Ballroom Dance Lessons

[texancruzer]

SILVERG: We did western on Rhapsody OTS. Enjoyed it very much as our first cruise. Went w/FIL & MIL. I am one of those weird people who love my inlaws. But looking forward to our next cruise as it is very port intensive which is what I love. New port every day except last day at sea back to san juan. Our best friends from Fla. are meeting us in san juan and I just know we will have a blast. HOO BOY, 3 times !!! I am not much of a mover, I put roots down pretty deep but we too are going to "downsize" soon. Hope to get house on market by Aug 1st. 3500 square feet under air, 3 car garage, pool-spa etc. is just too much for 2 people altho we really love our house. Will be hard to leave. Been looking around for something else but really havent found anything yet.

LORRAINE, thanks for the welcome back. We have another private lesson tonight. Looking forward to working on the moves we learned briefly last lesson. They are alot of fun and look pretty good too.

GCURRY; Only dance lessons taken together. I will do the golf on my own as dh plays pretty well already. He plays every Sat. am with his dad. I actually am not too bad at putting but definately need to learn how to hit the ball straight when I tee off. Usually goes way off to one side or the other altho I can hit it pretty far. Tiger I will never be !! But if he can dance for me I can golf for him. :)

HOPE ALL HAVE A HAPPY AND SAFE 4TH WEEKEND !!! CHERYL

[terri23]

Dance lessons and golf lessons at the same time? You'll be lucky if the marriage survives.

 

LOL! That's what we're doing!! I better be careful!! :D

 

I thought John & Charlotte blew the competition out of the water...especially on foxtrot...Joey looked like he would blow a gasket (or at least pop that armband!) - he looked so angry...but I think they were better than the soap star and her partner (their names are eluding me right now). Maybe she got the popular vote due to those revealing costumes??? (how DID she keep them on??)

[SilverG]

Texancruzer,

 

Roots, what are those? I feel like an air fern sometimes. We've bounced around a bit, spending time in AR, MO, FL, CA, and AZ before landing in TN. We're looking to stay here a long time. We're just close enough to both sets of in-laws for comfort.

[GCurry]

LOL! That's what we're doing!! I better be careful!! :D

 

Maybe she got the popular vote due to those revealing costumes??? (how DID she keep them on??)

 

I think she has Janet Jackson as a costume designer, so the next show could be a real eye opener!! Golfing as a couple works in theory, keep your head down, and try not to beat him to death.

 

The G & Mscurry will paso on the doble, interesting, and I have heard the music alot at bull fights in Juarez, but you never hear it played in this area. The majority of our dances are foxtrots, so we really enjoyed that part. I thought John missed a throw at the last, but they didn't count off for it. We have a hard time liking the soap star as well.

 

tropicalsunset- which we have every night in SE Texas these days, mid to high 90s and no rain since Mother's Day. Tomatoes don't produce when it is over 76 at night, and our low is 80. We are beginning to get Jalapenos and Habaneras, however, and tons of Basil if you like pesto.

[dreamscometrue2]

I watched DWTS and John and Charlotte are my favorites, so I voted the maximum number of times on both my cell and land line. I liked Joey and Ashly too. The soap girl has a base of support because of her soap and not for her talent and those persuaded by skimpy outfits so it's basically based on popularity and who bothers to vote. Our new group class started on Monday night and it was great fun. Unfortunately where we live we do not have anyone who teaches privately or any dance studios so the gorup route is all we can do. I would love to go to a studio and get private lessons. We had a larger crowd and a lot more young(20ish)people, mostly single women. Our male teacher was beside himself figuring out how he was going to dance with them all. They gave him a real workout. I bet he was doing the foxtrot in his sleep. He may have to seek help and start another class if they can find space available. anyway I can't wait for the next class.

[tropicalsunset]

Beautiful weather here in New England!! sunny, blue skies with a strong breeze cooling the air..!!!

 

I love that.... Janet Jackson "wardrobe Malfunction" geuss this is the new fashion trend!!! Somehow I don't think it will work as well for John!!! :eek: :D

 

enjoy those sunsets for me... best I can do -- is go out in my hot tub with a glass of my favorite beverage and watch the sun disappear behind the trees and hills of NW CT!!

 

Fireworks are right up the hill from us ... too bad there are too many trees for us to see from the spa!!! :rolleyes:

so amy have to take a walk!!!

 

Have a great 4th!!!

 

Next dance class.. will be a group class on the foxtrot on Thursday nite for us.... we have signed our new contract and are alternating group and private classes...

 

Lorraine

[tropicalsunset]

anyone get any dancing in this weekend???

... pretty quiet up here.

[texancruzer]

SilverG: Where in Fla. were you (briefly I suppose?) We lived in Vero Beach for 8 years (East Coast about 70 miles north of Palm Beach.) My sister and her husband lived in Melbourne for years and when he retired a few years ago they ended up in Knoxville. They love it - we visited a couple years ago and it is really pretty there. Nice and close to Smoky Mountains. My daughter and son are both just north of Daytona Beach.

 

Lorraine, really quiet here - son left for florida so empty nest - again. This time for good I think. But way too quiet for me. No dancing lately but have private lesson on Thursday pm. Had to reschedule from last thur. - dh out of town. Maybe we will go to "after class party" on Friday just to practice some... will see if i can talk dh into it. He doesnt think he is good enough yet to really socially dance....my argument is that it is at the dance school !!! All there will be students at various stages of expertise. we'll see.

[critterchick]

We did some dancing on Friday night. The studio where we are taking group classes has a Friday night practice party. It's mostly people who have learned the international style of the dances, but we get in there & mix it up with them with our American style. There is a one-hour class before the party. It was the merengue, which I really like! DH isn't keen on learning the Latin steps (something about the hip movement), but even he got into that one.

 

We're trying a new group class tonight and will see how we like the instructor. We went back to our Thursday night class, and it was going well until a couple showed up w/15 minutes to go in the foxtrot class. The husband had the steps wrong, and started to lecture me about how I was doing it wrong. Uh, look around you, big boy and count the steps. He was enough of a jerk that I hung on to DH and refused to rotate during the rhumba class. The imbalance between men & women wasn't too bad, but there were two (very short) women who are instructors in training that were dancing as men. I just can't get into dancing with other women.

 

We're also thinking about private lessons. For those of you who take private lessons, how proficient were you when you started, and how did you decide what to focus on? We're thinking of each making a list in the order we want to become "expert" and then finding the step that's highest on both lists. Neither of us will get our first choice - I want to learn the Samba and DH wants to learn the Viennese Waltz - but we will probably choose among foxtrot, waltz & swing.

 

We've saved the DWTS tapes for the last 3 weeks and are going to try to learn some of the steps off those. Should be interesting! Lately I have found myself walking backwards down the hall practicing my steps. Wait 'til I trip over a senior partner, LOL!

[GCurry]

http://abc.go.com/primetime/dancing/ It should be an interesting finish, but the way they are doing it, it will be very hard to compare, as they won't be doing the same dances. The free-style thing sounds like it could be a lot of stylized gymnastics which could put John at a disadvantage. Thoughts please?

 

Ole Lance (Sir, sir what was that? No you are wrong, get over here! Honey, you blew that step!)teaches two classes Tues. nights, a basic 7 to 8, and an advanced 8 to 9. It is not a studio, so there is no testing out, but, bronze, silver, and gold are all taught. He works with each couple at their level or has a gold demonstrate a bronze or silver step to other couples. The classes are only for couples, which keeps things simple, and you only dance with DH/DW.

Last night was Foxtrot and Tango both of which we enjoy. We work through a routine step progression, and try to add at least one new step or technique. We bring a list, check it and add what is new.

 

tropicalsunset - SE TX is one large tropical sauna, so the thought of a hot tub is not that appealing, we desperately need rain, but don't need Cindy or Dennis. Looking at the tracks, we probably won't even get showers from either one.

[texancruzer]

Critterchick: In answer to your question....we started taking lessons April 29th of this year. Husband NEVER danced. I took ballet, tap etc. from age 4 up and taught at a private studio for 8 years. But never really ballroom. We are going to Puerto Rico for 2 day pre cruise therefore we decided to learn salsa and merengue first. Started w/group lesson but our studio only has a "drop in" beginner class and we found they kept starting from "this is your left foot and this is your right foot" EVERY CLASS. Well even tho we have never danced we soon (after 2 lessons) were past that stage and decided to take a private lesson EVERY OTHER WEEK (cost works out the same) and we get much further ahead each time even tho we go less. We did have one class where the swing was taught (which I sort of knew) and maybe will try some other dances after we get back from cruise (if I can keep dh going). I must say that I do not really have too much desire to delve into the foxtrot or some of the other waltz type dances - I much prefer the hip swinging - upbeat latin ones that your dh does not. But I do agree that the merengue is just plain fun. my dh does too. Easier than the salsa too.

GCurry: We have 3 inch cracks in the dirt here in Corpus Christi. We could use a small tropical something.....We also keep our hot tub covered all summer. Of course then we never swim in the pool in the winter. Even that water is quite warm right now.:eek:

Hope all had a great 4th and a safe one too. Cheryl

[critterchick]

We had a couple of great classes last night - beginning chacha and advanced foxtrot. The cha cha class was very basic, which we're past, but this instructor taught us the correct beat to cha-cha on, which is 4/1, not 3/4 as every other teacher we've ever had has taught. The foxtrot class was fabulous - there were only four of us, so we had a semi-private class. We've taken group classes with 3 different people, and are having a tough time deciding what to do about the private classes. Maybe we'll just try them all out over the next 3-6 months & see who we like best. They all teach in the same room, so rejection may be awkward, but it is up to us, I suppose.

[ExRockyMountainGal]

This is a wonderful thread. My DH and I met taking ballroom dance lessons in Austin several years ago, but then we had other priorities for a while. We have another cruise scheduled for January, and are committed to getting back to dancing. We will be taking private lessons in a nearby community. Y'all have reminded me how much we loved our dance studio.

 

Best regards, Kathy

[GCurry]

Let me know if that happy group ever starts talking about a race horse being an underdog, so I can bet the farm on it!! Talk about a predetermined outcome, fixed fight, choreographed ending, so to speak, that was one for the record book. Needless to say I did not agree with the outcome. That free-form had more to do with couples gymnastics than ballroom dance. It makes it very difficult to respect ABC or that program.

Now that I got that out of the way, DW and I will continue our weekly lessons with ole Lance and the two dance clubs monthly. As the Pres. of Two-Left-Feet, I've just signed a six-piece combo for our December Dance the 17th.

Please visit if you find yourself in the Houston area.

 

Still no rain, just a few scattered showers, and none on my lawn. Dennis is in the Gulf, but looks to miss us entirely. We could use the rain, but don't need the hurricane winds.

[tropicalsunset]

RockyMtnGal: Glad you found us..

 

Okay, John O'Hurley really came through on that freestyle... .

I am disappointed that he and Charlotta did not take the prize... I sure did enjoy watching the two of them dance more than the "other couple" (although she did manage to keep her clothes on last night!!! ;) :D )

By the way, I have loved the costumes John and Charlotta have come up with.... if Dave and I ever get into competition I would love to know where they get those... :D

 

Everyone sounds like they are "in training" for upcoming cruises!!!

 

Next class for us is tonight.... Foxtrot and a group class... not sure who is teaching....

Gcurry.... I love your "Lance Lines"!!!!! keep them coming!!! they make me think of those judges!!!! :cool:

 

Lorraine

[terri23]

I agree; the fix was in! Did they not see Kelly&Alec's missed lifts and the way she was dropped on her knees at the end of their freestyle? 10's???? Sheesh. It's clearly not a ballroom dance competition, is it??? Oh well, still fun to watch except for the ending.

 

We had rainshowers in West Houston last night, so maybe the lawn will crunch a little less today. Our pool temperature is up to 93! :eek:

 

DH says we're having dance practice for sure tonight...if I agree to go to the driving range first!! Oh well, whatever it takes to get him on the dance floor ;)

[critterchick]

My dogs got out of the yard last night, so I was busy fetching them during the "reunion" portion of the show. I had a feeling after the judges went nuts over Kelly's routine (before the scores) that the result was already determined, so I confirmed it online. Then I sulked for the next 15 minutes. That really hosed me - I know all these competitions are pre-ordained, but when the talent and execution gap is that glaringly obvious, it's just wrong. But they couldn't let an NBC star win, now could they?

 

On to more cheerful stuff. We have group foxtrot & rhumba classes tonight. I hope we can remember the stuff we've learned in the last week!

[GCurry]

http://www.lonniesdance.com/

 

This is a Houston business but does a lot of mail order and does have sales.

I got my dance shoes (felt soles) from there on-line, as it's in West Houston, and you can't get there from here.

Ole Lance thought the judges were pretty harsh at first, but got better. He admitted he had judged a lot over the years. We all assured him that he still does at every class. Foxtrot, Rhumba, and Tango are our favorites, with East Coast Swing and waltz next.

 

We had showers moving across the island this morning, I got soaked by one, but, I was dressed for it, so no big deal. I just hoped they moved up the bay to my place. Beach water temp. 87 degrees.

[cruisequeen8661]

DH and I are taking classes through the local arts council. What a hoot!!! We had much more fun than we had expected. Looking forward to the rest of the classes.!!!

[tropicalsunset]

Last night we had our group class on Foxtrot... and I expected that one of the newer teachers would be giving the class... As we waited... all the teachers had private lessons... it was very busy at the studio... and who is giving the class but the owner... the top dog!!! Dear Eddie...I always bust on him so I figured here comes my commuppance!!! But we had a good class... learned alot and got real technical but it was a great class...!! Eddie said he is usually very slow this time of year but every week since DWTS he has had many, many people walking in the door signing up for lessons .... all Ages!!!

 

anyway, rainy cool day here in CT... the remnants of "Cindy".....

 

GCurry: I love that website.... don't see myself buying any dresses... tho' the prices are inspiration to get out the ol' sewing machine.... and NOT all people dancing are a size 4 or 6!!!! Please do tell me also about the felt sole shoes??!

 

Oh, by the way, Eddie also thought that John and Charlotta should have won....!!! ;) :D

[GMONT01]

Yes, we also felt John and Charlotte should have won. That was disappointing.

We are still enjoying our dance lessons. We go twice weekly and try to go practice somewhere at least once a week. We think things are starting to sink in and it is becoming a little more natural and we are enjoying the dancing more instead of having to continuously concentrate so much.

We are watching the weather news closely. Dennis is now a category 4 and is expected to hit the coast late Saturday or early Sunday. Everyone is watching to see which way to run! It will be devastating wherever it hits.

I have purchased a pair of the dancing shoes and they are amazingly comfortable. Wish they made everyday shoes that comfortable!

Have a great weekend eveyone, Gretchen

[texancruzer]

Once again dh was tied up at work and we had to cancel 45 minutes before our private lesson. Luckily our instructor is very understanding. His work will go in spurts and this is one of those busy spurts. I understand but it is frustrating.

 

Everyone along the Gulf Coast - please be careful in the wake of Dennis. I have been thru some bad ones (including Celia which really devastated Corpus Christi) and the best is just board up and leave !! Stuff can be replaced but life is precious. So take care and my prayers are with you. Cheryl

[GCurry]

It's like walking into a pool hall with your own custom made cue. It lets people know you might be serious about dancing. The felt soles give a great feel for the floor and just the right amount of traction and slide. Mine are pretty inexpensive Kern-Werners, an Italian design from Germany. They lace up with a one inch heel. There are Latin shoes with 11/2 to 2 inch heels, but I would feel a little silly wearing them unless I was dancing Latin all the time. As I'm over 6 ft. and DW is 5 ft, they could compound an existing situation. Men's dance shoes are very comfortable with soft uppers as well. They might make a great gift for DH, and could encourage him to participate. But, they are not made to go walking through parking lots, so I carry them in their own little bag. I also have opera pumps for formal wear that are also pretty comfortable for dancing.

DW has two pair of dancing shoes herself, but they don't have the felt. They do have moderate heels, good leather soles and ankle straps however.

Robert and Lonnie's site has a good selection of men's shoes that you can see on-line. Boy, their dress prices would flat make your eyes water. I know there are a lot less expensive places for dance wear.

It is my observation, as a man (which means I'm probably totally wrong), that the more expensive the dress, the smaller the dress size.

 

Amen on Dennis, I've evacuated and survived enought storms in my time.

We need the rain, we don't need Dennis.

[dreamscometrue2]

Ok the fix was in on DWTS :mad: and I lost a great deal of respect for the integrity of the show. Apparently, they wanted a dewy eyed underdog story and they fabricated one. Suddenly the judges discovered they had "10" paddles, ignoring the drop to the knees, the hesitations while waiting to see what the next steps were to be. I watched that portion of the show twice to see if I could believe my lying eyes. It was embarrassing with all the gushing. John and Charlotte were robbed in front of millions of viewers. All that said I loved watching them dance. Let's hope by the next competition the show and the judges will have some integrity:mad: . Thank you for indulging my rant I'm done now:) .

[ckm13104]

Is ballroom dancing actually used on the cruises? when and where can u apply it? is it worth learning before a cruise? I am going on a cruise for the first time on 9/16 and was just wondering.....