Welcome to the back row

Ever start working with a dance studio, begin preparing for a show and realize everyone around you is really good? And even worse, you are constantly being placed in the back row? That can really shake your confidence, and you may start to feel distressed. Does it feel like the end of your dance days? Like this world is bigger and more diverse than you ever thought? Like you’re feeling hidden?

Think about your options. You can be resentful, or you can learn from your talented co-dancers and try to understand the instructor’s perspective. Your placement doesn’t have as much significance as you might think compared with what you can learn and the training you will receive.

The reasons you might be placed in the back are not necessarily what you assume. To an instructor, strengthening the overall line often means placing highly trained dancers where they can help with spacing, maintaining straighter lines or supporting timing. Dancers in the back can also help cue others.

When instructors are balancing the overall look, they may distribute strong dancers throughout the lines to prevent any area from appearing weak. One way to minimize visible mistakes is by placing experienced dancers in the second line. In fact, there is often less chance that errors will be noticed on video or during live performances when there is a strong second line. Instructors also consider factors such as height, retention, ability and stage presence.

For recordings, a strong dancer in the back can execute difficult counts with precision, which holds up when footage is edited or cropped and helps improve the final version.

The bottom line is that placement is not simply about putting the best dancer in front. Dancers are placed where they are most beneficial to the group, providing musical leadership and reliability. Being in the front — or the back, for that matter — will not automatically make you the dancer you hope to become. What you can gain instead are humility, teamwork and resilience. Remember, wherever you are, someone is watching you.

Sandro Virag is a partner and instructor at Hilton Head Ballroom Dance Studio of Hilton Head, hiltonheadballroom.com