Dance Your Way to Improved Flexibility

The physical benefits of dancing have been discussed in many of our blogs, touching on how dancing can improve your muscle tone, coordination, and even provide some cardio work in more rigorous dances. We have also mentioned how your flexibility can be improved when you dance, and today we will discuss this a little further. Flexibility is something that many of us fail to maintain. We all lose some of our flexibility as our bodies age, but dancing can help you stay flexible and discover how important it is to maintain the elasticity and resilience of your muscles. At Dance FX Studios, we make sure that our students stay healthy and comfortable while becoming skilled social dancers, and stretching is a very important aspect of a dancer’s regime. 

Without regular stretching and exercise, you can lose flexibility in your joints and muscles as the years pass by. Stiffness begins to build up and can prevent you from doing everyday tasks safely and comfortably. Arthritis can manifest when this happens, and this is both uncomfortable and unhealthy. Dancing requires you to move your whole body, exercising various muscles and getting them to move in all directions, improving your flexibility and muscle tone. Dance with big, sweeping movements like those in the Argentine Tango, stretch your muscles and joints. Those with faster, smaller movements like the Country Swing require quicker, shorter muscle contractions, which aid in agility and resilience. Variety is the spice of life; learning multiple dances will give your body the most benefit and will also keep you and your mind on your toes.

Spine flexibility is another aspect of muscle and joint health that we often leave by the wayside. Between school, desk jobs, watching TV, and other sedentary acts of our technological modern lives, our spines and necks are many times out of alignment and out of shape. This can cause pain and discomfort in people of all ages. Ballroom dancing can help! With proper dancing in lessons, you can work your core muscles and strengthen your spine and neck’s support system. Constant weight shifting, changing direction, and whole body movements will improve your balance while exercising your core muscles, neck, and spine. The movements required on the dance floor will move your muscles, as will the stretching exercises you do off the dance floor, improving flexibility in no time!

You will quickly see improvements in joints, muscles, and ligaments all over your body when you take regular lessons and stretch consistently at home. Different types of dances require different muscle movements and body positions, so by learning and practicing multiple dances, you can experience a larger spectrum of benefits. The sweeping Tango, quick Country Two Step, and fun Jitterbug all offer a different type of exercise and benefits. No matter what type of dance you want to learn, your body will improve after continuous lessons! Try our $40 Introductory Offer to get a taste of what dance has to offer, or if you know you want to jump right in, take a look at our specials on our Gift Cards page. Today is the day to get up off your couch or chair and get moving, so call us today!

Stimulate your Sassy Side with Salsa Lessons

Salsa dancing is sexy, spicy, and sensual. Want to move to those quick, fun Latin beats in a Salsa club? Looking for something to spice up your relationship? Do you have an inner flirt that is dying to be released? Dance FX Studios in the East Phoenix Valley can give you the dance steps and social dance skills that you need to thoroughly enjoy yourself while out Salsa dancing. Our studio is located in Mesa just off of Price Freeway on Dobson and Guadalupe, very close to Tempe, Chandler, and Scottsdale!

Aside from the chance to connect in an intimate and seductive way with others on the dance floor, Salsa dancing opens you up to explore your sassier self, helping with self-expression and giving you a freedom that cannot be felt from most other hobbies. Now is your chance to join the fun! Here are a few things that you will learn in private Latin dance lessons at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, AZ:

1. Partner connection: Salsa dancing is generally fast paced. In order to move  as one with your special someone, let us help you to understand the principles of partner connection. With faster dances, being connected on the dance floor is key. In our private lesson introductory offer, you will be given an exercise to assist you in understanding how to move in synch with anyone on the dance floor.

2. Small steps: As with all Latin dances, small steps are essential for several reasons. One reason has to do with getting your hips moving. The only way to get those hips  moving the “right” way is by keeping your feet underneath your torso by taking very small steps. More information in your Latin dance lessons at Dance FX Studios will help you to understand the importance of tiny footwork.

3. Lead and Follow: In order to be a great Salsa dancer, knowing how to lead or follow is of primary importance. Rather than memorizing steps from a video or in a group class setting, get the basics of lead and follow first. Then your will have a solid foundation that you can use to build off of.

Whether you are single and ready to find a new dance partner or you and your partner want to learn together, we are the place for you. Our studio has over 12 years of experience equipping students with the skills and knowledge to enjoy themselves out dancing while staying safe on crowded floors. Our Introductory Offer is just $40; in this Introductory Lesson you will learn some dance basics, how to connect with your partner, and how to navigate a busy floor. Each of our instructors will discuss your goals and visions for yourself and your dancing and customize a lesson plan for you, ensuring that you will learn quickly and efficiently. This first lesson will give you a window into our unique concept, one that can make a dancer out of everyone-even YOU, and get you hooked on Salsa dancing!

Why Everyone Should Partner Dance

Social ballroom dancing is just the best. Everything about it is simply great. Of course, dancing by yourself can be a blast, but nothing quite matches the intimacy and creativity of partner dancing. Here at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, AZ, we see dance transform lives daily. Whether it's a single guy learning to  Country dance, a couple trying their hand at Argentine Tango, or a single lady who is learning to get her hips moving with some Latin dancing, the end result is the same - happier, healthier people! Everyone has something to gain from partner dancing, they just may not know it yet. Social partner dancing helps you...

Look Better

Dancing is incredibly active - especially dances like Salsa and Jitterbug. Swing dancing can burn as much as 550 calories an hour (or more if you get really into it). That's a pretty sweet, not to mention a fun, cardio workout. Salsa lessons burns around 405 an hour, and even slower ballroom dances can burn between 150 and 320 calories an hour.

Even if you aren't in it for the athletic side of things, private dance lessons can help improve posture, balance, coordination, and even add a bit of grace.

Feel Better

Did you know dancing triggers the release of endorphins? Just like any other exercise, dancing helps your brain release those feel-good chemicals to brighten your mood. Dance also has the added bonus of music, which already tends to lift spirits on its own. It's like the perfect dose of endorphins and sometimes adrenaline (if you are actively trying to impress someone). We also gain a lot of confidence through partner dancing.  Not only do we have a super fun skill, but we are constantly affirmed by the dancers around us. There's nothing quite like hearing "yes" from everyone (or just about everyone) you ask to dance. Knowing how to Country Two Step or Foxtrot is quite the confidence booster!

Communicate Better

Have you ever heard someone say that dancing is like another language? Because it is! Dancing is a great way to express yourself, but on a whole new level with ballroom dancing. You are no longer just expressing yourself, but you are communicating physically as a leader and a follower. By honing in on these nonverbal skills, we learn to truly listen to our partner.  We also create a much deeper sense of trust between leader and follower - he IS telling her where to go and what to do, after all.

As much as I love talking about how great partner dancing is, it's not the same as finding out for yourself. Come visit us in Mesa, Arizona just off the 60 and the 101 freeways. If private dance lessons aren't for you, we also have awesome group dance classes as well as Zumba fitness classes with incredible certified instructors. Call us at 480.968.6177 or email us at info@dancefxstudios.com to see what we're all about. Already know how to dance? Join us for a Country Dance Party on April 12, 2014!

Men: It's Time to Dance!

Most men think they don’t like to dance. They might think it isn’t masculine or that they would be terrible at it and it would be too hard to learn. The reality is that dancing is FUN and we can make it easier for you! It provides an outlet for self-expression, boosts confidence, and gets them close to a woman on the dance floor. Even better, the man is in control on the dance floor! That’s right, the man is the leader and the woman follows his cues as he guides her and sweeps her off her feet. Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona has been putting men in control and in tune with themselves for twelve years. Twelve years of experience making dance lessons a great experience for thousands of men, single and taken, makes us a leading social ballroom dance studio in Arizona. Teaching everything from the playful West Coast Swing to the sultry Argentine Tango, we are the studio that will make you feel right at home.

As a man, you should learn to dance because it’s a fun and exciting form of exercise. It raises your heart rate, works off extra body fat, and builds muscle. It uses a wide variety of motions to engage multiple muscle groups in an effective, dynamic way.  Because it is enjoyable, it is a much easier form of exercise to stick to and keep up your fitness with. It’s also very good for coordination and balance because it engages so many muscles and requires multiple body parts to work together. It can definitely prove as a nice mental and physical break from hitting the gym or running laps! 

Second to the dance skills you will obtain, perhaps one of the most important things you will gain from dancing is the confidence and sense of accomplishment you will find through lessons. Your newfound ability to lead your partner will give you confidence on the dance floor and off. Mastering the moves and dance styles you are learning will make you feel accomplished and give you assurance that you can truly dance the night away. You will be able to take what you learn and improvise on a dance floor outside of a lesson, impressing you partner and making her smile (and you, too!). This confidence boost will manifest in other areas of your life as well; you will walk taller and more proud with your shoulders back. Using body language and trust to communicate on the dance floor will improve your communication skills and bond and provide a new aspect of intimacy for you and your partner. This proves to be a great thing whether you have been married for thirty years or you just met someone new.

Having dance skills is undeniably a social asset. At Dance FX Studios, we teach you social dancing skills, not competitive dancing techniques. Not only will you gain knowledge of moves and styles, we also teach you proper dance form and how to lead and connect with your partner.  Knowing how to dance is very useful at weddings, parties, nightclubs, bars, and other social settings. Having fun is much easier when you know what you’re doing and can lead a lady around the dance floor. Your partner will also have more fun if they can follow your lead and trust your moves. Improved communicative abilities with your partner and increased self-confidence will  make it so much easier to just let go and enjoy yourself.

All of these perks are beneficial for men whether they are single or not. For single men, learning to dance will help tremendously on the dating scene. Most women love to dance and they love a guy who knows how to dance; her toes go unsquished and she doesn’t have to bear through awkward, jerky dances with the same repetitive moves over and over again.   A man who is willing to lead her on the dance floor is attractive, but a lot of men aren’t inclined to do so. If you learn to dance and become one of those men who can dance and lead her, that sets you apart from the crowd! 

For those men who are not single, chances are your wife or girlfriend loves to dance and wishes you would dance with her more often. When you discover the benefits of dance, you will be able and willing to take your lady out dancing. If you are married, you know that a happy wife is a happy life! Make her smile by taking time to learn something for her – and with her! As a couple, you will turn heads when you go to weddings or when you go out on date nights. Who doesn’t love looking talented and connected as a pair? Remember, she wants you to dance with her. Dance lessons are a great couple’s activity and you will earn major brownie points if you take regular lessons with her. Learning to dance takes time, so recurrent lessons will give you the ability to take your wife or girlfriend out and dance the night away regularly.

No matter what type of dance lessons you want to take, the sexy Salsa, intimate Tango, or honky tonkin’ Country Two Step,– we can equip you to go out into the social dancing world with the confidence and ability to show someone a great time, while enjoying yourself thoroughly! Just an hour of our time is all we need to show you how fun and rewarding learning to dance can be for you, men. Our $40 Introductory Offer is an excellent way to test the waters – you will discuss what types of dances you are interested in with your instructor and get out on the floor and start learning. Call us or visit us today and we can get you started!

Three Ways to Ensure a Second Dance With Her

You've been practicing for weeks. You've finally gotten enough confidence to ask a girl onto the floor. You've found the lucky lady, popped the question, and… She said yes! You've clearly already read Dance FX Studios' do's and dont's of the dance floor already, but how do you guarantee that second dance? Let's talk about it!

Why So Serious? Have A Little Fun!

Dancing is fun, right? If it isn't, you're doing it wrong. Talk to your lady! Make her laugh!
There's so much more to dancing than knowing how to swing a girl around the floor. Ladies love a great dancer, but (from experience) are more likely to dance with an okay dancer with a fun, exciting personality than a good dancer with no personality. Laugh off mistakes, play with your partner, and enjoy the dance!

Keep Your Hands to Yourself, R. Kelly.

Let's be honest: creepers exist. Please don't be one of them. There is such a thing as personal space and it should be respected. A dance can go from fun to "Oh, I see my friend over there who needs to cut in RIGHT NOW" really fast. Dance requires a follower to have a lot of trust in her leader. Your job is to keep her feeling safe and protected. This is especially true for the sensual dances out there such as bachata, Argentine tango, or what have you. They are intimate enough without wandering hands turning an innocent dance into a grope-fest.

Side note: If dancing with your significant other (and they don't mind PDA) grope away! Although it may get you some interesting looks from fellow dancers and observers...

Keep it Comfortable. Don't Show Off (Too Much).

Okay, show off a little. You want to impress your partner, because, why not? Just be careful not to go overboard with it! The dance should be comfortable, and a lot of followers feel lost when their leader breaks frame for a little free-style. This was supposed to be a partner dance, right? It's also never fun to be on the follower's side when the leader decides now is a great time to throw in an over-the-shoulder lift. If you flip me, we will never dance again. End of story. Keep it fun, keep it comfy!

Want more ideas to keep her coming back for more? Visit us here in Mesa, Arizona at Dance FX Studios, just minutes away from Scottsdale, Phoenix, Tempe, Chandler, and Queen Creek, AZ! Learn some killer moves in private dance lessons, or try out one of our group dance classes. Want to tear it up with country two-step? We've got you covered. Need some waltz or foxtrot in your life? We understand. Call us at 480.968.6177 or stop in today. See you soon!

Social Ballroom Dancing vs. Competitive Ballroom Dancing

Competitive Ballroom Dancing can be seen on shows like So You Think You Can Dance and movies like Silver Linings Playbook and Mad Hot Ballroom. Some of the dancers shown are extremely talented and compete very seriously. Others compete as a hobby and are not quite as intimidating at the more competitive dancers. Social Ballroom Dancing can be seen virtually anywhere. A bar, a wedding, a club, even in the streets of places like Madrid, Spain and Cuba! There is more variety and more room for personal touches in Social Ballroom Dancing. Dance FX Studios can prepare for any social dancing setting! In Mesa, Arizona, just off of the 101 on Guadalupe and Dobson Roads, we teach Social Ballroom Dancing and have prepared our students for Country Swing dancing at bars around the East Valley, taught the Argentine Tango to clients who want to dance with strangers abroad and choreographed some pretty exciting wedding dance routines. Social Ballroom Dancing is a useful, fun skill to have that you can take anywhere!

When Social Ballroom Dancing, there is less pressure on the dancer than there is in Competitive Ballroom Dancing. Both in lessons and out dancing in social settings, Social Ballroom Dancing is all about just having fun. You get to let loose, enjoying yourself and your partner's company. There is no pressure to win an award or to be the best dancer on the floor. Competitive Ballroom Dancing focuses on technicalities like poise, the hold or frame, posture, musicality and expression, timing, body alignment and shape, floor craft, foot and leg action, and presentation. Phew! With Social Ballroom Dancing, there are only two measures of success: no one gets hurt and everyone is smiling! Sounds like a better, less stressful set of standards, does it not?

Between the two types of dancing, Social Ballroom Dancing is arguably less expensive. Social Ballroom Dance lessons and outings cost less than Competitive lessons, dance gear, and competition expenses when you add it all up. There are travel expenses, costumes, dance shoes, competition entrance fees and more involved with Competitive Ballroom Dancing. With Social Ballroom Dancing, social outings like bars and clubs might have a cover and you might spend money on a few drinks (or not!), but costumes and multiple pairs of dance shoes are not necessary. Plus, with our great deals on lessons like our Introductory Offer and  Valentine's Day specials, you can learn to dance at a bargain!

The world of Competitive Ballroom Dancing is remarkable, but we love sharing Social Ballroom Dancing skills with our students. With social dance skills, you can go anywhere and dance your heart out! You don't need a ballroom floor or a set of judges to dance the night away (though dancing on a ballroom floor does make dancing easier!). At Dance FX Studios, we are confident we can show you how fun and rewarding Social Ballroom Dancing is in just one lesson! Come learn to dance and get ready to groove wherever your two feet take you!

The Do's and Don'ts of Social Dancing (Part 2)

Welcome to part 2 of Dance FX Studio's social dancing etiquette! Did you read our DO's of social dancing, yet? Okay, go do that first. Caught up? Good! Now that you know a few things you should be doing, let's move on to some of our DON'Ts for social dance - be it country, swing, ballroom, or latin:

Don't #1

DON'T ask if you don't know the dance.

Identify the dance style before asking for the dance. It's uncomfortable for both you and your partner to say "Let's salsa!" only to discover 30 seconds in that it's actually a bachata… and you don't know how to bachata. Listen to the music, find the rhythm, then ask for your dance once you know you're in familiar territory.  If you aren't able to identify the music yet, there's nothing wrong with asking others near you or sneaking a peak at what others are doing.

There's a part two to this one… Don't know how to waltz? Don't ask someone to waltz. Now, I don't mean "You're new to dance, so stay off the floor!" Advanced dancers are more than happy to help beginners through their basics. But walking on a dance floor without an inkling of what the dance even looks like can only lead to trouble. Be nice to your fellow dancers and take a group dance class or even private lessons first! It'll make you AND your new partner more comfortable.

Don't #2

DON'T dance above your partner's level.

I'm really happy you can do a triple free spin, a rag doll dip, and then flip me over your shoulder, I really am. But, dancing is a partnership, not a competition. If your partner is struggling with the basic, forcing them through crazy turns and tricks isn't your best option. Avoid the embarrassment and potential danger by keeping it simple and comfortable. You'll thank me later!

If they seem like they are a bit more advanced, ease into the harder moves. Test the waters a bit before throwing out multiple turns and harder leads/follows.

Side note: No flips or aerials on the dance floor!! With lots of people and little space, it is incredibly dangerous to you and those around you.

Don't #3

DON'T give lessons on the floor.

You are not a teacher, and (even if you are) the social floor is not a proper teaching space. Think about it - there is little room, it's impossible to hear, and no one asked you for a lesson. Even if you do have truly helpful info for your partner, unsolicited advise can make your partner feel uneasy. Social dance is supposed to be fun, so laugh off the mistakes and move on!

If your partner does ask for help, try to move away from the main dance area. Find a space with plenty of room, so you can break things down without getting in the way.

Now that you know some manners for the dance floor, come visit us at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, AZ and learn your moves! As I said earlier, you've gotta know the basics before you jump out on the floor, so check out our private dance lessons. We are conveniently located off the 60 near Tempe and Chandler, minutes away from Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Queen Creek. We teach everything from Jitterbug to Argentine Tango, so no matter what kind of music or dance you like, we've got you covered!