Dance Classes

[Izzblizz]

How are the dance classes aboard Carnival ships (fantasy specifically). I noticed a couple we could easily work into our schedule (rhumba and swing). It sounds kinda fun, but is it cheesy or actually informative? Any opinions on them welcome.

[firefly333]

I cant tell you about the Fantasy, but the cheesy part, .. I didnt think so. Of course out of Texas they teach a lot of country line type dancing or similar and the stage is full and out in the audience there was a whole line of us older ladies who all were wanting to learn too, but didnt want to be up on stage. I like the dance classes myself. Iv been to a few of them.

[pkrchkr]

Dance lessons?:confused:.. Do they have them on all the Carnival ships?

[serene56]

They do have "dance classes" but i have never seen the Rumba or other ones like that- I have seen the country line dance. I have seen the dance they do for Austin Powers. (cheesy)

Its done up on a stage and jusr mimick the moves.

[CanWeGoYet?]

There used to be more variety of dance classes offered in years past. All I see now are line dance & hip hop classes.

[Izzblizz]

I was going off a list of activities on a recent Fantasy cruise.

 

They had Rhumba one night and swing another day.

 

Sounds like fun if they aren't cheesy. But not very into hip hop or line dancing.

 

http://www.2millionblog.com/2010/11/carnival_fantasy_cruise_ship_activities.html

[Sonshine1]

They are, by far, not cheesy..when they actually show up to teach them! We just got off the Fantasy and one night they had Line Dance lessons scheduled in the Universe Lounge. We showed up early, along with about 100 other folks but no one showed up to teach the class. No explanation why or anything...they just let us sit there and wonder. We found out later that it was canceled due to the ship rocking so much (which it wasn't) but no one ever came in to inform us of this.

[firefly333]

I must have a yen to have danced in a previous life. One thing I liked was the ones I went to were taught by one of the Carnival dancers.

[Izzblizz]

They are, by far, not cheesy..when they actually show up to teach them! We just got off the Fantasy and one night they had Line Dance lessons scheduled in the Universe Lounge. We showed up early, along with about 100 other folks but no one showed up to teach the class. No explanation why or anything...they just let us sit there and wonder. We found out later that it was canceled due to the ship rocking so much (which it wasn't) but no one ever came in to inform us of this.

 

Bummer. What did you think of the ones where they did show up and which dances were they teaching?

[Izzblizz]

I must have a yen to have danced in a previous life. One thing I liked was the ones I went to were taught by one of the Carnival dancers.

 

cool. which dances did they teach that you especially liked?

[aqusis]

There was a Thriller dance class on our Legend cruise last August. It was on the deck by the aft pool outside and was taught by a Carnival Dancer. There were lots of people there, probably a couple hundred.

[soozles]

When I was on the Glory, they had a Latin dance class, forget which exact dance though. It was fun, we got up on stage, it was quite crowded though. Although my boyfriend, who I recruited to be my dance partner, did manage to drop me during the dip, but oh well, I'm still with him. We'll be cruising again in January. This time, no dancing. Mostly cause I'll be 2 months post op from knee surgery, but he's very happy to not have to dance either.

[marshhawk]

I noticed about 5 different dance classes on the Fascination(fantasy ship) and am looking forward to doing them, my hubby says I can't dance, and he's right, but who cares, I'm on a cruise???:rolleyes:

[Liffey]

It sounds kinda fun, but is it cheesy or actually informative?

 

The only dance class I actually participated in was the ABBA dance class with Stephanie Meads on Spirit. It was held in the showroom, and we had so many people that some of us just did the routine in the aisles, which was still completely fun. (Hint: take off your shoes - the carpet makes it hard to twirl.)

 

We learned 48 counts (yes, I am the sad nerd who wrote it all down later) of a routine to "Dancing Queen": learn a little, practice, learn a little more, practice everything so far, learn a little more... We ended with a performance of the whole song as a group. We didn't learn any technique/kinesiology/codified movements/what-have-you, but that was true of half of the dance classes I took while growing up in the suburbs. ;)

 

I've watched some of the other dance classes on this and other cruises - Disco, Austin Powers - and I was really turned off by the class being structured so that after some basic instruction people spent the rest of the "class" performing on the stage in small groups of six or so. (I guess one person's "having to perform" is another's "getting to show off.") I'm just not one for the spotlight, especially since dancing is the one area where my husband won't join me in acting dorky in public. :p

 

Hopefully our next cruise will have more dance classes like that ABBA one, or even just more classes - I love the "enrichment" stuff!

[golfadj]

Usually one of the dancers do it and usually do a good job.

[Sonshine1]

Bummer. What did you think of the ones where they did show up and which dances were they teaching?

 

They actually did a great job on the classes I attended. They do it at a pace that everyone is comfortable with! I would recommend them!

[Izzblizz]

Cool. Will plan on checking out at least the first one, and go from there :)

 

Thanks to all who responded.

[Anjanu]

When I was on the Glory in Dec 2008, Butch was the Cruise Director and he taught us a disco type dance to the song Dancing Queen by ABBA and I had so much fun that I bought the CD (not the Cruise Director)!

I'm so glad that Butch will be the CD on my Dec 11th sailing on the Dream! Can't wait!

[Thoth]

Last year the dance instructors were at my dinner table, so I was mandatory-ed into attending their classes. It was fun !

[golfadj]

Last year the dance instructors were at my dinner table, so I was mandatory-ed into attending their classes. It was fun !

 

That is a good reason to go. Peace at the dinner table.

[Thoth]

That is a good reason to go. Peace at the dinner table.

Now I can't say I was any good at their ballroom dances, but learning was most of the fun.