Back to Basics - The Importance of a Solid Foundation in Dance

When given the option between learning the basics and learning cool tricks, which sounds more fun? Tricks, of course! Just like kids want to be on a bike before the tricycle, and toddlers try to run before they can successfully walk, new dancers are usually a little over eager to get into complicated moves. Don't get me wrong, I love the excitement and gung-ho attitude, but sometimes we just need to take a step back and remind ourselves: awesomeness needs a solid foundation. Ask any basketball player if they picked up a basketball and immediately started doing slam dunks. My guess? Probably not. They spent time learning to dribble, pass, and doing free throws before they attempted a layup. Just like learning any new skill, we need to build a solid foundation to create a successful future. Whether you want to learn Tango or Two Step, here are the basics of every partner social dance that you need to have down before you can get to the super cool stuff.

Communication

Social partner dance is all about true lead and follow. This means that the man and woman have to communicate with one another without using their words. It's a lot harder than it sounds!! Leading and following uses an entirely physical language consisting of pressure and elastic tension. This allows the man to completely guide and shape the woman's movements as long as he is communicating efficiently and she is "listening." This is a crucial part of dance that has to be built early so that the more advanced moves can go smoothly. If you're still struggling to walk in a straight line together, with the man leading each step, the tricky moves will be that much trickier. 

Pro tip: Always go back to connection and communication exercises, even after you've been dancing for a while. Sometimes we can get used to our partners and build bad habits of assuming and second guessing instead of listening

Foundation steps

Consider the foundations like the alphabet of our dance language. These steps can seem basic - well, maybe not when you're first learning them - but they are the foundation of everything to come after. The basics give you your general rhythm and the shape of your dance. Even if you're dying to spin a girl 12 times, you have to learn how to properly spin her once first! By drilling in the basics, you can get comfortable enough in the dance to play with it and learn new moves much quicker.

Pro tip: Learning to Salsa dance? The crossbody lead is your new best friend. Seriously. You hate it now, but it's your best friend.

Frame

FRAME FRAME FRAME!!! I can not state enough how important frame is to successful partner dancing. The frame is literally your only source of communication between one another, so instructors (at least at Dance FX Studios) tend to really harp on it. When it is first learned, frame tends to be a little stiff. It is allowed to soften over time, but only if you maintain the structure and stability that frame is supposed to provide. Don't be surprised if you get frame adjustments even after years of dancing. Even the best dancers can get lazy sometimes, so we have to keep an eye on it.

Pro tip: Posture makes a big difference in a proper frame. You may think you're standing up perfectly, but pay attention if your instructor tells you otherwise.

There are plenty more to work on when learning to dance, but these are the biggest things you'll work on when you first start out. In all likelihood, you'll be working on all of these skills for longer than you think. Don't worry, it doesn't mean you won't learn other stuff, too! There's just always room for improvement. If you're looking to grow in dance and live near Mesa, Arizona, join us at Dance FX Studios. After 13 years serving the Valley, we still have incredible instructors offering private dance lessons to bring you from basic to incredible! Our goal is to get you comfortable and smooth on the dance floor, in whatever style of dance you like. Want to get started, but want to get your feet wet first? Our September group classes are starting next week, so you can get a feel for the studio with other dancers of all levels! 

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!

All the Single Ladies!

All the Single Ladies

This one goes out to all the single ladies! Ladies – are you getting tired of trying to find Mr. Right in boring bars and awkward blind dates? Want to find a new outlet for stress and tension, a way to express yourself and let go of everyday stresses? Searching for a self-confidence booster that is fun? Dance lessons can offer stress relief, exercise, self-expression, and teach you skills to apply to your social life. Dance FX Studios in the Phoenix East Valley in Mesa, Arizona is close to Chandler, Tempe, Gilbert, Scottsdale, Phoenix and more and just might be exactly what you have been looking for! We have been teaching single women to dance everything from the sexy Salsa and Tango to the fun Country Two Step for over twelve years, giving us tons of experience catering lessons to every woman's needs. Dance lessons offer numerous benefits for single women:

Exercise

Chances are your body is not used to moving in the many directions and ways that dancing requires it to. Moving backwards, side stepping, leading your partner in many directions – they’re all advantageous for your body! In addition to toning your body, dance lessons will help you burn calories as well. Each type of dance offers different movements and tempos and, therefore, burns a certain range of calories. For example, Salsa dancing for an hour can burn up to 480 calories! Country Western styles like the Country Swing and Country Waltz can get you moving and use between 290 to 420 calories, depending on the speed and difficulty of the moves. In every hour-long lesson of learning to dance the Cha Cha, anywhere from 260 to 530 calories can be burned- yeah to Latin dancing!. Zumba fitness classes are specifically geared for exercise and can use up to 650 calories! 

Self-Expression, Self-Confidence, and Stress Relief

Social dancing is also excellent for individual self- improvement. By giving social dance lessons a try, you will gain more confidence and self- esteem, become self-disciplined, gain a sense of accomplishment and increase persistence. Many people really want to learn how to dance, but they allow their fears and anxiety to stop them from trying something new. Breaking through fear and anxiety of any kind always increases self-confidence. Taking those first steps to get on the dance floor can boost self-esteem, helping you to become more in touch with your courageous side, and bringing you greater joy than you have ever dreamed.  Dancing is about self-discovery, self-expression. and spontaneity. When you dance, the body expresses itself by means of the motions which are natural to it. By making the body an instrument of free expression we are able to express in bodily movement the ideas and emotions that come from within. Taking dance lessons can significantly improve your stress level, give you a mental break from your work and personal life challenges and improve your mental health. Mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and mood problems can all be helped by dancing. In fact, numerous studies have proved that individuals improved these conditions and experience a boost in overall mood, positivity and happiness while dancing. That’s something to smile about!

Social Perks

Maybe you would like to meet some new people and make new friends. Social dancing is an excellent way to get to know others without a lot of pressure. It provides a wonderful way for people to become socially acquainted- especially in group dance classes or dance parties. A boost in self-confidence and self-esteem will have you out on the floor in no time, meeting new friends and partners and having FUN! Dancing is an aphrodisiac; you can create new sparks on the dance floor by getting that heart racing, those endorphins pumping and that body moving and grooving to your favorite tunes. Country Two Step your way into his heart with dance lessons for couples. Nothing is more fun and romantic, not to mention a great means of connecting with each other, more than dancing lessons for two. Social ballroom dancing gives you an opportunity to move together as one and work together as a team. Romance at its finest! For new couples, or singles who may be dancing together for the first time, Salsa or Swing dancing is a great way to assess how well you communicate as a leader and follower. This may reveal how well you fit together off the dance floor, as partner dancing exercises your communication skills and helps you become more in tune with each others' emotions and body language.

Social ballroom dancing is a great thing for everybody, but especially for single ladies! Now is the time to embrace a new challenge and discover what it can do for you. Our Introductory offer is a great way to dip your toes in the proverbial water and see how dancing can change your life. For a full hour, you will discuss with your instructor where you see yourself dancing and why you want to learn, which will help him fine tune your lesson plan and create goals specifically geared towards you as an individual. You will also get out on the floor and learn some basics in dance form, how to follow a partner on the floor, and how to connect with your partner on the dance floor.There is no one size fits all in dance lessons! We want to make sure you get the most out of what you pay for and learn as much as possible. Call us at 480.968.6177 or visit the studio today. You won't be sorry!