10 Curious Ballroom Dance Secrets That Could Confuse Ordinary People

To shine on stage, ballroom dancers pay close attention to every detail that might catch a judge’s eye. Beyond perfect steps, they use clever techniques to look flawless, with bright makeup and tanned skin being just the most visible touches. Behind the scenes, dancers rely on various secrets to enhance their posture, presentation, and overall impact — methods that help them consistently earn top scores from judges.

Why dancers choose fishnet tights

Experienced dancers understand that fishnet tights create the effect of slimmer, more tanned-looking legs. That’s why, when given the choice between regular tights and fishnets, ballroom dancers almost always prefer the latter.

Why they have such emotional facial expressions

Dancers often use facial expressions as a communication element: instead of words, they use movement and eye contact. It’s important for the smile to be natural, otherwise, the entire dance will look flat and boring or even comical.

It’s crucial to control the smile. In order for it not to look like a grin, the upper and lower teeth shouldn’t ever touch each other. There should be at least some distance for the smile to look natural.

Why they use spray tans

A spray tan can make the skin look gold and shiny, and it looks great with tuxedos and dresses. Tanned skin looks incredibly good in the spotlight, and all the arm and leg movements become more noticeable.

Additionally, the tan helps hide sweating. Even after some active moves, the skin still looks shiny.

Keeping the spray tan from rubbing off the skin

While dancing, a spray tan may get removed by the clothes. To avoid such a problem, dancers often use hair spray on the skin, which helps to retain the tan, no matter how they move.

Romantic relationships between dancers

Most dance partners are not in romantic relationships. Very often, they are close friends, but not more than that.

Even if a dance looks somewhat spicy, it’s still only a dance. Some of the best professional dancers in the world worked in pairs with their siblings and other relatives.

How they avoid showing their underwear

More often than not, dancers wear special costumes that hide their underwear. These costumes will have built-in bodysuits so that they don’t need to worry about anything showing. It’s like a swimsuit, but less waterproof.

If a dress doesn’t have a bodysuit, women wear matching shorts.

Why they wear bright makeup

Makeup is one of the main elements of their entire look. Different styles require different makeup looks. Judges take the participants’ appearance very seriously.

Dancers need to know that all the products they use are water-resilient, and sweat won’t affect them. The makeup should match the costumes and shoes. If the dress is bright (orange, yellow, red, or lime), dancers choose gray or other neutral eye shadows to balance the look. If the outfit is dark blue or emerald, a bright accent should be on the face.

How they choose the color of their shoes

The most popular shoe color is typically referred to as “nude.” This is by design to match the skin tone (after tanning) so the shoes blend in with the silhouette. Dancers need to attract attention to their arms, hips, and how they move.

If the shoes show contrast with the skin color, people will watch the legs. This is why women choose nude, cream, gold, or silver shoes. These are better than very bright or very dark colors. And men prefer black shoes to match their pants.

Why they turn their toes in

If you turn your toes out, you may trip over your partner. Besides, it will look awkward and clumsy. Also, the control comes from the toes and from the balls of your feet.

That being said, extending the toes may be devastating for everyone on the dance floor. However, ballet dancing has some outward extending that requires pointing the toes outward.

What else do dancers worry about

On top of the nerves that come with performing in front of an audience, dancers often step onto the floor without knowing the exact song that will be played. All they are told in advance is the dance style and the approximate tempo of the music.

In our other article, we uncovered fascinating insights about artistic swimming, showing that this sport is far more complex and demanding than just dancing in the water.