Ex-pro dancer teaches Bloomington ballroom dance moves

Feeling awkward on the dance floor comes about as naturally for most people as getting sweaty palms in front of someone they like. But if there’s one time-tested method for overcoming shyness both on the dance floor and in romance, it’s learning ballroom dancing.

Dance instructor Margot Scholz teaches one-hour classes in ballroom dancing from 4 to 10 p.m. Mondays at the John Waldron Arts Center and from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Fridays at the Bloomington Adult Community Center. 

The dances she teaches include swing, salsa, waltz, foxtrot, quick step, tango and Viennese waltz. She teaches group lessons at beginning and intermediate levels, and she is also available for private lessons, individually or per couple.

“Ballroom dancing is a lot more fun than people think,” said Nashville, Ind., resident Molly Daugherty, a member of one of Scholz’s intermediate ballroom dance classes. “It’s relaxing, and once you learn it, it’s something you can use throughout the rest of your life.”

Those hesitant to join the class because of an inability to dance need not worry. Students of the classes said Scholz’s teaching style is commanding and she demands perfection, but she is also willing to do whatever she can to help students learn.

“She’s a very gifted trainer and educator with a very keen eye,” said Bloomington resident and ballroom dance class member Charlie Matson.

Scholz has a wide range of experiences in ballroom dancing. Starting ballet as a young girl, she went on to study ballroom dancing in Germany, Switzerland and England, where she earned European degrees in the sport. She also competed in Dancesport ballroom dancing and later all over the world as a professional ballroom dancer.

In addition, she stars in her own instructional ballroom dancing video called “Intro to Ballroom Dancing,” which can be found at the Monroe County Public Library.

When students first start coming to her ballroom dance classes, they can expect to learn basic mechanics of elementary moves, she said. But as they go on, fine-tuning their technique becomes more important.

“It’s more important how you do it than what you do,” she said.

Scholz estimated her classes are about 10 to 20 percent IU students, though many of her students are IU employees and professors.

Students cited many benefits of getting involved in the class: mental and physical exercise and discipline, learning the art for special events like weddings or just having an opportunity to do something out of the ordinary with a partner.

“It’s kind of nice to have the opportunity to do something together,” Daugherty said.

Scholz said the part of teaching that is most rewarding for her is watching her students go from thinking they cannot dance to having what she calls a “breakthrough moment” and then becoming great at it.

“You didn’t give up on them, kept working and they turned out well,” she said. “They finally had the breakthrough and they were very accomplished dancers.”