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wedding dance lessons

Wedding Dance Lessons for Arizona Brides and Grooms

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wedding dance lessons in ArizonaIs your wedding just months away? Then now is the time to begin spending time on the best part of your big day: your first dance! Now, it may seem daunting when you think of “performing” in front of grandma, your boss and even your best buddies, but imagine how much more excited your guests will be when you WOW them with a special dance that is NOT the 8th grade prom sway. No one could have expected that you would actually take the time to learn the most important dance of your life, but you did and it has really paid off! Now your wedding dance is the one thing that your friends and family won’t stop talking about. Who knew?

There are so many options now that you are ready to begin your journey into dance for your wedding day. When it comes to the perfect first dance for you and your sweetie, there are a few things to keep in mind…

1. Start With The Song: To really be inspired to learn to dance and to give your first dance your all, pick a few songs that really mean something to you. Do you like Country music, Big Band, Rock and Roll? What type of music speaks to you? A song that inspires you will show through in your dance and help you to give the best show possible for your guests.

2. Find A Local Dance Studio: There’s no need on your end to try and determine what dance style, be it Country Western or Salsa, that may fit with your song options because you can bring your song choices to a Wedding Dance Consultation at a nearby dance studio. A professional dance instructor will help guide you through which dance songs are best and what dances are good for the vision you have for your first dance. (East Valley Phoenix residents can come visit us at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, AZ. :))

3. Start Earlier Than You Think You Should: Make sure to set up a consultation at least 3-4 months prior to your wedding so that you can really begin honing in on your dancing skills and getting rid of the jitters before you have to hit the dance floor on your wedding day. Social partner dancing is new to most adults who have never taken ballroom dance lessons before and, since no one is born knowing how to dance, it can take a little time to master. Most brides and grooms want to look as natural as possible so planning and plenty of practice time is a must!

Say goodbye to the prom sway and hello to the dance of your dreams with wedding dance lessons from us at Dance FX Studios. We would love to help you Swing dance with the best of them, or put on a tantalizing Tango dance number in one of our Rock Your Reception dances! Or, we can go subtle and elegant in your first dance with a Foxtrot to your favorite Sinatra tune. Either way, you will look spectacular on the dance floor with help from us! To set up your wedding dance consultation, contact us by phone or email. We are thrilled to be a part of your big day!

 

couple dancing

Learn to Social Dance in Arizona

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couple dancingIf you have been taking Salsa, Swing or Country dance lessons with us at Dance FX Studios here in Arizona, you are probably familiar with what we know it takes to become a confident social dancer: practice, practice, practice. Whether it be at home in your living room or out socially, practicing what you have learned in your private dance lessons is key, of course as long as the practice is done correctly. Whether you’re learning Latin, Swing , or Country dancing, here are a few tips from us at Dance FX Studios when it comes to reviewing what you have learned:

 

1. Take Time to Count the Music

 

Counting music is an incredibly important aspect of dancing. If you aren’t a natural at hearing beats of music, private dance lessons with us at Dance FX Studios are a great asset. Your instructor can give you the tools to help you to find the beat in multiple types of music from Salsa to Swing and Tango to Two Step. Once you get the key tips from us that you need, try to count any music you hear anywhere from in your car, at the grocery store, to the gym, wherever! With enough time, instruction and effort, hearing the beat and internalizing music will become second nature. Then, applying your cool dance moves to the beat will make you look that much more natural.

 

2. Walk Through Your Moves

 

Is that underarm turn giving you a hard time? Go through the steps over and over until you no longer have to think about it. Repetition is the key to success here, so walk take time off the social dance floor to walk through your footwork until it feels natural. Just remember to take nice, small steps while you’re practicing. You can also take video of steps and combinations that are challenging you in your private dance lessons to view and practice on your own.

 

3. Shadow Dance

 

It’s difficult to practice lead and follow without a partner, but you can get serious benefits from practicing solo. You can focus on maintaining a solid frame and leading moves on your own when you pretend you have a partner in front of you. Hold your dance frame as you would with a partner and pretend that you are leading or following. We use a big exercise ball here at the studio, give that a try!

 

4. Dance With a Comfortable Partner

 

The best way to practice is ultimately with another person. If you have a go-to partner, be it a significant other, friend, or other person, practice together in a comfortable environment. This is the time to try out any new moves or techniques you want to work on without feeling intimidated. During practice time, try not to help “remind” each other of the other person’s parts. Focus on making your own parts great and let your dance instructor help you to fill in any holes with things that don’t feel right. Taking notes while practicing will help to remind you of what needs to be worked on.

 

5. Dance With a NEW Partner

 

The true test of your lead or follow is to give it a whirl with someone you don’t know. The goal is to be comfortable and able to dance with anyone, right? Once you’re pretty comfortable with your moves, it’s time to dance with a new partner. So grab a friendly looking stranger at that Salsa club or in the Country bar and give it a shot.

 

Dancing is so much more than just fancy footwork, but the steps are the basics of dance. The sooner you feel comfortable with those feet, the sooner we can show you all of the cool stuff that you can do with your body. From turns to wraps, you can truly enjoy social dancing here in Arizona once your feet are on auto-pilot and you can focus on leading or following. That’s when the fun really begins and you can make the dance all your own!

 

Private dance lessons at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona will give you the tools and confidence you need to become a proficient social ballroom dancer. Once you have those tools, practicing is very important, so be sure to do it regularly and correctly. If you live in the greater Phoenix area, come check us out! We are located in Mesa, Arizona, near Tempe, Chandler, Scottsdale and Phoenix. Take advantage of our $40 Intro Lesson Offer and you, too can be on the fast track to becoming a great Salsa, Two Step, or Swing dancer!

Expand Your Horizons and Learn to Dance!

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Social dancing is a great way to meet people. Learning how to meet people is, debatably, one of the most important skills you will ever learn. Embrace your ability to move on the dance floor and utilize it to your advantage!

Whether your forte is salsa, tango, or swing, you can build your confidence and courage by going out to practice at a local dancing venue. On nearly any website that introduces singles to other like-minded singles you’ll find a list of activities which assist in getting you out into society, and within this list—you guessed it— there’s a recommendation of dancing!

Believe it or not, getting your foot in the door is half the battle. If you see another aimless wanderer, chances are they are waiting to be asked to dance! Women will give eye contact if they are interested in being asked to dance (ladies, this means you need to give eye contact to give the guy a hint! If you’re bold, or if he is clueless, ask him to dance yourself!) Not only will you be able to find the courage to ask for a dance, but often in social dancing, you will switch partners throughout the dance style as well.

Keep in mind that there is a classification of dancers: “beginner” versus “experienced”. This, of course, has a large grey area but as a “newbie” you have the opportunity to practice with other new dancers as well. The great thing about dancing with beginners is that they pretty much want to dance all the time. They are just as eager to get practice under their belt as you are. This way you can both feel a sense of accomplishment together. So head out to the nearest dance floor and groove it!