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4 Easy Steps in Picking The Right Learn-To-Dance DVD

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Learn to Dance DVD

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Learn to Dance DVD – Your Home Dance Instructor

Learning how to dance is a fun alternative to your workout at the gym. It pumps your blood, accelerates your heartbeat and tones the muscles of your body. It lifts your mood, builds self-confidence, and sharpens the mind. You can master your favorite dance at the comforts of your home. Just follow the steps demonstrated in a “learn to dance” DVD.

To help you decide on the particular DVD to get, consider the following tips.

Choosing Your ‘Learn to Dance’ DVD

1. Decide on the kind of exercise or dance you want. If the only exercise-at-home VHS tape or DVD you have in your library is still the aerobic exercise of Jane Fonda (it’s a wonder if it still plays, or you still have a player for it) then it is about time you get yourself a new learn to dance DVD. Shucks! Following those repetitive steps can become tedious. So it is time to let go of the dusty past and move on to newer, more exciting complete fitness dance workouts, such as swing, hip hop dance, Latin, freestyle, tango, flamenco and other invigorating dances that can really make you shake that booty.

2. Consider your fitness level. For safety reasons, appropriately choose your learn to dance DVD. Look for a beginner’s DVD if you are just starting out; an intermediate DVD if you already have learned the basics; or an advanced video if you have mastered some moves already and are looking for additional challenge. Gradually pace your progress to allow your body to adjust and assimilate. Jumping to the next level right away could easily discourage you if you find it difficult to catch on. Jumping ahead could even lead to an injury.

3. Pick out the dance instruction guru you want to follow. These days, “descendants” of Jane Fonda have proliferated, making your selection process difficult. SO make sure that you do enough research to check if the expert you are eyeing is really worth following. Consider those who already have a staunch following or have effectively coached a number of people before. You can ask previous students for feedback on how the guru was as a dance instructor.

4. Opt for a learn to dance DVD that is of high quality. Remember that the video is your dance teacher. What you actually see and hear from the video is crucial in your learning. It may be difficult to pick-up some of the moves if the lighting of the video is poor and the sound it produces is cacophonous or is skipping. A poorly recorded video is tantamount to an incompetent instructor.

With these four easy steps, you can pick the learn-to-dance DVD most appropriate for you with no sweat.

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Filed Under: For Adults, For Beginners, For Children, Guide Tagged With: ,

Is your ballroom dance instructor certified?

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Ballroom Dance is sweeping this country. It’s on TV, on Broadway and in Hollywood. American’s can’t seem to get enough of it! Television, movies and theater have brought ballroom back to American mainstream, but, the question is, who is teaching America how to dance?

It turns out, there’s a shortage of qualified ballroom dance teachers.


No Regulation in Ballroom Instruction

Did you know that there is NO governing or regulatory body that oversees the certification of teachers in the Ballroom Dance industry? This has given the industry a bad name for years.

Picture this: you’re inspired by the shows and head off to your local Park District to take a class – the instructor there has watched a few YouTube videos and is now a self-proclaimed ‘instructor’. You have a hard time with the steps and decide dancing is not for you and give up.

This happens EVERYDAY. But the issue is NOT with you, the client, the problem is that you had an untrained teacher that didn’t know how to break it down and make it easy!

“We struggle to find enough credentialed teachers” says Alex Wilhelm, studio manager for a prominent studio in Chicago’s south suburbs. “Anyone can claim they’re an instructor, but we only hire teachers who have passed their exams. It’s important to us to offer quality instruction.”

 

Ballroom Teachers: One Step Ahead

Many of the larger, chain studios even place ads for instructors that say ‘no experience necessary’. This means that those instructors are learning on the job and are usually only one or two lessons ahead of their clientele. An unsuspecting customer pays for a teacher and gets someone that knows just enough to teach a lesson. PLUS, newly hired teachers spend years feeling stressed and overwhelmed with a ‘fear’ that they’ll be asked something they don’t yet know and their cover will be blown! It’s outrageous.

 

The Ballroom Teacher College

As the popularity of ballroom has increased, so has the determination to reform the industry. Diane Jarmolow, founder of the Ballroom Teacher’s College in California, developed a core curriculum that covers all aspects of teaching 17 different dances over a period of 16 months.

She worked with top instructors across the country and used it to train hundreds of successful teachers in her own studio. She then made the course available to other ballrooms that were interested in having trained, credentialed staff instead of trying to teach their teachers ‘on the fly’ and hope for the best.

 

Find a Certified Ballroom Dance Instructor

To find a good instructor near you, read the article, “Are All Ballroom Instructors The Same?  A Quick Guide to Finding a Qualified Instructor“.  It covers the misconceptions and solutions and provides specific questions to ask instructors in your area.

“the Ballroom Teacher Certification course is one of the best things that has happened to the ballroom dance industry,” says Maren Oslac, owner of the Illinois Ballroom Teacher College  (www.ILBTC.com)  “Teachers need to be required to pass exams and get certified, bad teachers give our entire industry a horrible reputation.”

 

 

Filed Under: Facts, Featured Articles, For Adults, For Beginners, For Children, For Dance Instructors, For Men, For Women, Guide, Instructor's Voice

Are All Ballroom Instructors The Same?

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The Quick Guide to Finding a Qualified Instructor

 

You’ve got the ballroom dance bug and want to take a few classes so that you look good at the next wedding or function you attend, but you don’t know where to start… we’ll here’s the quick and easy guide to choosing the best ballroom instructor or studio for you.

Sadly, without this information, many people wind up choosing a poorly qualified ballroom dance teacher (or school); and, sometimes, even worse, have such a negative experience, decide that dancing is something they’ll never try again.

We’ll cover a few misconceptions that people have about choosing a dance instructor and then get into specific questions YOU can ask to when you’re looking around.

 

Misconception ONE:

The term ‘Ballroom Dance’ refers to the smooth floating dances.

That’s only part of the story. It’s true, AND ballroom dancing is a term that really encompasses the smooth dances, the latin and rhythm dances, the swing dances, Salsa, Tango and so much more.

 

Solution/Question(s) to ask:

If there is a dance you want to learn, or several that interest you, look for a well rounded instructor, or a studio with multiple instructors and be sure to ask about those specific dances.

Do you/does your studio teach ______ (swing, salsa, tango, etc.)

 

Misconception TWO:

Ballroom/Swing/Salsa Teachers go to school to learn to teach ballroom/swing/salsa dancing.

NO! This couldn’t be further from the truth. It makes sense, they are teachers – other teachers have to graduate and have credentials. But there is no regulation in the ballroom dance industry.

This means anyone can call themselves a Ballroom Dance Instructor, a Swing Dance Instructor, etc. There are people that have taken a few classes, watched a few YouTube Videos, or even won a few contests, and they are teaching.

You may have taken a class and gotten turned off. It happens ALL THE TIME and it gives the industry a bad name.

 

Solution/Question(s) to ask:

There are actual ballroom dance teacher colleges, professional exams and professional certifications. There ARE qualified teachers. And you can ask questions to help you find them.

The most widely recognized accrediting agency is ‘Dance Vision International Dance Association’ (DVIDA), which is recognized by the National Dance Council of America (NDCA).

Teachers get certified in EACH dance they learn, and there are levels of certification. So if you want to learn Waltz, be sure your instructor has, at minimum, his or her Bronze Waltz Certification.

Ask what credentials s/he has and where and when s/he got them. If you get a story about why ‘there’s no need, or no schools for his/her dance’, etc, beware.

Are you a certified instructor?

In what dances?

From what accrediting agency?

What school did you attend?

 

Misconception THREE:

A great dancer makes a great teacher.

I wish this were true – then it would be easy to find a teacher – just look for the number of awards. However, the problem is that most great dancers don’t learn how to EXPLAIN what they do so naturally.

Have you ever noticed that most of the Olympic gymnastic and skating coaches are not great gymnasts or skaters?

Dancing and teaching dance involve two different sets of skills. The highly trained dancer has usually spent years and years developing only ONE of those sets of skills (clue: teaching is not the set they’ve developed). So often they make TERRIBLE teachers. (This is not always the case.)

 

Solution/Question(s) to ask:

Some great dancers retire and focus their attention on becoming great teachers. This becomes a terrific combination. You can ask about their certification (above) and you can also ask about how they’ve worked on their teaching skills.

What training have you had to develop your teaching skills?

 

Overall, your experience is the best judge of your instructor. Armed with these three essential pieces of knowledge:

  1. the term Ballroom encompasses most ‘couples’ dances
  2. there is no regulation in the ballroom dance industry
  3. a great dancer does not equal a great teacher

you will be a savvy consumer. Ask lots of questions and don’t be afraid to look a bit further if you’re not getting the answers you want!

 

Filed Under: Facts, Featured Articles, For Adults, For Beginners, For Children, For Dance Instructors, For Men, For Women, Guide, Information, Instructor's Voice, Resources

CAN LEARNING BALLROOM MAKE YOU RICH?

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D'Angelo and Amanda win America's vote on "Live to Dance"

It worked for two young ballroom dancers on Wednesday, February 9th, 2011, when they stole America’s hearts with their exceptional dancing. They were rewarded for their efforts with $500,000 and America’s admiration!

In response Ballroom Dance studios across the country opened their doors a bit wider!

In it’s first season, “Live to Dance”, Paula Abdul’s new show on CBS started by touring the country to find the ‘best dancers in America’. They watched every age and every form of dancing, some of whom where quite interesting. From singles, to partners to full groups, nothing was excluded.

After weeks of grueling eliminations and intense hard work by everyone, it all came down to six acts including three incredible groups, a ballerina couple, a solo contemporary dancer and a young ballroom couple.

Ballroom won.

It was not the judges that put them in first place. America voted.

“It’s obvious that Ballroom dancing is fascinating to America”, says Maren Oslac of Heart & Sole Dance in Tinley Park, IL. “Ballroom dance won over every other form of dance! I think we all love it (ballroom) because it’s got something for everyone: masculinity and femininity, relationship, exercise and fitness, and even drama!”

D'Angelo & Amanda's Tango

The young ballroom dancers D’Angelo and Amanda (ages 10 & 11) had a tough job, but America was behind them. Judge Travis Payne even called them the “Future of Ballroom Dancing”.

Across America, locally, ballroom dance is also alive and well, and it’s well worth the effort to find a class for yourself, or possibly even for your kids!

“We’re opening our doors,” says instructor Lynzi Scholz, “It’s obvious how popular Ballroom dancing has become and we want everyone to have an opportunity to see what all the fuss is about!”

Find a studio near you!

Filed Under: Ballroom, For Children

Self-Image: the Making of a Dancesport Champion, Part 2

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In my last post “Self-Image: the Making of a Dancesport Champion, Part 1“, I talked about self-esteem; what it was and why it was important to improve it as a ballroom dancer that wants to compete in Dancesport. I also mentioned one essential ingredient changing your self-image in order to become a champion: finding the hidden fears that are holding you back.

Once you’ve done that, it’s time to focus on the two ‘nutrients’ it takes to grow self-esteem: Praise from Self and Praise from Others.

Two ‘Nutrients’ to Grow Self Esteem in Dancers

Ballroom Dancers

Dancesport Competitors

Praise from Self:

The ongoing chatter in your head needs some attention.  What is it saying?  That chatter will tell you EXACTLY what you will become, and will determine whether or not you will win.

1. Take the time to control your self-talk, give yourself credit for doing a good job and become your own best friend.

2. Take the opportunity to get to know what is special about YOU.  Write it down and focus on it.

3. Create a Performance Analysis Journal.  Each day you train at your dance school, have a practice or a competition; record what you did that day including your objective, your goal and your successes.

4. Make writing your ‘success analysis’ the most important element.  What did you learn?  What did you enjoy?  What makes you feel great about what you did today?  How did what you did today make you more prepared for the competition?

5. Compliment yourself BIG TIME!

Ballroom Dance Students

Ballroom Dance Class

Praise from Others:

Dancers are not in control of this, but you can talk to you dance school, coaches, parents, your partner and your friends.  Tell them that you are working on improving your self-image and that it would be helpful for them to do the following:

1. Praise often!

2. Give credit where credit is due.

3. When giving critiques or in mock judging session focus not only on how you can improve, but also include what you are doing well already.

4. Find opportunities to give praise, to help grow your self-image.

5. Be solution based – give ideas on how to improve – don’t just focus on what is wrong (this hurts the self-image).

6. Be motivated and excited about improvements and make training a positive and uplifting experience.

Self-Image changes through imprinting: words impact the self-image of the dancer/competitor in a huge way – positive or negative!  This is not just about winning titles – it’s about helping a dancer grow internally too.

Filed Under: Ballroom, For Adults, For Children, For Dance Instructors, Guide, Instructor's Voice, Styles, Uncategorized

KIDS LOOSING SOCIAL SKILLS: TRY BALLROOM

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Child At ComputerIn our fast paced, computer-dominant world, something has gotten lost – that something is connecting to the people around us.  What happened to chatting on the phone or stopping by?

Video games, tv screens and computer monitors dominate our world.  Interpersonal skills are being lost – with great consequences – as kids learn at their computers, text their friends and then retreat to tv at the end of the day.

Where do our young people learn interactive social skills and gain self-esteem in groups in today’s world?  A ballroom dance studio may hold the key.

“Ballroom dancing is all about connections,” says instructor, Lynzi Scholz “teaching youth ballroom inspires those very connections that are so endangered – along with an extensive list of other benefits like – learning to focus attention, improved confidence, physical fitness and more….”

Kids Learning Ballroom Dance

Kids Learning Ballroom Dance

Mad Hot Ballroom has inspired many youth ballroom programs across the country for those exact reasons – kids are craving an atmosphere that allows them, even encourages them, as well as teaches them – to step out and shine.

Dance is one of the most expressive ways we celebrate and communicate.  Losing basic relationship skills means we will lose an essential element of our culture.  Social dancing directly addresses the fundamental issues of mutual respect and self-esteem by putting them into practice. Our kids learn by doing.

Teaching dance is more than teaching dance steps.

The benefits of dance are endless – from physical health and wellbeing (kids learn to focus physical energy and increases health through the joy of movement) to building self-esteem and interactive social skills.

It’s obvious that due to the interactive nature of ballroom, it improves children’s confidence and ability to relate to others.  It inspires children to do well, to respect one another, to be proud.

Want to try it out for your kids?

Ballroom Dance for Kids:  Check your area for ballroom dance studios that offer youth programs, call your park district and request a program or even talk to your child’s school.  Programs such as ‘Dancing Classrooms’ are spreading across the country and a phone call from you might be what it needs to get started in your community.

Filed Under: Ballroom, Classes, Facts, For Children, Guide, Information, Instructor's Voice, Resources, Styles, Uncategorized

Children’s Ballroom Dancing: 4 Steps to Acquiring the Skills

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kids

Acquire the Knowledge: Ballroom Dancing Instruction
The first step to developing any skill is to acquire knowledge.  There are several means to that end; put your child in classes, learn off a video with your child, or even do private lessons with a coach.

We often think that doing things on our own is the better route: cheaper and done at our own pace.  I learned how to train my first dog on my own and soon realized why there are professionals teaching dog training.

Often, the best (and the cheapest) route is to hire a professional from the get-go.  Find a local ballroom dance instructor.  Classes, in conjunction with private lessons, are the best combination.

Applying the Knowledge: Ballroom Dancing in Action

Without action, knowledge is useless.  Most current medical knowledge is available online or at the library – so why go to the doctor?  Medical students must do a residency where they shadow an experienced doctor before they can practice medicine.  Why?  Experience; knowledge put into action over time.

Paying for the experience of a professional is money well spent.  It will allow your child to acquire the skills of ballroom dance more quickly, effortlessly and joyfully than without a coach.

Repetition:  Ballroom Dancing Practice
Dance must become a subconscious skill – which is only accomplished through repetition.  There are no shortcuts for practice if you want you child to become proficient.

There are ways to make practice light and fun to help your child learn faster and develop a love of dance.  Here are two simple examples:  1.  Practice with your child.  2.  Find music your child enjoys and set the steps to the music.

Consistency:  Ballroom Dancing Precision
Repetition of an action will make that action second nature.  Without a coach to help us create accurate and precise movements, practice can actually develop bad habits that are hard to change later.

Schedule regular lessons for your child.  ‘One time’ or ‘occasional’ lessons will not benefit them and can set them back in their pursuit.  Make sure your child gets the most out of their lessons by setting up weekly private lessons in addition any classes he or she is taking!

By Maren Oslac

Filed Under: For Children, Guide Tagged With: ,
 
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