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!

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!