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beginner Swing dance lessons

Two Left Feet? Relax It’s as Easy as 1, 2, 3!

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beginner Swing dance lessons ArizonaWhen you decide to start your new hobby, learning to dance Salsa, Swing or Country Two Step, you may get cold feet. We have had students sign up using our $25 New Student Offer, only to call each day before what they feel is impending doom and move their first appointment back and back!  Once they get here, though, they realize they had nothing to fear. In fact, they have a GREAT time and wish that they would have come in sooner.

Along your dancing journey, you may realize it takes a little time to get to looking smooth and natural on that dance floor. Just like the first time you committed to dance lessons and walked in to your local dance studio in Arizona, have no fear and keep plugging along! Remember your goal of being a versatile social dancer and that knowing how to dance is a timeless and extremely useful skill.  However if ever you feel like throwing in the towel before your mission has been accomplished, here are a few tips to get you back on track:

Don’t over-think your dancing! Being stuck in your head has stopped many dancers with great potential from sticking with it. Obsessing over dance moves won’t make them sink in. In fact, constantly being in your thoughts and getting stressed out will make everything worse. The trick is to trust the music and your body. Those muscles do have memory! Relaxing and just letting your body go for it is the best course of action. You will be surprised at how much you actually retain during your private dance lessons with this attitude in mind.

Remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is your dance repertoire. Though Country Two Step dancing seems like a breeze, those out there who are stealing the spotlight, have put in their time training. While everyone would love to be great instantly, knowing how to dance just doesn’t happen overnight. Our tip: keep your dance lessons close together and practice as much as you can. This will speed you along both in retention and learning when it comes to owning those cool moves that will make you stand out in a crowd. If you only show up for your dance lessons one or two times per week, remind yourself that it will obviously take longer to become a competent social dancer.

Commit to your goal. This is a biggie! You have invested your time and financial resources to learning to dance. This is for you, a skill you have picked that will last you, or you and your partner, a lifetime. Decide to stay the course and see your dancing journey through to the vision you have for yourself on the dance floor. Stick with it and remind yourself that anything that is worth doing takes time and effort. Then, when you have that ball rolling, you’ll have people waiting in line to dance with you! (Trust us, this will happen.)

Have fun and reap the benefits! Social dancing has so many wonderful benefits, from weight loss to stress relief to improved balance and coordination, increased social life and even couples therapy! While you are probably creating one of the best investments that you can make in you, you are also doing this for fun! Enjoy it, dancing Salsa, Merengue, Cha-Cha, Foxtrot and Argentine Tango are all exciting dances to learn! Tons of fun! The benefit is plenty rewarding and the end result … a new and improved, proficient dancer, YOU!

So if you’re committed to learn to dance, you must also be committed to put some time and energy into creating that dream.  If you happen to live here with us in Phoenix, Arizona, we invite you to learn to dance from our school, Dance FX Studios, located in the Phoenix East Valley. We can help you to explore popular dances like Salsa, Country, Swing and AZ Two-Step. Our New Student Offer is the best way to get started for just $25! So get started now, relax, have fun and remember it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3!

social dancing AZ

Kick Up Your Heels and Dance!

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social dancing in Mesa AZHi! Charlotte again … on my mind at this moment is health. Why health? Because just about everyone I know is, or has a family member, who has some kind of ailment or disease right now. The most minor of complaint you hear all the time, maybe even express out loud yourself: “I am so stressed out!” Here is the thing about stress, studies show it lowers the immune system, and when the immune system is not operating at optimum efficiency, guess what? Yes, that’s right, the door is open for an illness to come right in and begin affecting our lives in negative ways. There is nothing more important that enjoying good health, having energy and feeling excellent well-being.

You may be asking yourself what does this topic have to do with Dance FX Studios? Easy, dancing has all kinds of benefits aside from the obvious – exercise! It’s the perfect activity for those who do not enjoy gym work-outs or consider themselves sporty. Practicing dance, even one time per week, increases muscle mass and more muscle means you burn more calories at rest, reducing body fat. Creating stronger bones and muscles fends off osteoporosis and so does attention to good posture. Learning to dance also increases hand-eye movement coordination which makes you less clumsy and more agile. Dancing increases flexibility and keeps joints healthy by stimulating parts of your body not regularly utilized by our everyday routine. Regular dancing also reduces stress levels, improves relaxation and improves mood. Studies have found that learning new activities, especially those which utilize both sides of the brain, improves memory retention and stimulates the areas of the brain that promote rapid thinking. Last, two critical areas, something that everyone seems lacking today, energy and sleep: both increased by regular exercise activities like dancing!

Aside from the numerous health benefits there are many other positive reasons to pick up this fun hobby. Knowing how to dance and dance confidently can help you meet new people and make friends. Trying new styles of dance like Salsa, Argentine Tango or other Latin Styles can introduce you to other cultures, even taste new culinary delights. This builds communication skills and allows you to meet people you might otherwise miss out knowing by staying within your normal circle of friends and routines.

Learning a new hobby like dance is a fun way to open us up to new possibilities, increasing self-esteem. For those who own their own business or whose careers rely on increasing networking opportunities, taking your new dance steps out to clubs or social events while enjoying increased confidence may boost sales, widen your customer base as well as lead to new career opportunities.

So now that you have heard all the great ways that learning social dancing can aide you and family members in lowering stress and removing illness from your lives, let me introduce you to all the various dance styles that you might pick as your choice to learn as your new hobby! Our amazing instructors here at Dance FX Studios will help you learn any of the following and more including: Country Two-Step, Country Swing, Country Waltz, Night-Club Two-Step, Jitterbug, Foxtrot, Social Ballroom Dancing, Salsa, Bachata and our signature dance Argentine Tango.

Are you ready to change your life for the positive? More importantly, are you ready for some fun?!?! Yes? Guess what? Learning to dance and then heading out to the dance clubs and impressing all your friends with your exciting and stylized dance moves is FUN! Great FUN!

SO what are you waiting for?  Put on your dancing shoes, sexy black heals, Cowboy boots or whatever comfortable shoes you have and stop, step or stomp into Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona! We are on the corner of Dobson and Guadalupe. Our close neighborhoods are Tempe, Chandler and just a few minutes further, Scottsdale! Feel like you have two left feet? No worries, we will show you how easy it is to move past that idea on your first lesson! Let us help improve your health and begin changing your life today for the better! Give us a call at480.968.6177 or visit our website for details!

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.

How to Guarantee She Will NEVER Dance With You Again

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Are you a guy that takes dance lessons? If so, that’s wonderful! For a man, Salsa, Swing, Country or Tango dance lessons build confidence, help to relieve stress and are a great way to develop self-expression. Dance lessons also give you a chance to be romantic with your sweetheart. They even help balance, coordination and rhythm, of course. Whether you started learning to dance because you have come to the conclusion that every woman loves a guy that can dance or you are learning for yourself, a guy that can dance is a hot commodity in any social situation. That is, until he does one of the following 3 things below taking himself from “HOT!” to “NOT!”. Men, read the following information carefully. If you want to ensure that she will NEVER say yes to a second dance, try any of these things below and see what happens for yourself. Here we go….

1. Don’t shower: While a “manly man” is attractive from afar, close up, it’s just not that much fun to be pressed against someone smelly. Before heading out to any dance floor, make sure that your teeth and hair are brushed and that you are smelling clean. A little cologne never hurts, but please don’t overdo it.

2. Yank her around the dance floor: There is nothing more uncomfortable that being treated like a rag doll on the dance floor. Finesse is key while dancing with a lady. Yes, even in Country Western dancing, finesse makes us ladies feel like princesses instead of a wild horses that need to be tamed. You CAN show her a great time on the dance floor and still keep her arms in their sockets. As a dance instructor, I like to teach my leaders to protect their followers on the dance floor. I use the analogy of treating her like an egg that is delicate. This is not to say that she needs to be treated with kid gloves, but she should be cared for and looked after on the dance floor to give her a good time and allow her to feel swept off of her feet.

3. Show Off: Listen carefully guys…partner dancing is about your lady. Yes, you get to be in control, but it is for the purpose of taking care of her (see above), not making it a competition on the dance floor as to who everyone should watch. A common analogy that I often use in my dance lessons is that he is the frame and she is the picture. He needs, therefore, to be a support for her to be able to shine. Eyes should be on the lady because the guy is making her look so amazing.

While some of these “don’ts” are obvious, many leaders are unaware of how and what partner dancing is all about. Two people moving as one happens when we have a leader that can take care of his follower. Get these great tips and more in your private dance lessons at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona. We offer social dance lessons for beginners, couples or singles, who want to feel comfortable and confident on any social dance floor.Thinking about going Salsa dancing or hitting up a Country bar? Try dance lessons from us first and move with ease in no time!

Dance FX Studios is minutes away from Tempe, Chandler and Gilbert, Arizona in the East valley of Phoenix. Our introductory offer will give you a chance to see why we are the best fit for all of your social dancing needs.

Swing Dance Variations

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What is Swing dancing and how many kinds of Swing dancing are there? Well…here they are!
  • Lindy Hop
  • Balboa
  • Collegiate Shag
  • St. Louis Shag
  • Jitterbug
  • Lindy Charleston
  • Eastern Swing
  • East Coast Swing
  • West Coast Swing
  • Western Swing
  • Boogie-woogie
  • Carolina Shag
  • Imperial Swing
  • Jive
  • Skip Jive
  • Modern Jive
  • Rock and Roll
  • Acrobatic Rock’n’Roll
  • Washington Hand Dancing
  • Push and Whip
  • Modern Swing
  • Mo-cathy or silly swing

After condensing all of these Swing dance variations, these are the ones that can be used most socially:

  • Lindy Hop
  • Balboa
  • Shag
  • East Coast Swing
  • West Coast Swing
About these dances:
Lindy Hop, the original swing, emerged in the 20’s to 30’s. It was followed Balboa and Shag-two dances that are also in the Lindy Hop family.
East Coast Swing, a simplified version of Lindy Hop and comes in triple, double, and single-time varieties. Single time is commonly referred to as Jitterbug, although the term “Jitterbug” originally referred to anyone who danced Swing.
West Coast is a more modern version of Lindy Hop with a different twist on the style. Originally, Lindy Hop dancers looked down on West Coast dancers, or “Westies” as they called them, and vice-versa. Now, dancers tend to appreciate each other’s styles a bit more.
So what is Swing? Swing is an always evolving and changing form of dance with lots of fun turns and exciting music to match. New versions of old dances are inevitable and the rabbit hole of Swing dancing goes as deep as you want it to.
Our recommendation? We recommend starting with either Jitterbug or West Coast Swing in private dance lessons for the fastest way to becoming a great Swing dancer. This way you can dance swing to a variety of music and have fun doing it.

History of Swing Dancing

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learn to swing dance mesa azVarious forms of swing dancing emerged from the 1920’s through the 1950’s in African American communitites with the evolution of Jazz music. Charleston and Lindy Hop are two key Swing dances that came from Harlem, New York in the 1920’s. By mixing African cultural dance, various ballroom dances, tap, creativity and the jazz music of the day, Swing dancing began to grow! At the time, American Society of Teachers and Dancing as well as the Dance Teachers Business Association believed Lindy Hop to be a fad that would not last.

Little did they know that Swing dancers would develop more styles including Shag, Balboa, West Coast Swing and Jive, to name a few. In the 1930’s, a Swing dance variation named the”Jitterbug” was created when a band leader compared the dancers to jitterbugs bouncing on the floor. There was even a song introduced called the “Jitter Bug” in their honor.

By the late 1930’s Lindy Hop, Charleston, and Jitterbug were sweeping the United States. However, dance schools did not formally recognize, document or begin teaching them until the early 1940’s when they realized it could no longer be ignored. They decided to “refine” and standardize Lindy Hop for easier instruction at dance schools, where we get what is now known as East Coast Swing.

A smoother style of Lindy Hop called “Smooth Lindy” was soon created in California by Dean Colllins. Mr. Collins, who was originally from Harlem, NY, began to dance a more fluid and slower swing which caught on very quickly on the West Coast. The dance took on a slotted motion rather than having a circular look to it. The dance was soon re-named the “West Coast Swing”, which is the official state dance of California to this day.

Swing dancing has developed as a mainstay in American dance culture throughout the years. The dance known simply as the “Swing” has managed to remain a staple dance attracting young and old alike.

Famous original Swing dancers included: “Shorty George” Snowden, Frankie Manning and Dean Collins.

YOU can learn how to dance Swing at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, AZ. We offer the most popular social Swing dances including East Coast Swing, Jitterbug and West Coast Swing. You will find yourself using these dances everywhere in Arizona from Country bars to weddings and other social dance events. It is popular amongst all ages as a FUN and PLAYFUL dance with many looks and styles. Express yourself on the dance floor in the Swing!