Local Country Dancing AZ

The History of Swing Dancing

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rsz_1rsz_dsc05360Here at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona we love to Swing dance! But you may be wondering where it all began, so kettle explore a little bit about the history of Swing dancing and why it is so fun!

Swing dancing began back in the 1920’s when African dance moves were formed into what is now known as the the Lindy Hop and the Charleston, and they were both danced to contemporary Jazz music. Eventually, these dances spread throughout the country and was picked up at clubs, including dancers in Hollywood. They began creating hundreds of movies that incorporated Swing dancing scenes and the rest is history!

Interestingly, Lindy Hop dancing was actually looked down upon by heads of famous dance societies saying that Swing dancing was too “sexual and vulgar”. In fact, as it spread, it was banned at one point in Germany. We all know that most things that are banned become more and more popular because of its rebellious nature, hence Swing dancing grew.

How did Lindy Hop get it’s name? Well this is a fun story! A man named “Shorty George” was dancing the night away at a successful local dance club in Harlem, New York to some contemporary Jazz music and was stealing the spotlight. When a reporter came around to him and asked what the name of the dance he was doing was called, he stopped and looked around the club and saw a newspaper with a heading that read “Lindy Hops the Atlantic.” He then turned to the reporter and said the dance was called the “Lindy Hop.” This was right around the time Lindbergh successfully flew to Paris in 1927.

Then, August 21, 1935, Benny Goodman and his band started playing Swing music. Young people absolutely loved the fresh sounding beats they created, and it began to broadcast on the radio. It started a wave in live radio listeners, and millions more tuned in to hear the upbeat Swing tunes. This led to, as all music does, more dancing, but they needed a new dance to go with the new sound.  At the same time an artist by the name Cab Calloway introduced a new tune called the Jitterbug, a bouncy, six-beat rhythm that had a dance with the same name.  It became extremely popular in dance troupes around the globe and is still danced today, even at our studio. We love that it is still so easy and fun to do. A lot of clubs still incorporate Lindy Hop, but many other Swing dance styles now exist. With over 20 Swing dance styles to choose from, you can certainly find a version that puts a smile on your face! It’s kind of hard to not smile when you’re having as much fun as you do dancing.

At Dance FX Studios, we teach a ton of Country Swing dancing and Jitterbug Swing.  They are both upbeat and fun, dances that anyone can learn to do with confidence in Private Dance Lessons. Swing dancing is perfect for crowded places, like in a bar, or at a wedding, because it is done mostly in place, rather than traveling around a big floor.

We wish we could’ve been around in that era to experience what it was like to learn all the different types of Swing in their prime. The roaring 20’s must have been a blast!

To prepare you to feel confident Country dancing, or Swing dancing in general, come visit us for New Student Offer for Private Dance Lessons and experience the fun of Swing dancing. Grab a partner, turn on some Swing music and get inspired to dance! It’s great fun!

Country Dancing AZ

Dance With Your Bridesmaids

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rsz_1rsz_1dsc05357Your wedding day should be exactly how you imagined it. A lot of people like to have traditional weddings, but what is becoming more popular lately, are weddings with a little extra flare, especially when it comes to the first dance. Instead of just having a first dance with the bride and groom, more and more couples are choosing to do a dance with their bridesmaids or groomsmen as well, and we couldn’t be more excited. Our favorite wedding dance routines are ones exactly like this…

Whether you want to do a bridesmaid’s dance or a groomsmen dance (or both!), our dance studio can definitely help you. We love putting together fun, carefree wedding dance routines that will make your wedding the most memorable one of the year. Your friends may feel nervous about getting up in front of everyone they know and dancing silly to whatever music you choose, but that’s okay. Dance lessons for your wedding with all of your closest friends is another way to create long-lasting laughs and special time together. Plus, once your wedding party gets the hang of the dance choreography and feel comfortable in our studio, which won’t take long, they will be having the best time ever learning cool moves that they can use at other events too! Most importantly, we hope they will love creating your dream routine with you.

The groomsmen may be a little more skeptical of being a part of any kind of dancing. Reassure them that we won’t make any of the steps too difficult for them to learn. Our amazing instructors at Dance FX Studios top priority is to make our students feel comfortable.

If you want to incorporate both sides of the wedding party to do a single routine, a fun idea is to choose a popular partner dance, like Salsa, Country Two Step or Swing dancing, and they won’t feel as uncomfortable if someone is doing it with them. We will make every dance lesson you take to learn the routine fun and exciting so that each week they will look forward to coming in and letting loose with their friends.

There are tons of videos of wedding parties doing these types of routines, and they are going viral. It is for good reason, since they are so fun to do, and we’re sure you want to include a cool first dance in your wedding as well. Who knows, you may end up YouTube famous. 😉

If you’re stuck on ideas about which music or dances to include in your wedding dance routine, come to us and we can guide you the right way so that choosing what will best fit you and your friends will be easier. You can do a Country Dance like Line Dancing, or you could do something that starts of slow and sweet, then bust out into some NSYNC dance choreography later! How fun is that!? We encourage you to let your imagination run wild because anything you can think up is possible. Have fun with your ideas!

Bring your bridesmaids/groomsmen down to see us for a Wedding Dance Consultation to figure out how we can make your wedding dance dreams come true. We will have a great time on each and every lesson you attend. It will be a party in itself!

 

Local Country Dancing AZ

Women Love a Guy That Can Dance

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rsz_1rsz_1dsc05583Have you ever gone to a bar that does partner dancing and felt totally out of place? You don’t know anyone that will dance with you, and you’re not comfortable enough to ask a stranger? So you just sit at the bar and have a few drinks. Well, trust us when we say if you are a male and know how to dance, you will make the ladies swoon.

When a woman is asked to dance by a guy who hasn’t been dancing all night, they feel a little skeptical of saying yes. Ladies definitely like to know what kind of dancer they are dancing with in advance so they do not have to worry about their toes getting stepped on. If they notice that you have been asking other girls to dance and you look good doing it, then they will definitely say yes! If you want to be one of those guys that no woman will ever say no to, then private dance lessons at our dance studio can help you! We want to make you look great while dancing with anyone by making you an incredible leader for an dance floor.

Most women love someone who can take charge on the dance floor. If she is asked to dance and you aren’t confident, she will think you don’t know what you are doing. Off the dance floor they may want to be the one in charge, but as soon as her feet hit the floor guys, it is your job to be the leader. This takes confidence and a few private dance lessons before its perfected, but once you own your role as the lead on the dance floor, you will have no issues asking someone to dance with you. The dance moves that you learn with us will make anyone feel comfortable and self-assured…and that goes a long way!

After a few private dance lessons under your belt, you will be able to learn what all women love… spins, turns, and twirls. You’re going to really win her over when you know how to make her feel comfortable while turning and spinning. That’s when the trust part of dancing comes in. Whether it’s Country, Salsa, or even Swing dancing, no girl can resist a guy who is spinning his partner around, laughing and having fun. We can teach you all the fundamentals ann more to making a smooth and fun-filled dance with any partner at the bar.

When a guy is afraid to learn how to dance, or simply just doesn’t want to, it really limits where you can go out on a date. Most Country bars around Phoenix these days have some kind of dancing, and your lady really wants to be swept off her feet. If you don’t want to do the work of learning how to be a great leader while dancing with her, then there might not be a second date. We encourage you not to be afraid. Come take that first step into Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona. Our New Student Offer will begin your journey into being an incredible leader on the dance floor.

Local Country Dancing AZ

Social Dancing Etiquette for Country Dancers

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rsz_1rsz_1dsc05426I’m sure you’re wondering why we don’t teach any flips or dips in our Mesa, AZ dance studio. You see people doing them all the time when you go out Country dancing especially, so why aren’t we showing them to you? Well, we have some pretty good reasons why we avoid them.

Our studio focuses on social partner dances, like Country Two Step, Salsa dancing and Swing dancing. When you are out socially, it is of primary importance that you are mindful of others. Flips, dips and tricks not only require lots of space, but can be very dangerous to onlookers, or fellow dancers. Rather than tossing our partners around, we recommend learning to dance with all 4 feet on the ground (his and hers). We love to teach, and would encourage you to learn, practical dance moves that are not only safe, but will help you dance with anyone at your local bar, or even at a wedding or other special event. When you see couples who are doing flashy moves, it is most likely they can only do them with the people they practice with. They can’t dance with anyone else in that way because any move that both you and your partner have to memorize is considered choreography. At Dance FX Studios, we want you give you the tools to lead or follow anyone around any floor, not memorize patterns or flashy moves that are not able to be led or followed. Being in a social environment, these types of moves really should not be used at all and we strongly urge you not to try them.

Many couples who do the more eye-catching moves are often looked up to by novice (or non) dancers who truly do not consider the ramifications of a slip up. The couple may look flashy and cool, but they are really just getting in the way of people who want to social dance and enjoy each other. Plus, we would bet that they have unfortunately kicked somebody in the face before when they flipped their partner, or maybe their shoe flew off and hit someone… and if you trust someone to throw you in the air and they don’t catch you, guess what? You will end up falling on the hard floor, which most of the time is wood or concrete, and you could seriously get injured. Honestly none of the risks are worth the “cool” move. You aren’t on the set of “Dirty Dancing”…so relax.

The same thing goes for dips… We know traditionally people love to end a dance with a cute dip, but we like to save those for our wedding routines. Notice that we said routine. A routine is choreography; this is the only time we will teach moves like that… because technically, you will be on a floor to yourself. While it looks cute and romantic, do you really want your head that close to the dance floor? Or, being the male, do you want the responsibility of possibly dropping someone? What if you dance with someone you don’t know and they aren’t expecting a dip? All of those scenarios could seriously end up badly. Most importantly point, those moves aren’t made for a social situation and they should be left on the stage.

If you think you can’t look as cool as, or cooler than, that couple doing crazy stunts, you are so wrong. With Dance FX Studios’ New Student Offer for Beginner’s Dance Lessons,  we can show you tons of great looking moves in popular Latin, Swing and Country dances without having either of you lift anybody in the air. Join us in the fun!

Local Country Dancing AZ

Country Dancing in Arizona

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rsz_1rsz_1countryI don’t know about you but we are sick of regular old night clubs. Bumping and grinding gets old after a while, doesn’t it? Rather than finding a potential date at a traditional dance club, have you tried Country dancing, Salsa dancing or Swing dancing around Phoenix? There are tons of Country bars in particular that are a ton of fun! From Naders to San Tan Flat to Buffalo Chip, Phoenix offers Country dance bars/clubs everywhere.  What’s great for people who love to dance is that when you go Country dancing, you get to be around even more people who like to dance the way that you do! At our Mesa dance studio, we will even take you out Country dancing with us if you’re afraid to go alone, or want more company.

When you go to a regular night club, you will see a few people who are usually too drunk and definitely cannot dance. It tends to get annoying when intoxicated people are bumping in to you nonstop and spilling their drinks. Granted, this can happen at any establishment that serves alcohol, but we have seen it way less where there is more partner dancing. You could try to partner dance at your usual club, but most likely people who are partnered up aren’t dancing the type of dance that you would like. When you go to a Country dance club, most people have the same goal as you; to practice all the moves they know and to meet new people.  They most likely are dancing the same way you are which makes dancing a great way to connect with others.

It is more fun to be prepared before you head out Country dancing. The best way to get ready, of course, is with Country dance lessons. At our studio, you will learn only the most popular Country dances which include Country Swing, Country Two Step, Country Waltz and the Nite Club 2 Step. These four main dances will keep you on that dance floor all night long, having a blast!

Country dance lessons are an amazing investment in yourself too! From the health benefits that you will receive by burning up to 400 calories in an hour on the dance floor, to the stress relief that social dancing has to offer, you will get more for your money than you could ever imagine. And don’t forget the biggest reason to dance…confidence. When you are confident on the dance floor, it’s nearly impossible to not have that confidence transfer into other areas of your life. That will help you in the workplace(especially if you are in sales), to your home life, and with your friendships. Who couldn’t use a little more self-assurance in their everyday life?

It may seem like you would rather sit in the corner and just drink, but we will have you dancing before you know it. We can help you get over that fear of being embarrassed with our New Student Offer for Private Country Dance Lessons.  Then when you feel like you are ready to go out and you want to go somewhere that is a great partner dancing environment,  will will take you out with us, or send you to the right place. Who knows what doors will open once you know how to dance!

Local Country Dancing AZ

How Dancing Affects Your Health

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rsz_1photo_1Did you know that social ballroom dancing leads to an improved memory and other mental health benefits? Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona offers a wide range of options from Salsa to Swing to Country Two Step lessons, that can keep your brain in tip top shape. Now that’s a good thing!

Partner dancing on a regular basis can actually significantly decrease your chance of developing Dementia or Alzheimer’s because you need to constantly use your brain to think of each and every move you do! In fact, Social Ballroom Dance Lessons are said to improve your cognitive skills since it prepares the brain for prime learning and pumps blood to your noggin!

Science also shows that aerobic exercise (such as dancing!) can reverse volume loss in the hippocampus… that is the part of the brain that stores your memories! This way when you are 98 years old, you will still be able to remember all of the great dance moves you learned with us! It also improves the condition of your heart and lungs, which become extremely important as you get older.

Another great benefit to partner dancing is stress relief! Have you ever had days that just never went the way you wanted or planned? We suggest putting on some of your favorite tunes and getting down to the beat! At our studio, we strive to make a comfortable environment for you so that when you walk in the door, the stress can fall off your shoulders and your favorite hobby (dancing of course!) can be ten times more enjoyable!  You will always see beginners, just like you, learning how to make their way around a dance floor. Social Country, Salsa, or Swing Dance lessons can even help with depression, which also releases stress! It’s a win/win! Dancing can lift your spirits and increase your endorphin levels making you all around happier!

Weight management is one more great example of how dancing affects your health. Dancing is a great way for anyone of any age to stay fit and healthy! If you want to have fun at the same time as shedding pounds, then you’ve found your work out. We personally think having actual interaction with another human is more interesting than running on a treadmill at the gym. Our instructors can keep you motivated so that you will continue to dance and practice at home. You might even meet new people during a night out dancing who have some of the same dance goals as you. That just adds one more person that will help you stay in shape with dancing. How cool is that?

So grab a partner (or not), choose the best station on the radio and get down and funky. With our New Student Offer, you can become mentally and physically healthier in no time. Take that first step onto the dance floor with us. You won’t regret it!

 

 

Country Dancing AZ

Why You Can’t Learn How to Dance From Videos

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rsz_3photoI’m sure you’re wondering why you need to take lessons at all to learn how to dance. In today’s day and age technology is literally right at your fingertips. Virtually anything you could do without a phone ten years ago, you can do with one now. So why don’t we teach through YouTube or through a live feed? Good question.

Dancing is all about connection. Without an instructor being able to physically make you feel what they are talking about you will have a hard time grasping the concept of connection and won’t be able to dance with every person in the room! Sure, we could have you memorize some moves and you can try to use them when you go out, but chances are you won’t be as successful as someone who comes in to take a Private Dance Lesson with us. Connection is such an important thing to know and we focus a lot of our lessons around this subject because all successful things start with a great foundation. Our foundation being connecting with your partner!

If we just created videos and tried to have our students learn from them they would never be able to ask questions! This a great benefit to taking private Country, Swing, or Salsa dance lessons. You can experience the connection we talked about earlier and when you have a very specific question your instructor will definitely be more qualified than google or YouTube to answer it for you. Different instructors can answer in a way that will click for you. Someone in a video doesn’t know how to give an answer that is custom to YOU! (They can’t even hear your question in the first place)

As we teach our lessons here at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona we can walk around and spot any mistakes that you are making and help you realize what feels wrong and how you can fix it. Since an instructor in a video cannot see you, it is impossible for them to correct you. So when you are confused and trying to figure out the first move they taught you, they are already on to the third one and it becomes overwhelming.

The lady in this partner dancing situation does not want to have to memorize footsteps (this coming from a lady herself) trust us! Women love to be twirled around and, though they may be the leader off the dance floor, as soon as their feet hit the floor they want to be led! So lead your lady over to us and try out our New Student Offer and turn off the computer. You won’t need videos when you have us!

Local Country Dancing AZ

The Perfect Father Daughter Dance

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rsz_1rsz_img_2593Your wedding is supposed to be everything you have ever dreamed about! Some want to feel like a princess with a ball gown and maybe even a tiara. Others like more of the traditional feel, like in a church with a minister and their mother’s old wedding dress. No matter what theme you want for your wedding day, there is one thing that truly makes it special… your first dance with your dad.

Say you’re not as fortunate as others and you have a father who has two left feet. You love him with all your heart, but you also don’t want either of you to be embarrassed at your wedding. Maybe you try to look up some videos of easy father/daughter dances and teach them to him, but it isn’t working. No worries, leave that up to the professionals at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona. We believe that anyone and everyone has rhythm and can dance to a beat…all it takes is just a little bit of training.

With a Wedding Dance Consultation, you and your dad, or your spouse, can sample a few dances and explain to us what you’re looking for in a routine. We then create that dream dance you have always wanted to have since you were little. Even if you think you can’t dance, or your dad is clumsy, we can create simple, yet touching routine that will give your reception a lasting impression for all of your guests.  You will have everyone in the room saying “awhhh…”.

If you want something different that your guests will not be expecting, you can check out our Rock Your Reception Wedding Dance Routines. Usually we have you start out with a really sweet, slow dance (everyone kind of yawns, and maybe even Great Aunt Sally starts to snore a bit) then the music changes and you both look around at your guests, confused, making them feel like someone messed up your entire dance. Plot twist, you and your dad start getting down to the music that was supposedly a mistake and the audience goes wild! It will sure be a wedding reception they will never forget. Great Aunt Sally definitely won’t be snoring by the end of this one!

Let us choreograph a perfect routine for your Father Daughter dance! This is, after all, a moment that you want to remember for the rest of your life, and we can definitely make that happen. With something sweet and simple, or a routine that will make your guests jump out of their chairs, Dance FX Studios can make your visions come to life before your eyes. That way your wedding day can be as magical as ever!

Country Dancing AZ

Why Dancing Can be Intimidating

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rsz_1rsz_dsc05806Starting something new and unfamiliar can always be a challenging feat. At Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona we love to challenge our students! Just remember, some things that seem scary at first usually end up being not so bad or even enjoyable after that first try.

Imagine being ten years old again and your family decides to take a day trip to the local swimming pool. The first thing you notice is that high dive and as you watch other kiddos your age jump off you ask yourself… “How in the world can they do that?” All day you sit and watch everyone else have fun and once you finally get the nerve to climb up those stairs you kind of want to back out at the last second. It’s too late though because someone is behind you waiting for their turn to jump. So you do it! Then you realize hey… that wasn’t so bad after all.  You spend the rest of your time jumping off the high dive you swore you would never jump off of. Any type of social dancing, whether it’s Country Two Step or Salsa dancing, is exactly like this…

A lot of times when you go to a bar (a Country one especially) you see tons of couples who look like they know what they are doing because they dip, flip, and twirl with ease. In all reality though, that couple probably only knows what they have memorized and can’t dance with other partners who do not know the same routine they memorized. You really shouldn’t be intimidated or scared to get on the dance floor, because after a few Country Dance Lessons with us you will be looking better than them in no time. Our studio teaches a lead and follow technique which can help you be successful when it comes to dancing with anyone you want, not just the partner you showed up with.

Another factor of dancing that can feel uncomfortable is asking a stranger to dance with you. You don’t know this person and that person doesn’t know you! What if he/she doesn’t like the way you dance? It can all become a big ball of fear and anxiety in the pit of your stomach. If we are being honest, the worst thing that could happen is someone saying no to you, but the odds are in your favor! Just because one person who doesn’t want to dance (maybe they are scared!) doesn’t mean that the 20 other potential dance partners in the room will say no as well! Eventually one of them will say yes and then
you can show the last guy/lady what they are missing out on. 😉

Come and see what we’re talking about. Dance FX Studios can show you that there really is no need to feel scared or intimidated by dancing. With our New Student Offer you can come experience a comfortable learning environment and instructors who can make you feel better about getting up and dancing on the dance floor!

 

 

 

Dance Lessons AZ

Making Your First Wedding Dance Memorable!

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rsz_1rsz_dsc05662Today I come to you from within Barnes and Noble’s café to talk weddings.  I’m nowhere near getting married soon, but I’ve thought about little special details I’d like to see.  I’m very unconventional, and I have always imagined my day being extremely personal down to the last detail.  I had two friends get married recently.  Their first wedding dance was to an N’sync song, performed acoustically, by a very close friend from college.  When the song began, I stopped in shock… then I cried.  It was beautiful, unique, and absolutely perfect because it was totally them.  That’s how weddings should be.  I feel like when someone looks back on the day they shouldn’t be able to forget whose wedding they attended because every bit of it reflected you and your partner.

I think the same personal touch should be evident in the wedding dances too.  What I mean are the key traditional dances— the First Dance, Daddy/Daughter Dance, and the Mother/Son Dance.  The moments are special and cherished for many years to come.  Just as you spent careful time picking a song to represent the moment, you should also spend time making the dance itself memorable.  The music isn’t the whole moment; it is the dance too.

So I guess my next question is, do you know how to dance on time to the songs you have chosen?  If not, you should consider learning.  All eyes are on you, and I highly doubt you feel adequately represented by slow sways.  When it’s your day, you want a dance that reflects not only your musical selection, but also your personality.  What are your key words for the day?  Simple first dance? Elegant?  Playful? Glamorous?  Earthy?  Cheerful?  Traditional?  Think about those key words for your day, and now think about how you want your dance to look.  Have a picture in your mind?  Good.  Let us help make that vision a reality.

Dance FX Studios in Mesa, AZ works with hundreds of couples every year to make their wedding dance dreams come true.  Whether your wedding is inside or outside on a beach, a field, a park, or deep within a forest, we can help create something you and your partner will love and cherish for many years to come.  We will teach you how to connect with your partner on the dance floor using a frame, as well as; teach you all the necessary steps and moves for a dance developed to perfectly express your vision.

We can help you and your soon to be spouse achieve all of the above with a Wedding Dance Consultation. The great benefit of learning your first dance here at Dance FX Studios is you also learn a new skill—a skill that never leaves you.  You can develop it further, use it for date nights, or even dancing in the kitchen!  The benefits are endless.  It’s a wonderful investment in you and your partner not just for your wedding day, but also for your future as a couple.