Posts

Dance – A NEW New Year’s Resolution

/in /by


According to several statistics, about 45% of Americans make a resolution to change something about their lives when the New Year rolls around. A slim percent of these Americans stick to the resolutions they make, like losing weight, falling in love, enjoying life to the fullest, learning something new, staying fit and quitting smoking. A lot of the time people who call it quits on keeping a resolution can blame a lack of motivation, attempting change alone, and poor time management for falling through. Whether you realized it or not, social ballroom dance lessons in the Country Two Step, Swing or Salsa dancing can actually support many of the most popular resolutions that we make. In fact, Dance FX Studios in Mesa, AZ has helped thousands of people discover the fun and satisfaction that dancing is. We can keep you motivated with our enthusiastic instructors and stimulating lesson plans and help you manage time with regular, constructive lessons. Losing weight, enjoying life, learning new skills, staying fit and maybe even falling in love can be done when you join us! With over 12 years of experience in the dance business, we can help you make that resolution obtainable and help you stay on track this year!

 

#1 Lose Weight/Stay Fit

Dancing is an excellent form of exercise, as we have discussed in our blogs before. But what makes it such a great way to keep a resolution is that it continues to challenge you and keeps you motivated because it’s interesting and enjoyable. If you are not a gym rat or don’t find jogging on sidewalks to be your cup of tea, chances are dance lessons will stimulate your body and your mind, keeping you motivated. Not only will you exercise your muscles and coordination, you will also work your brain. Learning new steps and movements is a great way to get fit and challenge your mind!

#2 Enjoying Life

At Dance FX Studios, we can help you obtain skills that will apply to the “real world” and various social settings. See yourself dancing the Salsa at a wedding in 2014? Shaking your groove thing with the Country Two Step on nights out that you deserve? Dancing the Tango with a Latin lover in a land far away? You can make these dreams come true while enjoying yourself and learning the abilities you will use in these situations. It is a two birds, one stone situation that is sure to add some joy to your life!

#3 Learning New Skills

When you take dance lessons, you will learn so much more than just dance moves. We can teach you how to connect with your partner while dancing, be it a spouse or someone new at a bar or club. You can also learn how to lead or follow and how to navigate a crowded dance floor. The dance moves themselves will prove very rewarding when you get them down and become confident in yourself and your newfound abilities.

#4 Falling in Love

Okay, so we can’t promise that Mr. Right or Mrs. Wonderful will magically appear on the dance floor when you start taking dance lessons, but we can be sure that you will gain new social skills that can help you in your search! You will find yourself more confident and open when you take dance lessons, which will help you to connect and communicate when meeting new people. The ability to dance is something that will stay with you and you can take these new skills to a whole new spectrum of social places. Guys, girls love it when they meet a man who knows how to dance and can show them a good time. It’s not girly, we promise! Ladies, who hasn’t dreamt of literally being swept off their feet to a romantic tune?

With so many great holiday specials right now, including a 5-hour private lesson program for just $199 special and our unique $40 Introductory Offer, there’s no reason a resolution can’t come true and stay true all through 2014! Your dreams for 2014 can be obtainable with our help at Dance FX Studios. A few ways that are known to help in keeping resolutions are to be specific and to be held accountable. We lay out everything for you and regular lessons with our great instructors will help you stick to your plan! Call us today at 480.968.6177, visit our website and check out our specials, or stop in today and set yourself up for a great new year!

Discover More About the Cha Cha and Merengue!

/in /by

In a previous blog, we covered a brief history of the salsa and Argentine tango. Today, we are going to explore a few other popular social Latin dances. Latin dancing is  popular everywhere-especially in the southwest where we are here in Arizona. From Latin clubs to private parties, knowing how to Latin dance will come in handy! Get inspired to hit the dance floor and shake those hips because ANYONE can become a great Latin dancer-even YOU!

Let us begin with the Cha Cha, a vibrant, flamboyant and playful Latin dance. The carefree and lively feel of the Cha Cha gives it a unique sense of fun for dancers all over the world.

The Cha Cha is an interpretive social dance, born from the fusion of progressive American and Latin music. The initial purpose of learning this dance was for weight change. Originally known as the Cha-Cha-Cha, it became popular in the 1950’s and was a spin-off of the Mambo. Eventually it evolved into a separate dance, known today as the Cha Cha.

The Cha Cha was immensely popular from the beginning and is a dance that has never gone out of style. It is a constant favorite at weddings because of its versatility with many genres of music. In fact, the Cha Cha can be done to Country dance music, oldies and Hip Hop, in addition to Latin styles. This dance is very easy to learn, and, once you have the basic pattern down, can be done in a crowded room or a wide open space. For social dancing, this is a plus as you can dance the Cha Cha anywhere with ease.

To this day, the Cha Cha has remained one of the most popular partner dances. Less sensual than the Mambo and less erotic than the Bolero, it is exciting and fun to dance. Everybody loves the Cha Cha!

Next, let us tell you about the Merengue. Whenever someone pulls out their hot Latino tunes and starts playing the Merengue, there’s a party! What’s great about the Merengue is that it is based on simple marching steps. There’s an old saying: “If you can walk, you can dance the Merengue.”

The Merengue is the national dance of the Dominican Republic, and also to some extent, of Haiti. It has been around since the early years of the Dominican Republic (in Haiti, a similar dance is called the Meringue). It is very likely that the dance took its name from the confection made of sugar and egg whites due to the light and bubbly character of the dance or because of its short, precise rhythms.

By the middle of the nineteenth century, the Merengue became quite popular in the Dominican Republic. It was used for every dancing occasion in the Republic and is vastly prevalent throughout the Caribbean and South American. It is one of the standard Latin American dances.

There is a lot of variety in Merengue music and tempos can vary a great deal. The Dominicans prefer a sharp quickening with the pace towards the end of the dance. The favorite routine at the clubs is a slow Bolero, which then breaks into a Merengue, and then becomes similar to a fast Jive towards the end. The ballroom version of the Merengue is slower and has a modified hip action.

The Merengue was introduced in the United States around the New York area. It increased in popularity in the U. S. and the rest of the world with its peak years occurring between the 1970s and the turn of the twenty-first century. It had a lot of competition with other Latin dances, but eventually won a foothold in the club scene. Ideally suited to small, crowded dance floors, it is a dance that is easy to learn and really fun for all!

There are so many exciting and popular social ballroom dances to discover. See upcoming blogs, and even previous blogs, on Dance FX Studios’ website to learn about the history of the Swing, Country two step and more. To get started learning these popular dances today, so that you can join in on the fun tomorrow, try out our introductory offer for just $40! You will soon see how dancing really is FUN and EASY to learn and enjoy. Become a confident social dancer after a few private dance lessons and see how many doors will open for you. Dance FX Studios is located in Mesa, Arizona in the Phoenix East Valley, just off the 101 highway for your convenience.

3 Things To Discover With Salsa Dance Lessons

/in /by

It’s sexy, it’s spicy, it’s sensual…it’s Salsa dancing! Can you see yourself sweating to those Latin beats in a hot, steamy club? Would you like to learn to Salsa dance to spice up your fizzled relationship? Are you looking to unleash your inner diva or dude? No real need for a “reason” to get started with Salsa dance lessons because once you begin, your new addiction will keep you coming back for more.

What makes Salsa dancing so cool that it’s hot? Aside from the chance to connect in an intimate and seductive way with others on the dance floor, Salsa dancing opens you up to explore a new “sassy” you, allowing growing room for self-expression and a freedom that cannot be felt from many other hobbies.

If you haven’t danced before, you now know what you’re missing without Salsa dancing in your life.  Before you grab a pair of heels and hit the dance floor to get your Latin groove on, take our advice and start with Salsa dance lessons for beginners. Here are a few things that you will learn in private Latin dance lessons at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, AZ:

1. Partner connection: Salsa dancing is generally fast paced. In order to move  as one with your special someone, let us help you to understand the principles of partner connection. With faster dances, being connected on the dance floor is key. In our private lesson introductory offer, you will be given an exercise to assist you in understanding how to move in synch with anyone on the dance floor.

2. Small steps: As with all Latin dances, small steps are essential for several reasons. One reason has to do with getting your hips moving. The only way to get those hips  moving the “right” way is by keeping your feet underneath your torso by taking very small steps. More information in your Latin dance lessons at Dance FX Studios will help you to understand the importance of tiny footwork.

3. Lead and Follow: In order to be a great Salsa dancer, knowing how to lead or follow is of primary importance. Rather than memorizing steps from a video or in a group class setting, get the basics of lead and follow first. Then your will have a solid foundation that you can use to build off of.

Explore the Salsa in dance lessons for couples or singles to see how much fun it is to Latin dance! If you live in the Phoenix area, give Salsa dance lessons a try at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, AZ. We offer Salsa lessons for beginners to residents in Tempe, Chandler, Phoenix, Gilbert, Scottsdale, Queen Creek and beyond! Our introductory offer for private Latin dance lessons will give you a window into our unique concept, one that can make a dancer out of everyone-even YOU!