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Salsa or Swing Dance Your Way To Happiness!

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Have you ever thought of salsa dancing to put a smile on your face or two-stepping to tackle that bad day at the office? How about swinging away your relationship blues on the dance floor? The advantages of social dancing are endless! Whether you are single or you want to learn to dance as a couple, dancing can vastly improve the quality of your life and your relationships. Let us explore  just a few of the numerous way that tango or bachata dancing can brighten your day…

  • Many of the faster-paced social dances including swing, salsa, merengue and cha cha are great for those singles and couples who want to get fit without hitting the gym. Did you know that an average woman of average height can burn almost 300 calories by simply swing dancing for an hour? How great is that?! In addition to being a super-fun new hobby, you can shed extra weight simply by swing dancing!  If you are looking to tone up those muscles, try the Argentine tango. This beautiful and passionate dance will have you begging for more not simply because of the strength and endurance that you can gain by learning to tango, but because of of its sensuality, and diversity challenging aspects. (It is truly a dance like no other.) Other strength-building dances include the Country waltz (because of the “rise and fall” factor) as well as the West Coast swing (due to its earthy nature). Overall, social dancing is a workout in disguise. It is a fun and exciting way to get that body kickin’ into high gear all year ’round!
  • Dancing is an aphrodisiac. Re-kindle your relationship or create new sparks on the dance floor by getting that heart racing, those endorphins pumping and that body moving and grooving to your favorite tunes. Country two step your way into his or her heart with dance lessons for couples. Nothing is more fun and romantic, not to mention a great means of connecting with each other, more than dancing lessons for two. Social ballroom dancing gives you an opportunity to move together as one and work together as a team. Romance at its finest! For new couples, or singles who may be dancing together for the first time, salsa or swing dancing is a great way to assess how well you communicate as a leader and follower. This may reveal how well you fit together off the dance floor. For example, are you respecting each other’s roles on the dance floor? Do you let him be the leader that he needs to be? Are you taking control so that she can relax and enjoy her time on the dance floor? Partner dancing takes communication skills to the next level so that you can develop a true and deeper connection both off and on the dance floor.
  • Social dancing is healing for your spirit. How often do we hear, “Relax, unwind, let it go..”? The dance floor is a wonderful place to release all of your troubles and daily stresses. Shimmy away your fears and let loose as you begin to see your spirit soar. Get in the mood by checking out a Latin club and seeing how happy everyone looks when they’re out there salsa dancing. Or frequent a Country bar and watch how much fun it is for those guys and gals to get down with Country two step and swing.

You can begin your exciting journey of learning to dance right here at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona! We have an amazing introductory lesson for couples and singles that will show you how dancing can improve your life, with or without a dance partner. Dance FX Studios is near Tempe and Chandler, Arizona. We offer social dance lessons in all of the most popular dances that you will use in the real world including salsa, swing, Country two step and Argentine tango.

Three Unique Styles of Swing Dancing

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Did you know that there are 24 variations of Swing dancing? It’s true! Most of the Swing dances used today spawned from Lindy Hop, the “original” Swing dance from the 1920’s, which gained popularity in the 1920’s in Harlem, New York. Let’s explore just three of the many styles of Swing dances that are popular social dances today…

1. West Coast Swing: West Coast Swing is a versatile, slower (and quite sultry) version of the Swing that can be danced to many genres of music from Country to Hip Hop. West Coast Swing dancing is done on a “slot”, like a diving board, that gives it a more linear look as compared to its predecessor, the Lindy Hop, which is more circular. We at Dance FX Studios like to call the West Coast Swing the “adults” version of the Swing because it can be very sexy with the right styling and music. West coast Swing also has a bit of Latin flavor in the dance as there is a swag or a bit of hip shaking that makes the dance even more sassy. For a dance that is a fun and exciting challenge, but well worth it, give West Coast Swing dance lessons a try. You won’t be disappointed with the end result after knowing this commonly used dance. As mentioned earlier, you will be able to have fun with the West Coast Swing everywhere from a Country bar to a social dance event.

2. East Coast Swing: Like the Lindy Hop, East Coast Swing dancing is circular, taking up less space and providing a hybrid of West Coast Swing and Lindy Hop. East Coast Swing is a medium to fast tempo version of the Swing that has lots of turns, side by side opportunities and other playful variations, making it another useful and versatile option for any social dancer. An example of East Coast Swing music would be “Only the Good Die Young” by Billy Joel. Take a listen to this song to gain a better understanding of the general tempo of the music that accompanies East Coast Swing as a dance. East Coast Swing can also be danced to everything from Country to Rock and Roll and Big Band music, like the West Coast Swing.

3. Country Swing: Until very recently, and depending on where you live, Country Swing has not been considered as a separate and unique dance on its own within the Swing dance family. At a Country Western dance venue, you may see several variations of what they call “Country Swing”, which seems to be more like a whole lot of yanking and throwing of the lady while the man stands in one spot on the dance floor. Since the music is quite fast, it is common to see the guy flinging her around like a rag doll at the Country bars. Unfortunately, there seems to be no official timing or rhythm that these dancers use to stay in-beat with the music. “If the song is fast, toss her around” appears to be the trend. Thank goodness Dance FX Studios is here in the Phoenix metro area to show you how you can execute this exciting dance ON TIME with the music and in a way that keeps her arms in their sockets. Country Swing is genre-specific and great fun- when you handle your partner with care.

Come explore the diversity of the Swing with private Swing dance lessons at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona. Sample out our teaching style and what we have to offer in our introductory offer for just $40. See how to become a confident social dancer in no time with private Swing couples or singles dance lessons at Dance FX Studios!

For a great supplement to your private Swing lessons, join in our Swing dance classes on Monday evenings at 7pm! They are a great way to learn to Swing dance for a nominal fee and with a group of other people.

Dance FX Studios is located just minutes from Tempe, Chandler and Gilbert in Phoenix, AZ. Visit our website today for more information on what makes us a one-of-a-kind ballroom dance studio in Arizona.