by Lori Buttermark

Created on: January 30, 2010   Last Updated: August 22, 2010

The breath-taking, unforgettable "lift" is considered the ultimate highlight and "wow" factor in most professional dance performances, leaving its audience mesmerized. 

While lifts are permitted in other genres of competitive dance, such as Ballet and Contemporary, they are rendered as a definite "no-no" in Ballroom Dance Competition. This has been an on-going controversy since competitive dance was created.

Ballroom Competitive has its own format which restricts the contender to three dance steps. They have one minute and thirty seconds to execute their routine.  Both feet must be touching the ground at all times. Any attempt to defy this ruling can and has resulted in disqualifying the contenders. 

"Dancing with the Stars" Judge Carrie Ann Inaba is notorious for policing the “no-lifts” during dance performances. While the dance instructors vehemently deny feet or toes were off the floor, eagle-eyed Carrie Ann chooses to differ; hence points are deducted.   

The restriction was lifted for one show and one lift only, please. It was a welcomed perk for the instructors. One lift was better than none.

Three lifts were executed while performing the Jive one week prior to the Semi-Finals.  The audience held their breath and slowly exhaled with relief as Carrie Ann actually condoned and praised the appropriate placement of each “lift” during the performance. The best part was that no points were deducted. 

A perfectly executed lift is usually credited to the training under Dance and Lift Coach Specialist, Pierre Dulaine. His Upper East Side Manhattan Dance Studio is frequented by both Professional and Pro-Am contenders relentlessly pursuing the polished, finished product. In their smallest form, lifts require more energy, technique and timing than the actual dance routine. 

Currently, Ballroom Dance Competition allows an approximate fifteen-second open choreography both at the beginning and end of a dance routine. Within this tight window, one lift might be executed, hence returning to the “contact” dance segment of the routine, which separates competitive dance from the regular dance showcase. 

Integrating lifts into the Competitive World of Ballroom could be either a milestone or a setback. The American Federation of Dance has the final word. If approved, the "lift" would debut as a test-run in Competitive Latin to determine its proper domain.

Most contenders might welcome the lift as an extra perk, but also realize that weight control and center balance would then play a heavier role, since every step and movement must be in sync, connected and flawlessly executed.

While lifts enhance most genres of dance competitions, they would defeat the true concept of what Ballroom Dance Competition represents, the "separate entity".  

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