If you are interested in picking up one of the most popular and useful dances in Arizona, learn to Two Step from us at Dance FX Studios.

Salsa and Bachata at Dave and Buster’s with Dance FX Studios

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Last night was another evening of fun at Dave and Buster’s in Tempe, Arizona! The Dance FX Studios’ staff  and a large group of students danced out on the roof top patio under the stars for our Night Out Latin dancing. Throughout the evening, the dj played salsa, cha cha, bachata and merengue music for everyone to enjoy! At 8 pm, prior to going to Dave and Buster’s, the Dance FX Staff and students met at the studio for a Latin group class. The students were given tips on how to dance on a crowded floor as well as how to do the basics to several Latin dances. From there, we joined in with over 200 dancers who were already at Dave and Buster’s on the top of the building. Dave and Buster’s in Tempe hosts a Latin dance night each Wednesday for those out there who are looking for a place to practice your salsa and bachata. We found many good dancers were there and that dancers of all levels were accepted and comfortably able to join in on the dance floor.

For most, salsa dancing does not come naturally. That’s where we come in! At Dance FX Studios in Mesa, AZ, we will get you prepared for any social dance floor with the confidence that you need to shine. There are several routes that we offer to help you become a great social dancer. To start, private Latin dance lessons are recommended. With private dance lessons, you will gain the skill set needed to become comfortable in a Latin club dancing salsa, merengue, cha cha. Private dance lessons here at Dance FX Studios are not only tailored for the dances that are of interest to you, but they are also geared for your specific rate of learning and needs. For example, if you have never danced salsa or merengue before, you will learn how to hold your dance partner in a proper dance frame as well as how to use your body weight in addition to learn dance steps. With these key concepts, learning to dance becomes easier. There is no doubt that you will also get better results with healthier habits right from the start.

Many people associate learning to dance with simply memorizing where your feet go, but did you know that, in partner dancing, your feet are the least important part of dancing? This is a little known fact that tends to shock our new students when they first hear of the idea. With private dance lessons at Dance FX Studios, you will learn what actually IS the most important part of your body to use on the dance floor as well as how to use it.

Private dance lessons are available by appointment at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona Monday through Friday from noon to 8 pm and on Saturdays from 11 am to 4 pm. We are located just minutes from Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert and Scottsdale, AZ for your convenience. We hope to take YOU out Latin dancing one day soon after a few private dance lessons from one of our skilled professionals.

Test Your Hips Out with the Cha Cha

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istock_000014467721smallThe Latin styles of dances are a fun group of dances, particularly the Cha Cha. The Cha Cha is an energetic and sexy dance that incorporates that Cuban hip motion that so many people love. It is a very popular style of dance, sharing a lot of similarities with Salsa, which can be danced to a variety of different kinds of music. The light and quick steps that you take with the Cha Cha also gives it a fun and playful feel.

The basics of the Cha Cha include a series of small triple steps and rock steps. What sets it apart from other dances that incorporate the triple step, such as the Triple-Step Swing, is the famous Cuban hip motion. This movement involves alternating the hips up and down by bending one leg and straightening the other. It may not sound very fluid, but the finished product is something that is quite alluring and sexy.

Once you start dancing, you will find that many Latin dances have similar moves to them, just with a different basic step. This makes it nice if you are just beginning to take dance lessons, because even as you start out, you can recognize some familiar steps. It will also help encourage you to dance more as it boosts you confidence level.

If you live in Arizona, well you are in luck because there are plenty of places in Arizona that have Salsa Clubs. They not only dance Salsa, like their names suggest, but they often play a variety of songs for the Latin style dances. Cha Cha being one of them!

If you are not ready for the club scene just yet, how about trying some private Cha Cha dance lessons or Latin group classes? Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona, offers both so that you can be prepared in anywhere when your favorite Latin music is playing.

Lets Merengue! No Not the Dessert, the Dance

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Latin dancing mesa azAre you intimidated by Latin dances? How about trying the Merengue, if you can walk then you can dance the Merengue. After all, it is often referred to as the “walking dance.” This makes it an ideal way for beginners to edge their way into dancing, or more specifically Latin dancing. It even can make it easier to learn those complicated moves done in Salsa or Cha Cha dancing because you are basically walking through them.

The reason why the Merengue has coined the term the “walking dance” is because there are just two basic movements. The two basic movements are just to step with your left foot and then right foot, or visa versa depending on if you are the leader or follower. If you have just stepped with your right foot then your left foot is next and if you just moved your left then your right foot is next, it is that simple!

As you learn the Merengue and begin to progress, give yourself a challenge by incorporating some of that signature Cuban hip motion. You will find that this is something that you do not have to force. As you bend one leg you will see that your opposite hip rises. If you bend the leg that you are stepping on each time you will be one step closer to achieving this movement. Since this is not the easiest thing to copy from reading, for the best results, sign up for private dance lessons as they can help you with specific things you need to work on.

If you are interested in learning the Merengue and other Latin dances, you should visit Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona. Dance FX Studios offers private Merengue dance lessons and group Latin dance lessons. Our introductory offer includes 1 hour-long private dance class for $40. Come try out Merengue dancing today and see how FUN and EASY it is!

Expand Your Latin Dancing with the Bachata

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latin dancing phoenixHave you recently taken a Salsa dancing class and want to learn more Latin dances? How about trying your hand with the fun and alluring Bachata. It is a basic 3 step dance with some Cuban hip motion. The hip motion is the key movement in the dance because it is part of the soul of the dance. The basic side-to-side movements include 3 steps to either side and then a tap step with hip movement.

Originally, the Bachata was danced to express the feelings that someone has for another person. Supposedly, the more smoothly and frequency in hip movement related the amount of feelings someone had. Speaking of feelings, learning this, or any Latin dance, can be quite a romantic evening for a couple. You may be able to strengthen the bond that you have with your partner, spend more time with one another, improve your communication skills with each other (non-verbal as well), and increase the romance in your relationship.

If you want to dance for pure health benefits, well how about these great reasons: building endurance and stamina, helping with weight loss, relieving stress, releasing toxins via sweating, may help in lowering blood pressure and improving cholesterol levels, reduced heart rate over time, and strengthening bones.

There are also other benefits to dancing besides the purely physical ones as well. You may experience psychological and spiritual as well. There is a unique stimulation of the mind that comes from performing an aerobic exercise while engaging in social activity that has great benefits against Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia in the elderly. Another thing you might experience are other mental benefits such as decreased stress, less depression, and reduced loneliness.

If you are interested in learning the Bachata and many other Latin styles of dances, join us at Dance FX Studios, located in Mesa, Arizona, for private Latin dance lessons. Our introductory offer includes 1 hour-long private dance class to get started with the basics. Get the benefits of knowing how to dance the Bachata and other Latin dances today at Dance FX Studios.

The Beauty of Bolero

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East Valley ballroom dance studiosMany have people have heard rumba be described as “the dance of love”. Often, the bolero, another Latin dance, is left out of the limelight even though it is just as much a dance for the romantics. It combines some of the best parts of other popular Latin dance styles, while adding in its own unique flair and mystery.

Within American style ballroom dance competitions, there are five Latin dances; cha cha, east coast swing, mambo, rumba and bolero. The bolero dance style is actually the slowest rhythm dance out of the five, and is known for its slow, graceful and amorous movements.
If you are familiar with the basic of nightclub two-step; the bolero basic is very similar and combines elements of its romantic partner—rumba. The dance has a basic timing that mirrors rumba (slow, quick, quick) but is characterized by long side steps and then quick rock steps, such as in nightclub two-step. Also in line with rumba, bolero uses similar foot patterns, such as cross body leads and underarm turns. The beauty of bolero dancing is accompanied often with bongos, castanets or a guitar and can actually be performed solo or as a couples dance.

How bolero is different is really in the stretching of the body. During the slow step there is an extension and lift of the body which creates the graceful, sweeping motions that bolero is known for. This tempo is accompanied with rising and falling motions of the body that give it a completely different feeling than faster styles, such as salsa or other Latin dances. Watching bolero dancers is a beautiful experience, and one that will leave a you with a desire to learn it yourself.
For information on private bolero dance classes or other Latin dancing styles offered in Mesa, Arizona, Dance FX Studios is the place to go! In addition to the romantic bolero, you will learn more popular styles of dance including Merengue, Cha Cha and Salsa.

Bachata: A Dance of Love

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Bachata dancing in Phoenix AZWhat’s the first thing you want to do after a hard day at work? Dance?! This was the Dominican Republic’s surprising answer. Created by servants, bachata was known as a celebratory dance that would occur after being released from daily duties. Dancers would perform to music that was made by everyday objects that participants could get a hold of—garbage cans, fences, pipes or anything that was readily available. The dance style’s name comes from this collection of trash which was initially used to create the music to dance to. (Later, these makeshift instruments would be replaced with the guitar.)

 

As bachata gained popularity, it was often found in bars and brothels. These associations made the dance style a very taboo topic. The Trujillo Government all but nearly wiped out the dance in the 50’s. While Rafael Trujillo supported Merengue dance, a major influence for bachata, the censorship of bachata was enforced due to it being seen as a lowly form of dance which was looked down upon by the upper class. After the 30 year reign ended, the dance had only a small remaining group of followers. Nevertheless in the 80’s bachata made a strong comeback and became overwhelmingly popular.

 

Today bachata is known as a warm and romantic dance form. The harmonious and intimate movements within the steps draw many people to fall in love with it. The dance also now has multiple different forms, including traditional, moderna, urban, tango, as well as the original dominica bachata. Each of these different versions all carry the same basics steps but have also had different techniques integrated in, according to the dancers of the area. This really gives bachata its unique flair! If you are ready to try it out private lessons are a great way to learn the ins and outs of this beautiful dance.