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Arizona Country Two Step dance

Reap The Benefits of Country and Latin Dance Lessons

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Arizona Country Two Step dance classesLately we’ve shared how the numerous benefits of learning to dance in this year ahead can make 2015 your best one yet. From improving your love life to increasing your social circle, knowing how to Country, Swing or Latin dance is a game-changer on many levels, from social to physical to even emotional.

In the last blog, we shared how social dancing can relieve stress and help to strengthen connections with others. Before that, we posted on how knowing how to Country Two Step or Salsa dance builds confidence and can keep the often dreaded gym at bay by being physical on the dance floor instead. Today, we are going to explore even more perks of social dancing, beginning with how ballroom dancing is a wonderful preventative for dementia.

Yes, studies have shown that, in adults over 75 years of age, ballroom dancing has had the greatest effect on warding off Alzheimer’s and related diseases. Out-scoring reading, cycling and even doing crossword puzzles, dancing frequently was 76% more effective in mental health preventatives! Since learning and memorizing steps requires repetition, muscle memory and brain power, dancing has been shown to improve mental acuity, greatly decreasing risk of dementia.

Physically, upbeat dances like Swing dancing also help to release endorphins in your body, keeping your mind in great spirits and your body burning between 300 and 400 calories per hour. Now that’s a great two-for-one! Additionally, dancing is heart-healthy. In fact, facilities like the Flagstaff Medical Center offer ballroom dance lessons for rehabilitating the heart and other parts of the body like the knees in a safe manner.

Finally, for a longer-lasting and more fulfilling life, forming connections with others who have similar interests is essential. In a study by Jonathan Skinner from Queen’s University in Belfast, social dancing even created tolerance between those who normally had social tensions by bringing each other together and engaging with each other.

Today can be the day you begin your journey into social dancing! At Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona, we have an amazing New Student Offer, which will allow you to explore the basics of popular social dances like the Country Swing and Bachata. The benefits of social dancing are yours for the taking, so what are you waiting for? Come visit us and let the fun begin!

social ballroom dancing AZ

Top 3 Tips To Keep Your 2015 Dance Resolutions

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social ballroom dancing in ArizonaSocial dancing is a blast! Who wouldn’t love to go out Country Swing dancing or enjoy an evening Salsa dancing at a local Latin club? Dancing is great fun, a wonderful means of stress relief and a great way to meet others, but getting to that comfort level where you can really dance with ease takes a bit of time. No one is born knowing how to dance, so taking the time to learn is a must. No worries! While learning to Swing dance or dance the Tango may be a challenge, it is well worth it in the end-especially when you can be one of the few who do it well. 🙂 Here’s how to get to that point where you can dance comfortably and with confidence in the upcoming year.

Practice every day 

It’s one thing to say, “I’m gonna dance like Bruno Mars did on the Superbowl half-time show!” It’s another thing to commit the months and hours of daily practice to create the dance results that you’re truly looking for. Great dancers that get praised in public are rewarded for all the hours of practice they’ve trained in private.

Make a plan and commit a consistent amount of time your willing to spend week and stick to it. Consistency is key! People that are healthy and in shape aren’t that way by accident. They specific ritual of how much they exercise, what they eat, how much they eat and what they avoid eating to get the body they want.

Makes dance goals clearer than your HD TV

It’s great to have big dreams and aspirations for your dancing, but make sure you’re S.M.A.R.T. about it. Make your dancing goals:

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Realistic

Timely

For example, instead of writing down a goal like,”I want to be an amazing Salsa dancer!”, write down, “I want to be a smooth and confident Salsa dancer that can lead/follow most basic dance combinations comfortably within the next six months.” Knowing what is realistic is very important so that you don’t overshoot or undershoot your goals and end up becoming disappointed. This is where a meeting with your dance instructor is relevant. Make sure that you find a social dance instructor that helps you set measurable goals so that you are always headed in the right direction with your dancing. Progress is key to sticking with social dance lessons and having more fun on the dance floor. Be sure to set daily and weekly goals that are easy to control so you can see gradual progress along your dance journey. Also have long term goals that keep your eye on the prize!

Find an experienced instructor in your local area 

Sure, many people have tried to learn how to Country dance or Latin dance from a YouTube video, but there is one thing that videos cannot teach and that’s “feeling.” Partner dancing is about developing a feeling, connection and communication with your partner, something that’s impossible to get through your PC, smartphone or TV. Having an experienced dance teacher who can give you specific and clear guidance based on your learning style is absolutely crucial to your development as a dancer. Plus your instructor can correct any dance mistakes and bad habits you might have, something a video just can’t do.
Now it’s your turn to do something that you may have always wanted to do…Dance! Make 2015 the best year ever and learn a skill that can be used anywhere from date nights to weddings and holiday parties to cruises. Swing dance your way through 2015 in style and watch your confidence soar! For Arizona residents, come visit us at Dance FX Studios in the Phoenix East Valley. We are in Mesa, just off the 101 highway, bordering Tempe and Chandler, AZ. Dance FX Studios serves residents Valley-wide from Gilbert to Scottsdale and Phoenix to Queen Creek. Discover social dancing with us and begin with our New Student Offer, then let us take you on a journey into a hobby that you can use forever. Here’s to an exciting new year of fun and dance! We hope to see you in 2015!