Dance Lessons Mesa AZ Archives - Page 30 of 43 - Dance Lessons in Mesa Arizona

In social partner dancing, great posture is everything! Learn few ways that your perfect posture will aid you in becoming a confident social dancer.

Discover Country Dancing, Swing and Salsa in Arizona

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

The premiere of the season 20 of Dancing with the Stars came and went this past Monday. Did you watch it? If so, your eyes were glued to every new couple, right? You are a true Dancing with the Stars fan! Have you finally come to realize how much fun it would be to discover Ballroom dancing for yourself, or maybe for you and your spouse?

That fact is that watching Ballroom dancing like what we love on Dancing with the Stars is fun, but it is not the type of dancing that is practical in the real world. Big, sweeping, flashy moves and learning only one planned out routine is never going to work on a crowded dance floor at a local dance club. Moreover it’s boring to be a one-trick pony! You might get by with a memorized ballroom dance routine if you always dance with the same partner, however, again that is boring and repetitive. What happens when you find yourself wanting to dance with a new lady or new male partner? Or if the space you are dancing in is too small for that elaborate pre-planned dance routine?

Here at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona, we teach social ballroom dancing. In fact, we are the only adult dance school in the Phoenix Valley that gives you all the tools you need to not only be a true lead or follower, but we teach you how to dance with anyone, anywhere, anytime, on a variety of occasions, no matter how crowded the dance floor is! Doesn’t that sound like the kind of dancer you want to be?

If getting out on the Country dance floor is a priority, we will teach you how to Country Swing dance and Country Two Step with style. You will also want to know the Nite Club 2 Step, an intimate, slow dance that you can use to your favorite slow and romantic Country music. What’s great about the Nite Club 2 Step is that is can also be applied to many other styles of music like R & B, Oldies and more. Beyond the night clubs, the dance Nite Club Two-Step is useful for many occasions from weddings to high-school reunions and anniversary parties to holiday parties and company events.

Before you go out and spend money on dance shoes and fancy clothing, invest your money where it is most useful…on Private Dance Lessons for yourself! With Private Dance Lessons here at Dance FX Studios, you will soon discover many cool and popular dance moves, how to hold your dance partner properly and how to dance with style. Make an investment in yourself and see how great it is to know a skill such as social dancing that you can use time and again over your lifetime.

With our New Student Offer, you will begin your exciting journey into social ballroom dancing and become that confident dancer that anyone would want to dance with.

Are you ready for the social dancing fun to begin? Get started today by learning popular social dances like Country Two-Step, Salsa, Swing and Tango at Dance FX Studios. We are located in Mesa, just off the 101 highway for your convenience. Once you take your first step into the studio, we will put you on the fast track to becoming a great social dancer in no time!

Expand Your Horizons Through Social Ballroom Dancing

March 18, 2015/in Dance Lessons Mesa AZ /by Sierra

Hi! My name is Charlotte. I’m new here at Dance FX Studios and I have been writing the blogs for the last two weeks. I tell you this to eliminate any confusion over who the website blog information says is writing these posts because today’s entry is an interview with Nicole, the owner of Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona!

I cornered Nicole on the studio dance floor between two Wedding Dance Lessons, one of our specialties here at Dance FX Studios 🙂 . She and her husband Adam opened Dance FX Studios in July of 2001. If you have never met her, you are missing out. She is charming, intelligent and socially astute (additionally she is also beautiful).

Q: So why dancing? What brought you to open a dance studio here in the Phoenix East Valley?

Nicole: Dancing has always been a passion of mine and I wanted to be able to share it with others so they would receive the benefits that I have found through social ballroom dancing. I also wanted to make a living doing something that I love, rather than be stuck in an office behind a desk. Through becoming an instructor and teaching Latin, Country, Swing, Ballroom and Argentine Tango (my personal fave), and helping beginner dancers learn to dance, I could see how I was positively impacting people by increasing their confidence, widening their social circles, and helping to add romance to their lives. It was so rewarding that I decided I wanted to keep doing more and more!

Q: Tell me one thing, that by becoming a dance instructor, has changed about you?

Nicole: People would be surprised to learn how overwhelming shy I was. I actually do not enjoy performing in front of others. I love to Ballroom dance, but my former shyness still affects me when it comes to having an audience. I do not enjoy people watching me as much as one would think, being that this has been my profession for almost 20 years. But, by learning to Ballroom dance, I personally went from being very shy to very confident. After becoming an instructor, I learned how easy it was to make conversation with anyone. I also learned that people sometimes just need a little help to come out of their shell. I started to notice how by going out Salsa or Swing dancing myself, I could help others become confident too. Dancing also helped me with my self-expression. For example, being able to communicate what I was feeling to others with body language was a positive outlet, a release. It’s an important communication skill that I did not have before.

Q: What is your favorite dance to teach?

Nicole: The Country Two-Step is my favorite dance to teach because there are infinite variations that are all so fun to do! The other dances like Country Swing, Salsa and Jitterbug have lots of variations too, but this is the particular Country dance I am having the most fun with at this point in my dance career.

Q: What dance is your personal favorite? In other words if you were alone and could put on any song and just go for it, what social Ballroom dance would you dance to?

Nicole: My favorite dance is done with my husband: the Argentine Tango. However my personal favorite, especially if I am alone and releasing stress, is the Salsa. I love Salsa dancing in particular because it’s wild and freeing. Freedom of expression, letting go, that is what it is for me, a stress releaser. Lots of hips, it’s sexy. I am a Latin Dancer … I love Salsa, that is what I do!

Q: Please share a story with me about a past or current student who you noticed was the most impacted by private dance lessons with you.

Nicole: A lot of people come to mind. I am searching my memory for the most stand-out change by a student. I think it was probably Steve who was my student 18 years ago. He and his wife came to us for general Ballroom dance lessons and to do something fun together as a couple. He was very passive and she was very dominant. Within three years of lessons, he became a true leader and she became a true follower on the dance floor. Their roles were reversed though their desire to share dancing with each other. This consequently led to a happier more joy-filled marriage. After four years of their lessons together, Steve passed away during a vacation. I attended his funeral and was so touched when his wife shared with me that he was being buried in his dancing shoes. It still makes me cry when I think of it today. This is the joy I receive by sharing my passion for dance with others, when it impacts others’ lives in ways you simply cannot imagine.

Learning to dance helped Nicole grow as a person and as a surprise bonus she found her life partner through dancing. Choosing a dance career and becoming a dance instructor also lead her to a meaningful way to making living. Opening Dance FX Studios has been personally rewarding for Nicole and the joy it spreads to other comes back to her in numerous ways. Dancing is uplifting, it transforms lives and inspires others, which is what she seeks to share at Dance FX Studios.

Maybe you are seeing ways that learning to become a great social dancer may improve your life. Maybe taking private dance lessons as your hobby will lead to a better social life. Maybe learning a customized wedding dance will start your lives with an experience that will give you skills as a couple to use together for many future occasions. A decision to take up a new hobby, like social dancing, will bring new behaviors into your life that will have overlapping, even unexpected benefits which will transfer into many areas of your life just as it did for Nicole and Adam Dekavallas, owners of Dance FX Studios.

In five years come to the dance studio and ask me, Charlotte, how my life has changed because of dancing and hopefully I will have some entertaining and insightful stories to share just like Nicole. Why not give it a try yourself? Schedule a New Student Offer for a private dance lesson and discover Country dancing, Swing dancing and Latin dance styles that are popular and useful in any social dance situation. You too can start changing your life in exciting ways! We’d love to hear in a few months that you have a new boyfriend or girlfriend, or as one excited couple shared with us recently “people were videotaping us because they thought we were such great dancers!” Did you set a goal for the New Year to make some big changes in your life? If so, pick up the phone and book your introductory lesson today … 480/968-6177.

You can find Dance FX Studios on the Tempe/Mesa border, on the corner of Guadalupe Rd. and Dobson Rd. at 1859 West Guadalupe Road, Suite #105, Mesa, Arizona, 85202. Get started today learning Latin, Country or Social Ballroom styles or maybe Nicole’s favorite, the Argentine Tango. We hope to help you to become a confident social dancer!

Phoenix Male Dance Instructors Wanted

March 17, 2015/in Dance Lessons Mesa AZ /by Sierra

If you have been reading our past blogs or “liked” Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona on Facebook, you know we are looking for new instructors. Talented Dance Instructors, that is – the kind that smile all the time, are inspirational, confident and have a passion for sharing their joy of social ballroom dancing. No experience is needed, but if you dance Country, Latin, Swing or Argentine Tango here in Phoenix, Arizona, that is wonderful too! Not surprisingly, we have been interviewing a majority of female applicants. So today I am taking advantage of this blog to show the guys around town that cool men dance too!

Guys, you already know that a man that can dance is a hot commodity among us ladies. Now some of you are already leading us around the dance floor at the many Country bars and Latin clubs in the Phoenix metro area. Others of you are practicing your dance steps in front of the mirror at home, or even at work, when you think no one is watching. Just like the London man Sean, best known as the Ridiculed Dancing Man, we are waiting to discover you!

Did you know that the guy known as the Ridiculed Dancing Man was later was given a party with Pharrell Williams, Moby and 2,000 ladies? How’s that for cool!? Just think, knowing how to Country Two-Step or Swing dance can really pay off!

To get you guys motivated to take the first step to becoming a dance instructor with us at Dance FX Studios, or maybe just a great social dancer, here are some famous men that you may know, but had no idea they were also talented dancers…

Also known X-Men character Wolverine, sexy actor Hugh Jackman is also a singer and dancer who has performed in musicals, even winning a Tony Award for his role in The Boy from Oz. If you check the Dance FX Studios’ Facebook page, we have posted an amusing commercial which shows Mr. Jackman showing off his dancing skills.

Often playing an odd or strange person, he has appeared in over 100 film and television shows including The Deer Hunter, a personal favorite of mine, is Christopher Walken. If you are a fan of Saturday Night Live you may have seen him during the seven times he has guest hosted, however at least one of the times he broke into a dance routine on par with something you would view from Fred Astaire. This is because Walken enrolled in the Professional Children’s School in Manhattan at a very young age and trained extensively to become a dancer, learning tap, ballet and acrobatics. His early career was spent as a dancer in musicals, so in fact Christopher Walken is a trained dancer who fell into acting.

Christian Bale, maybe most well-known for the film American Psycho, grew up in a family of entertainers, training in more than one modality including performing as a clown, however his Mother was a dancer, Bale he began his dance training very early on when he was only a child.

Michael Fassbender, another X-Men, is a very good dancer, Patrick Wilson, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Chris Hemsworth, Jean Dujardin and Adrien Lester, are all dancers! Ewan McGregor, who started his career singing as we viewed in his performance with Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge is also a dancer! Brad Pitt’s journey to stardom began as a dancer of a more unconventional type.

Not to leave the girls totally out of this, Bridgette Bardot, Elizabeth Berkley, Catherine Zeta-Jones, J. Lo, Debi Mazar, Madonna, Penelope Cruz and Zoe Saldana all started out becoming dancers!

Back to the guys … we know you are out there! What great company you will keep by being a wonderful social dancer! Guess what else? You could be the person to teach a beginner their first dance lesson, and later find out they became famous!

Why not try a career teaching dance? We will train you! Maybe you find your tedious IT Tech job boring and the only fun you have in your day is tapping your toes to the music playing on Spotify or Pandora? Or maybe as soon as you leave your office cubicle on Friday’s you drive straight to Denim and Diamonds in Mesa, Moonshine’s in Tempe or Handlebar J’s in Scottsdale for some Country Two-Step and Swing dancing. Do you feel a career change is just what you need? Send a resume and current photo to [email protected] and change your life.

Now that you know lots of guys and famous people decided to Tango, Salsa, Foxtrot, County Swing or Ballroom Dance and are proud to show off their dance moves, come join in the fun! If you are a more of a dance lover or just want to jazz up your life, explore dance as a student by starting with our New Student Offer. No matter if your goal is being famous or having fun meeting new people, even starting a new career … we have a fun and exciting way to try different dancing styles out with an introductory dance lesson for beginners! Check us out online or drop by when you have a chance to begin your exciting journey into social ballroom dancing.

Swing Dance Your Way Into Summer

March 16, 2015/in Dance Lessons Mesa AZ /by Sierra

Here in Arizona, many would argue summer started last month. As we head into the official summer start date, we start dreading the inevitable and begin asking ourselves the big question – how do I get “bathing suit ready”? Am I right? We here at Dance FX Studios have the solution, Salsa or Swing dance your way into summer with beginners social ballroom dance lessons! Aside from the benefits of learning a skill that allows you to meet new people, social ballroom dancing provides some serious body benefits including cardiorespiratory fitness, firmer calves and legs, an overall better booty and fat-loss from exercise that is at what is called the “target heart rate” for burning fat while keeping muscle. Sounds pretty good, right?

When you are out Country Swing dancing at your favorite Country bar here in Arizona, have you ever stayed on the dance floor long enough to become winded? If your answer is yes, that means you experienced something called cardiorespiratory exercise! “In 2014 about 136,830 people are predicted to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in the US, and about 50,310 people are predicted to die of the disease. In both men and women, colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the third leading cause of cancer death”, according to the American Cancer Society from 2014. Did you know that recent medical studies indicate that colon cancer is best prevented by regular participation doing, guess what? Yep, cardiorespiratory exercise and two dances perfect for cardio exercise are the Country Two Step and Country Swing Dancing! YEEHAAAW!

The Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study, which was conducted over 29 years, found that cardio fit people also have a significantly reduced risk of digestive system cancers. Further, their findings support regular cardio exercise, i.e.: Tango or Swing dancing, provides a protective role against total digestive tract, colorectal, and liver cancer deaths, especially in men.

Staying on the health topic, let’s talk about what the true “target heart rate” is for fat burning. This is a topic that few people understand because most people have been told over and over to head directly to the treadmill, stair master or a high intensity cardio exercise like aerobics for an hour, or longer, in order to lose weight. This type of workout, where you feel your heart racing, does burns calories, but it also starts to burn off something highly coveted – muscle. The fact is that low intensity workouts like yoga, weight lifting or ballroom dancing, not only provides cardiorespiratory fitness, but it is also ideal for burning fat! So why not Salsa or Cha Cha dance your way into lean muscles and a toned, firm body? We think you should.

Body builders have it all figured out. They do lots of weight training and low intensity exercise and maybe only 30 minutes of cardio every other day for their muscle building routine. That is soooo much better than overworking that body unnecessarily! Try beginner dance lessons and you will get your health and social benefits knocked out all in one!

Though you do care about your health, I am betting all of you are reading this because you also want to look sexy and shapely! The first example of just such a body that comes to mind is Jennifer Lopez. She has been famous for that shapely body, and her sought after bottom, long before another “endowed” star, Kim Kardashian, ever became a household name! J. Lo may tell you her famous booty is directly due to her time spent dancing. Growing up in the Bronx, in New York, her Puerto Rican parents enrolled their children in singing and dancing to keep them out of trouble. Jennifer specialized in ballet, jazz and flamenco dance genres. Jennifer gained attention showing off her dance talent and physical beauty as a back-up dancer for New Kids on the Block and catapulted to national attention dancing as a “Fly Girl” on the television show In Living Color. Ladies, are you listening? You can get your hips moving to all sorts of spicy Latin dances like Salsa, Merengue, Argentine Tango or Bachata!

When I think of male bodies who attribute their chiseled abs and muscular thighs to dancing, the image of a long ago famous poster of Mikel Barisnakoff in his white tights immediately comes to mind. Other examples of what dancing does for a male body are: Patrick Swayze, Ricky Martin and Maksim Chmerkovskiy. If this does not convince you what dancing can do to transform your body to shapely, sexy and bathing suit ready, there are many other fit-bodied dancers to view, simply by watching the popular TV shows like Dancing with the Stars. Guys, are you listening? Start learning popular social ballroom styles of dancing to get fit and be as popular with the ladies as these famous stars are by summertime!

Find out what learning to County Swing, Country Two Step, Salsa, Tango, and other styles of social ballroom dancing can do to get your body looking great and feeling good, not only for the local pool side barbeque but out on the dance floor at your favorite club.

Maybe there is another event in your future, like a a wedding, a high-school reunion, or a team-building event for your company? So, are you ready? Fat burning exercise and lots of FUN is waiting for you with us at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona! Why not discover dancing now and get that body of yours summer-ready? Call our dance studio today at 480-968-6177 and make your appointment for a New Student Offer today. Dance FX Studios is located conveniently in Mesa, bordering Tempe and Chandler, Arizona. We hope to see you on the dance floor!

Spice Up Your Life with Bachata Dance Lessons

March 10, 2015/in Dance Lessons Mesa AZ /by Sierra

Let’s talk about BACHATA!!! This is a traditional dance that came out of the Dominican Republic, which is where Bachata music was also born. Originally, Bachata was danced very slow and was structured like the Bolero. The basic steps moved within a square (side, side, forward and side, side, back). Today, Bachata has fused into many difference styles of dance! Of the Latin Styles of dance there is Salsa Bachata and Tango Bachata. There are urban versions and modern versions, and they are all popular dance styles.

With regard to dancing, it is important to keep an open mind. Why? Because any new style of dance that you learn will translate over into the dance styles that you already enjoy. Isn’t some extra zing to your moves something everyone is looking in order to become a stand-out dancer and draw attention? Most people want to stick with the dances that are the popular in a dance club. For instance, aside from the free style dancing you find in night clubs, currently here in Arizona, Country dance styles, like the Two Step, are certainly very popular . Latin dancing, like Salsa, is a strong second! Why not add some Bachata dance steps into your routine to add originality to your style and set you apart from others on the dance floor!

The Bachata is a dance you can learn here at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona! It is performed as a 4 step, 1, 2, 3 tap and 5, 6, 7 tap, always tapping on the 4 or the 8. Dancers here in the West usually accompany the tap with an exaggerated “pop” of their hips. Sound exciting? Also in Bachata partner dancing, the lead is able to decide whether to perform in open, semi open or closed positions. Bachata is described as a fusion dance and, unlike Salsa, does not include many turn patterns. Just as the rhythm played by different instruments sets the mood and interpretation of all music, this step variety is determined by the rhythm of the music setting the mood and expression of Bachata style dancing.

The basic steps of Bachata added to Tango steps is now called Bachatago. The “pop” count adds elaboration and sensuality to varied Latin Styles as well as Latin Ballroom Dance styles which may include the characteristic kicks from Tango.

If you have been reading our previous blogs you know that we at Dance FX Studios specialize in social Latin dances like the Bachata. We also always remind our readers of the importance of letting off stress in creative and productive ways in order to stay healthy and enjoy your life. If you’re brave enough to step out of your comfort zone and learn something totally different and new, or if Latin music inspires you to get up out of your chair but you still haven’t made to the dance floor, why not try it today? We welcome you to come into Dance FX Studios and try our New Student Offer to see how Latin dancing can spice up your life.

Kick Up Your Heels and Dance!

March 9, 2015/in Dance Lessons Mesa AZ /by Sierra

Hi! Charlotte again … on my mind at this moment is health. Why health? Because just about everyone I know is, or has a family member, who has some kind of ailment or disease right now. The most minor of complaint you hear all the time, maybe even express out loud yourself: “I am so stressed out!” Here is the thing about stress, studies show it lowers the immune system, and when the immune system is not operating at optimum efficiency, guess what? Yes, that’s right, the door is open for an illness to come right in and begin affecting our lives in negative ways. There is nothing more important that enjoying good health, having energy and feeling excellent well-being.

You may be asking yourself what does this topic have to do with Dance FX Studios? Easy, dancing has all kinds of benefits aside from the obvious – exercise! It’s the perfect activity for those who do not enjoy gym work-outs or consider themselves sporty. Practicing dance, even one time per week, increases muscle mass and more muscle means you burn more calories at rest, reducing body fat. Creating stronger bones and muscles fends off osteoporosis and so does attention to good posture. Learning to dance also increases hand-eye movement coordination which makes you less clumsy and more agile. Dancing increases flexibility and keeps joints healthy by stimulating parts of your body not regularly utilized by our everyday routine. Regular dancing also reduces stress levels, improves relaxation and improves mood. Studies have found that learning new activities, especially those which utilize both sides of the brain, improves memory retention and stimulates the areas of the brain that promote rapid thinking. Last, two critical areas, something that everyone seems lacking today, energy and sleep: both increased by regular exercise activities like dancing!

Aside from the numerous health benefits there are many other positive reasons to pick up this fun hobby. Knowing how to dance and dance confidently can help you meet new people and make friends. Trying new styles of dance like Salsa, Argentine Tango or other Latin Styles can introduce you to other cultures, even taste new culinary delights. This builds communication skills and allows you to meet people you might otherwise miss out knowing by staying within your normal circle of friends and routines.

Learning a new hobby like dance is a fun way to open us up to new possibilities, increasing self-esteem. For those who own their own business or whose careers rely on increasing networking opportunities, taking your new dance steps out to clubs or social events while enjoying increased confidence may boost sales, widen your customer base as well as lead to new career opportunities.

So now that you have heard all the great ways that learning social dancing can aide you and family members in lowering stress and removing illness from your lives, let me introduce you to all the various dance styles that you might pick as your choice to learn as your new hobby! Our amazing instructors here at Dance FX Studios will help you learn any of the following and more including: Country Two-Step, Country Swing, Country Waltz, Night-Club Two-Step, Jitterbug, Foxtrot, Social Ballroom Dancing, Salsa, Bachata and our signature dance Argentine Tango.

Are you ready to change your life for the positive? More importantly, are you ready for some fun?!?! Yes? Guess what? Learning to dance and then heading out to the dance clubs and impressing all your friends with your exciting and stylized dance moves is FUN! Great FUN!

SO what are you waiting for? Put on your dancing shoes, sexy black heals, Cowboy boots or whatever comfortable shoes you have and stop, step or stomp into Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona! We are on the corner of Dobson and Guadalupe. Our close neighborhoods are Tempe, Chandler and just a few minutes further, Scottsdale! Feel like you have two left feet? No worries, we will show you how easy it is to move past that idea on your first lesson! Let us help improve your health and begin changing your life today for the better! Give us a call at480.968.6177 or visit our website for details!

Get Ready for Country Thunder 2015 With Dance Lessons

March 6, 2015/in Dance Lessons Mesa AZ /by Sierra

As Country Thunder draws near, a four day concert event in Florence, Arizona, that practically sells out at each previous year’s venue, we are reminded just how popular the cross-market genre of Country Music is and why all styles of Country Dancing are drawing dancers out on crowded dance floors across the world. Here at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona we are finding the majority of our students are here to learn the popular styles: Country Two Step, Country Waltz, West Coast Swing, Country Swing and Line dancing.

One of our favorite students, Josh S., who has just completed 25 hours of private Country dance lessons, took the time to sit down with me and explain how and why he decided to take lessons here at Dance FX Studios. As I talked with Josh it became easy to understand why he is here almost every day, fully committed to becoming the best Country dancer he can as well as be taken in by his obvious passion for Country Dancing.

Q: What brought you in to our studio to take dance lessons and why did you want to learn Country Dancing?

Josh: Actually it was a New Year’s resolution. I just decided it was something I wanted to do and do well because I am very competitive. I searched on the internet looking for dance studios that offered what I was looking for; freestyle Country dancing. I found this place right away. A lot of the other places that offered dance lessons were not teaching what I was looking for. After doing the research, it kept leading me back to this place. The reviews were really good on Dance FX Studios and, even though I live about an hour away, I decided to come here.

Q: Why Country Dancing?

Josh: I enjoy Country Music and I’m a Country boy at heart. What happened was I went out with a couple of friends that Country dance and they were moving through the dance floor and spinning. I so wanted to join in the fun. I play a lot of sports so, for me, not being able to dance was like being on the bench instead of playing in the game. I don’t want to be on the bench. I had absolutely no dance experience. I just came straight here and the dance instructors were great. When I started learning here, it was just so different. They began teaching me things that you don’t see out on the dance floor which is cool because that sets me apart from the other dancers.

Q: What dance is your favorite and why?

Josh: That is tough because I like them all for different reasons. I like the Country Two-Step a lot, and I really like Country Swing dancing. I also really like the Night-Club Two Step. Night-Club just has a different feel, something you’re not used to. I mean growing up dancing to a slow song, well … I’d just sway… lol. So instead of just swaying, to be able to go to a slow song and go with the music, to be able to do spins and turns or the grapevine and stuff, it feels more like floating, than when you do fast paced stuff, like Two-Step or Swing, Night-Club – it’s more romantic.

Q: What do you feel are the benefits you are receiving by taking these dance lessons?

Josh: I think definitely when you go to a scene like that, like a Country Bar or something, I now have confidence. Even if that wasn’t what I was looking for, I feel confident now that I can recognize a song and see other people out there dancing and I can get out there and Swing and look different from what everybody else is doing. For me, it’s also a stress reliever, it’s also relaxing. It’s fun after a busy day at work or busy week, you have a ton on your mind, you been dealing with a lot of stuff just turn on the music and go. To be able to put moves together and flow and have fun, the stress and frustration just kind of melts away. Dancing is really great for that for sure. Also for health reasons too, because of the stress relief and the extra exercise, dancing is great for that!

Q: Are our instructors making it fun and easy for you?

Josh: Yes, it’s intense for me because I am trying to learn so much all at once. I come here to have a good time, but I want to learn quickly and know more because I want to be the best I can be. The instructors have a way of building an atmosphere where it’s welcoming and inviting, but not intimidating. Here, the instructors take the time to get to know you, they break the ice. To be able have that while they are teaching you makes it an all-around pleasant and worthwhile experience.

A big thank you to Josh for taking the time to share his experiences at Dance FX Studios with us. We are blessed to be able to instruct such great people, Josh being at the top of the list. 🙂

If you’re interested in getting ready for Country Thunder, or any upcoming Country dance night out, get started with our New Student Offer. It’s a wonderful way to see how dancing can enhance your life!

Meet Arizona Dance Instructors at Dance FX Studios

March 3, 2015/in Dance Lessons Mesa AZ /by Sierra

As mentioned in a previous post, we at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona are looking for talented, passionate, caring individuals, both male and female, to join our team of quality dance instructors. Anyone attending our dance studio currently has probably had the opportunity to meet one of our loveliest new team members. She not only has a formal dance education and background, she graces us with one of the biggest and brightest smiles every time we see her. Her name is Ashlee. We put her on the spot today and asked her a few questions so that you can get to know her even better…

Q: What is your background in dancing?

A: I have been dancing since I was four years old. I have studied many forms of dance, from Classical Ballet to Contemporary Tap, Jazz and Modern Dance.

Q: Why did you want to work here at Dance FX Studios?

A: Dancing has always been a passion of mine, I have always wanted to own my own studio, be a Phoenix Sun’s basketball team dancer or be involved in the dance community, and this is one way of doing it.

Q: What top favorite thing about working here?

A: Being able to share my passion and knowledge of dance with others.

Q: What’s your favorite dance style that you teach here?

A: I think the dance I enjoy the most is Country Two Step because our clients seem to enjoy it most. I think it’s because the Two Step is relaxed and fun.

Q: Everyone here, staff and students, just loves that you are a member of our team. What is it that you bring to the table?

A: I am very friendly and outgoing … my excitement about dancing translates to my lessons.

Q: You are one of our newest dance instructors and as you know we are looking to hire more inspiring instructors like yourself. What would you tell people wanting to work here?

A: You will be teaching lots of Country Western dances, from the Two Step to the Country Swing, many Latin dance styles-like the Salsa and Bachata and Swing dancing all day long- and as a career! Anyone interested definitely must love to dance and love to be around people all day. 🙂

Do you love to dance? Do you want to learn to be a confident, well-versed, social dancer? Then we are looking for you. Please submit your resume and headshot to [email protected]. We have two audition days coming up on Friday, March 6^th and Friday, March 13^th.

Not interested in joining are team but you are interested in learning popular social dances like the Argentine Tango or Country Swing? Dance FX Studios has a New Student Offer for Beginners: $25 for two 30-minute private dance lessons (which we usually combine to a one-hour long lesson). This is the perfect way for you or you and a partner to take that first step into a dance journey that will add romance into your life, increase your social circles, make new friends, add confidence, build your character and strengthen your self-worth!

We know how to make great social dancers out of anyone. Dance FX Studios sets the standard for learning to dance the smart way and not the hard way. We look forward to meeting you very soon at Dance FX Studios located on the Tempe-Mesa border here in the Phoenix East Valley of Arizona. We hope to see you on the dance floor here soon!

Lucky in Love

March 2, 2015/in Dance Lessons Mesa AZ /by Sierra

As we move into March, the “luck of the Irish” comes to mind. From four-leaf clovers to pots of gold, wouldn’t we all be a bit happier with a little luck on our side? Guys, if you’re looking to get lucky in love this month, or any month for that matter, here’s our suggestion: learn to dance!

Think of how cool it would be to know how to Country Two Step dance, Swing dance or Salsa dance. The ladies would be lining up just to be taken around the dance floor by you. Luck is no longer required once you’ve got the skills! Pretty sweet!

If you’re completely normal, you may be thinking at this point that dancing is so intimidating and way too hard. You could never get good enough to where girls actually wanted to dance with you, right? Wrong! In fact, no good dancer was ever born knowing how to dance, so do yourself a favor and remove the notion that knowing how to dance is a gift from above. You can learn to Country dance, Latin dance or Swing dance with the best of them, with some time and effort on your part.

So where do you begin? After training thousands of confident social dancers over the last two decades, here are a few tips that will get you on the right track:

1. Be yourself. When learning to dance, find a style that suits your personality. For example, if you absolutely cannot stand Country music, don’t waste your time learning to Two Step or Country Swing dance. Start with something that excites you so that you’ll be sure to stick with it. For those of you who love Hip Hop, Salsa dancing is super-fun to do to Hip Hop music. In fact, so is the West Coast Swing.

On another note, you may love dramatic music that goes well with the Argentine Tango, or upbeat, feel-good music that is best paired with Swing dancing. With so many social dance styles to explore, why settle?

2. Take Private Dance Lessons. If you take no other bit of advice, please walk away with this: the fastest way to becoming a great social dancer is through Private Dance Instruction. Sure, you can learn from videos, books and even free group classes in the bars, but the shortest way to get the best results is by making the investment in yourself with Private Lessons.

In Private Dance Lessons, you will get so much more than just patterns and moves. At a quality dance studio, you should also receive leading tips that will make you successful on any dance floor. Now that alone is worth it’s weight in gold.

3. Keep your lessons close together. Now that you realize that Private Dance Lessons are so important, come often to your lessons to get optimal results. There’s no way that you’re going to rock it on that dance floor coming to your Swing dance lessons just once a week. While outside practice will eventually be important, right now you need time with your instructor getting the fundamentals down pat over and over again.

This March, create your own “luck” by discovering a hobby that nearly every woman loves. Invest in yourself and have a blast learning to dance. Arizona residents can come visit us at Dance FX Studios in the Phoenix East Valley. We would love to give you the tools needed to shine on any dance floor!

Dance Instructors Wanted

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

We have very exciting news to share here at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona…We are seeking vibrant, fun, passionate, inspirational people to join our team! Have you ever dreamed about spending your days dancing? Well now is your chance! Wanted – Dance Instructors – no experience necessary, we will train you! As the popular TV show title asks “So you think you can dance?” More importantly we here at Dance FX Studios want to know, do you feel you can inspire others to dance??? If so, we are seeking you!!!

Do you already Salsa dance or Country Swing dance for fun? Why not get paid to dance while you learn more styles like: Country Two-Step and Country Waltz. As well as a variety of Latin dance styles like: Merengue, Bachata and, our specialty, the Argentine Tango … and there’s more: Big Band, Oldies and Ballroom Dancing! Can you imagine how exciting your days will be doing something you already love?

We offer Private Dance Lessons where we help couples and singles reach their dancing goals by working directly with them by appointment. We also offer Group Dance Classes: a fun and affordable supplement to private dance lessons by participating in our monthly, four-week long classes. This month, we have Country Two-Step, Country Swing and Salsa dance classes. Or even better, groups organized by friends, bridal parties or corporations (team building)! Assist our students in Night Out’s where they gain real-world experience navigating a crowded dance floor, dancing with new partners and showing off their down pat stylized moves. We also host the occasional In-House Dance Party! Maybe you are just the person to come up with a creative idea to take a social dance event to the next level!

Have you watched any of the bride and groom’s first dance on our website? Watch how they “Rock Their Reception” with Wedding Dance Lessons and see why we are one of the top referred dance studio by wedding coordinators all over Arizona. Join us and feel the joy we all share when a newly married couple surprises all their friends and family with an unexpected, personalized exceptional first dance!

There are good reasons our studio has been in business guiding those who want to be on the fast-track to becoming great social dancers for almost 15 years. We owe it all to the care, talent and motivational attitude our instructors, not to leave out the warm smile they bring with them to each lesson. Are you this person? If so, please send your resume and headshot (or photo) to [email protected] to reserve your spot for our next two upcoming Friday auditions: March 6^th and March 13^th. Remember to come dressed as if you are already a polished dance instructor. We know how to make great dancers out of anyone, so dance experience, though helpful, is not required. We look forward to meeting you very soon at Dance FX Studios located on the Tempe/ Mesa border and only a few extra minutes from our neighboring towns Chandler and Scottsdale.

Your career journey into dance can start as soon. Don’t wait! Send us your resume and picture today! As always, weather you interest is to learn to dance or teach it, we hope to see YOU here on the dance floor at Dance FX Studios in the Phoenix East Valley very soon!