The Beat
Most dance music is based on 2/4, 3/4, or 4/4 music time. In 2/4 and 3/4 time the first beat of a bar is emphasized and can be clearly heard in the bass = drum,bass or bass guitar. This is the beginning beat of the music and is the beginning step of the dance. In 4/4 time the most emphasized beat is the first beat and there is then less emphasis on the 3rd beat. Again this can be clearly heard in the bass instruments. As always, the first beat is the beginning step of the dance. In some music the bass instruments will play every beat in the bar. Listen to the music - you can hear and feel the beginning beat of the bar and go from there. The most important thing to remember is to move to the beat - listen for the bass instruments and they will show you the way. Remember there is nothing worse when dancing than to be "off the beat" -- so listen and enjoy!
By: Eldene Heikkila
Dance Etiquette
By: Lori Heikkila
Let's all practice dance floor etiquette! Many dancers and many styles of dancing can be accommodated on the floor at the same time. This means that we have to follow traditional dance floor etiquette. Let's always be courteous and we will all have a great time dancing!Dances that move in a continuous forward movement should be danced in the outer lanes (counter clockwise which is also the line of dance). There are two lanes depending on the forward movement of the dancers: the outside (fast) lane and the inside (slow) lane. Progressive dances which are danced in the two outer lanes are Waltz, Fox-trot, Tango, Viennese Waltz, and the Two-Step. These dancers generally have the right of way, but should not cut through the floor center! The floor center is where line dances, spot dances, and "position" dances are held such as the Jive, West Coast Swing, Slow Dancing, and Cha Cha. Do not dance in the outside lanes unless everyone else is doing them at the same time!!! If we all follow the golden rules of dance floor etiquette, then all can enjoy dancing to the fullest.
A Healthy Routine
Dancing to your heart's content
(Thanks to The University of California at Berkeley Wellness Letter)
Cross training, as we've explained before, is a varied approach to sports and exercise. Limiting yourself to one activity can be, well limiting. If you're a runner only, what do you do in a long rainy spell? Or what if you get bored with the same old thing? There's one excellent exercise you may already know how to do, or perhaps have always wanted to do-ballroom dancing. Cheek-to-cheek stuff, Fred and Ginger. "But, " you may ask, "is it really aerobic exercise?" Indeed it is, or can be. Exercise specialists have reported that at the competitive level, fast ballroom dancing can elevate your heart rate just as much as running cross-country skiing. A study conducted at California State University at Long Beach showed that even beginning students can derive health benefits from ballroom dancing. Forty-five subjects (aged 18 to 35) did a five minute warm up and then a 20 minute aerobic section with a cha- cha a polka, two swing dances (jitterbug and Lindy), a Viennese waltz, and Samba . The great majority got their heart rates up to near maximum training rates, particularly in the polka, the swing, dancing and the waltz. As for caloric expenditures, even moderate ballroom dancing can burn between 250 and 300 calories per hour, and fast, vigorous dancing burns up-wards of 400 calories an hour.The key to these benefits is to stay on the floor at least 20 minutes and just keep dancing. Most ballroom numbers are short, so you need a partner who'll stay on the dance floor with you or a succession of partners. Since you'll be varying your steps and movements, overuse injuries are unlikely. Do try to be smooth, rhythmic, and gentle in your movements: most good dancers are. To get maximum benefits, remember the following: Stop every half hour or so to drink water, whether you feel thirsty or not. Proper hydration helps keep you going . And keep alcohol consumption to a minimum (or avoid alcohol entirely). Wear comfortable clothing that wont be ruined by perspiration. Avoid tight underwear, tight belts and neckties, and shoes that hurt your feet, especially high heels. Aerobic shoes or tennis shoes are excellent for dancing-but not if you're planning on doing aerobic high steeping in the fanciest nightspot in town. If you want to learn more about where dance sessions are held in your community and ask whether singles are welcome. Go on, have fun, roll back the carpet and practice at home. Dance with your best friend or give your cat a whirl around the floor!
There aren't any BAD Dancers!
Often times, I listen to people make comments such as, "he has no rhythm .... or she can't follow". Sometimes the comments are even more harmful, "what do they think they're trying to do - that looks simply awful", or "he can't dance at all, he's just bopping - maybe he should take some lessons"!! Have you ever thought this?Ever voiced this to your friends? What's really important about dancing anyway? I've attended many social dances and many competitions and must admit there is one dancer that I always enjoy watching on the floor. Have you ever seen the dancers that dance every dance (even if they can't Dance?) but they're always smiling - always having fun. I watch these dancers in fascination, they are actually having a great time. When I watch people on the dance floor, I often wonder, Why are they dancing - they look like they're in pain? I am truly amazed that anyone would go out for an evening of torment and painstaking work -- there is a time and place for everything in life. Social dancing is people moving together on the dance floor and enjoying themselves. We don't all have to dance the same way. Even if you just get up and sway to the music, that's your way of expressing pleasure in dancing. Did you ever think to yourself, "They're not bad dancers - JUST DIFFERENT".A dance floor will always have people with different styles and knowledge levels about dancing: which doesn't mean they are good or bad dancers, just people enjoying themselves for an evening. Maybe if you take dancing so seriously that you're losing your ability to laugh at yourself over a mistake it's time to take a lesson or two from a social dancer that doesn't perform ballroom steps but actually moves to music for FUN!
By: Karen Kiefer
Corporate Team Building and Dance
I’ve been taking dance lessons. Maybe you have too. We all show up to learn a new dance and many of us are strangers. All the dances require certain steps in order to achieve the goal, and involve two people working together toward this goal. We’re there to learn how to do the polka, for instance, but it involves more than just where to put the feet. There are many times in life when we work in pairs, and the lessons we learn at dance school can help us with this special
kind of teamwork.
1. The Frame.
This refers to how the man holds his upper body, arms and hands in order to hold the woman. He must apply just enough pressureto the woman’s shoulder blade, and she in return has to lean into it so he can guide her. She also has to place her hand on his right shoulder “just right.” In this way they can move together. The man (leader) is the frame, and the woman (the follower) is the painting.
Its the man's job to make the lady look good!
APPLICATION: Every duo working together must be able to feel the other person enough to know what’s going on without being mauled. It’s about being assertive, not passive and not aggressive. In an interchange at work, we state our opinion in an argument. We don’t withdraw or bellow and intimidate.
The leader is the frame. Its his or her job to make the followers look good.
2. Leading.
Any dyad that hopes to accomplish something has to have a leader. The man is in charge of what’s called “the sequence.” You don’t sit down with a flow chart or outline to find out what’s going to happen. It’s up to the man. The woman has to be able to pick up the cues.
APPLICATION: To accomplish something, someone must be in charge. The others must be willing and able to follow the lead, which doesn’t have to be heavy; it can be subtle.
3. Following.
The woman’s job is to follow, and she has to have a leader. Two people with two different ideas of what’s going to happen will work at cross purposes, and nothing will be accomplished. Even if the man doesn’t know the steps and isn’t dancing in time to the music, you must follow.
APPLICATION: Following and leading go hand-in-hand. Each person must know which is their role and do it. Sometimes you won’t know what the leader is doing, or won’t agree, but it’s still your job to follow.
4. The Basic Steps.
You start by learning the basic steps of the dance – where your feet go, where the hands and arms go, how you move, and when. After you’ve mastered the basics, you can embellish and improvise.
APPLICATION: Every large job we do is composed of small, basic steps. To write a story, you have to know how to write a chapter. To know how to write a chapter you have to know how to write a paragraph; for a paragraph, a sentence. If you get overwhelmed, go backward to the smaller steps. Count like you do for a dance, “one, two, one, two, three.”
5. The Rhythm.
First you learn the steps and then you have to put them to the music.
APPLICATION: In a teamwork task, it won’t work if you get out of step, out of rhythm. If preparing and eating a meal, cooking, settle the table, and doing the dishes must all be done in rhythm, at the proper time. At work, the keyboarder can’t enter the data until she receives it. The CFO can’t do the budget until the department heads provide the figures. It’s a great source of stress when people get out of synch, out of rhythm. It messes up the dance.
6. The Music.
The music orients the dance. It tells us when we begin and when we stop and what dance we’ll do.
APPLICATION: Time is a kind of background ‘noise’ at work. Everything you do is oriented in some way around time. It’s no good to write a pleading if you don’t get it filed on time. Your grant won’t be accepted, even if it’s excellent, if you don’t get it submitted before the deadline. Time dictates how fast you work and defines what you can accomplish. You can write a 500 word article in an hour, but you can’t write a 500 page novel in an hour.
7. Etiquette.
The polka is a strenuous dance and after a while you start to sweat. Who wants to dance with someone who’s sopping wet and smells bad? likewise who wants to dance with a woman who fights for the lead, someone who wipes their nose and then takes your hand, or a 6’4” in man who takes huge strides you can’t keep up with?
APPLICATION: Common courtesy greases the wheels of any joint project. This involves being sensitive to what’s going on with the other person, being able to give and take, practicing good personal hygiene, maintaining healthy boundaries, and knowing how avoid and resolve conflict.
8. The Metarules.
Meta rules are the rules about rules. We’re learning learning dance steps, but there are also studio rules. One is that you change partners. Another is that you smile and look pleasant as you dance. The first meta rule is written down. The other one you just learn, either by picking it up, or by not doing it and being corrected.
APPLICATION: All systems have metarules. A metarule in a family may be that the kids know if they want something from dad, not to ask him when he first comes homes from work. It may be a metarule at your office that the rules in the policies manual aren’t followed. The policies manual says promotions are based on merit, but everyone knows how they’re really given.
9. You Aren’t Alone.
When you dance there are other couples on the floor and the man has to keep the couple out of harm’s way. Everyone has to move in the same direction, with faster couples on the outside.
APPLICATION: You aren’t alone in the workplace either. You can picture it like a dance floor. Everyone’s moving together, but also in their own pattern and you have to make sure the two don’t clash. You have to be aware of others, keep out of their way, and avoid hitting them.
10. Learning Styles.
The West Coast Swing is a dance that’s particularly hard for men to learn. I’ve tried different ways to help the partner I’m with and what works for one man doesn’t work for another. One man learns by watching, another if you actually move his legs for him.
APPLICATION: You’ll greatly increase your chances of success in working with another person if you’re able to change your style to suit their personality and accommodate to what works with them. This requires empathy and creativity as you try something, observe how it works and then adjust.
Dip into Salsa for Fun and Fitness
By William Sukala, MS, CSCS
When you hear the Spanish word salsa, does it stir up a craving for tacos and margaritas at your favorite Mexican restaurant? Well, get up and swivel your hips because we're talking about salsa dancing. Salsa dancing is fun, extremely social, and above all, a superb workout! A three-hour salsa outing can burn approximately 1000 calories*. "Salsa is a great exercise for losing weight. It works the lower body muscles, the heart, and the collective cardiovascular system," says Pablo Romo, salsa instructor in San Diego and Tijuana. And it's so much fun that you forget you're getting a workout! Wallflower No More. If you're just getting started, you may want to take a few beginner level classes. Find a dance studio in the yellow pages, or through an internet search. Most major cities have dance schools with salsa classes on the menu. Give a call and find out days, times, and prices. Classes provide a safe, supportive environment where it's ok to make mistakes, step on your partner's feet, or bump into the couple next to you. This is completely natural, so don't let it discourage you. Group salsa classes are often structured so that if you show up alone, you will merely partner up with whoever's next to you. After a few minutes, the instructor signals you to change partners. In essence, you're guaranteed to meet everyone in the class the first night. Even if you showed up with a partner, most instructors prefer that you rotate partners. More advanced classmates help you progress more rapidly than dancing with the same partner who's also a newbie. If you'd rather wing it without the lessons, know that many salsa clubs offer basic lessons before the start of the night's festivities. Again, you can find a salsa club in the phone book or through an internet search. And don't be afraid to show up at a club on your own (though it's more fun to head out with a group of friends). The scene tends to be friendly and respectful, and it is socially acceptable to switch partners frequently throughout the night, just like in class. (As always when socializing with people you don't know, be smart about your safety.) Instant Social Life In addition to fun and fitness, salsa can also be the ticket to an instant social life. Salsa clubs, unlike smoky, boozy nightclubs, are frequently full of active, friendly people looking to cut a rug. Romo sums it up: "Salsa dancing provides a healthy, fun way to meet new and interesting people." What could be better?
Source: Exercise Testing and Prescription, by David C. Nieman (McGraw Hill, 2002).
Dancing With the Stars
Dancing with the Stars is the name for a number of international television series based on the format of the British series Strictly Come Dancing. Nevertheless, not all the international versions share this title. The format is distributed by BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC. Australia was the first country to adapt the BBC show, and versions have also been produced in Austria, Belgium, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, Panama, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Serbia, South Africa, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine and the United States of America (USA). The format has become popular internationally and was the world's most popular television programme across all genres in 2006, reaching the Top 10 in 17 countries. The show pairs a number of celebrities with professional ballroom dancers, who each week compete by performing dances, which are then given scores by a panel of judges. Viewers are given a certain amount of time to place votes on their favorite dancers, either by telephone or (in some of the shows) by the Internet. The couple with the lowest combined score (judges plus viewers) is eliminated and does not go on to the next week. This process continues until there are only two or three couples left, at which point one couple is declared the champion.
Arthur Murray – Coming to a School Near You!
At any social event the dance floor can be a foreboding prospect, striking fear into the hearts of many. While some have the confidence to get up and groove the night away, others fear incompetence and humiliation. Arthur Murray Dance Studios are here to help! In 2005 Arthur Murray is launching an exciting new schools-based program to introduce students to the art of dance and assist in formal and debutante ball preparations. The program is a fun, modern approach to physical activity that will improve students’ fitness, confidence and create new social opportunities. The new program can be tailored to suit individual schools’ needs, with scope to conduct the dance classes either on site at Arthur Murray Studios or within participating schools. Arthur Murray instructors seek to ensure dance classes are enjoyable and effective for everyone involved. Students will love the Arthur Murray Dance experience!
ARTHUR MURRAY DANCE STUDIOS
Students at Arthur Murray are encouraged to learn all social dance styles - swing, hustle, disco, samba, foxtrot, salsa, tango and many more! The most popular forms of dance amongst students are ballroom, Latin American and rock 'n' roll. The studio aims to prepare students so that they feel comfortable dancing to all types of music, in all situations. Arthur Murray continually adapts its teaching program to incorporate the latest local and international trends. The musical influences of Jennifer Lopez, Michael Buble, and the hit movie 5Chicago are currently in vogue at dance studios worldwide. For decades Arthur Murray has been involved in the dance choreography and coaching of numerous major films - Dirty Dancing, Saturday Night Fever, Strictly Ballroom, True Lies and most recently the Jennifer Lopez/ Richard Gere blockbuster, Shall We Dance? Hollywood celebrities Tom Cruise, Mel Gibson, Madonna and Meg Ryan have all trained under Arthur Murray instructors. You too can dance like a star with the help of Arthur Murray!
TOP TIPS
Without proper instruction or prior experience it is common to feel awkward and embarrassed on the dance floor, to sense that others are watching and judging every move you make. For those who feel completely clueless Shaun Enright, owner of Arthur Murray Wantirna, offers some simple advice. 'Keep your elbows forward of your body and walk,' he says. The famous Patrick Swayze adage from cult '80s film Dirty Dancing, 'your space, my space,' is also a good rule to follow to avoid cramping your dance partner. Enright recommends that everyone learn to swing and foxtrot, as both dances can be easily adapted to suit all styles of music. Arthur Murray dance instructor Sarah Sievers says of dancing, 'simply have fun with it. If it's not fun, there's no point to being out there.' According to Enright there is no one type of music that is easy to dance to - with a few basic steps, you will be able to adapt to any style of music. At a school formal or debutante ball a diverse selection of beats is best, to keep the crowd interested and on their toes.
BENEFITS
Dance is an ideal activity for all standards of physical fitness. Ballroom dancing is second only to swimming as an aerobic exercise - just ten minutes of ballroom dancing is equal to one entire hour of jogging! Other less strenuous forms of dance are also beneficial in maintaining health. 'Dance is a fun way to exercise,' says Enright. Dance not only maintains physical health but also improves self confidence and provides new social opportunities. It is an activity for the mind, body and soul.
Your First Dance
by Sharon Ashe
It will be your first dance as husband and wife, and you will be stepping into the spotlight surrounded by your family and friends. Make this moment an expression of yourselves and your love. Take some time to choose a special song and decide how you want to involve your bridal party. If your idea of dancing is the old “stand and sway” from junior high school days, maybe now is the time to work on your dancing skills. Here are some suggestions that will help you make this moment fun and special.If you have not yet chosen a song, you may want to consider what type of dance you would like to do and work backwards from there. Would you want the classic romance of a waltz? Or would you prefer a relaxed and jazzy foxtrot? Maybe the exuberant energy of a swing dance or the intensity of an Argentine Tango is more your style. If you enjoy latin rhythms you may like a slow rhumba, or a more lively salsa. A simple slow dance is always an option. Please keep in mind that some dance styles are easier to learn than others, so time may be a factor in your decision.Fast Forward to your wedding day. How will your first dance begin and end? Your band leader or DJ can call you out to the dance floor and announce your first dance. Traditionally the father of the bride will eventually cut in and dance with his daughter (this may be done to a new song or during the original song), at which point the groom may ask the bride’s mother to dance. Then the groom’s father may dance with the bride, at which time the bride’s father may cut in on his wife and the groom. The groom may then ask his mother to dance. Additionally the groom may dance with the maid of honor and the bride with the best man, while the in laws dance with each other. Finally the entire wedding party, and then the guests may join in the dancing. As the wedding couple you must decide before the ceremony which traditional order you would like to follow, if any. It is important to notify the individuals that you want to participate, and instruct them as to when you would like them to come in and who you would like them to dance with. Depending on how many people will eventually be dancing, you may have to select a separate song from your special first dance song. Your First Dance should be one of the many beautiful memories of your wedding day. By preparing in advance you will be able to relax and have fun with each other, enjoying the moment. Don’t think of this as a performance but as a ritual, part of the vows and promises that you will exchange on this special day.
Not much room for a King's Waltz but you can
Rock n Roll at a backyard party.
As the creator and manager of one of the largest face-to-face singles networks in the world I hold a lot of parties. Its quite usual for us to have 130 people in a member's backyard. The barbecue is fired up, the wine is poured, the beer is swigged and the faces are all happy and smiling. These are fun times for single-again baby-boomers, at least in Adelaide. The Great Gatsby would be envious The most common call I seem to hear at parties today, though, is "Chuck some Rock n Roll on the stereo!", meaning "we want to dance." In fact, if the music isn't great danceable Rock n Roll, partygoers soon "come the raw prawn" (Australian slang for whinge or complain) until I change it for them. Rock n Roll is an ideal structured dance for backyard social gatherings. It doesn't need a lot of room or a championship dance-floor. For music, a wide range of popular songs are suitable. As a "getting to know you" activity it has ideal benefits for single people. One of the best chat-up lines ever invented and the one most women don't seem to mind in the slightest is "would you like to dance?" but its the one so many men just don't use, often because they don't feel confident about dancing. Social dancing is a very convenient way for two people to have a good, close look at each other without getting too personal. It promises no commitment, but if each likes what they find they may take things further. If not, the dance experience might have been worth the time spent anyway. If a lady doesn't know how to dance a willing gentleman or two will soon lead her through some moves. If a gentleman can't dance, a lesson from a 'leading lady' has led to many a permanent partnership. Basic Rock n Roll dance is a skill that socially adept people ought not to be without. Lessons are generally inexpensive and it usually doesn't take long to learn enough to get by. You don't have to aim for competition somersaults, jumps and throws. After learning just some basic steps you'll no longer feel like a prawn at a barbecue when the dance music starts. If you're single and looking for a partner, what it leads you on to might be as delicious as a prawn cocktail!
How to Choose a Dance School
Every time I talk to people who would like to take an interest in dancing, the questions most often asked are: "Are you taking any dance lessons?" "Where/who do you take lessons from?" "I'd like to take up dancing -- where should I go for lessons?"
The first two questions are easy to answer: "No, I'm not taking any lessons" and "I borrowed the 'The Betty White Teaches Mambo' from the library". (So I lied, my instructor made me!) The last one is not too easy to answer. Different schools/professionals offer different dance programs/curriculums. They could be private lessons, group lessons, or a combination of both. For those who just want to learn the casual steps or get to know the dances, group lessons from the various dance clubs would be adequate. For example, if I'd like to learn a few Western dances to use during Calgary Stampede, I'll sign up for free group lessons offered by various country bars, rather than using my valuable private lessons on something I only use once a year. For those who would like to take their dancing a bit more serious, a proper dance program/curriculum with private lessons is necessary. It all depends on what you want out of your dancing. I find the professionals in our city are of very high caliber, and it shows. We like what we see at the dances! I don't like offering advice when it comes to selecting a dance studio or a teacher. But what I often tell people is go and see as many of them as you can. You might want to try out the introductory packages offered by most schools/professionals. It's the best way to get to know the school, the teacher and have a feel for what they have to offer. If you like what you see, enroll. If not, try another school. Just make sure you are happy with what you get.
By: Lee Le
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