Pro-Am · Competitive Training · Twin Cities
Compete With Amy as Your Partner
In Pro-Am ballroom, adult students compete with their teacher. Train and compete with Amy Hanson, the three-time defending Dancer’s Cup Tour Top Teacher.
Adults of every age and level. No partner needed.
Quick Answer
Pro-Am is ballroom competition in which an amateur student dances with a professional teacher, and the student is the one being judged. At Ballroom by Amy, Amy Hanson trains and competes with her Pro-Am students on the Dancer’s Cup Tour and at other national competitions. You don’t need a partner, and adults can start at any age.
What Is Pro-Am?
In a Pro-Am event, you dance with your teacher in front of judges. Because the teacher is a professional, the judges focus on you: your timing, footwork, posture and partnership.
Events are grouped by style, dance, level and age, so you compete against dancers like you. Common styles include American Smooth and Rhythm and International Standard and Latin, and levels move from Bronze to Silver to Gold as you grow. Pro-Am is the most common way adults compete in ballroom.
Why Students Compete
A Goal to Work Toward
A competition date turns practice into progress, one routine at a time.
Faster Improvement
Preparing to perform sharpens your timing, technique and confidence.
Travel and Friendships
Competitions bring you together with dancers from across the country.
It’s a Blast
Costumes, ballrooms, music and the thrill of taking the floor with your teacher.
How Competitive Training Works
- Start with private lessons. Build the foundation: frame, footwork and timing.
- Choose your styles. Amy helps you pick dances that suit you and your goals.
- Build your routines. Learn and polish the figures you’ll dance on the floor.
- Pick a competition. Amy recommends events that fit your level and calendar.
- Compete together. Take the floor with Amy, celebrate, and plan what’s next.
Amy on the Competition Floor
Amy competes Pro-Am with her students and dances professionally with her partner William. In 2024 Amy won Top Overall Teacher on the Dancer’s Cup Tour and her student Jerry won Top Overall Student, and the two defended their titles in 2025.
Read about recent competitions:
Hawaii
Hawaii Star Ball 2026
Four styles in one week, and what competition results actually mean.
Kansas City
Heart of America DanceSport 2026
A big Kansas City weekend for Ballroom by Amy.
St. Louis
Gateway DanceSport Championships
Amy’s April 2026 weekend chasing history in St. Louis.
Thinking About Competing?
Whether you’re a few lessons in or have danced for years, Amy will help you decide if and when competing makes sense for you.
Amy typically replies within one business day. New to dancing? Start with private lessons.
Pro-Am FAQs
Do I need a partner?
No. In Pro-Am, Amy is your partner.
Am I too old to compete?
Events are divided by age group, and many adults start competing later in life.
How long before my first competition?
It depends on your goals and practice time. Amy will tell you when you’re ready.
Do I need a costume?
Not to start. Amy will help you decide what to wear for your first event.
What does competing cost?
Costs vary by competition and how many dances you enter. Amy explains them before you commit.