Superhumans in WCS: Eric Byers

Who is Eric Byers as a dancer?

Eric is a dancer who tries to just have fun and dances with everyone. I try to find out what my partner's best attributes are and highlight those. I want to promote this dance and grow it.

What are your values in dance?

Be respectful, have fun, be open, be a decent human.

How has dance helped you in life?

Dance has taught me a lot about giving words of affirmation. It's not something I've ever sought out, so I had to learn how to give that feedback to dancers. It has also shown me how much we can share spaces with thousands of people who believe and think differently than we do.

What is success in dance for you — not in any particular dance, but in the community at large?

Success to me is a lifelong goal. I'm never complacent, so I look for successes every day. My life goal is to be better today than I was yesterday. That includes this dance. I just want to be a little bit better every single day. I want to continue to foster a dance community that fosters acceptance, fun, and growth. It's a safe space for people to just come, be themselves, and learn in a fun environment.

How did you become a Champ? Did you start from WCS? Any dance background? How did you practise?

I was "peer-pressured" into moving out of All-Star after winning the NASDE tour two years in a row. Dancers would make comments about how I didn't belong when lining up for comps. I am a competitor and wanted a challenge. Some champs asked me to stop sandbagging and move up with the big boys. So I made that leap.

I was not trained in any dance style until I went to college. I knew some Latin and took a semester of ballroom after I learned WCS. Now I do study a lot of Argentine Tango. I used to have partners that I practised with back in Indy, but all of them moved away in the last six years. So I practise at events, do solo drills, and study YouTube videos of pros and the concepts.

How did you start to teach? What is the most challenging part of teaching WCS?

I was tricked into becoming the president of a WCS student organisation in college, and I had to teach almost as soon as I really learned this dance.

What is your other job aside of WCS?

I am a behaviour therapist for autistic children.

What would you never do on the social floor or in spotlight?

I would never do anything that could potentially make my partner feel uncomfortable. I respect the fact that my partner is trusting me with their time, and I want to honour it.

What is the most hilarious situation that has happened to you on the social or competition floor?

I ripped my pants doing a split during a dance.

Why are you still dancing? What keeps your passion alive after years of dancing?

I continue to dance because I have never lost my passion for the dance. I have a wonderful dance community and they are like family to me. This dance changes and evolves so much that it forces you to forever work on your craft. I want to always be a student of dance. I don't think I've reached my full potential yet. I still have so much to offer and so much to unlock.

Much Love,
Maria