Month: May 2015 | Dance Lessons in Mesa Arizona

Top Three Dances to Learn This Summer!

May 28, 2015/in Dance Lessons Mesa AZ /by Sierra

Let’s chat about the dances that are hot and spicy enough to give you a sizzling social life this summer. Social dancing, like Country Two Step or Salsa dancing, will bring you inside from the cool air, instead of staying outside in the sizzling hot sun Arizona sun. Why not have an exciting summer learning the types of dance that get your body moving, looking great by slimming down, yet all the while staying cool!? Show off your sizzle on the dance floor! Stay cool and look hot!

Here are the top 3 social dances that we at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona recommend that you learn this summer, along with some good reasons for giving these hot dances a try!

Go Latin with SALSA! No, not the kind you eat. We are talking hot moves, lots of hips, steamy music, close, person-to-person connection, social partner dancing! Though Salsa dancing does include a few solo moves, it is mostly a dance which requires a partner. So motivate yourself to give beginner Latin dance lessons a try with an instructor at Dance FX Studios and very soon you will be falling into the rhythm of this electric dance style. If you choose this dance, be ready to release your emotion into spicy movement. Salsa is a dance of personal release and one of deep expression, mostly of passion.

Let’s Tango! Tango is one of the most passionate dance forms out there. Argentine Tango is its most original form. Guess what? Argentine Tango is the signature dance of the owners here at Dance FX Studios! They LOVE it and have been performing together and teaching Argentine Tango for over a decade! This kind of staying power says something about their passion for the dance, along with how to keep it alive in a marriage or a partnership. The Tango establishes an amazing connection between leader and follower and it absolutely requires commitment. Aside from commitment to each other moving as one on the dance floor, this partner dance means being committed to the dance! If you choose Argentine Tango, be prepared to fall in love and work to keep the love alive on the dance floor.

It’s an all American buffet of dance! The last choice is not one particular dance, it’s an all-American selection of Social Ballroom Dancing! Learning to social ballroom dance will come in handy when you have to do a first-dance at your wedding. The fact is, ballroom dancing skills come in handy any time you find yourself in a place for dancing anywhere! Choose from Country, Swing, Latin or the steamy Argentine Tango and your bases will be covered. With so many styles to learn, you can’t help but have a blast on any social dance floor.

Okay so it’s true! I cheated and just told you about more than three dances! Here’s why: all dancing is HOT, all dancing is fun and exciting, AND dancing will get you slimmed down and socially filled-up for SUMMER FUN! Local dance clubs are the ultimate frontier for guys or gals who are petrified of dancing. You can either park yourself on the bar-stool, or jump under the strobe lights after taking your foundation lessons here at Dance FX Studios. Start dancing today at Dance FX Studios using our New Student Offer, only $25, for an entire hour dance lesson!

How to Partner Dance to Top 40 Hits…

May 27, 2015/in Dance Lessons Mesa AZ /by Sierra

So Country dancing doesn’t intrigue you, and you aren’t interested in Latin dance styles of dance either. Maybe you are tired of going out dancing at all your regular bars and your “go to” style of just shaking around is getting old. What you really need is a dance style that you can use when your favorite pop or top 40 jams are playing, right? Well…guess what? There is an official dance that you may not know about, but you’ll surely want to learn…it’s called the West Coast Swing!

West Coast Swing is generally regarded as one of the most challenging social dances because it is filled with unique concepts, like the leader and follower doing different things at the same time. However, like the Argentine Tango, which is also quite unique and special, the West Coast Swing is one of the most rewarding dances you will ever attempt, and we at Dance FX Studios believe that West Coast Swing is well worth a try. So if you are a dancer needing a challenge, or simply someone who wants to discover a worthwhile skill, this one is for you!

Here is a bit of history about the dance and the reasons why this may just be the perfect partner dance for you.

The West Coast Swing evolved from the East Coast Swing in California and quickly moved from spin-off dance status into its own separate dance category with a feverous following. As I mentioned earlier, aside from Argentine Tango, the West Coast Swing may be the most intricate partner dance taught. The West Coast Swing is a slotted partner dance, meaning it is danced along a line, also described as a track. For this dance the follower generally moves forward and back along a track while the lead steps on and off the track as he changes her momentum and direction.

There are a few stories that attribute the reason for the slot. The following story seems to make the most sense because the Hollywood film industry has a wide-reaching impact over what becomes popular. This was especially true in the 1930’s and 40’s, as movies were the biggest media influence. At that time the wide-angle camera had not been invented yet, so producers had the dancers line up and dance in a straight line to create the camera shots. In this way, the film captured dancer’s profiles instead of their backs as they rotated. Since they moved this way for the entire dance, the audience was able to see a lot more of the “West Coast Swing” and then go home and repeat it. The film version of the dance became such common practice that the slots stuck. Pretty interesting evolution of a dance, don’t you think?

Here are a couple of other facts about the West Coast Swing dance…

Triple steps can be tricky and the West Coast Swing is full of them! Very few social dances use triple steps because they require a strong sense of rhythm. Triple steps also demand a high level of control over the body center, making them not as easy as steps in other dances.
Dancing in open position requires a good frame. There are a lot of ways for closed position dancing to compensate for a weak frame, but in open position, if you don’t maintain your own frame, you’re lost. With the West Coast Swing as one of your dances, you will learn to develop an amazing frame in both positions, making you more well-rounded as a dancer.

If you’re looking for a new obsession, the West Coast Swing is an exciting dance to pick up. At Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona, you can take beginner West Coast Swing dance lessons with or without a dance partner. Dance lessons for singles or couples offer so many benefits, from stress relief to weight loss. Join us in the joys of learning to dance, letting loose and having fun with West Coast Swing lessons today!

Be A Stud on The Dance Floor!

May 25, 2015/in Dance Lessons Mesa AZ /by Sierra

Most people encounter social dancing for the first time at weddings or other social events. When they look on to the dance floor, it is often with admiration, and sometimes even jealousy, that everyone is smiling from ear to ear in enjoyment. Oftentimes, fond memories of dancing with your friends and family is what most people remember as the highlight of the night. And why not, social dancing, from Country Two Step to Swing and Slow dancing romantic, exciting and great fun!

No matter what the activity, most people are focused on having a great time. With regard to dancing, as long as you’re out there shaking your bodies to a musical beat, there’s no need to fuss about details or technique, right? For social purposes, that is true. And kudos for even having the courage to get on that dance floor. However, when you begin to go out Swing or Tango dancing regularly, you will notice that there are people on the dance floor who are much better than you. In fact, those “better” dancers stay out on the dance floor a lot longer than everyone else. How did they get to be so great as social dancers? Here’s how:

Private dance lessons: After investing in private dance lessons in popular dance styles like the Country Swing or Bachata, you realize that when you go out dancing, it is a LOT MORE FUN! You find you share an unspoken comradery with other good social dancers in the club, and the attractive men or beautiful women want to dance with you because you know what you are doing. What’s coolest about social dance lessons is that you can really learn how to lead or follow, putting yourself in demand on the dance floor as you are easier to dance with. Plus, making your dance partner look good is never a bad thing…

Being a great dancer does not mean you are a snob or on a level above anyone else on the dance floor. It simply means you enjoy more social interaction with a wider group of people and now have a valuable tool which allows you to meet many more new people. You are now trained to be aware of the music, navigate a crowed dance floor and giving any dance partner you dance with an exciting evening.

The good news is, it’s not hard to become a great social dancer. Here at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona, we have been teaching people how to achieve their goal of becoming confident social dancers for almost 15 years. Sure, learning how to dance Country, Latin or the Argentine Tango takes a bit of time and practice, but just like surfing, bowling, knitting, or learning to use a computer, anything new is easy once you have the attitude of a committed mind. Investing in yourself means you accept that there are many things that increase your enjoyment in life once you have moved beyond the beginning stage.

During your process of discovering dance, you moves will become second nature. Many good dancers felt they had two left feet before they started. It may take a while to become a well-rounded accomplished dancer, but the effort is worth it. The instructors at Dance FX Studios were all beginners too at one point. We happily welcome newcomers and want to help anyone who decides they want to dance. Why not start right now by taking advantage of our New Student Introductory Offer and get on your way to being a great dancer today! We know that learning to dance changes lives and we are hopeful your decision to dance changes yours too.

Make Your Wedding Preparation Fun!

May 21, 2015/in Dance Lessons Mesa AZ /by Sierra

Congratulations! You’re engaged! Now it’s time to get to work planning your big day. Work? Yes, unfortunately wedding planning is oftentimes more stressful than fun, especially for the bride. However, in the back of your minds you are both thinking that being engaged should be one of the most romantic and joyous times of your lives together. Plans must be made or you two will never make it down the aisle. Well, we want to share a little secret … the way to “work” on your wedding, while at the same time keeping things fun, is to dance!

It’s going to be key to stay connected throughout your entire wedding planning journey. Let us at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona plan an exciting or romantic “first dance” for you, and watch those wedding worries disappear. That first dance will be one that everyone will remember forever so why not give your guests a special treat while treating yourselves to a fun new hobby that you can use time and again?!

Here are a few more reasons to have a blast and enjoy dancing all the way up to your wedding!

Dancing re-creates your first date. Get nostalgic, remember when you and your future spouse first met or had your first date? Chances are great music and dancing were a part of it. Maybe the song you heard that night is the song you are picking for your “first dance”? Reminisce about the fun you had and maybe the even the awkward or funny moments while you learn a choreographed wedding dance that is tailor-made just for you.

Dancing keeps you active! Activity releases stress and won’t it be nice to get in better shape for your wedding? Why push yourself to try boring workouts at the gym when you can Country Two Step or Swing dance your way into a more fit and trim you-just in time for your wedding! Dancing is not only exciting, it creates the target heart rate for burning fat! Beyond that, it is also a wonderful cardio work out. Plus all the dance practice exploring dances like Salsa or the ballroom Foxtrot will give you stamina and energy to party all night at your wedding! These are all huge perks gained by learning to dance!

Wedding dance lessons are romantic, even if you both think you have two left feet. It’s important to give your dance instructor a glimpse of your relationship so that we can help create a wedding dance that expresses your personalities. Learning to dance does not have to be a serious matter, so remember to laugh often. Most couples find that learning to dance improves their relationships by adding more romance and spending quality time together. It makes sense that dancing together will replace even the most stressful day with romance. Once you hold onto each other and stare into each other’s eyes, all bothersome wedding woes will simply fall away. 🙂

Turn your wedding dance lessons into your date night. Schedule your dance lessons at times when the two of you can head over to a restaurant and/or see a movie after. Make it date night! Take all the romance and connection gained during your lesson and bring it with you to the next event. The best part of dance lesson dates during busy wedding planning is the two of you learning a romantic skill together will set the tone of your relationship for the rest of your years together.

Begin your exciting journey into dance with Dance FX Studios’ Wedding Dance Consultation. We will help you to shine on your wedding day and beyond for any special event that comes your way.

Get Ready For an Astounding “First Dance”!

May 19, 2015/in Dance Lessons Mesa AZ /by Sierra

We at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona are experts at helping brides and grooms WOW their guests during their wedding receptions. We create beautiful, one-of-a-kind, built for the couple, rocking or twirling, “first dances” so you can Rock Your Reception. We have been the premiere dance studio in Arizona for wedding couples for almost 15 years.

Are you engaged? Then you may be headed over to our studio soon for a Wedding Dance Consultation. Before your first visit, we recommend that you do a few things before coming in. A little preparation before you walk into our dance studio and meet with our Wedding Dance Consultant will help us to help you as you are on your way to a fun adventure that you, and your guests, will remember forever!

Discuss with your fiancé your vision for your first dance. Knowing what your partner wants to look when you are both dancing at your reception, and being on the same page with the types of dance he or she feels comfortable dancing, is half the battle. Showing up at your consultation with your wedding dance consultant as a unified couple who knows what they want will speed the consultation questions along and allow the two of you to begin the exciting part of learning to dance that much faster. 🙂

Have 1 to 3 songs picked out as wedding dance options. Your wedding dance song is going to be a special one for all of your future years together so let’s not waste any time picking out the perfect music! A bit of musical guidance can go a long way for your choreographer; giving us an idea of your musical personality. Some songs work better than others, so once we know where to begin, we can get you going on the dance of your dreams. Finding that “must have” song, or a variety to pick from, saves lots of time. If needed, we may also suggest options to choose from; especially when we understand the musical direction you both are interested in.

Bring in a photo of your wedding dress or wedding attire. Don’t worry; your future husband does not need to see it! We, however, would love to know what you are wearing. This information will be very helpful for your choreographer. We want to make sure that everything goes absolutely perfect on your big day. Knowing what kind of dress you plan to wear helps us plan your routine with that bell skirt or long train in mind. Our desire is that you sparkle your very brightest on the dance floor, and this means taking your wedding attire into every dance step consideration.

Know your budget! Learning to dance or attending a dance school to gain a skill like dancing is an investment. Keep in mind that once you have this skill, you two can enjoy it together forever! You can share dancing again and again at many occasions as you move through your lives. How fun would it be to repeat your first dance at your 50^th or 60^th wedding anniversary? When you realize that you are investing in yourselves and your relationship, the value of using our studio for an amazing “first dance” goes up. Have an idea of what you are able to spend and be open to a simplified idea of what your “first dance” should look like.

If you live in Arizona, we hope you plan to schedule a Wedding Dance Consultation with us at Dance FX Studios in the Phoenix East Valley. Our mission is to help you to look and feel your best on that dance floor on the biggest day of your lives.

Swing, Swing, Swing Dance!

May 15, 2015/in Dance Lessons Mesa AZ /by Sierra

How much do you know about the ever-popular Swing dance? Did you know that there are more than 25 variations of Swing dancing? If not, read on for a short history of the development of a timeless and universal dance, known as the Swing.

Swing dancing emerged from the 1920’s through the 1950’s in African American communities during the evolution of Jazz music. The Charleston and Lindy Hop which came from Harlem, New York in the 1920’s are two of the key Swing dances. Due to the mixing of African cultural dances with various ballroom dances, the music of the day and Swing dancing began to grow even though most of the dance world assumed the Lindy Hop was a passing fad that would never last.

Instead, Swing dancing grew as those who did it developed even more styles like the Shag, Balboa, West Coast Swing and Jive. In the 1930’s, a Swing dance variation called the “Jitterbug” and a brand new song called the “Jitter Bug” catapulted Jitterbug and other forms of Swing dancing into the limelight!

Later, when the Lindy Hop was “refined” and standardized for easier instruction at dance schools, it got a new name, the East Coast Swing.

Around the same time on the opposite coast in California, a smoother style of Lindy Hop called “Smooth Lindy” was created by a man originally from Harlem, NY, Dean Colllins. This fluid and slower style of Swing caught on very quickly and was called the West Coast. As the dance grew in popularity, West Coast was slated the official state dance and was re-named as the “West Coast Swing”. Not so surprisingly, the West Coast Swing continues be the official state dance of California to this day.

In 2005, USA Today stated that “ballroom dancing, as a media phenomenon, sport, hobby and business, is enjoying its biggest resurgence since the 1940s”. That is surprising since it seems that a year after Swing was born, it should have been the peak of its popularity, especially because of Swing dancing’s numerous benefits! Yet, we here at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona know this trend to learn to dance Swing, and many other styles of social ballroom dancing, is still going strong. Swing dancing in particular is highly popular throughout the United States and is a staple here in Arizona.

Swing dancing attracts students both young and old to our studio everyday. YOU too can learn how to dance Swing! Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona offers the most popular social Swing dances including East Coast Swing, Jitterbug and West Coast Swing. These are the dances you see everywhere in Arizona happening at Country bars, weddings and social dance events.

If you haven’t tried to Swing dance yet, book an appointment with one of our talented instructors using Dance FX Studios’ New Student Offer. What are you waiting for? It’s time for you to take dance lessons and Swing, Swing, Swing!!!

Tired of Your Gym Workout? Just Dance!

May 14, 2015/in Dance Lessons Mesa AZ /by Sierra

Is your gym workout same old same old, boring, boring, boring? Are you starting to skip workout days because you can’t look at that treadmill or stair climber again? Is your same weight training routine giving you the blues? Maybe social dancing is your new answer to “working out” while having fun. There are so many benefits to Swing, Latin and Country dancing, and one big one is getting in shape without even knowing it! Country Two Step or Salsa dancing is a great way to keep fit or stay fit. You might be shaking your head right now thinking, “No way… dancing?”, but our point is before you knock it, try it out!

Taking dancing lessons burns calories and is at the “target heart rate” for fat burning! That’s right, get both body fitness perks from just one activity! Just a half an hour of Country Swing or Country Two Step, Cha-Cha or Argentine Tango dancing can burn 200 or more calories, making dance lessons your top choice for the best workout while having a blast. Of course, when you do end up dancing at your favorite Country bar or Latin club, being a great social dancer and knowing your way around a dance floor also benefits you socially!

Gain Cardio Endurance! Knowing how to dance, recognizing the appropriate dance for each type of music, means that you will also be out there for more than a few songs. Being a great leader or follower means that you will be called back again and again to the dance floor. When you are dancing for extended periods of time, especially to some of the faster or spicier dances, like Salsa, your heart rate goes up! By committing to dance regularly, your stamina and endurance will increase. This means an improved cardiovascular system for whatever activity you may find yourself doing.

Dancing improves coordination and balance. Taking dance lessons to know how to do a variety of popular social dances means learning dance steps which require new movements by your body. Learning to move well establishes a connection between the mind and body. Improving this mind-connection is important and will aide you in better performance for any type of other physical activity you do.

Elevates mood and strengthens memory! Dancing is exciting and so much fun! Like long distance running, but more entertaining, dancing raises endorphin levels! For these reasons and more, dancing is supported with clinical studies proving that dancing reduces stress. It also reduces depression! If you have a high-stressed job or stressful change in your personal life, why not try dancing twice a week? You will be surprised at how good you will feel during and after your dancing “workout”.

The thing you never get working out solo at a gym … person to person interaction! Learning different types of social ballroom dances like Bachata, Salsa, Tango, Waltz, and Country Two Step requires you to interact with a partner. Even group dance classes will require some interaction with others. When you go out to a club, getting on the dance floor means interaction with other dancers. When you are dancing with another person you are interacting on a physical level, as well as possibly making an emotional connection.

How great is that to getting all of these awesome benefits from one activity? Call Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona today and start a workout plan that is more of a long term body and life-enhancing plan! Take advantage of our New Student Offer to spend an hour being taught person to person by a talented instructor. Why go through the routine of another gym workout? Start a dance routine that changes it up to exciting, fun skill that lasts a life-time today!

The Salsa Dance Evolution!

May 12, 2015/in Dance Lessons Mesa AZ /by Sierra

In researching the history of Salsa dancing, there are a few different opinions on the origins of what most of us consider one the spiciest Latin dances. One common opinion is that it emerged out of Cuba from a “Country dance” and found its way to New York where it was termed”Salsa” and then blossomed into what it is today. Another opinion is that Salsa’s origins come out of Africa, which explains why the movement is not up and down, but a low hip swaying glide forward and backward, because the movement was performed in the sand.

The New York dance scene coined the name “Salsa”, but it did not create the dance. The name Salsa, was actually a nickname for a variety music that hit the scene from several countries of Latin influence including: Bomba, Charanga, Danzón, Són, Guguanco, Cubop, Rhumba, Són Montuno, Guaracha, Mambo, Cha Cha, Guajira, Cumbia, Plena, Festejo and Merengue. Some of the Latin dance music was mixed and became Salsa while others maintained their original sound and dance style.

When you are dancing to Salsa, you will hear several of these Latin styles mixed together, old styles mixed with modern beats. Often new instruments and additional percussion was added to Colombian, Puerto Rican or Cuban rhythms. For example, Mambo came out of Cuba and is a perfect example of a music and dance style that evolved into a something new and maybe more exciting: Salsa!

No matter what the origin, we who dance and those who seek to learn to dance are happy that Salsa dancing is around! Salsa is a sexy, steamy and emotional dance and, exactly like some popular Country dances – Salsa can also be done in a line with a large group of people. How about the music?!? Is there any other music that catches your attention so quickly and then causes your body to open up and express itself more? Personally, I don’t think so!

Nicole Dekavallas, one of the owners of Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona, would agree with me. Salsa is her go to favorite social dance- especially when she is “alone and in need of releasing stress”. She also “loves Salsa in particular because it’s wild and freeing. The freedom of expression and letting go, that is what does it for me. A stress reliever, lots of hips, it’s sexy! I am a Latin Dancer…that is what I do!” Her other top Latin dance favorite that she shares with her husband Adam, is the Argentine Tango.

As you can see, Salsa was born from many different origins and emerged as one fun and worthwhile dance to learn. Since Salsa dancing is an amalgamation of so many styles of Latin dancing, it is a good way for a beginner Latin dancers to nurture their love for Latin music and dance.

There are many social dances to learn these days, from Swing dancing to the Country Two Step, Bachata and more!, Many of these dances emerged from combinations of other dances, which is what makes the evolution of dance so cool! Dance and music will always be changing, and that is a good thing in my opinion-especially when it comes to freedom of expression.

You too can be a part of this evolution by choosing to start taking social dance lessons for beginners today! See where your dancing journey takes you with Dance FX Studios’ New Student Offer and let the magic of dance fill your life with excitement.

Two Left Feet? Relax It’s as Easy as 1, 2, 3!

May 8, 2015/in Dance Lessons Mesa AZ /by Sierra

When you decide to start your new hobby, learning to dance Salsa, Swing or Country Two Step, you may get cold feet. We have had students sign up using our $25 New Student Offer, only to call each day before what they feel is impending doom and move their first appointment back and back! Once they get here, though, they realize they had nothing to fear. In fact, they have a GREAT time and wish that they would have come in sooner.

Along your dancing journey, you may realize it takes a little time to get to looking smooth and natural on that dance floor. Just like the first time you committed to dance lessons and walked in to your local dance studio in Arizona, have no fear and keep plugging along! Remember your goal of being a versatile social dancer and that knowing how to dance is a timeless and extremely useful skill. However if ever you feel like throwing in the towel before your mission has been accomplished, here are a few tips to get you back on track:

Don’t over-think your dancing! Being stuck in your head has stopped many dancers with great potential from sticking with it. Obsessing over dance moves won’t make them sink in. In fact, constantly being in your thoughts and getting stressed out will make everything worse. The trick is to trust the music and your body. Those muscles do have memory! Relaxing and just letting your body go for it is the best course of action. You will be surprised at how much you actually retain during your private dance lessons with this attitude in mind.

Remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is your dance repertoire. Though Country Two Step dancing seems like a breeze, those out there who are stealing the spotlight, have put in their time training. While everyone would love to be great instantly, knowing how to dance just doesn’t happen overnight. Our tip: keep your dance lessons close together and practice as much as you can. This will speed you along both in retention and learning when it comes to owning those cool moves that will make you stand out in a crowd. If you only show up for your dance lessons one or two times per week, remind yourself that it will obviously take longer to become a competent social dancer.

Commit to your goal. This is a biggie! You have invested your time and financial resources to learning to dance. This is for you, a skill you have picked that will last you, or you and your partner, a lifetime. Decide to stay the course and see your dancing journey through to the vision you have for yourself on the dance floor. Stick with it and remind yourself that anything that is worth doing takes time and effort. Then, when you have that ball rolling, you’ll have people waiting in line to dance with you! (Trust us, this will happen.)

Have fun and reap the benefits! Social dancing has so many wonderful benefits, from weight loss to stress relief to improved balance and coordination, increased social life and even couples therapy! While you are probably creating one of the best investments that you can make in you, you are also doing this for fun! Enjoy it, dancing Salsa, Merengue, Cha-Cha, Foxtrot and Argentine Tango are all exciting dances to learn! Tons of fun! The benefit is plenty rewarding and the end result … a new and improved, proficient dancer, YOU!

So if you’re committed to learn to dance, you must also be committed to put some time and energy into creating that dream. If you happen to live here with us in Phoenix, Arizona, we invite you to learn to dance from our school, Dance FX Studios, located in the Phoenix East Valley. We can help you to explore popular dances like Salsa, Country, Swing and AZ Two-Step. Our New Student Offer is the best way to get started for just $25! So get started now, relax, have fun and remember it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3!

Learning to Dance: Cheaper Than therapy and Much More Rewarding!

May 7, 2015/in Dance Lessons Mesa AZ /by Sierra

Dance has been an integral form of communication, connecting communities and individuals in every culture and civilization throughout history. Social dancing, from Latin to Swing and Country to Ballroom, brings people together in a variety of ways. We use music and dancing to reenact historic events, to express deep emotion, to celebrate and to romance those we love or hope to love. Dancing also has another use…healing.

When most people think of solving personal issues with therapy, their minds immediately wander to psychotherapy, psychoanalysis or clinical therapies. Rarely do people consider the activity of social dancing as an effective form of therapy. Interestingly, dance emerged as psychotherapeutic tool back in the 1940s. Today, research continues to support the use of dancing for a variety of mental stressors and is utilized for individuals, couples, families and groups in crisis.

If your relationship is in crises “dancing is uplifting, enjoyable, engaging, and includes the added advantage of non-verbal communication, which enables participants to express their feelings without words when normal communication channels are absent or broken down” (Strassel et al., 2011). Learning to partner dance, from the Country Two Step to Salsa dancing, focuses on developing a strong connection between two individuals. Moreover, social dance lessons teach the man to be a great leader and the female to follow. What’s great for couples is that they work out relationship issues without realizing that’s the effect, all while having a great time!

Therapy through dancing is especially useful for couples with medium to severe distress, marriages dealing with infidelity, elderly couples suffering from depression or anyone with anxiety or dementia. For dementia in particular, dancing has been documented in peer reviewed journals as being the top beneficial exercise for Alzheimer disease prevention.

Dance therapy has four valuable components: social, musical, skill learning and physical exercise. Social Dancing may also be particularly beneficial for group and family therapy because the benefits of dancing include: increased self-awareness, improved self-esteem, increased connectivity of thoughts, feelings and actions, improved verbal and non-verbal communication, greater social interaction skills, enhanced relational trust and increased ability to recognize, decipher and express feelings appropriately (Bojner-Horwitz, Theorell, and Anderberg, 2011).

Dancing is a social activity because it is done with another individual and/or a group of people. This human to human interaction is important for all psychological functioning. Adding the component of music, the body is listening, looking, moving and reacting. The results are that dancing reduces stress as well as pain, decreases anxiety and improves relaxation. How wonderful is that?! Additionally, repeat interaction among other people where a common hobby is comfortably shared, like going Country Swing dancing at a local event, strengthens inner feelings of belonging to community.

Taking dance lessons may be the therapeutic tool that is right for you. It is clear that dance movement has the ability to instill positive life changes by developing and enhancing the relationship of the body, mind and spirit. It’s also easy to see how learning spicy Latin dances, like Bachata or Merengue, helps the imagination and the emotions. Performing any social ballroom style of dancing allows for an increased ability to adapt and to respond to changes in the environment. This means even stressful work relations will improve if the work group participates in social dancing. Imagine what this will also do for morale and productivity!

Isn’t it inspiring that you can do something as fun as Country Dancing, Latin Dancing or even group dance lessons as a bridal party and get the benefits of therapy to resolve issues within couples, family or friendships!? Whether you are getting along in all of your relationships or not, social dancing is sure to enhance your life. For all of you Phoenix residents, let us impact you with social dance lessons at Dance FX Studios. Before long, you’ll see the perks of knowing how to dance for yourself.