by Dance Tonight
So many people say, “I’d like to learn how to ballroom dance, but I’ve got two left feet.” Or, “My partner just can’t dance…no rhythm at all!”
Those aren’t real reasons not to get started with ballroom dancing in Knoxville!
If you’ve ever had the slightest desire to dance at all…I want to strongly encourage you to pursue it! Would it surprise you to know that you already do almost all the ‘steps’ taught in ballroom dancing? If you can walk, you can absolutely learn to dance.
Ballroom dancing is, put simply, merely steps. Some forward steps, some back steps, some side steps. When combined in a series, with music as the background, suddenly you’re dancing.
You didn’t come into this world knowing how to walk, read a book or drive a car. These are all learned skills, and so is ballroom dancing. Granted, for some it may come easier, (it does help if you have an innate sense of rhythm), but every skill needed to become proficient on the dance floor can be acquired through instruction, coupled with practice.
No one is born knowing how to dance. Everyone you see on any dance floor, from the pros on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ to the winners of the World Championship ballroom competitions, to the folks at your local studio….all of these were people with no former knowledge of dancing who became quite talented on the dance floor.
It takes proper instruction and yes, it does require practice. But what skill doesn’t? It takes practice to learn anything new. Knowing how to dance is something that once learned, will bring a lifetime of enjoyment.
Getting started with ballroom dancing in Knoxville couldn’t be easier. Click here to sign up for our Introductory Special for newcomers to our studio and book your first lesson today!
The Intro Package is good for one person or a couple, so you don’t need a partner. But if you have one, it’s a wonderful experience to share!
See you on the dance floor!
by Dance Tonight
If you hate to exercise, you’ve gotta read this!
Put down that barbell and head to the ballroom.
Ditch the sneakers and put on your best pair of smooth-soled shoes.
Get off that elliptical trainer and get ready to do the salsa, a foxtrot or a waltz.
You’re going dancing.
Regardless of your sex, generation or fitness level, hitting the dance floor is a great way to get moving.
“It’s better than going to the gym or taking up a new sport because it’s easy, it’s simple and it’s fun,” says Dr. Rita Beckford, a family physician and creator of the fitness video Home With Dr. B. She is medical director of the urgent-care center at the Twinsburg (Ohio) Medical Center.
“Research over the past 10 to 15 years has found that exercise only works if it’s done consistently. So if people are happy and they enjoy what they’re doing, they tend to stick with it much longer than just picking up an activity for the benefit of exercise,” she says.
The U. S. Department of Agriculture considers dancing a moderate physical activity, like walking briskly, golfing (walking and carrying clubs) and bicycling faster than 10 mph. The recommendation for general health is at least 30 minutes of this type of activity a day.
Wanda Deagen, who has been teaching ballroom dance since 1984, says even the most basic elements of dance can contribute to physical fitness.
“In ballroom dancing, it’s all about form, so you’re holding your body and your core so that you have your abdominals tucked under and you’re dancing with a nice long back,” Deagen says. “All of the things that are good for your body posture-wise, stretching-wise, those are all the basics in dance.”
Ballroom dancing, like most dance, is usually a low-impact exercise and provides the same kind of benefits as low-impact aerobics, Beckford says. Other disciplines, including hip-hop with its jumps and turns, are high-impact.
“Regardless of the type of dance, you’ll get benefits like an increase in flexibility, strength training and fat burning,” says Beckford, who lost 80 pounds with a program that included an hour of cardio dance five days a week.
“The more intense and high impact, you’re probably going to build more muscles, you’ll burn more calories. But even with low impact dance, the benefits in your bones are still going to be there, the impact on reducing your blood pressure is there.”
Dance is good not only for the body, it’s good for the mind as well.
A study reported in the June 2003 New England Journal of Medicine found that elderly people who engaged in activities such as dancing lowered their risk for dementia.
About half the fitness clubs that are members of the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association offer dance-based classes. One reason for the popularity of these classes is that dance doesn’t feel like work, says Elsa Williams, the group fitness coordinator at the Concord Athletic Club in San Antonio.
“With dancing, the perceived exertion is less than a boot-camp class where you might be working just as hard,” she explains. “It’s pleasurable, and the mood is completely different from a typical fitness class.”
There is also a social component to dancing that can be missing from other activities.
“You’re not only interacting with your partner, but you’re interacting with other dancers,” says Deagen. “Many people after a divorce or the death of a spouse will start dancing.”
And because it can be completely non-competitive, dance can be an enjoyable, healthy and creative outlet for children who aren’t interested in sports.
by Dance Tonight
1. What dances do you teach?
We have instructors who are well-versed in all the traditional ballroom dances (Tango, Foxtrot, Waltz, Rumba, Cha-Cha, Swing, Viennese Waltz, Quickstep, Jive, Samba, Mambo, Bolero and Paso Doble) as well as Salsa, Bachata, West Coast Swing, Country dancing, line dancing and other alternative dance styles. Both singles and couples are welcome in our private lessons and group classes.
2. Do I need a partner?
You don’t need a partner to learn ballroom dancing. In private lessons you’ll be dancing with your instructor and in group classes, everyone rotates through partners to ensure no one gets left out.
3. Should I buy dance shoes?
There’s no need to rush to buy dance shoes. If you’re just getting started, you’ll do fine wearing comfortable shoes, preferably dress shoes, or shoes with a smooth sole to better assist you with moving smoothly across the floor.
Rubber soled shoes, heavy boots, flip-flops, sandals and backless shoes are generally not recommended. For the ladies, if you’re comfortable in heels and prefer them, they make your dance steps even more attractive. But as a beginning dancer, comfort should be your biggest consideration.
When you’re ready, there are several options for where to purchase dance shoes. We have a catalog from Very Fine, one manufacturer of dance shoes. You can order them through us and they’re delivered to the studio. You can also find dance shoes online at Amazon and a number of other sites by simply typing ‘ballroom dance shoes’ into Google.
4. What kind of clothes should I wear?
Just as with the shoes you wear, the clothing you choose should be comfortable and allow you to freely move without constriction as you dance. For group classes as well as private lessons, clean, casual, comfortable attire is recommended. For special events and the Friday night parties, you may want to dress up a bit more, but that’s totally your choice.
On any Friday night, you’ll see everything from tee-shirts to button down shirts, dress or casual pants, jeans, or even shorts, depending on the time of the year, all the way to blingy, sparkly, sequin covered skirts, tops and dresses.
4. What classes should I take?
If you’re brand new to ballroom dancing, you’ll want to start in the beginner class. When you feel ready (and the class instructor can help you determine this), you can move up to the Intermediate class. You’ll probably spend a lot longer in the Intermediate class, but eventually you’ll be ready to move to the Advanced level.
If you’ve had ballroom dance before, but it’s been awhile, you may want to visit a few beginner classes, just to brush up on the basics. You may be surprised to see how quickly muscle memory kicks in and you’re remembering everything you ever learned!
5. Do You Teach Wedding Dances?
You bet we do! Our instructors have choreographed some amazing, memorable wedding dances, including first dances, father/daughter dances, and mother/son dances. We’re also happy to provide special choreography for other special events as well. Talk to your instructor about what you have in mind. They’ll work with you to customize your choreography, help you determine when you need to start and how many lessons you should plan on taking in order to achieve your dancing goals.
6. What if I have two left feet?
Believe it or not, we’ve never met anyone who actually had two left feet! What we HAVE met are people who didn’t think they could ever learn to dance, but who did and actually LOVED it! Dancing is almost 100% composed of…steps. Just basic steps, like you take every single day. They’re just put into a pattern and set to music. Forward steps, backward steps, side to side…c’mon now…you got this!
7. How do I get started?
If you’re new to Dance Tonight, the best way to get started is with our Introductory Offer, one low price that’s good for one or two people. The Intro Offer gives you a great start to your dancing with two private lessons, a group class and admission to a Friday night party. If you have other questions, don’t hesitate to contact us. And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter, so you never miss out on important announcements and upcoming events!
8. Do you have a calendar?
You can always pick up a copy of the calendar from the studio, but there’s also a Dance Tonight calendar on the website you can download or simply refer to as needed.
9. Anything else I should know?
Most of all, be patient with yourself as you progress! Learning to ballroom dance takes time. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t learn as quickly as you would like.
The more you dance, and the more practice time you’re able to put in, the quicker you’ll gain confidence and be comfortable on the dance floor. Remember, perfect dance does not exist – everyone is always learning and the focus is always about the fun of the ballroom dancing experience!
See you on the dance floor!
