Ballroom Dance Lessons

[nkpeeps]

Hi all. Tropical and Smooth, it sounds like you two have some great cruises coming up its nice when you can combine dancing and travel and only unpack once.

 

My wife has been taking belly dancing lessons for seveal months, but still wont show me what she learned. She has brought me to some of the shows, and they were terrific. There are several different styles that I never knew existed.

 

Tropical , the next Stardust dance is Sept 15 to 17. Start working on your husband now. My wife always says she isnt going again, but does and has a lot of fun. They have a two hour Salsa work shop at every one.

You will like the Salsa once it sinks in. I go to a group class once a week, and I have had to learn most moves more than once to keep them in my memory. It gets easier the more you go.

 

Eric

[Truluv]

I just found this thread, and admit that I haven't read through the whole thing...but I'm hoping that someone can give me advice. I have 3 kids (2 boys almost 18 and 20, and a daughter 14). They have all agreed to take formal dance lessons. (They haven't even seen the movie "Take the Lead"). The college son is hoping for a career in business and thinks it would be a good skill to have, and the middle kid is an athlete and I suspect he thinks it will help with girls. My daughter is just willing to go along. I'm not sure how this is going to work out for my sons, since they are 6'6" and 6'7" (their sister is only 5'5") but I think this is a good thing....and I'll admit to being a little surprised that they're willing to learn.

 

How did you get started? Do you just call Arthur Murray and ask them if they have classes for younger students, to make it fun? I don't want the kids to lose interest too quickly. Should I see if they can start with Swing & Salsa, since those look like the most fun? Should I tell the kids to forget about learning until they're older?

[Lisa141]

Truluv, If your kids are interested I would not wait to get them started. At the Arthur Murray we go to there are a lot more younger people than I expected. There are several families that go, with kids as young as your daughter. And they are some of the best dancers, having that skill at such a young age is definitely an advantage in so many ways. We do not have sessions specifically for the younger people, everyone attends the same things. You can tailor the private lessons to specific dances, but they have a bunch of group lessons on all the dances, You can go to as many or as few in your level that you want.

We just called up Arthur Murray, they offer a free private lesson and group class for anyone interested. We were hooked after our first lesson. We have been going for 3 months and it is amazing what we can do already. They have different levels of packages depending on just how good they want to be.

My husband and I wish we would have started this many years ago, it is not too early to get them started.

[Lisa141]

After I posted I looked at your location and you are also in Pittsburgh. Which AM were you looking into? I go to the one in Monroeville. The instructors themselves are very young (from 18 - late 20's) and they are unbelievable. Now is a great time to join, right now it is the International dance festival and the Showcase is coming up in 2 weeks.

One of the families that attends has a son who swims for Pitt, so I think your boys would fit in just fine.

[Truluv]

Thank you so much for responding! I'm glad to hear that the AM classes are ok for young learners too, so they must be fun?!

 

Small world! I actually work across the street from the AM in Monroeville, PA. Since we live in the N Hills though, I thought the Wexford one would be the one where I'd sign up the kids. It looks pretty big. I didn't know if AM is the best place to learn, or if there were other schools but AM would be the easiest to find.

[Lisa141]

We actually live in Munhall, so getting to Monroeville by the parkway was our easiest one to get to. It is a nice studio, don't know anything about the Wexford one. The franchisee also owns the South Hills Studio. There is also one downtown, but I don't know much about that either.

We have a great time at the classes; .. and the parties! ;) The instructors keep it entertaining. The lessons are 45 min which is enough time to learn new moves but not so long they get boring. Most of the time it flies by so fast it is hard to believe it is over. We've met a ton of people, it is a very social atmosphere. I am not sure what else is in the area either but since there are 4 AMs it is very easy to find one and go!

We started with a 6-week package and then signed up for their bronze I and II program which is about 72 private lessons:eek: . Many people have been there for 3 - 4 years and they are amazing. Can't wait til I am that good!

Soooo, I highly recommend that if they are interested, get them started. They will most likely enjoy it more than they even expect.

[smoothdancer]

For your younger kids group classes are definetly the way to go. I would suggest calling around to local studios and inquire if they have kids group classes. Many studios do offer group classes for this age group.

 

The kids classes that I have observed are great. They taylor the program to the "fun" dances, such as swing and cha-cha. The kids, being with thier peers really have a lot of fun at an afforadable price. I would be careful to put them in the right setting so that they have fun. I would not immediatley consider priviate lessons. Especially at Arthur Murry where you would be looking at close to 80.00 an hour, it would really be cost prohibivitive for 3 kids. Later, if you find any of your kids would like to seriously pursue dance, it will still be there.

 

You could start by searching on Accessdance.com for kids programs in your area.

 

It is just wonderful that you are affording your kids the opportunity to experience this setting and dance. BTY, for your older one, I think that Penn State has a very active ballroom dance team.

 

Good Luck! Let us know how you make out

[Truluv]

Thanks for the referral! I registered with accessdance. The oldest comes home from school in a week, and if I haven't located another option I'll start them all at AM for the summer. I'm hoping that they have fun with the lessons!

[tropicalsunset]

ERic: I'll have to put that on my calendar... sure would love to go!! since my hubby works on Sats... its sometimes hard to plan alot of things that he has to take Sat off... and we have a few weddings coming up this summer --one over labor day and then of course our vacation the first week in May..

 

We are close enough so we could probably do Sat night and Sunday... but I'll have to check into our options!!

 

I love the latin dances... so its a matter of getting into shape again after my last issue with my back in Jan... its been slow go.... always good to have goals!!!

 

Down with a nasty head cold this weekend!!!

 

Smooth, we are off to Mohegan Sun next weekend... have tix to see Frank Valli on Sat nite... its been a while since we've been to the casino... LOVE to people watch!! somehow it doesn't resemble the commercials!! :)

[tropicalsunset]

p.s wish my two boys would be interested in taking dance classes... I do like the idea that basic ballroom should be an elective phys ed class... I took a 6 week class like an adult ed thing for teens when I was younger... but didn't retain much... I don't see anything like that offered around here.

[smoothdancer]

Fred Astaire in West Hartford has a Saturday mid morning kids class. The 2 instructors that run this do a great job with the kids. I think it is something like 100.00 a month.

[mummsie]

Hi all, Back from freezing Melbourne - back into nice sunny warm Brisbane. Nice to see some new people on the boards. My kids have been dancing since they could walk basically and now teach younger kids in a kids class on a Saturday morning. Its probably better if you can get them into group classes somewhere especially for the pocket. Private lessons can get very expensive in the beginning. Mummsie

[smoothdancer]

We are off this Friday to another comp in Springfield. This time we are dancing a few rhythm dances, (rumba, cha-cha and swing) at the bronze level just for fun. I had to work hard to talk Nick into doing this! My problem is that I just like all ballroom dancing and want to do it all, without the time to practice them all. This is a very small comp, a fund raiser for a Rhets syndrome, so placement does not matter.

 

Last nite I spent some time putting rhinestones on a dress... It was kind of fun doing it, but boy are thoes stones expensive. Still when I woke up this morning and looked at my "new creation" I was pleased. I hope they dont fall off!

[mummsie]

Good luck Smooth especially in the rhythm. Its always fun when there is no pressure for points :D Hopefully we will be dancing soon. I think probably July will be our first for the year. My foot still isn't too good so I am nursing it along. Mummsie

[GCurry]

How'd you do Smooth, knock em dead? Hope you, Tropical and others in the NE are staying high and dry, we see the flooding on the news. SE Tex got some showers Sunday, but not nearly enough.

Sorry about the foot Mummsie, that has been giving you problems for some time, hasn't it?

 

We had a baby shower for one of our dance club couples this weekend, about 8 other dance couples participated. We think it's the first baby born into the Two-left-feet Club, as the average age of our membership is well over 60. The popularity of ballroom is beginning to attract some younger couples however.

 

We have a break from Ole Lance until June 6, when the next series of lessons begin. It probably helps him to stabilize his blood pressure before the Newbies and myself pump it back up for him.

[smoothdancer]

Oh no.. You should not of asked.. A day and 1/2 later and I still am not happy. This year we decided to do a comp a month to prepare us for national competition.

 

We have learned that dancing on a competition floor is much different than a studio. The steps are large, physically powerful, and dramatic. If someone gets in your line of dance you have to be ready to make adjustments without stopping the flow of dance. This is something you just cannot practice at a studio, you have to develop this with time on the comp floor...Thus our investment this year to develop this skill. Between entry fees, hotels, sometimes flights, at a minimum it costs us close to $1,000.00 every time we do compete.

 

Here comes my anger!! The organizers made many mistakes... They switched the days we danced international from Friday to Saturday, did not tell us, we missed all these dances..... Switched rhythm to about 4 hours later than scheduled. Nick has a touch of arthritis in his hip and cant stand around without stretching that long... we stratched these dances as I was afraid he would casue physical damamge to his hip... So, our $1000.00 investment this month was 2 heats of American smooth. Although we could of insisted on a refund, there was still a $400.00 hotel bill, and meals...

 

Still growling over this today!... This was a comp we have never done before, and sure wont do it again.

[tropicalsunset]

Wow, Smooth,,,, that really stinks big time!!!!

 

We went to the casino this weekend... made our donation... we saw lots of flooding on the way down... The Farmington River was way beyond its banks.... the neighboring golf course on RTE 4 was almost completely flooded.... it was amazing... we were happy tho' once again even though our yard is flooded... the basement is dry!!! so we are happy... the investment last year of a new roof is paying off... gutters now draining properly!!

 

More salsa last nite... learned a forward turn with reverse turn and forward turn... Dave had pity on me... gotta work on that!!! :) the showcase at our studio is on Sat June 17th.... we have been getting a private room for our lessons as they are using the main studio for the rehearsals.

[smoothdancer]

Hey Tropical... Sounds like you are having fun with the salsa. We have started up doing the rhythms again.. So far just rumba and Cha-Cha. Rumba is one of my favorite dances. We should be good to go for our cruise in July.

 

At this comp there was a girl from your studio. I understand that she has a ballet background. She was incredible. Also understood she just started dancing in August, put us all to shame!

 

I am over my fustration now. We are gearing up for a comp in Baltimore in 3 weeks. We have done this one for years, and know it will be well organized. Then Virginia in July.

 

Thank god for the rain break... It is 8:00 now and Nick is mowing our knee high grass! I work in Farmington and it has been horrible getting to work.

[mummsie]

HI Smooth. Hate comps like that. Luckily ours aren't very expensive but even so it can be frustrating. At the moment we will only be doing local comps or ones that we can get to and from in the same day. Send some of that rain this way. Its very very dry here at the moment. Mummsie

[smoothdancer]

Trust me... you dont want this rain.... It is unbeleivable..... Rain downpours non stop for , what Tropical ,going on 2 weeks now??? Depressing!!, By the time I get from my car to my office I am wet head to toe and freezing!... We have such a very short summer here and this stinks!! We should be wearing short sleeves now, and the whole office is back to turtleneck sweaters!

 

We have been competiting for years, and this was the first time I ever attended a bad comp.... Makes me appreciate all the more what has to happen behind the scenes.

[GCurry]

As usual we've not had enough rain, a very dry spring, and this will make two years in a row. We normally average 53 inches a year and were more then 10 inches under last year, and this year doesn't look any better.

Our local record is 43 inches in 3 days,(a tropical storm) which we don't need repeated either.

The news has been covering the flooding a lot, sorry about your situation.

 

Also sorry about that comp being such a waste of money,

Where was it?

 

Lessons with Ole Lance start again June 6th, but we have another dance Saturday, which should keep us in tune. There is plenty of Latin at our dances.

[smoothdancer]

The comp was in Springfield, MA... Made my disappointment all the more. This is only about a hour drive for us, had it been orgainzed well, one we would of certainly done again.

 

We are now taking some lessons in rumba. We are learning bronze steps. What I find amazing is what you an do with these very bacis steps. I am having a good time with them. The idea is that these dances will help our expression in smooth, and help with our balance and posture.

 

So this week our instructor gives us this little lecture because I was not using arm stuff and expression.... He tells us when we walk in the studio we are in a different world, and have permission and should in fact let go of any behavior we would consider not proper outside of a dance studio.... (He wants to see us spice it up I guess!!) He said where normally you would stick out and look strange outside of a studio, if you lack this expression in a dance studio, you in fact look strange!

 

I dont know!

[GCurry]

Our favorite dance, and that of a lot of our club members. There are so many steps, usually shared in Cha Cha,and a lot of sensuality. Deep down, hot tropical Texas has a Latin soul. We do have some very good Bolero dancers as well. Slow dances you can do all night and not look like you ran a marathon.

Interesting about the attitude, the expressions, body language, the seduction of the Latin steps. Yeah you aren't about to do that in public off a dance floor.

 

Ole Lance pretty much has his hands full just teaching the steps, he doesn't get much opportunity to really teach styling and show.

"Sir, Sir, stop staring at her forehead, you got the steps printed up there?" "Where are you going on that step, out for a beer?"

[Lisa141]

Hey! I've been away from the computer for awhile. We have been very busy. We are in the midst of the Arthur Murray International Dance Festival. We did a "spotlight dance" Wednesday night at our open party. Speaking of Rumba, that is what we did! It was less than 1 min but the first time we had got out in front of everyone by ourselves :eek: ! My husband was a LITTLE worried about it, but we did just fine.

Tomorrow is the Showcase at the Westin convention center in downtown Pittsburgh. We are really looking forward to it. All four studios get together, there are group dances, routines, and some professionals. It is of course an all day thing. Its not a competition per se, but I am sure there will definitely be a little competition between the studios! We are just doing 2 group dances, a waltz and a Cha Cha. We are not ready to do any routines yet! Maybe next time.

I'll report back after and let you all know how it went!

[smoothdancer]

Lisa,

I know just how you feel! We first began dancing with Arthur Murray, and now dance with Fred Astaire... The studio atmosphere is very similiar. I can still remember the first time we did a spotlight, and then our first comp..... It is so scary, but something happens when you hear the music and begin to dance, and even if you are shaking (and you are) you do it, and do it pretty well at that.... Then after it is over you feel so good, dont you??? I can still remember our first Auther Murray comp... We were walking down this long hallway to the ballroom wondering what have they talked us into!! Nick and I were holding onto each other for dear life....Well, the rest is history

 

Actually a comp dance is usually no more then a minute, sometimes a minute in a half... But if that is just not the longest minute on earth!!

 

MC... We picked basic steps in the rumba by design... Like you already know, I have this tendency to take everything over the top!! We are using these basic steps so that we can work on the styling instead of the steps... Having fun with it.. I have resorted to doing the arm stuff in my mirror at home, and feeling rather silly at that!!