Category: Ballroom Dance

Ballroom Dance: The Heart of the Matter

The way to a man’s heart may be through his stomach, but the way to a woman’s is through the dance floor.  Nothing says romance like sweeping a woman into your arms or for a woman to feel like a princess with her knight protector on the dance floor.

Ballroom dancing has swirled in and out of the public eye for generations, but it has always been a part of our cultural imagination. Movies and television have recognized this appeal and romance and has brought ballroom dancing back into our awareness, leaving viewers wishing they could dance like that and wondering if they, too, could actually learn.

Couples and singles alike are taking a deep breath and stepping onto the dance floor in spite of their trepidation and realizing, as so many have before them, the benefits and joys of ballroom dance.  While nobody is born knowing how to partner dance, at Live2Dance, we believe anyone can learn, and once you try, you, too, will begin to appreciate the ways ballroom dancing can touch your life; ballroom dance is not a passing fad; it is a way of life.

Ballroom dance is a proven heart-healthy way to get in shape, not only because it is a great aerobic workout and because it tones those large muscle groups, but because dancing is such a fun way to exercise that you are not only willing but wanting to do it more often and, indeed, to continue throughout a lifetime.

Princesss

The heart of ballroom dance, however, is social: connection, interaction, and communication.  Attending a dance is a wonderful way to meet people, spend an evening away from the stresses of your everyday life, and escape into the adventure of becoming Cinderella or James Bond.

Oddly, this very desire and expectation can hold people back from trying to dance.  What keeps many people off the dance floor is the fear that they lack the natural talent to learn to dance—the worry that they simply have an inoperable case of two left feet.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  If this were true of other activities, there would be no bunny hills, no wading pools, no putting greens.

So, take heart; nobody‚ not even the most gifted natural dancer, could fulfill the fantasy of dance the first time they step on the dance floor, nor the second or third time.  As with any skill, partner dancing is learned, and with desire, discipline, and a well-trained and enthusiastic instructor, anyone can learn to dance.

In looking for a place to take lessons, remember, as in anything, you get what you pay for.  You want a reputable establishment with longevity in the community, an enthusiastic commitment to service, with lesson guides to mark your process, and plenty of opportunity to practice and use your dancing.

Remember, learning to dance is not just about getting lessons to learn steps; it is about the whole experience.  It’s not just about mastering a pattern; it’s about the complete package: dancing in a room of dancers to a live band and sharing the experience.  Ballroom dancing is also about the joy, the confidence, and the poise you find on the dance floor that you take back to your home and work.  It’s about becoming the person you dream of being and waltzing into a new way of thinking about yourself and the people around you.  Call us today at Live2Dance, and begin a whole new adventure.

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Not Strictly Ballroom

“Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, and creativity. It is the source of hope, empathy, accountability, and authenticity. If we want greater clarity in our purpose or deeper and more meaningful spiritual lives, vulnerability is the path.”  Brene’ Brown

  • Dance Journal: Think of another memory of ballroom dance and your thoughts about it before you began dancing.  Remember a journal is a judgment-free zone;  just get your impressions,  experiences and feelings down. 

I saw the movie Strictly Ballroom and thought, holding my breath a little, that surely that was not a real thing.  The seeds of excitement and possibility began to germinate.  Ballroom dance studios must only exist in Hollywood and exotic places like Australia…but not here in the United States.  Not now.  Right?

Everything about that movie was campy and over the top, but the transformation that Fran goes through, as “hollywood” as it was, was what I wanted to believe dance could do–totally take a caterpillar to butterfly by changing their focus, their perception of themselves and those around them.  Give them the confidence and inspiration to become the radiant hero of their own story–and with sparkle and music and romance.

In the beginning, Fran is the typical frumpy introvert.  She chooses her clothing to conceal her figure.  She wears no make-up.  Her frizzy hair is in a sloppy bun.  She is bumped and buffeted on the studio floor as she is in life, run over by those with more confidence and stronger sense of self.  Watching her is painful because we have all been her at some time in our life.  Fran lives on the wings of the stage watching life through the curtains.  strictly-ballroom-baz-luhrmann-749103_1600_900-1

Critics might say she was always attractive, they just made her unattractive for the effect of the transformation, but isn’t that the point? Fran has no partner because she thinks she doesn’t deserve one.  Who we and the other characters see when they look at Fran is a direct reflection of who she thinks she is.  And the same is true of all of us.  If we don’t feel worthy of attention or are afraid of negative reactions, we hide; we try to escape notice.

Fran is meek and quiet in the beginning, but as she begins to see herself as a dancer, she starts taking more care with her appearance.  She finds an inner peace that begins to shine through her face, still shy, but beginning to blossom.  She is starting to let her true self to show.

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When Fran finds herself and her voice through dance, she surprises everyone, including herself.  When she reaches the point that she feels herself worthy to compete with the others, Fran has become colorful, sensual, and flirtatious. It is miraculous.  It is magical.  It seems like a complete fiction and the stuff of movies, but I have seen it happen time and again at the dance studio.  When we feel beautiful, we are beautiful.  When we feel worthy, we can take on anything with perseverance, passion, and effort.  And when we let ourselves shine, we can begin to inspire others.  Only through stepping out of the shadows and taking the risk of being hurt, of being mocked, of failing can we fulfill our potential.  And only when we do that can we truly help those around us do the same.  And isn’t that what life is all about?

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Dance Is Always “In Season”

murf-beautiful-thingsOctober brings the true change of season; nature pulls out its palette of reds, yellows, and oranges to add dramatic flair to the landscape as the cool air is warmed by the autumn sun.  At National Dance Clubs, October also brings the pageantry and sparkle in our biggest performance of the year: our Showcase.

2016’s showcase, In Season, directed by JT Thomas, brought the spectrum of feelings to color the amazingly beautiful fall day.  The dances illustrated the gamut of emotions and experiences life can present of each of us, showing the panorama of life.  They also showed that dance itself is always in season.  No song epitomized this more than the Murfreesboro National Dance Clubs’ staff routine, “Beautiful Things.”

So many times in our life we can feel alone.  We can feel unseen or misunderstood.  We step into the background to let others shine.  We swallow our disappointments and the pain that feelings of isolation bring.  We fear sometimes we are stuck in a place we no longer want to be, trapped by habit and expectations.

If once in your life you wished you were someone else,
If once in your life you thought there was no way out,
If once in your life you’d like to save yourself realize,
Somehow there are beautiful things.

One day, we take a gamble and walk in to our first dance lesson.  We swallow our fears enough to try to become something more, something new.  Welcomed joyfully into the community of dancers and the culture of the National Dance Clubs, we begin to see the beauty in ourselves and those around us in ways we may not have before, and this is never so evident as at Showcase.  This realization radiates when students don that marvelous, sparkling costume for the first time with their hair and make-up completing the transformation.  Dancers feel the adrenaline rush of anticipation, fear, excitement, exhilaration, and triumph.  You cannot help but feel beautifully alive and connected when you perform in showcase.

Dance with me and sing with me
To the sounds when we make love.
Somehow those are beautiful things.

Your god is a beautiful thing,
Our world is a beautiful thing,
Our mind is so beautiful,
Our bodies are beautiful things,
And colors and wonder are
Beautiful things,
Our voices are – your voices are,
Just sing – just sing your song.

Just as happiness is magnified by moments of sadness,  beauty does not come from perfection, but in the experience of the breadth of the entire experience in the show–from the things that went right, to the impromptu choreography of the day, and the unexpected roller coaster of emotions the day brings.  We learn to enjoy and appreciate the ride in all its shades, and that beauty is in the imperfection, in the expression, and in the connection.  Our notion of who we are and what we are capable of becomes expands.  When we dare to dance with others and in front of others, we help each other find the beauty in ourselves and in all things.

Can we find it in us,
Can we find it in us,
Can we find it when we’re broken.
Please show us how.
Can we find it in us,
Can we find it in us,
Can we find it with no backdoor.
Can we find it in us,
Can we find it in us now.

Somehow we are beautiful things.

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From Wallflower to Centerpiece

Tomorrow is the big day; National Dance Clubs‘ SHOWCASE!  Few of us as an adult get to have the spotlight on us.  To be part of a show, part of a team, to dress up, and to perform.  No matter whether it is your first time on stage or your hundredth,  the flurry of butterflies begin to flutter.

The adrenaline rush is part of why we do this.  The music, the costumes, the dance, the connection with our partner, the other cast members, and the audience–all of this is the thrill of being alive, being seen, connecting, and expressing the joy of it all.  Many of us used to feel more comfortable holding up a wall or making ourselves as small as possible before we learned how to dance.  The dance world is filled with introverts.  Ballroom gives you the opportunity to venture into the spotlight to see how warm it can be.  Nowhere else will you find a group of supporters more understanding and enthusiastic than in the world of ballroom dance…especially at the National Dance Clubs.

For those of you in the show, remember, you are dancing your dance…not someone’s choreography, and therefore, there are no mistakes, only impromptu personal choreography.  Do not let “getting it right” get in the way of the exhilaration of the experience.  Relax as much as you can.  Smile.  Be grateful for everything that has led you to this moment, and LIVE!  The great thing about showcase is that this performance is only the first.  You have the chance to refine, explore, and improve this routine throughout the year.  The best is yet to come.

If you do not yet have your tickets, get them now!  Support your fellow dancers and their journey.  Picture yourself gathering the courage to get up there yourself and sharing a side of yourself you may not have ever imaged you had.  Spread your wings.  You, too, can fly.  Get ready to sparkle; Christmas is just around the corner…and Michael Chapman will be here next week…

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Shall We Dance?

Partner dance is hands-down one of the best activities you can do.  We can talk all day about the mental, physical, and emotional/social benefits of partner dancing, but it is even more than that.  I have made it my mission to be a “dance evangelist” and spread the word of ballroom and to do whatever I can to inspire people to try it at least once.  I believe  in the transformative power of partner dance to help people who they most would like to be–to realize their dreams and bring out the best in them.

I know, it sounds like a tall order for such a seemingly inconsequential activity, but we long for meaningful connection in this world and simultaneously fear our unworthiness.  We want people to care about us.  We want to be seen and to be heard.  We want to matter.  But we worry we are too fat, to old, to uninteresting, too unattractive, too unworthy.  Partner dance brings this out more than any other activity…it is scarier even than public speaking.  We all feel like awkward middle school students at their first dance even into adulthood if we don’t learn how to dance with a partner.  We feel like everyone will be looking at us and be judging us.  Our biggest bully is usually the voice in our head.

We have a saying in the dance world:  The hardest step in learning how to dance is the first one through the front door.  Swallowing all of those fears and insecurities to come in and learn how to dance is a tremendously courageous act.  No, we don’t risk life or limb, but our psyche and our heart.  Brene’ Brown, in her famous TED talk, tells us that the birthplace of all creativity, love, and joy is found only through opening ourselves to vulnerability.

Dancing helps the real you–the best you–shine.  And what you learn about yourself through dancing, what you learn about partnership and communication, what you learn to express on the dance floor, can transform your life.  Shall we dance?

 

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