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Country dance lessons for adults

Top 3 Things You Never Want to do on Any Social Dance Floor

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Country dance lessons for adults near Chandler ArizonaYou have finally gotten the courage to get off of the sidelines and onto the dance floor. Congratulations! This is a huge step!  With popular dances these days like the Country Two Step, Salsa and Swing, there’s just too much fun to be had! It’s your time to discover and explore the excitement of social dancing, as well as some of the etiquette that follows.

Speaking of do’s and don’ts, here is a short list of ways to make your nights at the Country Western bars or Latin dance clubs a big hit. Today I’m going to share my top three “don’ts” of social dancing. Do not…

  1. Take over the entire dance floor. Yes, social dancing is about movement and having fun, but that does NOT mean that you need to be everywhere, all at once. Carving out a small space to dance within is not only thoughtful of others who you will also be sharing the dance floor with, but it is also being mindful of your partner as well. How so? Well gentlemen, a great leader is one that takes care of his partner. In order to do so, you don’t need a ton of space, but you definitely need to be aware of oncoming “traffic” and making sure that you keep her safe from others. She can have a blast Two Stepping in a small space if you’re a great leader. On the other hand, you can fling her around and see if she enjoys what I call bumper dancing. It may seem like fun at first, but you’re not likely to get a second or third dance out of her.
  2. Dance off time with the music. This is a bit tricky. For the untrained dancer, you may not know that you’re even off time with the music in the first place. You may be trying to copy the guy next to you (one of my biggest pet peeves) and decide to Country Swing dance to a Two Step beat. Is this really the end of the world? Well,  for us followers who do enjoy synching up our dances to the music being played, I have to admit that it’s kind of a bummer to dance off time. Guys, in this case, please invest in yourself by signing up for some Private Dance Lessons so that you can truly execute your dances with full effect. It’s just not the same to be doing the wrong dance to the wrong beat.
  3. Forget to have fun! While dancing is an art and a wonderful form of stress relief, romance, and I could go on, you can’t take it too seriously. Please do educate yourself with formal instruction, then go out and play! Salsa dance lessons will give you the freedom to let loose and uncover your sexy side, and Country dance lessons are a great way to kick up your heels after a long week at work, but without actual lessons under your belt, you’re sort of faking it with the best of them. There’s no reason for that, especially when there’s got to be a local dance studio that can help get you started with beginner’s dance lessons, on the basics at the very least.

The process of taking dance lessons is actually quite exciting and rewarding. With formal instruction, you too can become a confident social dancer anywhere you choose to go social dancing.  How fun is that! You can also gain so many of the benefits of social dancing, from improved health to learning a new hobby that you can use for years to come. Enjoy social dancing to the fullest by investing in yourself with beginner’s dance lessons, and following the tips above, of course. Happy dancing! 🙂

 

AZ Country dance instructors

Meet Dance FX Studios’ Staff: Jessie!

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Arizona Country dance instructorsHey there! Jessie here. I thought I’d take a little moment of your time and introduce myself.  I’m a dance instructor here at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona.  I wasn’t always a dance instructor though. Before dancing, I did many different things.  I love exploring new avenues and am always seeking growth, so exploring dance and all of the exciting popular styles from the Country Two Step to Salsa dancing has been a blast!  I think I’m a fairly eclectic individual, and have always imagined being the kind of person to grow old and share all of my experiences and stories with my grandkids.  Some other things I’m passionate about outside of dancing are:  hot yoga, music (going to shows, sharing it, blasting it in my car and singing at the top of my lungs), the outdoors, books, geology, theology, behavioral psychology, and road trips.  I know, I’m all over the board.  Below is a Q&A section covering more about me and of my dance background.  Enjoy!
Q: What is your dancing background?
A: I grew up dancing.  I did jazz and clogging as a kid.  I loved to make up dancing routines in my living room with my friends to all our favorite pop songs.  We even did a couple talent shows and festivals around the Phoenix valley.  When I got older, I started going out to clubs and bars to dance.  It was at that time that I discovered Country 2-Step dancing.  WOW! I was entranced by it, and desperately wanted to learn.  Apparently those vibes were noticed because someone immediately asked me to dance and offered to teach me.  I’ve been in love with partner dancing from that moment on.
Q: Why Dance FX Studios?
A: Well, I was actually working as an Office Manager before I became a Dance Instructor.  I was steadily becoming discontent with this position.  I have always considered myself to be a very creative, artsy person, but I love helping people too.  My job situation, at the time, was not harnessing either skill.  I went away on holiday one day, and stumbled across a book in a tiny boutique.  It seemed to know exactly the discontent my heart felt.  It spoke of finding your “bliss” or “calling in life” with beautifully painted pages.  I sat down and considered my skills and the desires of my heart.  It was during this time of reflection I ran across Dance FX Studios. I knew the moment I saw it that I had to be there.  I love helping people above all things, and I love social partner dance too!  The combination of the two seemed absolutely golden, and I’ve not looked back since.
Q: What is your favorite thing about working at Dance FX Studios?
A; The people!  I’ve never been someplace where the people I am surrounded with everyday are so friendly, encouraging, and inspiring!  How often does one person get to say they genuinely love and enjoy their job and the people they work with?  Staff and students included,  Dance FX Studios attracts incredible individuals that are a joy to be around.
Q: What is your favorite style of dance to teach and why?
A: I love teaching the Nite Club 2 Step (Dance FX Studios version).  I love how romantic and smooth it feels.  It’s elegant and beautiful.  I think I also like the type of song that goes along with such a dance.  I’m a sucker for music that makes you feel things, and Nite Club seems to encompass the emotion of a song better than most other partner dances.
Q: What three words would you use to describe yourself?
A: I would say that I am passionate, creative, and empathetic.
Q: What’s a fun fact about you?
A: I would love to own a motorcycle and road trip across the U.S. one day.
So there you have it folks!  Hopefully I’ll get to see you at Dance FX Studios soon, teach you some more about dance, and learn a bit about you too! And…since I get to work with newbies, check out our New Student Offer for beginner dance lessons with me! At the studio, you can learn everything that you will use out in the “real world”, from wedding dances to how to twirl your lady at your favorite Country bar in Arizona. I can’t wait for the opportunity to meet you and share my passion for dance with you!