Sweep Her Off Of Her Feet With A Broom!

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Have you ever found yourself without a dance partner and desperately wanting to practice your playful Country Two Step or sexy Argentine Tango dance moves? Have no fear!!! There is always room for you as a student to come and practice your dance steps at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona! We welcome our students on the floor and encourage them to use the studio space to get some extra dance time in daily. If you are unable to make it out to see us on a particular day, however, you actually do have the perfect dance partner waiting for you at home! What do we mean by this? You have an ‘everyday item’ that is actually wonderful to dance with… your BROOM!!! Yes, I said your broom….Specifically the handle.

You may be scoffing, but read on a there are many reasons why a broom can be an excellent dance partner. First, it won’t talk back! 🙂 True, you won’t receive feedback (which is why it is important to make sure you also take private dance lessons to receive more information), but if you step on or drop it on accident, it won’t protest and, it will allow you to focus on something very important, your dance frame. As a dancer, it is imperative that you maintain a good frame. Why? Your frame is the point of contact that you have with your partner, which is what we call your lines of communication. Think about it, what do you expect when you pick up the phone and get frustrated with if it is faulty…the clarity of the line. If the sound goes from loud to soft, you tell the other person. If it begins breaking up on you, you move to another place or hang up and try again. In partner dancing, from Salsa dancing to Swing dancing, the communication is a little easier to control, because both parties are in the same place, and you can communicate verbally if needed. However, you don’t necessarily have the time to think about what is happening and get your point across, this is why we use non-verbal communication through the frame. At Dance FX Studios we teach different types of dance frames and connections between partners that are used for each dance so be sure to come in and learn about all of this before beginning your at-home dance journey.

Here is where the real reason for using the broom comes out…. It helps you to understand how to better maintain a frame that is communicative to your partner. Since the handle of a broom is stiff, it can better show you the flaws in your frame and it makes you work to maintain a connection. The best way to practice with the broom stick is to place it evenly in the crook of your elbows. I know you may want to hold it tightly so that you can “sweep it off of it’s feet” :), but this placement actually helps to bring your elbows in front of your body and create a movement that is easier for another person to follow.

Whether you have a partner or not, come learn how to be a confident social dancer here at Dance FX Studios. Come take advantage of our $25 New Student Offer and learn to Country dance, Swing dance, Latin dance, and even dance the Argentine Tango. In an hour-long private dance lesson, you’ll begin to get healthy dance habits from us right from the start!

You can even put on a fun tune that will enhance your experience of dancing with your new-found buddy: Billy Idol’s Dancing With Myself. His lyrics say everything: “Dancing with myself, well there’s nothing to lose and there’s nothing to prove; I’ll be dancing with myself.” So grab that broom next time you get the urge to bust a move and create a fun way to practice, improve yourself as a dancer, and pave the way for a great experience in dance!

Fun video of someone dancing with a broom: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEoaN9qIxFs

Tango dancing in AZ

What Are Your Dancing Goals???

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Tango dancing in ArizonaAnother day here in John’s Little Corner at Dance FX Studios and normally it is a beautiful day but today, despite life’s beauty, there is a dark cloud growing over head and its called frustration! I met with a couple the other day for an Introductory dance lesson that went great, but they shared some information with me that really grinds my ochos!!! It’s not the first time I have heard of this type of thing happening, but my couple was so specific as to what they were wanting, it blows my mind that it took them several tries with different Arizona dance studios for them to finally find us to help them to accomplish their dancing goals. My frustration is with other studio’s agendas taking precedence over their student’s goals. As a student it is primary that you learn something that you will use, that is why you become students! But not everyone learns the same way. Some people are visual learners, and some are more hands on, and some people need a good balance of both to fully understand what it is they are studying. As adults, we kind of have a pretty good idea on how our brains process and absorb information. So here is my frustration…

The gentleman and his wife, my new students, have been to four or more different ballroom dance studios in Phoenix wanting to share time together and learn how to dance. They were shown a number of dances at each studio, from the Salsa to Swing dancing, which is typical because… how do you know what you will like until you try a few different dance styles, right? Plus…it is good to know a few different styles because, unless you control the music wherever you go, you have to be prepared for whatever comes on at weddings, in the Country bars, at Latin dance clubs, etc… Here’s the thing though, if you have been shown a number of different dances and know what you like and what you want to learn, is there any reason to keep pushing other dances onto you? NO! Yet even worse is the fact that this gentleman knows that he can only learn one thing at a time and did his best to try and learn a couple dances at the same time, but with no success, only further frustration. They were even told that they would only do one style but ultimately they were lied to. WHY???????? What is the purpose of this at dance studios? To keep students confused and keep them longer making them invest more and more money into nothing but frustration and confusion? I don’t understand. Really I do, but it saddens me to know that something as joyous and healthy as dancing is is being exploited into something dark and irritating because of greed. Dancing is a beautiful thing that deserves to be shared by everyone! Yes, to stay in business you have to take care of business, but do you do that at the expense of your students piece of mind? No. I tell you, NO!
We ballroom dance instructors need to make the dance lesson customized to our students needs. Listen to their goals, pay attention to how they learn, and adapt. Just because you are the instructor, doesn’t mean you don’t learn from your students. As a student you have the right to direct how your lessons will go, within reason. You can not just change everything how you see fit because then you would no longer be the student. Believe me, us good instructors of dance do have a method to their madness, but some apparently are just full-on mad… so be cautious in your choice of instructor and studio, and make sure your dance lessons fit your needs and styles of learning. And, beginner dancers, please communicate your ways of learning to your instructor before enrolling into their dance program because the last thing you want to have happen is that you make a bad investment.
Now I could continue on about this but I am going to move past it. I could go on and on how we here at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona listen to your needs, customize your lessons around your learning style, help you reach your goals, help keep frustration from being an issue in learning, and most importantly help you enjoy the beauty in dance! But I don’t really need to if all these other studios continue on in their ways of doing things. So remember newbies, learning to Latin, Swing and Country dance is a thrilling journey, and an investment well worth your time and effort, but make sure it’s your own unique journey and not one from someone else’s manufactured journey-making machine!

Until next time, this is John in his Little Corner at Dance FX Studios saying, I hope “Dance FX You” in the way it should so you can gain a hobby and skill that will bring you joy for years to come!

Arizona social dancing

Broaden Your Horizons and Dance!

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Arizona social dancingI’m sitting at an empty table outside of Jamba Juice and Starbucks. It’s blazing hot out here in Mesa, Arizona, and I’m second-guessing my choice of location to write. I just finished talking with two guys inside Jamba. I commented on the band playing over the stereo system. Neither one was familiar with the band I’ve mentioned. However, being the music junkie I am, I had to convince these random strangers they were missing out on something magical. I’m fairly confident my mission failed, but it got me thinking… It’s really difficult to engage with people these days! Meeting people who capture your attention is hardly a common occurrence. As a single, some days you wonder to yourself, where am I ever going to meet someone? It seems like there are few good outlets for singles to meet. It becomes discouraging at times. Then I got to thinking, one of the best ways I have gotten to meet new people is through social dancing.

Country dancing is where my social dancing experience all started. I remember going out to a bar shortly after arriving home from a trip to Nashville, Tennessee. I walked up to the dance floor, and stared in amazement at the people spinning round and round each other. It was that awkward prom scene. You know, that one where all the dorky girls stand around begging the heavens that someone would ask them to dance. Only I was standing around mentally laughing at the thought of myself dancing with another human being. The irony is the heavens must have been listening, because literally as the thought crossed my mind, a man asked me to dance. Nervous as could be, I accepted the offer, but politely warned the gentlemen I had no idea what I was doing. Thankfully he accepted the challenge, and I had a great time. He was an incredible teacher and leader, and I made a new friend too.

When I continue down this thought process of why all singles should social dance, a couple things come to mind. The first is taking chances— risks. They cause us to grow. They sometimes make us uncomfortable too, but in the end it’s all for the greater good. You go new places, try new steps and combinations with people you’ve never met before, and you become better! It takes practice and work to reach any goal. You build up your confidence doing this too. With every night out you become more comfortable in your own dancing shoes. You stand a little taller because you now have skills! Skills that few people have, but so many want and desire. Haven’t you ever wanted to learn to Country Two Step or Swing dance? It’s so cool when you actually get to hit the dance floor and kick up your heels! You end up making new friends with people who share a common interest with you. And who knows, maybe one of those friends will become something more one day? Since my first night out Country dancing, I have met so many cool people. They come from all different backgrounds and are a blast to be around.

Country dancing has opened a new door for me; one with so many benefits and perks. Social dancing in Arizona is not limited to Country dancing either. If Country isn’t your style, try Swing dancing or Salsa dancing! If you aren’t sure where to start, Dance FX Studios knows how to teach social dancing better than anyone in the Phoenix Valley. We love individuals with goals. We love having fun, and we also love developing confident dancers to go out and make their dreams a reality. Let us help! We have a steal of an Introductory Offer for beginners’ dance lessons. It’s just $25, and it will get you started down the road to becoming a confident social dancer before long.

Country dance lessons

What Are You Putting Off In Your Life?

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Country dance lessons for beginnersHow do you know when you’re ready to start something new? Maybe a new project, job, or a hobby. Well, the answer is generally pretty simple. You really don’t know when you’re ready to start. You may think you need to complete a list of to-dos, you need more training, qualification, or a mentor, or perhaps you just want everything in your life to be aligning perfectly. But if think about it, when are you TRULY ready to begin something new? If you are questioning whether or not to start something, GO for it! Otherwise, before you know it, another week, month, and year has passed and you are still stuck in the same routine. What are YOU putting off because you think you’re not ready? What are the absolute essentials you need to get started now? These are the things that are at the very core of what you want to do. Now that you’re thinking about it, go do it! Honestly, you’ll find it to be less scary than you thought.

At Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona, where I teach social ballroom dance lessons (think Country Two Step, Salsa and Swing dancing), I hear this all of the time. My students often will say, “Man, I’ve been putting off learning to Country dance for 10+ years!” Or, “I’ve wanted to learn to Swing dance my whole life, and I don’t know why I haven’t done this sooner!”

You know that every time you start a new hobby, it requires hard work and dedication for you to see the results. Social dancing is no different. There is always a big learning curve at the beginning, but it is well worth it. There is quite a bit to partner dancing. You have to know the rhythm of the specific dance, from the Country Swing to Salsa dancing, learn foundation moves that are the base of bigger, more elaborate moves, discover how to lead/follow well, and then, on top of it all, find out the social norms surrounding the dances and the atmosphere, including how to pick what dance to do to what music, how to dance on time, and certain techniques that make your dancing more smooth and natural overall. Whew! This may seem to be overwhelming, but remember, you start at the beginning and, step, by step, all of the pieces come together. It’s like a puzzle, you begin with the outside pieces because they’re easy to pick out. You put them together to form the shape of the puzzle itself, and then you begin to work on the middle. Social dancing is similar. There is a foundation that is necessary. Each style has a variation on the foundation, but the premise of it stays the same. The nice thing about learning to dance, especially when it’s from people who have experience teaching and dancing, is that there is often a clearer path to the end result that you are looking for than when you are putting together a puzzle. 

At Dance FX Studios, we help to make this task less arduous with Country, Swing and Latin dance lessons for beginners. We have the clear path for you. We have designed a fun and easy system of social dance instruction that is customized for each of our students. We make sure that each student has the rhythm of the dance down and the foundation moves before we add in the more complicated aspects. In the long run, you become a GOOD dancer much more quickly than you would trying to piece everything together at once.

Come, begin your journey! We have a New Student Offer for beginner dancers that you should definitely check out! Let us help you achieve your goals by allowing you to work smart, not hard! Social ballroom dancing is a skill that you will use throughout your life, from weddings to reunions to holiday parties. Take your first step today towards becoming a confident social dancer. You won’t regret that you did!

Country Swing lessons AZ

Top Three Reasons Why Every Guy Should Take Country Dance Lessons

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Country Swing lessons in ArizonaHello gentlemen, this is a special blog just for you.  As you are aware, we are living in the Southwest, and in the Southwest Country music is a big deal.  It plays a major role in the culture here, as we host one of the largest country music festivals in the U.S. (Country Thunder) every year. Phoenix, Arizona is also the home of many amazing Country bars and hot spots.  As my little brother calls it, Country music is “American” music.  Seeing as this genre of music plays such a key role in our southwestern culture, I think it’s quite important that every man learn to Country 2-step and Country Swing dance, wouldn’t you agree?

 

Notice the next time you go out to a Country bar how many women are standing around the dance floor and how many men are doing the same.  Now note how many of those women are actually there to dance. I guarantee it is most of them.  It seems we, women, are all secretly fighting for the attention of the men in the room who can actually Country dance.  If there are men standing around the floor, they are there for one of two reasons; to watch jealously, or to attempt to take a sweet breath of air before the next sweetheart asks for his precious time.  Take note, gents.  Who is getting the attention of the ladies in the room?  It’s the guys who can dance.  Why?  Because women love to dance, and women are looking for a man to sweep them off their feet. (wink.wink.)

 

Now, I feel as if there is a stigma declaring dancing as a female hobby.  While I believe this couldn’t be further from the truth, I can’t ignore the number of couples I have coming into Dance FX Studios here in Mesa, Arizona where I teach expressing the need for the gentlemen in the pair to learn how to dance.  The woman, more times than not, has some kind of dance background, and is at the studio with her partner seeking our help to get him ready go out.  Again, women love to dance, and we are looking for a partner to sweep us off our feet!  However, what I don’t think men always realize is, partner dancing requires two equal roles.  In this partnership there is a very strong need for a leader.  The leader is you.  You run the show, men.  I know many of you enjoy taking charge of situations, and this is the perfect opportunity for you to do so.  As the leader it is your duty to determine how the dance looks.  You choose when and where the moves occur.  Your lady is along for the ride.  Hopefully, if you are a good, strong lead (which we can help you develop with Private Country Dance Lessons), you will provide her with a comfortable, fun time, and she’ll want to continue dancing with you.

 

It’s important to know the music you’re dancing to.  To be able to hear how fast or slow a song is.  You don’t want to be doing a bunch of fast moves to a slow song.  It looks awkward.  You should be able to feel the beat and act accordingly.  If Sam Hunt’s “House Party” comes on the sound system, how do you want to look?  What moves should you do?  It’s so important to feel the ebb and flow of a song, the high points—the low points.  This makes a dancer look that much better on the floor.  Every person at Dance FX Studios is taught how to dance on time with the music when they enter their General Studies Program.  We want you to look that good.  We want you to not only get the girl, but treat her right on the dance floor, and look amazing doing it.

It’s incredibly easy to get started with Country Dance Lessons at Dance FX Studios as we specialize in social Country dancing. We have offered Country Two Step and Swing dance lessons for almost 15 years! We have an awesome $25 New Student Introductory Offer for beginner Country dancers.  It’s the perfect opportunity to get you started on the road to reaching your Country dancing goals.

Ballroom dancing AZ

Treat her like a lady: Three Types of Leaders on the Dance Floor

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Ballroom dancing ArizonaDo you love to go out social dancing at your favorite Country bar or Latin dance club here in Phoenix? So do I! What makes dancing that much more exciting is finding a leader that makes us feel beautiful, elegant and sexy, right girls?? It’s so true! Alright guys, it’s time to have a serious chat about how you are treating your lady on the dance floor.  Without fail, I deal with one of these three types of leaders, and I can speak for every woman when I say, we only want to experience one.  It’s really disheartening when a woman goes out to have a fun night out Country, Swing or Latin dancing and gets hit with one of these leaders instead.  It ruins our excitement and makes dancing not only uncomfortable, but sometimes even painful.  Let me explain further…

 

The Unaware Leader: The first type of leader is unaware of their partner.  What do I mean by this?  I mean this leader knows their steps but is absolutely clueless to the woman in their grasp.  I want to applaud this leader, for know his steps!  However, I want to scold him for not being more aware of how is actions are affecting his partner.  It is his job to make the dance smooth and keep his partner safe. What happens when a leader is unaware?  Let me tell you from personal experience what has happened, and I’ll warn you it is not pretty.  I have been dipped by an unaware leader, and as a result was kicked with a boot (in my jaw might I add) by the couple next me.  I have also been dropped by a leader, and then hit my head on a railing on the way down.  Both were extremely painful experiences, and made me very skeptical about going out dancing again.  It made me a nervous follower, unsure of my ability to trust the people who asked me to dance.  No leader should cause this to happen to a follower, so I beg all leaders out there, please be aware of your partner and know how your actions affect her.  Don’t be the one to blame for injures caused while a woman is under your care.

 

The Assertive Leader: The second type of leader is the assertive leader.  This person is often too focused on showing off his moves that he becomes forceful. You can often find this type of guy out Country dancing here in AZ. What starts off as a fun ride quickly begins to make the follower feel like a ragdoll being tossed about.  This also results in your follower tensing up and resisting your lead because you scare them!  They have zero control and can’t get their bearings long enough to prep for the next move, as they are being whipped about so fast.  This is terrifying, and again has the ability to lead to disaster.  You are leading a follower, but she is volunteering that access to you.  Be gentle and respectful with it, or you won’t get the luxury again.

 

The Graceful Leader: Ah, the third type.  He is the graceful leader.  He takes care of his partner and leads her with finesse.  He has style and confidence, and he leads his follower around the floor protecting her from harm.  Realizing she is being vulnerable by accepting his lead, and being mindful about how his movements affect her.  This type of lead is not weak.  He is strong and steady, and this type of lead is the lead every follower longs for.

Gentlemen, treat her like a lady, and if you don’t know how, let us teach you. At Dance FX Studios in the Phoenix East Valley, we are here six days out of the week; willing and ready to show you how to sweep her off her feet and keep her out of harm’s way.

Whether you are with a partner or not, begin with Dance FX Studios’ New Student Offer, one hour-long private dance lesson, to get healthy habits from us right from the start. With private dance lessons for beginners, you will learn to be that graceful leader that every woman adores.

AZ Swing dancing lessons

Popular Swing Dance Styles

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AZ Swing dancing lessonsHave you always wanted to learn to Swing dance? Why not!? It’s exciting, versatile and so much fun! Did you know that there are formally 24 Swing dance styles? And that doesn’t even include the most popular of them all… Country Swing dancing! Here at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona, we teach Jitterbug Swing, Country Swing, and West Coast Swing, as these are the most useful for social dance situations, from weddings to nights around town here in Phoenix. Crazy enough, each Swing dance style has its own characteristics and history, but they all come from the same root dance, the Lindy Hop. Swing dancing originated almost a century ago in the 1920’s. Here’s a bit more information on the three Swing dance styles that we can offer you:

Jitterbug Swing: Jitterbug is a dance that moves in a circular fashion, which makes it a “spot” (non-traveling) dance. You can dance the Jitterbug Swing to all of your favorite oldies, including Rock and Roll, and Big Band music. It is a modified version of East Coast Swing (or Triple Swing) that evolved from Lindy Hop in the 1940s. Jitterbug is the single-rhythm version of East Coast Swing. It uses mostly six count patterns, although there are some variations that use eight counts. The most important piece, and the constant piece, in this dance is the rock step, which is what creates momentum!

Country Swing: Country Swing is avery trendy dance in Arizona today. It is fast-paced and furious, not to mention lots of FUN! Country Swing dancing is very similar to Jitterbug Swing in terms of the moves you can dance, but the styling of the Country Swing is what sets it apart from other Swing dance variations. Put a little Cowboy or Cowgirl twist on your Jitterbug dance steps and you’re on your way to becoming a great Country Swing dancer. This is a must-have dance if you live with us in Arizona, so get started on your Country Swing dance lessons today!

West Coast Swing: The West Coast Swing is a smooth style of Swing dancing that started in California in the 1950’s. It is also known as the Hollywood Swing. This style is danced in a slot style – the follower has one track that is used to go back and forth on, like a balance beam. There are quite a few speculated ideas as to where and why this style originated, but it is not pinpointed to one time or place. West Coast Swing dancing is very flirty and can even be considered sensual, so when you learn this medium-tempo dance, get ready for a really cool experience.

Besides the shape of the dance-circular, a slot dance, etc…music is a big definer that determines which  Swing style to dance. The nice thing about Swing dancing overall is that there are many different genres of music that you can dance to. The most common Jitterbug music includes early swing era jazz tunes, 40’s music, Doo Wop 50’s, 60’s Surf & Beach songs, Rockabilly, R&B, Blues, Motown music, Disco and Neo-swing 90’s and 2000’s music. Country Swing is preferably danced to Country music. It also mixes nicely with the Country 2-Step. Country Swing can be used to to some of the styles of music mentioned in Jitterbug as well. West Coast Swing can also be danced to a wide variety of music styles (R&B, blues, soul, rock, pop, ballads, C&W, and other contemporary music), but it is generally a little slower than typical Swing music.

All three are extremely fun, versatile dances! Come learn how to get down with beginners Swing dance lessons at Dance FX Studios today!

Couples Country dance lessons AZ

Tips for A Successful Night of Social Dancing

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Couples Country dance lessons ArizonaIn social dancing, the BIGGEST secret to success is to make your partner(s) happy. Dancing is an exciting and special relationship between you, your partner and the music. But there are other factors involved, especially in social dancing, like being mindful of the other dancers around you.  Once you are able to successfully navigate the dance floor, your popularity as an awesome social dancer will greatly increase! Here are a few, VERY important tips to remember when leading your lovely lady out on a social dance floor:

1. Create a comfortable lead: A follower doesn’t appreciate having her arm cranked or jolted out of her socket in order to make her turns. Pushing and pulling to bring her where you want (as well as other forceful leads) are not appreciated. Here at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona we teach how to create an inviting space for the follower that is both comfortable and communicative. We teach you how to execute moves well on the dance floor and help you to become confident so, when you go dancing, you will be able to WOW your partner.

Ladies, when you ask or accept to follow someone in a dance, you are agreeing to let THEM lead. This doesn’t mean that you have to do everything perfectly. Sometimes you don’t understand how the move is being led, but a good leader can turn any misunderstandings into a new move. Don’t worry about being perfect, as long as you do what your partner is asking, you will both have a good time. Back-leading can be disrespectful and is very disturbing to your partner because you are rejecting their contribution to the partnership. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t embellish a move or add your personality into the dance. The instructors at Dance FX Studios help both parties understand what it means to lead and follow. We give constructive feedback and tips that make following (and leading) easier.

2 .Protect your partner: This goes for BOTH leader and follower, however, it is more important from the leader’s perspective. There are two important aspects: anticipation and observation. By anticipating movement of other dancers (and onlookers), you are able to match your movements to the space that is on the floor (and can even create some extra space). The most important piece is not to run your partner into other couples. Not only is this jarring for you and your partner, but also for the other couple. Observation allows you to know where other couples are and, if another couple executes a move that puts your partner into danger of collision, think quickly to either absorb the blow in a spot that doesn’t create a large injury or keeps your partner safe. In the partnership, each person is the eyes in the back of their partner’s head – you keep an eye out and if someone is approaching the blind spot of your partner, keep them safe! As a follower, a small pressure on the leader’s shoulder or hand can warn them of a possible collision and give them a heads up.

3. Entertain your partner: Both of you are out to have a good time, MAKE it one! From Salsa dancing here in Phoenix to hitting the Country bars, dancing is a great way to shake off your week, get some great exercise and let loose. Dance at an appropriate level that makes it enjoyable for both parties. Evaluate your partner’s capabilities and make sure to keep the dancing comfortable while adding in some fun moves as well.  At Dance FX Studios, we teach you how to make cool combinations of moves, blend movements together to make the dance smooth, and how to keep time with music, which is also a big part of keeping the dance fun! It is also important to maintain a good sense of humor if something goes wrong – NOBODY is perfect! 🙂 Own up to mistakes if necessary, but don’t dwell on it. Lightheartedness and playfulness goes a long way. Make sure to SMILE at your partner and focus on what makes them comfortable and happy.

4. Appreciate your partner: By combining all of the above, your partner should feel like you are there to dance with THEM (even if it is only for one or two songs). The most popular dancers are those who make it clear to their partner that their company is appreciated and enjoyed! Most people would rather not dance with someone who acts disinterested or bored, no matter how amazing their dancing is.

Overall, the most important take-away is: dancing is a partnership – you are happiest when your partner is also happy. Come learn how to become confident in your dancing skills at Dance FX Studios. Our New Student Offer for beginner dancers is a great place to start your journey as a dancer!

Phoenix ballroom dance

Do You Know Taylor?

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Phoenix ballroom dance instructorsHi there! My names is Taylor and I am one of the instructors here at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona. I absolutely LOVE what I do and just wanted to share a little bit about myself, so below I’ve attached a small questionnaire…
Q: What is your background in dance?

A:I have been dancing since my feet could carry me across the floor. Starting at the young age of four, my mom enrolled me in our family friends’ dance studio and thus began my addiction to rhythm. Whether it be cooking my breakfast in the morning or taking notes in school, I have never possesed the ability to keep my feet still! Along with dance, I delved into cheerleading and gymnastics as well. I love the feeling of being able to send my body through the air and stick the landing to an intricate flip combo.

After spending many years of taking both gymnastics and dance separately, I grew curious as to if I could combine the aspects of each sport that I loved into one hobby and I eventually found that with hip hop/break dancing. Through my new found love, I was presented with incredible opportunities at a very young age such as being able to work with Tabitha and Napoleon Du’mo (two Emmy Award winning choreographers on So You Think You Can Dance).

Q: Why Dance FX Studios?

A: I coached competitive cheerleading and gymnastics for years – which, don’t get me wrong, I loved- but it was a very high pressure industry. I love being able to teach a skill so close to my heart in a way that is fun and usable in the real world. Here, I teach not just a foot pattern that leaves you after a handful of months, but rather an education in dance that holds its value for a life time. It doesn’t ever leave you or spoil. The uplifting environment and homey atmosphere was something that attracted me to the studio from the beginning.

Q: What is your favorite thing about working at Dance FX Studios?

A: I am a self proclaimed hippie. I love change in environment and am easily bored by routine. Being a social dance instructor, I encounter every type of person there is. I continuously find myself learning from my students. I love getting to know people and finding out their stories as to why they’ve chosen to come to me for this skill at this point in their life. Other people I encounter in life inspire me and here at Dance FX Studios’, my students provide that inspiration. And hopefully they leave me changed for the better as well.

Q: What is your favorite dance to teach and why?

A: That would definitely have to be the Country two step. This dance holds a special place in my heart because most of my family is made up of ranchers. No matter the family event, whether it be a wedding, reunion, etc., the night usually ends with all of us two step dancing. The tapping of me feet brings me acute nostalgia for my days spent on my cousin’s ranches and it is my goal whenever teaching it to create the same endearment towards the dance that I have. Country Two Step is nothing short of a blast once you hit the dance floor with its upbeat and high energy feel.

Name three words that best describe you.

A:That’s s tough one! I’ll go with interested, artsy, and passionate. Interested, because I crave knowledge and insight into all that surrounds me. The universe is a vast, intriguing place that we know so little about! Who wouldn’t want to know more about their home? I try to be a sponge and just absorb as much information that anyone or anything is willing to offer me. Artsy, because I have a firm belief that self-expression is the foundation to a healthy lifestyle. Honestly, could you imagine how boring life would be without art? I like to find the beauty in everyday boring little things like the cracks in the walls, so therefore everything has the potential to be art in my opinion. Passionate, because I commit myself fully to anything I take an interest in. If something is fascinating enough to grab and maintain my attention I want to give it my all, whether it be a person, cause, or art. I’m a dedicated person, so I refuse to ever do anything at half effort.

Q: Fun Facts?

A: I am half Cherokee Native American and can write in my native language, however I am still working on pronunciation. Let me see, I’ve owned various unique pets in my lifetime, including a hummingbird and dingo that we rescued (perhaps that is my native american half kicking in). I am relatively eccentric, if I could I would live in a forest with flowers in my hair and barefoot (I strongly dislike the sensation of shoes. They make me feel disconnected from the earth), I would.

Well there you have it! I hope you enjoyed taking a look into who I am as a person and I hope to see you here in our Studio for a face-to-face introduction soon!

P.S. I love working with beginner dancers, so please come take advantage of our New Student Offer so that I get a chance to meet you!

Arizona ballroom dance

Get Down With Kelsey At Dance FX Studios!

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Arizona ballroom dance instructorsHello! My name is Kelsey. My love for dance has brought me right here to Dance FX Studios as a dance instructor. I could say that dance is my life, which is mostly true, but there are other things I enjoy doing outside of the studio as well. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, especially if it is outdoors. I love to do arts and crafts and I like to be as active as possible – bike riding, hiking, running, and also gardening. I also love to read in my down time, my all-time favorite book series is Harry Potter!

I have danced off and on throughout my life. I started off young in ballet, moved on to other sports and then picked a version of dance back up in middle school where I was a part of the Spiritline team (a mix between pom and cheer). I was immediately hooked and began taking other dance classes to supplement what I was learning at that time. My introduction to social partner dancing was brief in middle school. I learned the very basic components of Foxtrot, Waltz, and a couple of other Ballroom dances. None of them really stuck with me, except for the box step.

In High School I learned how to East Coast Swing dance with some good friends of mine and we went Swing dancing consistently for about a year. Then in college, I took a Latin, Swing, and Ballroom dance class and was INSTANTLY hooked. I ended up competing a couple of times and really learned a ton. I kept trying to broaden my dancing horizon and found an Argentine Tango class. This threw me for a loop because Tango is a unique dance that requires a lot of technique and knowledge of how to follow and lead correctly. I loved the class and it sparked my interest in teaching dance. I do a bunch of other social dances which include Country 2-Step dancing, Zouk, and other Latin dances. I love being able to move with and interpret the music.

Before coming to Dance FX Studios, I worked a couple of other office jobs and was finding that I was becoming increasingly less content. I am a very active person and knew that I wanted to have the ability to be outside or moving consistently. I also wanted to do something that required more of my artistic side, so when I came across the job, I immediately applied! I am excited to be sharing a passion of mine, seeing other people grow and become more comfortable with themselves as well as others, and teach people a skill that they will be able to use for the rest of their lives!

My favorite thing about working at Dance FX Studios has to be the feeling that we are a family here. Not only is the staff warm and welcoming, but all the students are as well! Everyone WANTS to be here. It is definitely a great place to work, especially since everyone is so positive, encouraging, and amicable.

In terms of my favorite dance, I have such a wide range of likes in music and style of dancing that I don’t think I have ONE favorite style to teach. I like the dances that are not genre specific, like  Nite Club 2 Step and Swing. Sure, you can choose to do the other dances to different music, but it just doesn’t necessarily feel right. I like Nite Club 2 Step because it can be molded to have different looks, can be fast or very slow, and has the potential to be a very romantic dance- What girl doesn’t like being swept off her feet?! I like Swing dancing because it is very versatile. It is also a very upbeat dance with lots of character! The dance itself also has a unique connection piece which affords for a lot of different movements.

Three words I would use to describe myself would be optimistic, creative, and listener.

A fun fact about myself is that I enjoy archery and have a recurve bow!