I've just started learning my first Gold dance, the Viennese Waltz, which feels pretty easy considering it's a Gold dance. I mean, I learned the whole dance in just 12 minutes! Unusual, huh?

As a skater, I am able to generate a lot of power from my deep edges and pushes, skate large patterns with very strong edges, and I have a good sense of timing. I tend to have weaker expression though...

For those of you who have passed or are working on their Gold dances, I'm curious:
1. Which of the Golds did you find most difficult and why?
2. What order did you learn your Golds in?
3. How long did it take you to pass all your Golds?
4. How long and how many days a week did you practice these dances?

I've been working on my Gold dances for YEARS (can't test 'em until I pass the rest of the Pre-Golds...) -

I think the Viennese is deceptively simple, which is why a lot of people like it for the social dances. The hardest part is the timing on the progressives I think - different from anything you've encountered so far in dance. Also the partnering is tricky.

My favorite Gold is the Argentine - I love both the "front" section and the second half of the dance and it kind of puts together everything you've learned in all of the dances leading up to it.

the West is okay but the 2nd half is so different from the 1st half - it's like they are two different dances - the first half totally flows and then the second half... well... it doesn't flow so good (for me).

The Quickstep is fun but I can't do it at speed anymore and that is frustrating. It is probably on some level the "easiest" of the Golds but the partnering is tricky. and of course it has to be perfect.

Good luck on your dances and have fun with them!!

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1. Which of the Golds did you find most difficult and why? Honestly, none of them were terribly hard for me. The only hard thing I can think of is the partnering on the Arg because the hold change in the corner is girl-initiated, something you're not asked to do until that dance (and I kept forgetting it!). The West is technically the most challenging (by far), though, both to solo and partner.

2. What order did you learn your Golds in? Quickstep, Viennese, Arg, West

3. How long did it take you to pass all your Golds? About 2 years, maybe, but I wasn't terribly serious about them until the last two, which I passed in six weeks.

4. How long and how many days a week did you practice these dances? I think I got about an hour of lessons a week, and I can't remember really practicing outside of my lessons -- wouldn't recommend that though!