Posts

Arizona dance lessons

The Heat Is On!

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Arizona dance lessonsCan you believe it? We’re in February and experiencing 80 degree days! Well, for those of you who reside in Phoenix, Arizona with us, you know what this means…Summer is approaching faster than we’re ready for it to hit! OK, I may be feeling a bit paranoid being that we haven’t even seen March yet, but I thought I had more time to get “bikini ready” before we start seeing continuous days of shorts weather. 🙂 Reality has set in and we will soon be basking (or baking) in 100 degree days. So what to do to prepare your bod? My favorite activity…Dance!

Yep, there’s nothing better than dancing your nights away into a more fit you. Now any dance style that gets you moving will technically do, but I prefer to meet a few of my needs all at once with social partner dancing.

What exactly is social partner dancing? Think traditional ballroom dancing. Now strip away all of the pressure and perfection, and imagine yourself in a Country bar or a Salsa club. Or even at your wedding, or on the dance floor on your best friend’s big day. Those dances that you can use in the real world on that crowded floor, like Country Two Step, Salsa, Swing dancing and, of course, even romantic slow dancing….that’s what I’m talking about.

While Ballroom dancing the old fashioned way is amazing, elegant and exciting, social dances can tick off several boxes in preparation for the months ahead. Here are just a few of the benefits of social dancing…

1. Meet New Friends: Take a few private dance lessons and see how easy it is to meet new people! Your confidence will begin to grow, making it so much easier to ask someone for a dance or simply get out and spend time with others who have similar interests in dancing. Not only can you get that body in shape by having fun Salsa or Swing dancing, but you can also expand your social circle! Sweet!

2. Blow Off Steam: Of course you can always visit your local gym to shed a few pounds before the Summer, but did you know that social dancing also helps to relieve stress? And it’s so much more fun than the traditional workout! Why run on the treadmill when you can Tango your way back into that bathing suit?

3. Reconnect With Your Sweetie: With private dance lessons, you two love birds can get away from the kids and enjoy a fun way to spend quality time together. You’ll also be “working” towards the same common goal of staying fit through dance and having fun in the process! I can’t think of anything better for couples!

Summer is coming faster than we are ever prepared for. Make this one a blast by having a cool way to beat the heat with social dancing in Arizona.

dancing in the woods

Ballroom Dance Tips

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dancing in the woodsAll of our social ballroom dance instructors here at Dance FX Studios in Arizona are top notch. They go through rigorous training and receive ongoing education to learn even more technique so as to be as knowledgeable as possible for their students. Having been a leading social ballroom dance studio in Arizona for 13 years, Dance FX Studios has seen it all and we will turn any individual into a confident social dancer. Be it the Country Two Step, Jitterbug Swing, Salsa or the Argentine Tango… our instructors have got you covered with top notch quality dance lessons!

One aspect of our instructors off-the-floor planning is creating Teacher Tips. These tips are helpful tidbits of information related to social dancing that are created to help students about things that are helpful to know.

This week’s Teacher Tip comes from Bethany, one of Dance FX Studios’ top dance instructors. Bethany was only two years old the first time she set foot in a dance studio. Born a performer, she spent her youth singing, competing in gymnastics, and trying out many facets of the dance world with learning ballet, modern, jazz, tap, musical theatre dance, and partner dance. For the past eight years, Bethany has been singing, dancing, and acting on both professional and non-professional stages.

Originally from Texas, when Bethany moved to Arizona to attend ASU and earn a degree in Musical Theatre Performance, she discovered how much fun social dancing is. She fell in love with dancing Salsa, Bachata, and other Latin dances, and eventually branched out to other styles. With many years of experience dancing many styles of dance, Bethany definitely knows a thing or two about dancing. Here is her tip this week:

“Get your dancing shoes on! Learning how to dance is challenging enough as it is. Make your life SO much easier by investing in a pair of proper dance shoes – be it smooth ballroom, Latin, character, or even some jazz shoes. You wouldn’t go to the gym in flip flops, so don’t let the dance floor be different. You’ll be amazed at how much easier turns are when you change out of rubber soles and into leather or suede. Not only are dance shoes specifically built to make your dancing smoother, but they can also help you transition into a dancers mindset. So go out and make that investment in you and your dancing.”

Take it from Bethany and put your best dance-shoe-clad foot forward! Not sure which style is best for you? Ask your instructor during your next dance lesson for advice on which type of dance shoe is best for you. Not taking lessons? There’s no better time than now to come check us out with our private dance lesson Introductory Offer. Call us at the studio at 480.968.6177, send us an email at [email protected] , or come visit us during business hours from noon to 8 pm on weekdays and from 10 am to 3 pm on Saturdays. We look forward to meeting you and helping you to reach you dancing dreams!

Styles of Swing

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istock_000001582768xsmallWith the, what seems to be, endless amount of Swing dance styles, it is sometimes hard to keep them all straight. Dances that can be referred to as Swing dancing include the Lindy Hop, Charleston, West Coast Swing, East Coast Swing, Jive, Shag, and many other dances developed around the 1940’s. To help you identify some of the key identifiers of these dances, a few of the Swing dances will be discussed further.

You may recognize the first Swing dance, the Lindy Hop, by its basic move, the swingout. The swingout involves one partner pulling the other into a closed position from an open position. While doing so, they pivot 180 degrees, and then the other partner is swung back into the original position. The Lindy Hop also has characteristics similar to the Charleston because it was based off of it. Just as the Lindy Hop was developed from another dance, it helped to inspire the East Coast Swing, Balboa, Shag, and Boogie Woogie.

The next dance listed as Swing dancing is the Charleston. As stated previously, the Charleston was the inspiration for the Lindy Hop. However there were different styles of Charleston dances, the one from the 1920’s is quite different than the one in the 1930’s that the Lindy Hop is associated with. If you are wondering, the first one, the 1920’s Charleston, is the dance that became popular and associated with flappers. One key feature of the Charleston, apart from other Swing dances, is the swaying arms and quick foot movements that the dancers have that helps to spot this dance.

Another dance associated with the Lindy Hop is the West Coast Swing. This form of Swing dancing is distinguished by having an elastic feel to it. Dancers in West Coast Swing use an extension and compression partnership, which gives that elastic appearance. Additionally, West Coast Swing is more linear and slower than other Swing dances.

The last form of Swing dance we will cover is the East Coast Swing. To distinguish itself from the other forms of Swing dancing, especially the West Coast Swing from California, East Coast Swing was appropriately named. The East Coast Swing is going to have a little more bounce and pep to it than some of the other forms of Swing dances. It is also more standardized as it was originally developed for instructional purposes.

No matter what type of Swing dancing you choose, you are going to have a blast. Some may be easier to start out with than others, but Swing dancing is a great dance to learn for any occasion. To start your Swing dance lessons today, come into Dance FX Studios located in Mesa, Arizona. Dance FX Studios has private Swing dance lessons and group Swing dance classes for your enjoyment. See YOU on the dance floor!