Ballroom Dance Lessons

[GCurry]

Congrats on the cruise Smooth, that should be a good short vacation. I'll bet you will always find something to dance to, even on Carnival.

 

Mummsie, you two are beginning to sound like football players at the end of the season, all dinged up. Although I've been getting a little sore after a lot of practice myself.

 

Speaking of practice and lessons, Ole Lance must not have been feeling very good last night, as he really worked me over. Unfortunately, for the couples that have been with him for years, he doesn't feel he needs to be polite.

 

We will go up to the Chandelier Ballroom in Houston this Sat. to celebrate a friends birthday. I understand this particular band plays a lot of swing.

[smoothdancer]

Hi Mumsie,

Just finally got around to send you off a copy of the ballroom bootcamp show. Hope you have it soon

Smooth

[tropicalsunset]

anyone watch the CHA CHA last night on Ballroom Bootcamp.. seems like Gotcha is the winning instructor!!!

 

Gcurry: have fun tonight ..... sounds like a great evening!!

 

We are taking a sat nite off from dancing and going to see "Man of LaMancha" at the local theatre... My back has been acting up this week and probably good to let it rest...

Our dance studio is celebrating its 15th Birthday tonight with a formal dance but we decided to do the Christmas dance next month ......

 

we are itching to learn new steps ..... we have spent so much time with Sahra the past several months on "technique"...... we definitely need a break and to lighten up!! :)

 

Hope everyone has a great weekend..... tomorrow .... we rake leaves!!! ..... again......

[dreamscometrue2]

Yes, I watched the Cha Cha on BB and it was fun, but not as good as the last Cha Cha contestants IMO. However, the athlete was very serious about doing well and it showed in his practice habits. The fellow that got 2nd place was awkward and the young woman was a little less awkward, but seemed to enjoy the dancing. Gotcha does seem to have the upperhand now in winners. I like all the instructors they all have different styles and its the luck of the draw as to who they end up with (ability, committment to practice, etc.). The one thing they all say I've noticed,with only couple exceptions is how much they love the dancing and the competition and they plan to continue.

I can't wait to see next weeks show, it looks to be very interesting:) .

[mummsie]

Hi Gcurry - yeah I feel like a broken down race horse - lucky I am not or I think they would probably put me out to pasture.!!! One more comp this coming weekend and then no more lessons this year. I am looking forward to a break. Will still be doing my teaching on a Wednesday night and my theory class on a Sunday night but nothing to serious for a while.

 

Smooth - thanks for getting the video ready for me. If there is anythin I can do in return let me know.

 

15 days until we are off on our cruise but who's counting.!!! Gayle

[Hornet]

I just found this thread, but haven't read it completely. My DH and I love to dance, but I can't find dance shoes I love. What are your favorite shoes and where can I buy them? They for sure should be comfortable and look nice - but no 3" heels.

[mummsie]

Welcome Hornet, It depends how serious you dance as to what sort of shoes you wear. There are some shoe companies that make dancing shoes for social dancing that you can get at a fairly reasonable price. The ones for serious dancers are a lot more expensive. I wear Superdance shoes for standard and Ray Rose for latin. These are both English companies that specialise in the upper market for dancing shoes. If you look on ebay, there are some fairly reasonable priced social dancing shoes - just put 'ballroom' in the subject. Gayle

[GCurry]

This is a good one in the Houston Area you can use to compare. My wife and I both have shoes from them. I think she caught a sale. When you wear a 12 narrow, there is never a sale.

 

http://www.lonniesdance.com/

[Hornet]

Thank you all for the info on dance shoes. I did some searching from your suggestions. I found some I really like and some I can get locally in the Chicago area. I really would like to try them on. What do you think of the brand Freed?

[mummsie]

I have had a pair of Freed. They are good shoes but the pair I bought took quite a while to break in. Remember they are English sizes so will be 2 sizes smaller. If you take an 8 US you will need a 6 English. Gayle

[smoothdancer]

Freed is the only shoe that I wear. Finding the right shoe can take some time. Some of the mgf 's make shoes wider, pointed toes, round toes, ect.... You just have to find the shoes that fits your foot just right and then stick with them.

 

Most shoes can be returned if they are never worn. You cannot have the soles scuffed at all. Some people try them on and walk around on tissue paper so they can return them.

 

I buy my shoes at BACKBAYDANCEWEAR.COM. There prices are a little discounted (just a little!) So, OK the shoes will cost $100.00, but I wear my shoes to death and will get a year out of them before they have to be replaced.

[smoothdancer]

Oh and I love Lonnies... I see them at most of the comps. Their resale gowns are always in the best of shape.

[Hornet]

Thanks everyone for the shoe suggestions.

 

Do any of you have any favorite dance competitions to watch on TV in the US? I really enjoyed watching "Dancing with the Stars" - but I'd really like to see real ballroom and not the fancy stuff like over the shoulders.

 

We really enjoyed our last cruise to Hawaii on the Island Princess. You'll see lots of ballroom in the Wheelhouse Lounge and we had our own floor show with some of the great dancers onboard. They even changed to their dance shoes after dinner.

[tropicalsunset]

Hornet: On TLC on friday nite.. there is a show "Ballroom Bootcamp" -- they have 3 professional instructors and 3 people who have never danced and they get them "competition ready" in 5 weeks doing one ballroom dance... Its a little more realistic.. I enjoy watching some of the transformations as they are folks who would not try ballroom on their own..

 

We had a surprise private class with our instructor last night...It was actually a "group" class on swing but no one else showed up....plus there was only one other couple on the ballroom floor taking a private so it was a great class!!

I do hate it when we get a mental block on a step and can't seem to put together a simple turn!! after 3 classes .. suddenly it clicks.... we are NOT NATURALS at this!!:rolleyes:

 

Have a great weekend .... Dance and give Thanks!!

 

Lorraine

 

looks like we may have snow on Wednesday... I am sooo not ready for this!! :eek:

[smoothdancer]

Hornet,

I am glad that you picked up on the "over the shoulder stuff"!! Great fun to watch, but right, not your normal ballroom comp.

 

I dont know if you have access to channel 13 in your area. If you check the listing, now and then they host the Yankee Classics in Boston which is one of the most attended comp in the US... The best professional dancers from all over the world attend.... I love to watch this when it is aired. A few years back we went to this comp to watch, it was amazing!!

 

Then, if you really, really want to see a professional comp you can buy the video's at Dancevision.com. They are kind of expensive, but I have bought one or two, and to me worth the $$'s. I am sure I am close to wearing out the tape.

 

Welcome to the thread

Smooth

[mummsie]

Hi all, well we had a great time at the comp on Saturday - we won a huge perpetual trophy and didn't even win any events. We got the greatest number of points over 2 events - came 2nd in one and 3rd in the other and were the only couple who placed in both events. :p We also got back to the semi final in the open New Vogue - not bad considering we knocked out some pretty classy competition. Very tiring though - we didn't get home until after midnight so by the time I got all the makeup off and showered it was late. Anyhow a good note to finish our dancing for the year. No more competitions now until around February when the weather gets a bit cooler for us. We are just heading into summer.

 

Not long until our cruise now - hopefully a few weeks break will help to fix the sore backs and bad feet.

 

Hope you all had a good weekend of dancing - Gayle

[tropicalsunset]

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

 

We are headed up north and freezing rain and snow are forecasted in the morning so we plan to leave real early...

had a few snow flakes and actually a little dusting stuck to the ground this morning.... I am sooo not ready for this!!!

 

We are staying at a Marriott and I am hoping there is entertainment in the lounge so maybe we can get some dancing in....

 

Enjoy!!! :D

[dreamscometrue2]

We are recovering from our first Stardust event. If you recall we were suppose to attend back in September, but DH got sick. Now he is well and we made it up to the Catskills to Kutsher's Country Club where the event was held, and it was fabulous dancing and instruction all weekend. We really had fun and met many new friends who just love to dance. I have to say I was very impressed with the live orchestra, and latin bands and the DJ's were equally superb. As for the facility, it was adequate but the dancing was what everybody came for and they were not disappointed in that regard. I'd love to do it again in the near future. I think the next one is at the beginning of April. Oh, the entertainment was very exciting. There was a couple where the guy literally rolled his partner from the floor to over his head like a window blind instead of the usual shoulder to floor..unbelievable skill.

[nkpeeps]

Hi Dreams. Glad to hear you had a great time in NY. We have been there 5 times and always enjoy it. I think its a real bargin if you live within driving range. The airfare kind of kills it for us. They have them 4 times a year. March, June September and November. Donna Desimon is our favorite teacher there . Maybe we will meet the next time. You owe me a dance.

 

Eric

[dreamscometrue2]

Hi Eric,

 

It's a deal! I'll try and get my steps down by then. I looked for Donna as I remembered you spoke highly of her, but she was not on the program this time. However there were a lot of great instructors. We took the beginner's Salsa Workshop with Fran Chesleigh, I like his approach..lots of fun. Merengue with Norma Granofsky, she was adorable and her partner was fantastic although his name escapes me right now. Although we are beginners we went to an Intermediate Cha Cha class and did fine with Frank Elia, he and his wife were fun too. All in all we learned a lot, and forgot half of it as we went through the door as we left the class:D . DH did fine though his knees were usually worn out by the end of the evening. He wants to go back too..which makes me very happy.:D

 

Linda

[tropicalsunset]

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving... we went up to Maine to see my FIL and the family...we drove in a snow storm that followed us up the coast... it was NOT FUN... we were happy to have arrived safely!!! stayed at the Marriott up there... a beautiful hotel.. we were hoping there would be entertainment in the Lounge on Sat night... but there wasn't.. Just an 18th birthday party for young adults in the ballroom... we had just come from a memorial service so we were dressed up but would have stuck out like a sore thumb with all the Younguns!!! So no dancing last weekend..

 

We took a great swing group class last night with one of the newer teachers we didn't like the first class we took with him.. but we had a fun class last night...

 

dreams: glad you had a good time at Stardust... it is not that far from us... and one day we will have to plan a weekend there...

[GCurry]

Tis the season, or we think it is, it's supposed to hit 80 tomorrow here in the Houston/Galveston area. I'll have to put on sun screen to put up the Xmas lights. Ah well, it beats driving in snow and ice.

Galveston has it's Dickens on the Strand festival this weekend, where the historic downtown changes to Victorian London with costumes, crafts, wassail, ale, and meat on a stick.

 

Speaking of Galveston, the following weekend, we are having a cruise reunion with friends we met on the Grand Princess last year, as four of them are going out on the Rhapsody the 11th.

 

We do have two formal dances at our dance clubs this month, and at least one or two University Holiday parties that should have bands, so we'll get in some dancing.

 

Our lesson's are year round with Ole Lance, that SOB (SweetOldBoy), who maintains his usual level of good natured instruction. "Sir, sir, since you can't seem to count to twelve, count to six twice!!"

[dreamscometrue2]

Gcurry: I can always count on one of Ole Lance's comments to make me laugh. Thanks.

 

Topical: Please try and go I had the best time.

[nkpeeps]

Hi Dreams ( Linda) Ok its a deal plan on next September. Glad your Dh had a good time. Let him know that my knees were worn out by sunday also. It just means he had a good time.

 

tropical. I agree with Dreams. Stardust is a great dance weekend. even better if you can drive there, you wont regret going.

 

Eric

[smoothdancer]

I think I missed it!... Mumsie must be on her cruise now, and I am a few days late in wishing a happy cruise.... So anyway, mumsie, hope you have a great time and see ya when you get back. We leave on Friday for a short three day to the Bahamas, cant wait myself.

 

Smooth