Has Ballroom Dance Gained Popularity Because of TV?

The short answer? Yes. It has.

Back in 2005, Dancing with the Stars premiered its first season. Three years later, So You Think You Can Dance began its first season. Since then, dance studios have seen an influx of students eager to learn what they’ve been seeing on TV.

The longer answer? Yes. And no. Showing dance on television is not new, and ballroom has seen surges in popularity many times over the years. Plus, networks would not take such a chance on a reality show about ballroom dance if there wasn’t already an interest out there. So what makes this time different? Nigel Lythgoe, creator of So You Think You Can Dance said, “All of these programs have moved, I believe now, a generation, and certainly revitalized dance and brought if before a much larger public arena than it’s ever had before.” The format of these shows encourages viewers to get involved and vote in order to determine the outcome they want, and the extensive back-stories leads to viewers feeling more connected to the dancers.

Both programs have shown untrained dancers flourish, showing that even the most awkward individual can learn to dance.  So, if you have always wanted to try dancing before, don’t let anything stop you.