professional training to be a professi

Question:I've been dancing all my life with no professional training. I've just always been surrounded by music growing up cuz my dad loved music. Objectively speaking (really im not just saying this), I am a great dancer. I have good rhythm and flow, but I don't think I have what's called "technique" -- I don't know the names of most dance moves or even what they look like and I probably couldn't do a proper pirouette if I tried. I'm not that KIND of dancer -- I just have really good groove and sense of rhythm. Is this enough to make it big? I've watched So You Think You Can Dance and the judges don't let through dancers unless they do flingy, dramatic things with their arms and legs and leap and stuff. I'm willing to take some lessons to look like I have "technique" and stuff, but in essence I just don't dance like that -- I just dance to the music from my heart. How far can I go with just that??

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I've been dancing all my life with no professional training. I've just always been surrounded by music growing up cuz my dad loved music. Objectively speaking (really im not just saying this), I am a great dancer. I have good rhythm and flow, but I don't think I have what's called "technique" -- I don't know the names of most dance moves or even what they look like and I probably couldn't do a proper pirouette if I tried. I'm not that KIND of dancer -- I just have really good groove and sense of rhythm. Is this enough to make it big? I've watched So You Think You Can Dance and the judges don't let through dancers unless they do flingy, dramatic things with their arms and legs and leap and stuff. I'm willing to take some lessons to look like I have "technique" and stuff, but in essence I just don't dance like that -- I just dance to the music from my heart. How far can I go with just that??

well...it really doesnt take technique. to make it as a profession wut if u were at an audition and the asked to see all ur moves and the names of them. i believe ur a good dancer..but take some classes. if ur as good as u speak then ull catch on really fast.

Not very. Not if you want to be considered a "real" dancer. You can try out for different shows at the local level (civic light opera, small theater, etc.) and you would learn your craft from others. That's a "good thing" if you don't want to take lessons. It is "on the job training" in the worst way. It is the hard way. You get bounced, you go hungry. You learn, you eat.
As a dancer, you have a shelf life. It is very short. You'll be an "old lady" at 25. You need to take what you have, and get better, NOW!
Is there a community college close by? You're just in time for Spring Semester. Take classes. Get some theatre classes too. Actors need to dance in a musical, sometimes dancers need to act. It'll get you more work, doing the thing you love to do.
Did you know that Rita Rudner, and Tracey Ulman were dancers?
They both do stand-up comedy now,(and Tracey has a gold record, singing) and both started off as dancers.
If you don't learn your craft, the only thing you'll be good at is pole dancing, and that is not what your father had in mind, when he watched you move to the music as a little girl.

Sorry to say, but probably nowhere! Really, unless you have technique and professional training, chances are that you will get nowhere with just a good sense of rhythm. Like you said, they won't let anyone through unless they can dance with pirouettes, leaps, and a sense of technical movements! I'm sure with a sense of rhythm, you can take about 3 years worth of classes and get somewhere with dancing as long as you work hard. You won't necessarily "make it big", but you can get somewhere! Good luck! I'll be waiting for you in my Broadway shows!

I'm also sorry to say, you should have solid technique training to become a pro dancer. How old are you? I know some great dancers who started formal training later in life and went somewhere with it. Get into it, take as many classes as you can, and see what happens. Good Luck