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Give Back To YOU This Summer!

July 8, 2015/in Dance Lessons Mesa AZ /by Sierra

Do you feel exhausted, overworked, and burned out? In our Western culture, we are encouraged to hurry about: Work our 9-5 jobs, pick up the kids, walk the dog, get groceries, make dinner, and oh, don’t forget to go to the gym too! It’s so easy to wear yourself out from living this busy lifestyle. Some have been doing this routine for the majority of their lives just begging for the day they can retire and catch a breath. But then what? Perhaps you have retired, and you’re actually wondering what to do now that you no longer have that 9-5 job or those little munchkins running about the house. I’ll tell you what you do. Social dance. Dance? Yes, you dance. Think Country Two Step dancing, Latin Salsa dancing, or the fun of Swing dancing. Sound a little more exciting?? Here’s why I think your tired soul needs dance to spice up your life.

First, you deserve it. Be good to yourself. You’ve mastered the art of “everything”, from child rearing to your job. There’s no situation you haven’t handled with the grace of an Olympic ice skater balancing porcelain plates on her head and finger tips. So now is the time to give back to yourself. Do something that is not only fun, but good for you too. Social dancing is one of the best leisure activities a person can do for him/herself. The benefits of dance are all over the spectrum, but today I’m going to touch on the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of getting your feet moving on the dance floor.

Physical:

The physical benefits of dancing are numerous. I could write you a book on all of them, but I’ll keep this short and sweet for your sake. The most pronounced are increased balance, posture, and flexibility, but if you aren’t interested in those, you can be sure of increased muscle tone (and who doesn’t want more of that?). The benefits don’t stop there. Social dancing, from Bachata to Ballroom, is also good for boosting the immune system and reducing your chance of heart disease.

Mental:

Oh, the mental benefits of dancing! Here’s a shocker for you. Did you know dancing can dramatically reduce your risk of acquiring dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease? It’s true! A study done by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City over a 21 year period, discovered dancing reduces the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease by an incredible 76%! The study tested both physical and mental activities such as reading books, completing crossword puzzles, playing golf, tennis, and walking to name a few. The study revealed dancing reduces your chance of dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease more than any other physical activity.

Emotional:

Ever notice how dancers have a certain aura about them? They seem to be more confident and comfortable in their own skin. Ever wonder why? The reason, dance allows people to become more aware of their bodies and expressive with the movement of it. Social dancing gives them a safe, creative environment to be themselves. It also reduces the amount of tension an individual holds. Wouldn’t you feel great after a night out on the town Salsa dancing? Many people dance to shake off the stress of a long day at work. They may recharge their batteries in a hopping social scene such a club, bar, or ballroom floor. Others love the simplicity of going home pushing the living room furniture to the side, plugging in their favorite Country or Swing dance tunes, while taking it easy with their partner, letting the music slide over them, and allowing the dance to melt their cares away. Whichever you prefer, dance is the perfect stress relief outlet for anyone. And who knows, it may add to the romance in your life and create a few new friendships.

Now that you have discovered just some of the benefits of becoming a confident dancer, it’s your turn to give dancing a try. Dance FX Studios’ New Student Offer for beginner dancers is a great place to start if you live here in the Phoenix East Valley. Come experience the joys of social ballroom dancing and see how you can spice up your summer in no time.

Learning to Dance: Cheaper Than therapy and Much More Rewarding!

May 7, 2015/in Dance Lessons Mesa AZ /by Sierra

Dance has been an integral form of communication, connecting communities and individuals in every culture and civilization throughout history. Social dancing, from Latin to Swing and Country to Ballroom, brings people together in a variety of ways. We use music and dancing to reenact historic events, to express deep emotion, to celebrate and to romance those we love or hope to love. Dancing also has another use…healing.

When most people think of solving personal issues with therapy, their minds immediately wander to psychotherapy, psychoanalysis or clinical therapies. Rarely do people consider the activity of social dancing as an effective form of therapy. Interestingly, dance emerged as psychotherapeutic tool back in the 1940s. Today, research continues to support the use of dancing for a variety of mental stressors and is utilized for individuals, couples, families and groups in crisis.

If your relationship is in crises “dancing is uplifting, enjoyable, engaging, and includes the added advantage of non-verbal communication, which enables participants to express their feelings without words when normal communication channels are absent or broken down” (Strassel et al., 2011). Learning to partner dance, from the Country Two Step to Salsa dancing, focuses on developing a strong connection between two individuals. Moreover, social dance lessons teach the man to be a great leader and the female to follow. What’s great for couples is that they work out relationship issues without realizing that’s the effect, all while having a great time!

Therapy through dancing is especially useful for couples with medium to severe distress, marriages dealing with infidelity, elderly couples suffering from depression or anyone with anxiety or dementia. For dementia in particular, dancing has been documented in peer reviewed journals as being the top beneficial exercise for Alzheimer disease prevention.

Dance therapy has four valuable components: social, musical, skill learning and physical exercise. Social Dancing may also be particularly beneficial for group and family therapy because the benefits of dancing include: increased self-awareness, improved self-esteem, increased connectivity of thoughts, feelings and actions, improved verbal and non-verbal communication, greater social interaction skills, enhanced relational trust and increased ability to recognize, decipher and express feelings appropriately (Bojner-Horwitz, Theorell, and Anderberg, 2011).

Dancing is a social activity because it is done with another individual and/or a group of people. This human to human interaction is important for all psychological functioning. Adding the component of music, the body is listening, looking, moving and reacting. The results are that dancing reduces stress as well as pain, decreases anxiety and improves relaxation. How wonderful is that?! Additionally, repeat interaction among other people where a common hobby is comfortably shared, like going Country Swing dancing at a local event, strengthens inner feelings of belonging to community.

Taking dance lessons may be the therapeutic tool that is right for you. It is clear that dance movement has the ability to instill positive life changes by developing and enhancing the relationship of the body, mind and spirit. It’s also easy to see how learning spicy Latin dances, like Bachata or Merengue, helps the imagination and the emotions. Performing any social ballroom style of dancing allows for an increased ability to adapt and to respond to changes in the environment. This means even stressful work relations will improve if the work group participates in social dancing. Imagine what this will also do for morale and productivity!

Isn’t it inspiring that you can do something as fun as Country Dancing, Latin Dancing or even group dance lessons as a bridal party and get the benefits of therapy to resolve issues within couples, family or friendships!? Whether you are getting along in all of your relationships or not, social dancing is sure to enhance your life. For all of you Phoenix residents, let us impact you with social dance lessons at Dance FX Studios. Before long, you’ll see the perks of knowing how to dance for yourself.

Top 3 Tips To Keep Your 2015 Dance Resolutions

December 31, 2014/in Dance Lessons Mesa AZ /by Sierra

Social 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!

It’s Not Too Late to Give the Gift of Dance!

December 22, 2014/in Dance Lessons Mesa AZ /by Sierra

Last minute shoppers… You can still give your friends, family, co-workers and neighbors the perfect gift this Christmas…Social ballroom dance lessons! Not sure what social dancing is or how it would fit into your loved ones lives? Easy enough! Social dancing is what you would see at a wedding, in a bar, at a holiday party or anywhere that people gather to hang out to have a good time. Social dancing can include freestyle or Hip Hop, but we are specifically referring to social ballroom dancing, which requires a partner. Think Country Two Step, Swing and even Salsa dancing, and you will be on the right track when it comes to defining types of popular social ballroom dances.

Dancing is timeless and universal, making it a hobby that (we feel) everyone should know! 🙂 What better way to end a long day than to go burn off steam Country Swing dancing? How cool would it be to go Swing dancing after a hellish week at the office? Social dancing will be the one gift you give that literally keeps on giving. What’s even better, the more you use it, the greater you will feel! This is true on many levels, including mentally, physically and even emotionally. Yes, when you spend time connecting with others, being physically active and challenging yourself with a cool new hobby, you are on your way to a happier you!

When would those you know find the time to go and use an activity such as dancing? Well, date nights that include dancing are a great way to begin any relationship. Plus knowing how to social dance is great for anniversaries, weddings, special events and even dancing at home with someone special as a fun, healthy and intimate activity for two.

Do you live in Arizona? If so, come grab a gift card for social ballroom dance lessons for your friends and relatives this holiday season at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona. We will introduce your loved ones to an exciting form of recreation and entertainment that will expand their social circle, improve their love life and get them off the couch. 2015 is right around the corner. You can check many boxes off of those New Year’s Resolutions on your friend’s lists, just by having them learn to social dance! Give the gift of confidence, fitness and fun this holiday season.

Gift certificates are available in our Online Store now. And, with every $100 that you spend in gift certificates, you will receive a $20 credit on your account! How cool is that!? Gift cards can be purchased in increments of $25 or can be purchased and printed for specific items, including a New Student Offer for singles or couples, our 4-Week Group Dance Classes for couples, or a Wedding Dance Consultation. Happy Shopping! We look forward to seeing you in the new year!