There are so many benefits to dancing! According to Everyday Health, dancing can boost memory, reduce stress and depression, help you lose weight, increase your energy, and gives you a chance to be social and make new friends who share the same passion as you. Whether it be a private lesson, group class, or the social dance parties, dancing weekly can be an excellent way to let go of the daily stresses in a way that is fun and different! Group classes are one of the best ways to dance every week. Here are the top 3 benefits to why you should take group classes.
- Great complement to private lessons: In the ballroom dance world, private lessons are key to progressing in your training. You get the one on one instruction and undivided attention from your instructor. So why go to group classes? Think of group classes as an additional tool in your dance tool box; you get to learn new steps (or review your current steps) from a different instructor with a group of people at the same level as you. Also, it can further strengthen your connection and partnership as you will be dancing with different people other than your normal partner. The group class can cover a variety of subjects (arm styling, technique, footwork, etc), and this will allow you to develop questions or ideas of what you want to accomplish in your private lessons as well.
- Great social outlet: Why would you NOT want to dance with others who share the same passion as you?! With group classes ranging from 7-10 people in attendance, you are bound to make a few friends. With more people there, it creates a less intimidating environment. Whats better…you are all there for the same reason…to LEARN and (of course) HAVE FUN!
- Very Inexpensive: So, you want to learn how to dance but can’t afford private lessons? NO PROBLEM! Group classes are a great and inexpensive way to learn how to dance. Our classes are $12-15 dollars each session and is pay as you go. Group classes are a great alternative to private lessons. Though they may not be as customized as the private lessons, you will still get to learn something new every week, meet new friends, and not break the bank!
So when will you be joining us for a group class? We have group classes all throughout the week! Give us a call or talk with your instructor to find the perfect class for you! Or take a look at our calendar to see what is going on every month!
Your wedding date is arriving soon. You have the flowers arranged, perfect table assignments, perfect dinner, perfect DJ/band, the perfect cake…then it hits you…WHAT ABOUT THE FIRST DANCE?!?!?!?! This is normally the last thing every bride and groom thinks of yet can be one of the most memorable moments of the ENTIRE day! We want to help make sure it is not the last minute stress on your special day. Our wedding consultation is super easy and will help make your day even more special. Here is what to expect when you walk in:
First thing when you walk in you will be asked to fill out a basic information form and be introduced to one of our fabulous IBDS dance instructors. This basic form will help your instructor come up with THE PERFECT plan for your first dance. We go over details such as wedding date, song choice, band or DJ, wedding venue and floor size, etc…we even shoo the groom away so we can make sure we know what type of dress we will be working with for range of motion and movement. Now…here comes the fun part…
Once we walk through the details of the wedding, we will get on the dance floor and figure out the perfect style of dance for your song. At the end of the day, this is YOUR song and YOUR dance so we want to make sure it is absolutely perfect and EXACTLY what you envision. Do you picture a choreographed dance that will go viral? Do you just want some basic lead and follow moves? Are you just looking for something different from the usual “hug and sway”? We will make sure to pick out the perfect dance and even get a step or two introduced to you. From there, you and your instructor will be able to come up with the best plan to get you ready for your big day…and to give everyone sharing that special moment with you a dance to remember!
Don’t let the first dance be a stress in your wedding planning…let our IBDS team help you turn it into a beautiful memory for you and your significant other!
Ballroom dancing is such a great social activity. You get to meet a bunch of new people who are all here for the same purpose…to DANCE! Everyone knows you have your dance friends and your non-dance friends…but wouldn’t it be nice if you could have ALL of your friends under one roof? What if I were to tell you there is a way you can introduce your two circles that can earn you free lessons? WHAT?!?!? We have an awesome Guest program That not only allows your friends to be introduced to the ballroom world for a great deal…but it also works out to where you can score some free dance lessons! Here are the benefits to the guest program for both the guest and the student:
“Why should my friends come?”
- They get to do the group class and dance social for FREE!
- They get the whole intro package (2, 25 minute lessons, 1 group class, 1 social dance party) for a fraction of the price.
- If you are having fun…why not share it with your friends? Let them get to experience your newest hobby!
“What’s in it for me?”
- You get to show off to your friends what you have been doing every week
- You are sharing the joys of dancing with your friends!
- You get free lessons!
“When can they come in?”
- They can join us any week for our newcomer classes and social dances
- They can stop in and watch one of your lessons
- They can even just call and let us know they are your friend so it can count toward you getting bonus lessons
Every one can dance…and everyone has a different reason for starting…so why not have you be the reason for getting your friends dancing???
Belly dance is one of the newest classes we offer in the West Ashley location. You might be thinking…how will this help my ballroom dancing? To get the answer to this question, we asked Polly Guffin, our Belly Dance Instructor.
Dancing, in general, as mentioned in both our Benefits to Group Class and our Go Out and DANCE blog, has many physical health benefits. However, it is always good to be cross training in other activities to even FURTHER strengthen and prepare your body. Engaging in belly dancing allows you to target many of the key muscle groups in dancing, one of which is the core! Polly says, “The primary focus of the art of belly dance is to isolate parts of the body. This, when layered skillfully, will result in the sensuous flow of belly dance choreography.” Since the core is such a vital part of dancing, why not train it and utilize it in every way possible?
Another HUGE component that dancers need is balance! “Natural balance is the key to isolating body parts. That skill comes from learning and drilling basic isolation until it becomes muscle memory. Throughout that journey you learn how much farther your muscles can stretch and contract,” Polly explains. In understanding how certain muscle groups work and the ability to control them, you will be able to see and feel the difference in your overall balance. Polly continues, “Much like most forms of dance and sports, practice and muscle memory play a big role in the outcome. Belly dance can help you to recognize which muscles need to be activated to accomplish a specific motion.” ✔
Join Polly every other Tuesday for her amazing belly dance class. To see when the next one is, check out our latest calendar for West Ashley.
Ballet is one of the oldest dance forms in the world! It is also considered the foundation of all dance. From the body lines, to the technique, to even some of the verbiage, we have to give a lot of credit to ballet and its elegance. We spoke with Blake Beardsley, who was a professional dancer for 15 years before taking on the ballroom world, to get his thoughts on how ballet can benefit your ballroom dancing, and what to expect from our BALLET CLASS offering coming to the Mount Pleasant location on Saturday mornings.
There are many similarities between ballroom and ballet. Ballet, though it may look delicate, is a very powerful art form and requires a lot of muscular strength. Similarly, ballroom requires a lot of muscle control to make every move flow effortlessly across the dance floor. From the power required of the legs, to the beauty of the arm styling, to the powerhouse of the core, you will find that ballroom and ballet are almost identical in how your body works. When asked about how ballet training will complement our ballroom training, Blake replied, “Overall, expect to develop core strength, foot strength, an increased range of motion, arm shaping development, and alignment of the spinal cord, just to name a few things.”
We also asked Blake what to expect from the class itself. “This class is going to be a full hour of learning various exercises that will be addressing strength, flexibility, and shaping in a way that is new and different.” Blake advises interested students to wear close fitting clothes…preferably leotards, leggings, tights, skirts, etc. “The goal is to make sure your core is visible and your clothing is easy to move in. Also make sure to have ballet slippers to protect the feet.”
Looking forward to our newest class addition? Stay tuned for details on when we will be starting up with this awesome opportunity! 👍
Going on a trip can create a lot of stress when it comes to packing; what type of clothes do i need? Did i pack all of my toiletries? HOW MANY PAIRS OF UNDERWEAR AM I GOING TO NEED?! One thing that you never have to worry about packing is your dancing. That can be taken with you everywhere you go! The big question is…where all can you go to dance? We at International Ballroom love to travel…ESPECIALLY to places where we can dance as well. Take a look at what all we really do on our “Fun Trips”
First of all, what is a fun trip? A fun trip usually consists of a weekend out of town fully loaded with tons of dancing packed in. From New York, Chicago, and New Orleans, to as far as Buenos Aires and Europe, we have found dancing fun all around the world for our dance family to participate in!
So now that you know what a fun trip is all about…lets talk about what to expect when you join the International Ballroom dance family on one of their experiences. No matter where you are going or what you are doing on one of these trips, your instructor is going to make you feel like true royalty. You will be catered to 100% of the time. You will also be dancing…A LOT! All of our trips include dancing every day. We will be your personal tour guide in every location and show you various places to dance that you may have never thought would be prime dance spots. Going around town with all of your dance friends “cuttin’ a rug” everywhere you go…what could be more fun?!
So now you are ready to be treated like the king or queen that you truly are…the next question is…where do you want to go? We have a bunch of really fun staple locations that we attend every year. However, we also love planning new fun trips for people to go on. Do you have a certain place that is on your bucket list? We can turn it into a trip of a lifetime filled with your favorite people and dancing! Take a look at all of our fun filled dance adventures we have planned throughout the year on the Dance Travels page. For more details about the various places we go or if you want to plan a fun trip of your own…talk to Lacey and she will be able to answer any question you may have! NOW…pack your bags and let’s go have some FUN!
Picture this…you have been dancing for about 6 months and are really starting to get the hang of the dances and feel like you are actually DANCING! THEN…your instructor comes up and says to you…”mark your calendar for our Trophy Ball coming up…” and starts talking “gibberish” about this event; buddy teacher? dance entries? JUDGES? First of all…DON’T FREAK OUT! Your teacher isn’t trying to pull a fast one on you and secretly sign you up for a competition or anything. Trophy ball is a Semi-Annual event for our students to show off everything they have been working on for the past 6 months. It is also a GREAT way to benchmark your progress in continuing to build your dances. Here are some of the frequently asked questions so you know what to expect from this event:
- Where is this event going to be? We host Trophy Ball at our West Ashley location. This way, we can have both studios in one location for this fun event!
- Who all typically attends this event? This event is open to ALL DANCERS in the IBDS family! Whether you are just starting out and wanting to get a base line on your progress, or you have been dancing for years and wanting to keep up with your personal dance goals, we are ready to see you at your best!
- How long does it usually take? Typically, our Trophy Ball starts at 3pm on a Saturday. Depending on how many students are dancing, the event usually lasts a few hours. So it is best to eat a big lunch and/or bring something to snack on so you will be full of energy and ready to strut your stuff on the dance floor!
- What should I wear? This is your time to make your self known in front of the judge and your peers…so you definitely want to show it with your attire. For beginners and intermediate level students, ladies can wear a cocktail dress or something that isn’t constricting but still looks polished and the men can wear just a simple collared shirt and tie. Typically, our Bronze and above level ladies tend to wear ballroom practice wear (Dance America, Light in the Box, etc) with the appropriate skirt for both rhythm and smooth. And OF COURSE…LADIES SHOULD REMEMBER TO WEAR DANCE PANTS! Advanced gentlemen should invest in some black dance pants like the pros wear, a black dance vest, and a matching shirt & tie (or bow tie if you’re feeling snazzy)!
- What else do I need to bring? OBVIOUSLY, you need to have your dance shoes (unless you don’t have any yet of course). Also make sure you are prepared for a cold ballroom! We turn the AC low so that everyone who is dancing a lot of numbers won’t be burning up. Therefore, if you know you will probably be having long periods of sitting down, you will want to bring a jacket, blanket, etc. to keep you warmed up and ready to dance! Also be sure to bring anything extra your instructor may request (skirts, tights, DANCE PANTS, etc).
REMEMBER…no one is there to judge you harshly! This event is designed to get constructive criticism from a different set of eyes with all of your IBDS dance family! This is a chance for you to accomplish your dance goals in a comfortable environment. However, if you have any additional questions that arise, please talk to your instructor or drop a comment below!
Rufus Dustin, a World Dance Council (WDC) professional, provides coaching and choreography for some of the best Professional and Amateur competitive dancers in the world. He routinely acts as an adjudicator at some of the most prestigious dance competitions around the globe. Rufus has been certified as an adjudicator by the National Dance Council of America (NDCA), the World Dance Council (WDC), and Fred Astaire Dance Studios Inc. in International Style Standard, International Style Latin, American Smooth, American Rhythm, and Theater Arts. As a Professional dancer, Rufus competed nationally and internationally, attaining titles in International Latin, American Rhythm and Theater Arts. He has performed all over the world, including special presentations at the Blackpool Dance Festival.
Dustin’s roots lie in ballet. It was only during a summer break from a ballet company that Dustin ran across an opportunity for a teaching gig at a local Ballroom Dance studio. Never did he imagine this summer fling would soon become the love of his life. Dustin went from dancing ballet in Boston to winning the first American Style DanceSport Championship in 1974 in just a few short years.👍
Dustin kept with ballroom over ballet throughout the rest of his dancing career. “In the other performing dance arts, modern, jazz, ballet, the subject is about your own sort of absorption as a dancer. It’s just about you, just your dancing. I was so excited about the idea in the Ballroom world… to recreate mythically what Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly did in the movies, who I always admired greatly. The dancing came from such a different place, because you had to be concerned not only about yourself, but also about this woman in your arms. I found that, and still to this day, find that magical. It’s what’s kept me Ballroom Dancing for all these years.”
Some of his many accomplishments:
- 2-time World Exhibition/Cabaret Champion
- 2-time United States National Professional American Style Champion (Rhythm and Smooth) (1974 – 1975)
- North American Latin Champion
- North American 10-Dance Champion
- United States Champion
- Blackpool Dance Festival Champion
- Multi-time Lecturer at the World Ballroom Dancing Congress in Blackpool, England
Have you ever watched one of those old black and white dance movies and just WISH that you could move like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers? But, then you remember…”you have two left feet”! Well, how do you think Fred and Ginger got to be as good as they were? They had to start exactly where you are and practice! Taking on a new hobby can be both challenging and rewarding…and ballroom is no different. What’s more…it is something you can either do as a single person or as a couple.
We always love to start everyone in our Introductory program. Think of this program like a “sampler” of the various types of classes and events you can do to get started dancing! You will have 2, 25 minute private lessons, a social dance party and a group class all included.✔
Our Newcomer’s class is always a great way to “test the waters” and see if you are ready to take the plunge into ballroom dancing. In this class, you will get introduced to the 6 most popular social ballroom dances; Rumba, Cha-Cha, Swing/Shag, Waltz, Foxtrot, and Salsa. This class is the first group class you will take and it will not only reaffirm what you learned in your private lessons, it will also give you a chance to get to know others who are starting in the same place as you! You will then realize how much FUN you have been missing out on and how easy it is to get started! Take a look at our sample Newcomer’s class with Scotty!
