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Social Dancing, From the Eyes of a Pro

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ballroom dancing in Mesa AZI truly am the luckiest person I know. Each day, I get up and go to “work” at my small business in Mesa, Arizona called Dance FX Studios. From noon to eight pm, six days a week, I get to watch singles and couples discover social dancing for the first time. Some are visibly terrified, some are jumping out of their skin excited, and most just wish they could take that magic pill that will make them confident social dancers, like, yesterday.

Regardless of who comes into my studio, I know the true power of dance, and I can’t wait to share it! My staff feels the same way. I can see it in their eyes as they take a student through an Introductory Dance Lesson on their first day in. I can also see it when they do their “happy dance” for a student who tackles a really complicated move and comes out on top. Whether you’re a newbie or have had lots of training with us, it is a joy and our true pleasure to be able to instruct social dancing, not to mention earn a living doing it!

Yesterday, I thought it would be interesting to ask my team if they could answer a few basic questions that would help our readers to have a deeper insight into social dancing. Their answers were quite revealing! Here are my top three Q and A’s  from the staff here at Dance FX Studios…

Question: As an instructor, what is the best tip you give to your students?

Here’s what Michelle said: Communication is paramount in all facets of life, but most importantly when dancing. No matter who your partner is, if you have a good connection, you’ll have a good time on the dance floor. A lot of dancers come in thinking that the only way to show their partner a good time is if they can do a million different spins and turns. When dancing with someone new, I would say it’s more beneficial to focus on building that line of communication through a solid frame, than trying to show off all of the fancy moves that you know.
My two cents: What a great point! Whether you’re learning to Country Two Step or Salsa dance, a connection with your partner is primary. That will lead to an easy and straight forward way to communicate with your other half, making dancing a breeze (or at least a lot easier!!).
Question: What is your favorite dance to teach, and why?
Here’s what Emily said: I’m gonna have to say narrowing it down to just one dance is too hard. I like to have a dance for any occasion! But if I had to I’d say it’s a tie between Nite Club 2-Step and West Coast Swing. They’re both great styles that cover so many genres of music, from Country music to Rock and Roll to oldies, versatility is my favorite thing, and both of these dances have it. Not to mention, they both have a certain level of intimacy with your partner, Nite Club being the more romantic while West Coast is much more sexy and playful. It’s all about the connection with your partner and these styles definitely have that on a deeper level!
My two cents: I too love the Nite Club 2-Step and West Coast Swing as fun social dances! I also always encourage newcomers to explore the Argentine Tango as it is THE dance to really understand what it means to lead and follow on the dance floor.
Question: What do you find is the most common reason people come in to take lessons these days?
Here’s what Bri said: At first glance, it always SEEMS like the reason people want to take lessons is because they want to be confident social dancers. Ultimately, that’s what we do here at Dance FX Studios. But when you really get to know each person individually, there’s actually so much more to it. Dance is like therapy for soul. Working through new moves and challenging oneself in a realm that is so different from the day-to-day struggles, translates metaphorically in ways that one can only experience first hand.
My two cents: Well said, Bri! We love watching people uncover the many, many benefits of learning to social ballroom dance, from fun and excitement, to meeting new friends to reconnecting with someone special.
Come experience social dancing for yourself to see what you can gain by becoming a great social dancer! On behalf of the entire staff at Dance FX Studios, we welcome you and look forward to sharing our passion for dance with you any time!

 

How Social Dancing Can Rescue You!

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swing dancing in Mesa ArizonaHave you ever found yourself on a Friday night at home alone wishing that you were out doing something fun? Do you play re-runs of classics like Footloose and Dirty Dancing at home hoping that he will one day take you out dancing? Do you wish you could find a way to relax and unwind without having to polish off a bottle of wine? If you answered “Yes!” to any of these questions , you are in need of dancing in your life! Social dancing can take you away from your worries, help you to reconnect with your partner and give you lots to do when the weekend rolls around…doesn’t that sound like exactly what you need? I think so!

To make sure we are on the same page, you may be wondering what social dancing is exactly. Social dancing is what you can use out at weddings, in bars, on cruises and at holiday parties. It’s what you do at a gathering when someone puts on the music and you all feel like getting up and grooving! Social dances that are hot today include Swing dancing, Salsa, and Country Two Step. All three popular styles are done to different kinds of music so there’s no reason to ever sit on the sidelines and wish that you could participate in the fun.

Now, to set yourself up for success, I recommend signing up for some adult social dance lessons. Beginner’s dance lessons will give you a solid understanding of the key points to becoming a great social dancer, namely how to lead or follow, how to move as one with a partner and other fun dance techniques. Private dance lessons are the fastest route to being a competent dancer, so start there.

But back to how dancing can rescue you…Singles, there’s absolutely no reason that your weekend should be spent with Netflix once you know how to dance. Here in Phoenix, Arizona, there are Country bars galore, Latin dance clubs abound, and even a few Swing dance venues that will knock your socks off! Go! Get out and visit a place that interests you. Invite someone for a dance, or stand by the floor to indicate that you would like to be invited out for a dance and see how your night shapes up from there. Trust me, the better, more trained dancers can’t get off the dance floor if they tried! That will be you after some Country dance lessons or Latin ones to build your confidence. Everyone is attracted to a great dancer, and that can easily be you, with some effort on your part beforehand.

For couples…torture her no more! Find a local adult dance studio and set up a couple’s dance lessons for her as a surprise. Mother’s Day is just around the corner and a gift card for couple’s dance lessons may be just what she would love! Once you’re at your first dance lesson, be sure to let your instructor know what kind of music you like so he/she can pick useful dances for you to learn. Then let the journey of discovering dance begin! Social dancing is fantastic for couples who want to spend quality time together away from the kids, daily life and work. Lessons will give you a chance to hold each other and re-connect, and every couple can benefit from a little more of that!

For you workaholics, let dancing rescue you any and every chance you get! Take a Private Swing Dance Lesson at the end of your busy day, or grab a co-worker and head out Salsa dancing after work. Dancing will allow you to blow off some steam, meet new friends and even make connections for work! Again, everyone is attracted to a great dancer, so with some lessons under your belt, you’ll be looking and feeling great out there.

Social dancing is the cure-all for many areas of our lives. From connecting with others to lifting your spirits to adding romance, relieving stress, losing weight and so much more, social dancing can help. So give adult dance lessons a try today, you’ll be so glad you did!