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Spice up Your Week With Cha Cha Dance Lessons

swing dance lessons Chandler ArizonaContinuing with our theme of the “history of various ballroom dances“, its time to explore the cha cha. You’ve heard of the popular, and oh so steamy, dance known as cha cha, right? It’s sassy, flirty and tons of fun! Like most Latin dances, the cha cha has an infectious rhythm, a lot of hip action, and plenty of exciting turns.

Unlike salsa dancing, cha cha is all about playing hard to get. There’s this constant flirtation between leader and follower. It’s an off-shoot of mambo and American swing, that originated back in the 1940s, but didn’t gain popularity until a decade later. This dance is more versatile than many people imagine, so beyond the obvious Latin clubs or Mexican cantinas, cha cha can be performed anywhere that top 40 is played. It’s perfect for backyard parties and when you’re cooking dinner with your significant other.

In the 1940s, everyone who was anyone went to Havana, Cuba. It was the destination of the rich and famous, and mambo was at its peak in popularity. Now, we learned about the history of mambo last month here on our blog. In mambo, there was a move called ‘the cha cha cha’, where two slow steps were followed by three quick steps. This eventually evolved into a separate dance entirely and became the basic for cha cha cha, as it was originally called. Since this new rhythm was easier to understand than the complex, ever-varying mambo, cha cha soon pushed out its predecessor.

Dance teacher, Pierre Lavelle of Britain, visited Cuba in 1952. There he noticed this new dance was like Rumba but with extra beats. When he decided to return back to Britain, he taught his version of cha cha. American dance teacher, Arthur Murray, ultimately did the same, and slowed down the tempo a bit, making it easier to learn.

Santana, Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, Enrique Iglesias are the typical artists that come to mind when thinking of cha cha. However, cha cha is more versatile than a lot of people realize. For example, all of you Michael Jackson fans out there, next time you listen to “Bad” or “Billie Jean”, do some cha cha! Or maybe you’re into alternative music. “Gives you Hell” by the All-American Rejects is a perfect cha cha song! Maybe top 40 is more your thing. Lady Gaga has a ton of cha cha options including “Poker Face” “Just Dance” and “Telephone” or even Ke$ha’s “Tik Tok” would work! Now, I’m sure my country fans out there are thinking, “That’s all fine and dandy, but what about us!?” Cha cha can EVEN be done to Country music! “My Maria” by Brooks & Dunn, “Two Pina Coladas” by Garth Brooks, and “When the Sun Goes Down” by Kenny Chesney would all be appropriate for cha cha!

Have we piqued your interest when it comes to cha cha dancing? Then visit your local dance studio and give Latin dancing a try! Most studios have an Introductory Latin Dance Lesson for Beginners which will help get the ball rolling for you! Spice up your week and learn to cha cha today!

social dance classes Arizona

Is Learning to Social Dance Part of Your New Year’s Resolution?

social dance classes near Chandler ArizonaHave you always wanted to learn to Country dance, Swing dance or maybe even Salsa dance? What’s been holding you back? Is it a lack of time or money, or are you waiting to find a dance partner? Are you possibly intimidated about taking that first step into your local dance studio? All of these reasons for passing up your chance to dance are valid, however time is not standing still and you are missing out on a wonderfully exciting hobby!

Maybe 2016 is your year to learn to social dance. If you’re thinking that it is, congratulations! What a great New Year’s resolution! You’re about to have what may turn out to be the best year of your life, and I can say that with absolute confidence. It’s truly unbelievable to think about all of the ways that knowing how to social dance can be a game-changer for you, but let me try and highlight three ways dancing can enhance your life, and you be the judge if it’s something you may want to explore in the year ahead.

  1. Knowing how to social dance builds confidence. Could you use a little more self-assurance in 2016? Who couldn’t! When you discover how to social dance, especially through Private Dance Lessons, you are putting yourself on the fast track to uncovering a fun and useful skill. With each Swing or Latin dance lesson, you will get better and better, so that your stale weekends of lying on the couch with Chinese food and a Red Box can be replaced with nights out with new friends dancing and having fun! Think about it, Country dancing with your buddies, or sitting at a bar or in a theatre. While all can be fun, only social dancing gives you ways to impress others, show off your abilities and even get some exercise, without realizing that you actually are “working out”.

Since so few people actually take the time to learn how to dance correctly, it’s pretty wonderful when you are one of the rare ones who actually knows what he/she is doing. With a little time and effort, not only will you have partners lining up to dance with you, but you will be making time for yourself to shake that unwanted stress and connect with someone special, if that is your intention.

2. Speaking of which, social dancing, which encompasses all of the fun and popular dances today, from Bachata to Argentine tango to Swing dancing, can be very romantic. If you’re lacking in that department, whether you’re single or not, going out to dinner followed by an evening of dancing once a month can be just what the doctor ordered. For couples that have been together for a number or years, dance lessons can help you to re-connect and re-establish working as a team, both of which are quite essential for a truly intimate relationship.

Newer couples can get things started on the right foot with couple’s dance lessons. At my dance studio, we (somewhat) jokingly refer to couple’s dance lessons as “insurance” for a long-lasting relationship. Although, after 20 years of watching couples grow closer together through their dance lessons, I don’t think it’s much of a joke at all.

Singles can really get a head start in the dating game by knowing how to social dance. Imagine the date night possibilities…they’re endless! Again, if you meet out social dancing, and you are one of the few who know how to dance, you’re putting yourself ahead of the pack when it comes to being attractive to other dancers, and that’s never a bad thing.

3. Social dancing is a huge stress reliever! Ways to manage stress are at the top of most people’s list regardless of what year we are coming into. Why not find a fun way to let it all go and “shake it off” with social dance lessons? You’ll find that when you’re in a dance class, that it’s virtually impossible to be bogged down by work or anything else for that matter. Your full attention will instead be towards something healthy, relaxing and beneficial to YOU.

The year 2016 is just a few days away! Make learning to social dance your New Year’s resolution. If you live in Phoenix, Arizona, come visit us at Dance FX Studios in the East Valley. We are minutes from Chandler, Gilbert, Tempe and Scottsdale, Arizona, just off the 101 highway.

We at Dance FX Studios focus on creating confident social dancers for any occasion. Don’t let life pass you by without the joy of knowing how to dance. Visit us for a fun, new hobby that will bring you years of enjoyment ahead.