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Learn to Ballroom Dance in Different Ways

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Learn to Ballroom Dance

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Dancing is really a great way to express yourself. Through this art form, you can show others that you are happy, sad and even in love. But what is the best dance to express your love to another person? It is no other than ballroom dancing.

To learn to ballroom dance, especially with the person you love,  adds great depth and communication between and you and your partner.

The Rise of Interest to Learn to Ballroom Dance

Ballroom dancing is a kind of dance that involves two people. It’s long been common as a form of social dancing and it  is now becoming a popular sport with ‘dancesport’ (Ballroom Dancing competitions) being held in different countries. Because of this, a number of people aspire to learn to ballroom dance in order to gain recognition as being a ballroom dance champion.

If you are interested to learn to ballroom dance, you will discover that it is not difficult at all because even if you have to learn different kinds of dances, most have shared elements and patterns. Once you’ve learned how to dance one dance style, it’s very easy for you to learn the others.

Learn to Ballroom Dance: Learn the Different Styles First

To get an idea on how you can learn to ballroom dance, you must know the different styles that are available so you can get the drift and you’d be able to decide where to start and what might be your forte.

One of the first dance we imagine when we think of ballroom dancing styles is waltz. Social gatherings such as weddings and debut parties are often portrayed as having this kind of dance done by the newly-wed or celebrants. This is not what is really done, and Waltz is still a great first dance to learn since the most basic step of waltz is the box step, which is also the basic step of Rumba and used in Foxtrot.

Many people who are starting to learn to ballroom dance start with swing dancing. It is fairly easy and very practical.  It begins with a 6 count step and can be done to a wide variety of music. Another crowd favorite is the cha-cha, which has a catchy rhythm and fiery reputation.  It’s not the easiest of the ballroom dances to learn, but it you have the desire, you’ll get it!

There are many other types of ballroom dances including:  salsa, a Latin American dance; tango, the dance of passion; Rumba another simple Latin dance; Samba a Brazilian dance; and Jive an energetic dance – to name just a few.

Resources to Learn to Ballroom Dance

For those interested to learn the different styles of ballroom dancing, you can join a dance club. There are clubs that specialize in one of the dancing styles while there are also others that include all of them. Usually, for a minimal fee, you get a basic lesson followed by a DJed dance so you can dance the night away.

If a basic group lesson won’t give you the confidence to dance all night (as is the case for most people), head to a local dance studio where you can take ongoing class or work with a private instructor. This is best way to learn because the instructor is focused on you and making sure you are a confident dancer.

For some, buying a DVD or instructional video can help them tremendously.  It allows you to practice with a friend, a partner or even on your own. It’s best to use this to review or augment what you are learning in a class or from your instructor.  Just be sure to practice  so that you can gain your confidence and head out to dance in public.

Learn to Ballroom Dance by Putting Your Heart Into It

There is nothing that can stop you from learning ballroom dancing. You can find a lot of resources, especially with the technology now.

It does not matter which method you choose, what matters is that you put your heart into it and for sure you will learn to ballroom dance in no time.

 

Filed Under: Ballroom, Cha Cha Cha, Featured Articles, Information, rhumba, Salsa, Swing, Tango, Uncategorized, Waltz Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

How to Learn Ballroom Dance Moves The Easy Way

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Learn Ballroom Dance

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While not everyone is interested to learn ballroom dance, anyone who is can surely learn it easily. This dance requires some dedication though, and you must be good at teamwork and enjoy moving your body! Timing, technique and patterns are all things you’ll learn along the way!

 

Why People Want to Learn Ballroom Dance

Ballroom dancing is generic term that refers to just about any partner dance, whether is being done at social functions, competitions or as entertainment. Some people want to be able to connect with another and move confidently to music, others want a fun way to stay in shape.  With the rising popularity of this dance, competition is becoming a more common reason that people start learning and there even are those that want to make it a career.

Learn to Ballroom Dance by Choosing a Specialization

To learn to ballroom dance, it’s best start with just one or two dances.  Within each dance there are many different ballroom dance moves, so learning more than one or two dances can become confusing.  There are some styles and particular dances that are more popular than others (usually seen on TV, movies, etc.):

Waltz. For some who start to learn to ballroom dance, Waltz is what they want.  It’s often portrayed as the dance used in social functions like weddings, debut and balls, although in today’s day and age, this is rarely the reality.  This dance is characterized by long, flowing movements with the dancers seeming to glide effortlessly across the floor.

Cha-cha. One of the tougher ballroom dances to do well, and VERY popular!  Latin hip movement makes this ballroom dancing style fun and sassy.

Tango. A sensual ballroom dance that seems to be one of the most fascinating of all ballroom dances.  Its Argentine Tango roots give it a flare that the other smooth dances lack.

Samba. A dance which started in Brazil and is popular among younger dancers. The ballroom version of Samba doesn’t resemble the Brazilian dance much, but it certainly has it’s roots there.

Rumba. One of the easiest and most practical of the ballroom dances.  Another sensual and romantic dance, and one that lays a great foundation for many other dances. It is also known as the “Grandfather of the Latin Dances”.

Swing. A dance with American roots, often danced to blues and jazz music. Swing has many social (non-competed) forms including Single Time Swing, the Lindy Hop, West Coast Swing and Shag, just to name a few.

Next Steps to Do to Learn to Ballroom Dance

After you have chosen a dance or two that you are interested in, you can now start to look for a way to learn ballroom dance.  The best way to learn will depend on what is convenient for you and your partner.

Ideally, going to a studio for classes, or to work with a private dance instructor, will give you a solid foundation and build your confidence in dancing. For others, practicing at home with a friend and with the help of an instructional video is a good way to get started. It really depends on your goals and how well you can learn from a video.

After deciding how you would learn ballroom dance, it is now time to practice. Be determined. Remove your inhibitions and make time.  Practice is what will give you confidence. Ask your studio/teacher for  music suggestions so you can listen to the rhythms, feel it and be get comfortable moving in time with your partner.

To learn ballroom dance requires only a simple desire; it allows you to connect with your partner, stay in shape and have fun! Get started TODAY!

Filed Under: Ballroom, Cha Cha Cha, rhumba, Styles, Swing, Tango, Waltz Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Dancing Really Does Keep You Young!

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100 Year Old Celebrates with a Dance

Floyd Crellin celebrated his 100th birthday in April of this year – and he celebrated with not one ballroom dance, but two!

Floyd is now at Goddard House, an assisted living facility, but that hasn’t slowed his dancing! After breaking his hip three years ago, his physical therapist used dancing as a way to engage him as part of rehabilitation. “She taught me to walk, and I taught her to dance,’’ the dapper Crellin told the crowd.

A crowd of family, friends, residents and staff at the facility celebrated the centenarian’s milestone with an event that also honored Crellin’s lifelong passion for ballroom dancing. Several professional ballroom dancers were brought in as entertainment, but the real show was Crellin himself.

He did an impromptu waltz with one of the dance professionals, and then performed a rehearsed routine with his physical therapist, Mary Keohane.

What has kept him not only physically healthy for 100 years, but young at heart?

Crellin credits dancing, “I love dancing and the people you meet,’’ he said.

Crellin began dancing at the age of 7 when he accompanied his mom to ballroom dance lessons after his father died.  He then continued to dance his entire life no matter where his job took him.

“And he’s a true gentleman, meticulous about his appearance and concerned about decorum, that people do things the right way, treat each other with respect,’’ says Crellin’s son. Manners and respect learned from a lifetime a ballroom dancing!

Crellin and his late wife, Elizabeth, danced informally while raising their children, and then began taking formal dance classes. “We were always trying to learn new steps,’’ he recalled.

Eventually, while working full time for Eastman Kodak, Crellin started his own dancing school in the basement of a friend’s store. After a dance exhibition at a department party, Floyd and his wife were asked to teach ballroom dance at Kodak, where co-workers called him “Twinkle Toes’’ because of his proclivity to dance in the elevators.

Crellin eventually retired to a community in Florida, where he continued to dance and teach. Now that he’s moved to the assisted living facility, Crellin doesn’t teach, but he still loves to dance!

Nancy Shapiro, Goddard’s executive director, said dance and movement therapy is particularly beneficial for older adults, providing not just the benefits of exercise, but enhanced cognitive skills, motivation, and memory.

“On an emotional level, it helps people feel more joyful and confident, and allows them to explore such issues as frustration and loss that may be too difficult to explore verbally,’’ said Shapiro.

Most people who break a hip at Crellin’s age spend the rest of their lives in a wheelchair, or at best using a walker. But Crellin was determined to walk on his own and according to his son, “his desire to dance inspired him.’’

Using dance for elderly patients can be especially effective therapy to increase balance and endurance as well as alleviate depression.

Filed Under: Ballroom, Cha Cha Cha, Featured Articles, For Adults, Information, Resources, rhumba, Salsa, Swing, Tango, Waltz

DEFY AGING: FIND A LOCAL BALLROOM DANCE CLASS

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7 reasons Ballroom Dancing helps defy the aging process.

Did you know that participating in a ballroom dance class can actually retard the aging process?  Here are 7 reasons that Ballroom Dancing helps defy the aging process.

 

1. HEART HEALTHY

It strengthens not only the heart, but the whole cardiovascular system and increases lung capacity. What a great way to get that ticker into shape… much better than running on a treadmill!

“Folks with heart failure who waltzed for 21 min., 3 times a week, increased their cardio-circulatory fitness more than those on cycles and treadmills.” (AARP Magazine May/Jun 2007)

 

2. PREVENT OSTEOPOROSIS & ARTHRITIS

As women age, a drop in estrogen causes a drop in the amount of calcium absorbed into bones. Women who dance maintain higher estrogen levels keeping therefore absorbing more calcium and keeping bones strong. Dance also keeps joints lubricated, which helps prevent arthritis.

 

3. BURN FAT.

Dance equals increased circulation, which burns calories while improving stamina. Ballroom dancing dance burns from 5 to 10 calories per minute depending on speed and intensity. For example, swing and mambo burn more calories than a slow waltz.

 

4. LOWER CHOLESTEROL.

It is important to measure both good and bad cholesterol levels to measure good health. Dancing aids in lipid control, which raises our HDL (good cholesterol), and lowers our LDL (bad cholesterol). Dancing also aids in blood sugar control, making it a great choice for diabetics.

 

5. FEND OFF ALZHEIMERS.

Stay fit AND improve memory. Ballroom dancing requires that the brain recall steps, routines and dance patterns which means it’s a great mental exercise. The big benefit is that increasing mental exercise keeps the mind young, quick, alert and open.

 

6. IMPROVE BALANCE & COORDINATION.

Ballroom dancing requires balancing in a number of positions. This strengthens the stabilizer muscles, while protecting the core and preventing injury in everyday activities. Dancing also aids in coordination and helps strengthen reflexes. It is a great way to keep the central nervous system in tip-top shape by improving the body-mind connection.

 

7. MAKE ENDORPHINS.

Dance elevates endorphin levels, which creates a good mood. This heals both stress and depression — two of the immune system’s biggest enemies! It also helps establish self-confidence and self-discipline AND improves the harmony between mind and body. End result: well-being.

 

Filed Under: Ballroom, Facts, Fitness, For Adults, Guide, Information, Resources, Salsa, Styles, Swing, Waltz

The Nine Essential Dos and Don’ts of Asking Someone to Dance

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There are some unwritten rules of etiquette that ballroom dancers follow and it’s essential to know them if you are going go dancing and enjoy yourself! In this article, ‘ballroom dancing’ is used as a generic term referring to most forms of couples dancing… including Ballroom dancing, Latin dancing, Swing dancing and Salsa dancing.

Essential Dance Etiquette

1. A dance invitation can be given by either gender. This is important. Feel free to ask a gentleman to dance, they often times barely make it off the floor and if you want to dance, it’s best to not ‘wait’ for an invitation.

2. It’s acceptable, and even expected that you dance with people other than your partner. Most dancers enjoy a variety of dance partners and dancing with someone besides your partner strengthens leading and following skills making dances with your partner that much better!

3. Chivalry still lives in the dance community! Regardless of who asks whom, the man still escorts the lady back to where he found her! Please don’t abandon your partner mid-floor!

4. All levels of dancers enjoy dancing…. Please don’t ‘out dance’ your partner if you have the privilege of dancing with someone not as accomplished as you. It’s intimidating and frustrating. Everyone was a beginner at some point, remember what it was like for you and offer a fun, engaging and gracious dance that will inspire this newer dancer to continue!

5. It’s considered polite to dance with whoever asks. If you’ve just come off the floor from a fast-paced dance or have been dancing several songs in a row and need a break, it’s acceptable to take a song or two. Please be sure to resume your dancing with the person who asked you when you needed a break!

6. There are traveling dances and stationary dances. Traveling dances (Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz, Foxtrot, Samba, Country Two Step, Polka, etc.) travel counter clockwise around the floor. It’s important to go with the flow of traffic.

7. During traveling dances, faster moving dancers usually use the outer most edge of the floor, while slower moving dancers move towards the center. Be aware of the ‘lanes’ of traffic and do your best to dance where it’s appropriate

8. If you bump into another couple (which does happen), apologize sincerely and offer a smile. Dancers do their best to avoid collisions, and with people moving about the floor executing different patterns, occasional crashes are inevitable. Make sure no one is hurt and then get back to dancing!

9. Dancing with a partner means sharing their space. It’s important to be ‘fresh’, dry and smelling good. If you perspire a lot, bring a change of shirts (or several) and a towel. Everyone needs to wear deodorant and carry mints!

While not an exhaustive list, this does cover the basics. There are no ‘dance police’ to enforce the rules or hand out punishments. However, most dancers show one another politeness and consideration making ballroom dance a unique and wonderful pastime for everyone involved!

Filed Under: Ballroom, Cha Cha Cha, FAQs, For Adults, For Beginners, For Men, For Women, Guide, Resources, rhumba, Salsa, Styles, Swing, Tango, Waltz

What are the Ballroom Dances?

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Whenever I tell anyone that I teach Ballroom Dance I get the question, do you teach Salsa, or Swing or (insert name of dance).  The words ‘Ballroom Dance’ seem to be used generically and indiscriminately, so no one is really sure what dances are actually covered!

According to Wikipedia, “Ballroom dance may refer, at its widest, to almost any type of social dancing as recreation. However, with the emergence of  DanceSport (term for competitive ballroom dancing) in modern times, the term has become narrower in scope.”

So let’s look at it from both perspectives – the narrower ‘DanceSport’ and the wider perspective of ‘Social Ballroom Dancing’.

Ballroom Dancing As Defined By Dancesport

There are two main arenas in competitive ballroom dancing: International and American. Dancesport technically refers to the ‘International’ Standard and Latin dances.  Dance teachers sometimes use it more generically to also encompass the ‘American’ competition ballroom Smooth and Rhythm dances.  Below is a chart of all the competition dances and where they fall.

Ballroom Competition Dance Chart

The technique used in the Smooth and Standard dances is similar, although Standard is done ONLY in closed position while Smooth allows both closed and open positions.  The patterns that are taught also vary between the two styles.

Rhythm and Latin have very different techniques and while they do share some styling and patterns between the dances, many of those are different as well.

There are several dances that are unique to their sector like Paso Doble, Quickstep, Bolero and Mambo.  Swing and Jive are cousins that are now quite different in their look and feel.

Each of the dances has its’ own character and you can find that information by looking up an particular dance by name.

Ballroom Dancing As Defined For the Social Dancer

The term ‘ballroom’ dancing is often used as an umbrella for a multitude of dances including all the dances mentioned above as well as ‘club’ dances that are not competed on the Ballroom Dance circuit.  Dances such as: Lindy Hop, West Coast Swing, Nightclub Two Step, Hustle, Salsa, and Merengue fall into this category.

New dances or folk dances are added to/removed from to the ballroom ‘repertoire’ from time to time, so no list of subcategories or dances is truly complete.

Reality of ‘Ballroom Dance’

My own personal informal study has led me to believe that most people think of the Smooth & Standard dances (chart above) when they hear ‘ballroom dance’.  The term Latin Dance usually will evoke the images of the Latin & Rhythm dances (chart above) – as well as Salsa, Merengue & Batchata.

Swing dancing seems to be in its own category.

Hopefully this helps and the next time you hear the term ‘Ballroom Dance’ you’ll be able to ask the person to be more specific!

Filed Under: Ballroom, Cha Cha Cha, Facts, FAQs, Information, Resources, rhumba, Salsa, Styles, Swing, Tango, Uncategorized, Waltz
 
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