SPECTATOR

For the past six years, I have truly indulged in ballroom culture. The rivalry. The glitz. The unapologetic urge to champion your feminine energy.

The deeper I went, the more I began to see the parallels between the ballroom floor and everyday life.
The lesson in receiving a “chop.”
The superpower of coming back and getting your 10s right after.
And the total domination you feel when you dare to snatch grand prize.

Ballroom terminology has traveled far beyond the function.
Let’s start with the chop.
A “chop” is a ballroom term where judges dismiss a contestant from a category for failing to meet its specific, rigorous criteria and sometimes only one judge’s chop is needed to eliminate a participant from a group of ten.

I’ve watched enough balls to know that sometimes a chop feels personal. Sometimes it’s strategic. Sometimes it sets the tone for the rest of the night. Either way, a chop is a chop.

Everybody is fighting for the perfect score from the judges. “10s across the board,” often shortened to just “10s.” Getting your 10s is validation. It’s applause. It’s a dopamine rush. It’s your ticket to compete within that category.
Timing matters. How quickly you’re chopped. How long you hold the floor before earning your 10s. It leaves room for speculation: Do you really speak the language?

Now, if you’ve made it this far, you might be wondering what any of this has to do with advertising. In my opinion? Nothing and everything.

Understanding ballroom gave me a new lens for navigating creative industries. A category is a brief. The house you walk for is the brand. The moment you hit the floor is the campaign going live.

You are being judged — immediately. One fucntion you get chopped.

Another you fight for your 10s.

And if everything aligns - concept, execution, confidence — you just might snatch grand prize.

Ballroom taught me resilience. It taught me timing. It taught me how to read a room and how to recover when the room reads you first.

So I dare you: step into the world of ballroom and if you’re paying attention, you might just find a few gems for yourself.

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