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It occurs to me, dear reader, that I’ve been hiding myself from you. I’ve gone on about how fabulous ballroom dance lessons are for years now, yet I’ve never talked about what a transformative event it was for me.
In the interests of giving you new inspiration for your own progress then, here is the story of how ballroom dance lessons helped shape my own life. Continue reading "How Ballroom Dance Lessons Gave My Life Direction"
In the social jungle, making a good impression, or just having a good time can depend a lot on how well you make new connections. And of course, having a few tricks, like a sharp wit, dashing good looks, or ballroom dancing, can help you stand out from the crowd. In fact, knowing how to dance with others is like a superpower in the social arena. Here’s just a few ways it can transform you from a wallflower into a social butterfly. Continue reading "Any Party is Better if You Know How to Dance"
Our first dancing experiences, much like the honeymoon phase of a relationship, are usually filled with excitement and exhilaration. After a few months however, many people start to drop off. They ask themselves ‘what am I doing this for anyway? Is it really worth all this money just to have some fun once or twice a week?’ In short, they lost sight of their dance goals.
Our dance goals are like sign posts on our dancing journey, giving us direction and reminding us why we dance in the first place. ‘But Ian’, I hear you say ‘I don’t want to be a world champion. I just want to dance and have some fun.’ Really? Is ‘some fun’ why you spend between $20-200+ a week? Is that why you come in after a tiring work day, and sometimes practice between classes? Continue reading "How to Set Some Dance Goals"
So you want to dance, but you don’t have a dance partner? Fear not, fellow ballroom-lover, there’s hope to fulfill your dreams yet. I knew that I wanted to ballroom dance after watching Johnny, the ultimate dance partner, and Baby in Dirty Dancing. I was ten. 15 years later I still hadn’t taken a lesson, but my desire to ballroom dance was just as strong. The thing is that ten-year-old boys, (and boys in my teens and early twenties) didn’t really seem that interested in ballroom dancing. I felt I ‘couldn’t dance’ without a partner. It wasn’t until my (life) partner gifted me with lessons twelve years ago that I was finally able to be Baby Houseman to my own Johnny Castle. Continue reading "Guest Post: You Don’t Need a Dance Partner"
Finding a ballroom dance studio you’ll be satisfied with for the months (and years) to come can be almost as challenging as dancing itself! Let’s start with some questions to keep in mind while doing your online homework and talking to their receptionists. Continue reading "Choosing the Right Ballroom Dance Studio"
Ballroom dancing has been bringing adventurous folk together in barrooms and court halls for centuries. But it’s only in the last century that most of the dances we know and love have appeared in North American studios. Why is that? And how did it all get started?
In an effort to help you sound smart as well as adventurous, here is a (VERY) short history of ballroom dance. Continue reading "A Short History of Ballroom Dance"
Partner dancing is like going to a school where you have to take all the same classes, and your average score at the end determines whether you graduate. What if you had different interests? What if one of you learns faster than the other? Figuring out how to work together is the heart of partner dancing - the benefit of which, is that you will have new teamwork skills and a new romantic activity to bring you closer together. Here’s how to lay the foundation for fun and enjoyable partner dance lessons. Continue reading "Partner Dance Lessons: How to Avoid A Divorce in 5 Easy Steps"
Most of us have a list of things we’d like to know when looking for a dance studio for the first time. Here’s a compilation of some of the most common questions I’ve heard, and the most common answers. Continue reading "Ballroom Dancing: Beginner FAQ"
If you’re dancing for fun, the answer to ‘how often should I practice my dancing?’ is really up to you. But say you’re not satisfied with that. Say you want to get the most out of your lessons and not risk lagging behind in class. For my private-lesson students, I always advise practicing between lessons, so when they come back they are more comfortable with the material and we can move on to more exciting steps and technique.
In this article, we look at the feasibility of practicing on a busy schedule, how long you should practice, and even how to practice more effectively. Continue reading "How Often To Practice Your Dancing (And Do You Have to?)"
So, you walk in, nervous and excited the day of your first set of dance lessons, and take in the breath-taking sight of talented dancers gliding across the floor. You secretly promise yourself you’ll be better than all of them in half the time. So naturally, when your instructor asks if you have any questions, the first thing that pops out is: ‘How long until I’m good?’ Continue reading "How Many Dance Lessons Until I’m ‘Good?’"