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A couple having fun while a woman was being dipped

What Makes You Hot on the Dance Floor

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Country dance classes ArizonaDo you want to stand out on the dance floor? That would be nice, right? All eyes are on you because you know what you’re doing out there. It’s a very cool feeling! Whether you’re at a holiday party or your favorite Country bar, why not look hot?

“How does one get to looking so hot?”, you may be wondering. Well, there’s no magic pill-that’s for sure, but there are some definite things you can do to shine on the dance floor. Here are some of them.

Dance Skills

Yes! Believe it or not, knowing what you’re actually doing on the dance floor can make you quite attractive. Now you can fake it when everyone’s drunk and no one knows any better, but why pull the wool over everyone’s eyes when you can make the investment in yourself by learning to dance “correctly”.

I put correctly in quotes because, as a trained dancer, I know there are many ways to do a particular dance. For example, depending on where you go Country Two Stepping, the dancers will do their footwork differently. In fact, you may not know this, but there is a Texas Two Step and an Arizona Two Step, even though we are so close to each other. Both are considered Country Two Step dances, both are recognized by Country dancers,  yet each one is unique to the region in which it started.  So, my point is that there is no point in being rigid when we’re talking about a form of expression and art, but there are general standards.

Not to get too off track, but as a side note, there are several variations of Salsa dancing too. Think of these stylistic changes as being dialects within what many call the language of dance. When you go to a particular place, check out what style of Salsa dance they do. It’s interesting to see the slight variations from New York to LA. Pretty cool, right?

At any rate, by taking adult dance lessons in Latin, Country Western, Tango or Swing dancing, you will learn what’s used most in your area, as well as how to dance well. You will discover how to lead or follow, which is a huge part of social partner dancing, so that you can enjoy pairing up with anyone. And you will also know what it means to really know how to dance. Dancing is not about memorizing footsteps, but understanding how your body works. With lessons under your belt, you can demystify partner dancing once and for all, and really look your best on any occasion.

Rhythm

If you want “the moves like Jagger”, you must learn about rhythm. Again, partner dancing, be it Swing, Salsa or the Argentine Tango, is not going to convey well to your partner if you’re simply focusing on what your feet are doing over moving with the music.  Private Dance Lessons will be extremely beneficial for those of you who can’t find the beat in a song. The good news is that anyone can be trained to hear the beat…anyone.

Funny story, about 20 years ago (yes, I’m old) one of my students made me put in writing that I would teach him at no charge if he could not find the beat in a song by the time his 50 hour Private Lesson program was complete. I signed the paper knowing I could get him there. I did it in less than 10 hours! He was blown away with what he could do once he could feel the rhythm! “It’s like all of the pieces have come together!”, he once told me. Yes, dancing with the music and not just to it makes all the difference. 😉

Confidence

Learning really cool dances can take a bit of time, but don’t let that hold you back from going out social dancing, or even watching others. Confidence will come with knowledge and ability, and once you have it, let it shine through! There’s not really anything that I can think of that’s more attractive than a self-assured person. Be that person on the dance floor (and off) and you’re sure to be dancing on it all night long.

One way to “fake it til you make it” is with good posture. You don’t want to necessarily look like a ballroom dancer when you’re out Country dancing, I agree, but stand tall and strut your stuff. Being hunched over is a sign of weakness, and poor posture is horrible when it comes to dancing with someone else. You not only risk banging into your partner by being too close to him/her, but you don’t move as well in general if you’re body is out of alignment. So own what you know and reflect that with good posture.

Be Chivalrous

This may sound old school, and you may even think that we women like to be tossed around like rag dolls, but I can guarantee you that treating a woman with kindness and respect on the dance floor will go a long way. Take care of her. In other words, don’t fling her into other dancers because you think she likes to be spun. Don’t run her into walls because you’re not paying attention to the layout of the room, or what dance move you’re doing within the space you have. Do make her feel safe and comfortable. Ask her for a dance, instead of yanking her out of her chair. You may be one of the few that treat her this way, and that is a very, very good thing.

So now that you know how to look hot on any dance floor? Where are you going to start? Of course you know that I’m going to tell you to take dance lessons first, then everything else will fall into place.

As I mentioned, adult dance lessons are an investment, but can you think of anything more exciting, fun, healthy and romantic than learning to dance? I doubt it. 🙂

Let me know how you to plan to look hot on the dance floor by commenting below. I’d also love to hear what you think is hot in other dancers. Happy dancing!

 

Country dance lessons AZ

You Get What You Pay For…

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Country dance lessons in Mesa AZHave you ever heard that expression, “You get what you pay for?”? With all of the free group dance classes in the Country bars, Latin clubs and Casinos in Arizona, you would think there would be tons of great dancers here. Consider different social ballroom dances like Country Two Step, Salsa, Swing and Argentine Tango. Exploring these cool and exciting dances are really the same as learning a new language. Beyond learning the “ABC’s”, or basic dance steps, you will discover how to string your moves together into dance “sentences” and eventually “paragraphs” when you dance to an  entire song. With regards to expecting to learn to dance in a free group class in a bar or casino, imagine how challenging it would be to get into detail on how to be an amazing leader or follower in such a setting. Even if the instructor is top-notch, learning to dance inside a group class of 20 to 30 other people is very difficult.

The fact is, when you look around at most social dancers at places like Moonshine in Tempe, AZ or Bourbon Jacks in Chandler, Arizona, the truth is that most of the couples that you are admiring hasn’t a clue what they’re doing. You might be thinking “they’re having so much fun! Isn’t that all that matters”? Actually no, that is not all that matters. Fun does matter, but what matters most when dancing at bars or nightclubs or even at your best friend’s wedding, is that those around you are safe and comfortable and that you can actually apply what you know to a real world situation. Beyond that, true fun means knowing more than 3 cool moves repeated over and over no matter what song or music type!

These are just three questions that you should ask yourself to help decide if private dance lessons are a better investment than group lessons. 1.) Do you want to avoid embarrassment? 2.) Do you want to know how to dance of just fake it? 3.) How confident do you feel about your dance ability now that you have taken a year of free group lessons?

Here’s the scoop on why dance lessons one-on-one with an instructor are the better investment in yourself and your social life:

Attention to detail!

In group Swing or Salsa dance classes, are you told if you have a proper dance frame? Did your instructor check your footwork and was it secondary to the connection you and your partner had in your upper bodies? Are you leading, or is your girlfriend back-leading? Do you have any idea if you are being taught how to lead or follow? Now the lesson is over and you think you just learned several cool moves, but the reality is that you can simply do a bunch of sloppily executed moves with no structure or foundation. How unfortunate! What’s more, was that lesson really free if you paid that bar tab and took a cab ride home?

Conversely, after just a few private dance lessons, you should know how to lead or follow during all the dance moves you are learning, not to mention dancing in the correct dance frame and so on! Simply by understanding your roles and responsibilities on the dance floor as a leader or follower, you will have advanced further than any typical group lesson. Learning these first few tools your confidence will build as you go. You are sure to have more confidence and you will take that with you to any social dance floor.

Private dance lesson are customized for how you learn best! 

A disadvantage of group dance classes is that you are learning with the masses. You may pick up the material and you may not. You may learn fast or slower than other people. You may respond to challenges or nurturing. Maybe learning to dance seems difficult only because you are not being taught in a way that makes sense to you. For example, some students learn best when seeing a move over and over again, while other people learn best when an instructor explains it verbally or shows how something is done with examples that are relatable to them. In a group setting, it’s just not possible to personalize a learning experience. This tends to be quite de-motivating and be a reason why you and your partner give up a hobby that would truly enhance your lives.

Private dance lessons teach using customized instruction from a knowledgeable instructor. If you are having difficulty with traditional instruction, you will be taught in a different way that makes sense for you. Our instructors at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona are particularly focused on you and works directly with only you and your partner. Maybe the dance instructor is your dance partner? That is the very fastest way to learn. Teaching you to dance well is a dance instructor’s full-time job. It is a dance school’s job to make sure you are happy and getting your monies worth, and guess what… For all of those reasons and more, you certainly will!

Group classes are pattern-based great social partner dancing means adhering to specific rhythms. Being a great social dancer is not just learning five or six cool moves. It is also not memorizing routines that watch on YouTube. Rather than memorizing patterns and using them for all the music that comes on in the night club, through quality dance lessons you will learn spontaneity and how to use dancing to navigate around other couples or within a crowd. More importantly, dancing well means having “musicality”, which is the awareness of music and rhythm in dance. Learning music identification and knowing which dance goes with what song is the signal to every partner you dance with, or everyone watching you perform, that you know exactly what you are doing.

If you don’t know how to identify different dances or have the ability to identify music, that’s OK, it just means that you haven’t taken private dance lessons yet! The good news is, it’s never too late to enjoy the benefits of knowing how to dance.  The key is getting what you pay for: quality instruction and a well-versed education. Having confidence that you know what you are doing, are able to improvise and have all the tools you need to be a great social dancer will keep you on the dance floor all night long!

Obviously you are worth the investment! There is no substitute for taking private dance lessons. Why fake and fumble it around on that dance floor when you can float with ease and comfort doing any social dance, from Salsa dancing to the Country Two Step. If you live in Phoenix, Arizona, Dance FX Studios is ready to have some fun with you while we teach you the dances of your choice.  Our studio is in Mesa, AZ right off the 101 highway. We accommodate residents valley-wide and beyond. Schedule a lesson using our New Student Offer, only $25, and your days of enjoying social dancing are just around the corner!

Couple’s Dance Classes in 2014!

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You have been thinking about learning to dance, but are just not sure how to get started or which type of dancing you would like to learn. To be able to dance at any social occasion, your best bet is social ballroom dances like the Salsa, Country Two Step or the Swing. Social dance lessons will get you ready for those upcoming holiday parties, weddings and even nights out around town.  The most efficient way to learn to dance is with private dance lessons, so that you can receive one-on-one dance lessons with your instructor. However, if you have a tight schedule or maybe you’re not sure which type of dances you want to learn and would like to try a variety, then you may want to consider taking group dance classes.

 

If you live in the Phoenix East Valley area, beginning in January 2014, couples group dance classes are returning to Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona after a short hiatus for the holidays! We have been teaching group dance classes for years and this time will be offering a variety of weekly, drop-in classes for beginners.  From Country to Salsa to Jitterbug, these 45 minute couples classes will be held Monday – Thursday evenings at 7:00. What’s great about this is that you don’t have to commit to a series of classes. Whatever your schedule allows, just come on in and join in the fun!

 

Group dance classes are an easy, affordable way to begin to learn some of the basics of whichever dance you choose. As the leading social dance studio for adults in Arizona, you have the chance to learn dance steps that you can use in any social dance situation. We will provide you with the tools needed to dance in the real world. And, since each class is held just once a week, it’s an ideal way to fit dancing into your busy life.

 

For some, focusing on a specific dance just once a week within a group may be better suited to their goals. However, if you can’t decide which dance to attempt first for only $15 per couple, per class, why not try a variety? Maybe one week, try the Salsa, the following week, give the Country Two Step a shot! Try a couple of different dances each week- whatever works best for you and your partner! Learning several dances will allow you to be able to dance to a variety of music, so you become a more well-rounded dancer. This way, you won’t be limited to just one type of dancing and will be ready for almost anything!

 

At Dance FX Studios, group dance classes for adults are an excellent way for couples to meet new people and explore new dance styles. Who knows- you may even make friends with other couples and all go out dancing together!  It is also a perfect way for you and your partner to spend some time together each week learning a new interest.  With both of your schedules being so busy every week, it may be hard to find the time for the two of you to just get away from it all and have a good time. What a perfect opportunity to reconnect with each other! Wouldn’t it be nice to spend some time together doing something that is so beneficial and acquiring skills you will use anywhere?

 

So, grab a partner and come join other Phoenix couples in Dance FX Studios Group Dance Classes for a fun-filled night of dancing! See you in 2014!