize to the last
person to leave.
3. Having younger teachers that will make the younger dancers feel that ballroom is also
theirs, not only the property of the older generation.
4. Encourage the next generation to participate on the board, eventually taking it over.
5. Have dances on a steady schedule, e.g., every Friday evening. Continuity and
consistency are very important.
6. Discuss the need of ballroom to survive with our generation and convince older
gentlemen not “to hit on” younger ladies. This only drives them away.
Remember, we have to make the next generation feel that ballroom is theirs as well as ours.
This attitude of our generation that ballroom is ours only alienates the younger groups. The
duty of a social club is to expand by attracting the next generations.
Miguel Melgar
235 SW 105 Place
Sweetwater, FL 33174
(305) 553-0832
mmelgar@bellsouth.net
Miguel Melgar
The main reason that I became a Ballroom Disk Jockey is to get the next generations into
ballroom dancing. When I talk about the next generations people automatically think of the
teens and twenty-year-old youngsters. That is not what I mean. By “next generations” I mean
the 50-year-old and the 40-year-old groups. We have to have continuity.
One of my observations has been that our generation wants the next generations to join
ballroom, but wants to stay in control. That is like the original 13 states wanting more states to
join the union but to keep power in the original 13 states. What really happened was that each
new member state was accepted as an equal. The result is that the original 13 states soon
became a minority.
That is the essence in ballroom. If we want ballroom to succeed in the future, we have to
cede control to the next generations. The control of social dance functions has to be
transferred to the 50- and 40-year-olds.
In order for a club to survive it has to maintain a reasonable constant average age of its
members. If the average age is already elevated, in order to expand, it has to lower the
average age of its members. This is simple arithmetic.
Now the question is, how do we get the next generation involved?
1. We cannot impose our nostalgia onto the next generation. We have to play more
contemporary music while maintaining ballroom.
2. We have to establish an environment attractive to the next generation, e.g., the same
environment that we had 20 years ago. Example; having dances until 12:00 midnight, or later.
Early termination of dances only alienates the younger crowd.
We can establish this environment by:
a. Keeping the break time between 10:00 and 10:30.
b. Having a midnight drawing. If people leave early, give a door prize to the last
person to leave.
3. Having younger teachers that will make the younger dancers feel that ballroom is also
theirs, not only the property of the older generation.
4. Encourage the next generation to participate on the board, eventually taking it over.
5. Have dances on a steady schedule, e.g., every Friday evening. Continuity and
consistency are very important.
6. Discuss the need of ballroom to survive with our generation and convince older
gentlemen not “to hit on” younger ladies. This only drives them away.
Remember, we have to make the next generation feel that ballroom is theirs as well as ours.
This attitude of our generation that ballroom is ours only alienates the younger groups. The
duty of a social club is to expand by attracting the next generations.
Miguel Melgar
235 SW 105 Place
Sweetwater, FL 33174
(305) 553-0832
mmelgar@bellsouth.net
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