Anyone ever take ballroom dance lessons?

[LisaR]

We had a place open up right down the street from us. They have actually been in business for 15 years but they just moved closer to us. They offer a dance party every Saturday night in addition to the lessons. It seems like it would be fun. DH is up for it but the man seriously lacks dance skills. He has never done these dances but he seems to lack rhythm when it comes to pop music.

I want to do this just for fun. Has anyone done it and did you enjoy it? Is there one type of dance that is better/easier to learn for beginners?

The level 1 classes are:

Hustle/Cha Cha

Rumba/Merengue

Foxtrot/Hustle

 

[figment52]

We had a place open up right down the street from us. They have actually been in business for 15 years but they just moved closer to us. They offer a dance party every Saturday night in addition to the lessons. It seems like it would be fun. DH is up for it but the man seriously lacks dance skills. He has never done these dances but he seems to lack rhythm when it comes to pop music.

I want to do this just for fun. Has anyone done it and did you enjoy it? Is there one type of dance that is better/easier to learn for beginners?

The level 1 classes are:

Hustle/Cha Cha

Rumba/Merengue

Foxtrot/Hustle

I took a couple years of ballroom dance and loved it. The dance parties are a great way to reinforce what you have learned.

For a first class I would NOT suggest the Rumba/Merengue; they can be very frustrating to learn. The Fox Trot and Cha Cha are both easy and fun. The Hustle is one of those dances that means different things in different parts of the country so I don't know how to answer that. Call the studio and ask them. They should be more than happy to address your concerns.

A good movie to watch is SHall We Dance with Richard Gere; it will give you an idea of what to expect at the beginners class.

Relax and have fun.

 

[dani0622]

Hi Lisa,

I'm a former ballroom instructor, now just a student.

Ballroom dancing is such a great thing to get into for a number of reasons - it's fun, it's a great work out, and it's a nice way to socialize.

There are definitely styles that are more easier to learn for beginners, such as merengue, cha cha, foxtrot, waltz, East coast swing, salsa/mambo, tango, rumba, and hustle.

The more advanced dances you would tend to learn as you progress, though if you were set on learning a specific style, an instructor could definitely work with you on it. These would include samba, Viennese waltz, paso doble, Argentine tango, quickstep, jive.

Have fun!!

 

[MEBT315]

Definitely take lessons!! It is so good for you. My family and I took beginner lessons over the summer and it was such an awesome bonding experience. I can't even explain what ballroom dancing does to you, even just taking a few classes, but all the movies hit on it!


If it were me, I'd start out with the Rumba/Merengue class. At the studio I go to, the beginner classes are two new dances every week, and then the next level (Bronze) does the same dance for a month so you go more in depth.

The Hustle is MY FAVORITE (disco fever!! )....but you can also trip over your feet. The Cha Cha is a good one to know, but it is also more fast paced. The Rumba is nice and slow and the Merengue isn't that bad. The Foxtrot is also a good one too.


We are now also the talk of every wedding we go to because we are always on the dance floor! LOVE IT.

 

[ktjohn]

DH is up for it but the man seriously lacks dance skills. He has never done these dances but he seems to lack rhythm when it comes to pop music.

My DH and I take dance lessons. We had no dance skills, no rythym, and no style. We never even danced in clubs or at weddings. So we had zero dance experience. We've been doing it almost a year now, and can dance well enough to look like we know what we're doing. haha!!

It started out somewhat confusing and difficult, but eventually we got over that hump and it started coming more naturally.

So I say go for it!!! It's lots of fun if you don't put too much pressure on yourself. Just have fun, and learn at your own pace!

 

[LisaR]

Thanks everyone! We have ruled out the Cha Cha class because my 15 y/o has decided to sign up for that one with a few of her friends. As much as we love embarrassing all of them, I think we would embarrass ourselves more in this particular case!

I did miss originally that there is also an East Coast Swing class. That is on the best night for DH so maybe we will try that first. The classes are only four weeks long so we can always try something else if we don't like that one.

I will call the studio on Monday to get more details from them but my other question for the moment is what do we need to wear? I wonder if I will have to buy specific shoes? DH dresses up for work every day so he would have a ton of appropriate clothing. Me; not so much.

 

[dani0622]

I will call the studio on Monday to get more details from them but my other question for the moment is what do we need to wear? I wonder if I will have to buy specific shoes? DH dresses up for work every day so he would have a ton of appropriate clothing. Me; not so much.

I would dress comfortably in loose fitting clothes, you might work up a sweat. As far as shoes, do not wear sneakers (the rubber soles will prevent you from turning and gliding). For ladies, I always recommend a flat shoe to start off with and gentlemen can wear dress shoes. If you decide it's something you definitely want to continue doing then you should both invest in a pair of ballroom shoes.

 

[LisaR]

I would dress comfortably in loose fitting clothes, you might work up a sweat. As far as shoes, do not wear sneakers (the rubber soles will prevent you from turning and gliding). For ladies, I always recommend a flat shoe to start off with and gentlemen can wear dress shoes. If you decide it's something you definitely want to continue doing then you should both invest in a pair of ballroom shoes.

Thanks!!