International Ballroom Dance Tales
Evolution of Social Dancing: Pt 2 the American Impact
Social dancing has evolved so much throughout the ages. WE have so far travelled throughout the Renaissance and Baroque era where we discovered that dancing was a sign of social standing. We especially see a huge trend happening in the early 1900s with the birth of...
Wait…there are TWO types of ballroom dancing? Part 1 on how American and International style dancing are WAY more different than you think.
When you think about ballroom dancing you envision the beautiful dances of the Waltz and Foxtrot and dream of sultry ones like the Rumba and Cha-Cha, but which version of the dance are you picturing? DID YOU KNOW that there are two styles of all of these dances? To...
Beat the Heat with our Summer Dance Retreat
Need a break from carrying watermelons? Tired of being put in the hot, stuffy corner? As the dog days of summer start to settle in over the Low Country, our IBDS dance family is taking a much needed reprieve up to the beautiful mountains of North Carolina and the...
Artists AND Athletes: Ballroom as Dance Sport
We have all heard someone say “Dance is not a sport.” The art of dance is beautiful and interpretive for sure. However, even with the grace, poise, and the beauty of the elaborate costumes, preparing for a competition or a showcase is very similar to how you prepare...
Shag: The Swing Dance of the South
When you think of Charleston, you think of sweet tea, sunshine, sandy beaches, and…of course…good ole’ fashioned southern cuisine. How about South Carolina?... where the state bird is the Carolina Wren, the state flower is the Yellow Jessamine, and the state dance is...
The Evolution of Social Dancing: Part 1
Since the dawn of time, dancing has been a part of human culture. We have always danced; whether it be to celebrate life, mourn a death, or even to prepare for a hunt or battle. However, social dancing didn’t become an officially documented activity until the start of...
DANCE IS FUN! Why not share it with your friends?!
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 & HAVE FUN! Everyone has their dance friends and their non-dance friends…but wouldn’t it be nice if you could have ALL of...
Jekyll Island EXCLUSIVE: Our weekend dancing on Millionaire’s Row
What an amazing weekend with our dance family! In fact, we had so much fun that we will be going back again later this year! Just in case you were wondering what all the excitement has been about since our return, here’s a snapshot of our dance family exclusive...
Dance Family Spotlight: Blaise and Donna Jacobson
We all have a story as why we started dancing. Whether it be for exercise, fun, or the thrill of learning something new…everyone’s reason is different. For our next Dance Family Spotlight, we are highlighting Blaise and Donna Jacobson! Take a look at their dance...
Young or old…It’s NEVER too late to start dancing!
Whether you a 5 years old or 85 years old...you can learn how to ballroom dance! Ballroom dancing is a great style of dancing for people of all ages for various reasons. From mental and physical health to discipline and teamwork, to even building of confidence, you...
Dance Family Spotlight: Joy Brokes
We all have a story as why we started dancing. Whether it be for exercise, fun, or the thrill of learning something new…everyone’s reason is different. For our next Dance Family Spotlight, we are highlighting beautiful Joy Brokes! Take a look at her dance journey:...
“Stayin’ alive” and dancing the night away: How our Moonlight Mixers are keeping us happy & healthy OFF the dancefloor!
“It's time to get your groove on. Dancing has a way of taking your cares away. It doesn't matter if it's the Electric Slide, the Macarena or your own crazy moves. Who hasn't gotten lost in an upbeat song as they jumped around? But not only does it feel good to the...
Escape with us: to Millionaires Row at Jekyll Island
Let’s face it…with all of the chaos surrounding us these days we could all use an escape. What about a weekend where you don’t have to worry about a thing and you get to ENJOY dancing away from the real world?!? When you come on a trip with us, that is exactly what...
Coach Spotlight: Marianne Nicole-DePalma
Marianne Nicole-DePalma is a former Champion in three styles of competitive dancing. Marianne is also a former examiner for the Fred Astaire Dance Studio organization, and currently a National Examiner for the DVIDA Organization. Some of her titles include; United...
New Year, new goals! How to plan to ACHIEVE!
As 2020 draws to a close, it’s time to start thinking about what we’d like to accomplish in the new year. Resolutions are always jumped in to head first, but without proper planning it is hard to stick with our goals and achieve to our highest potential. One of the...
Dance Family Spotlight: Kira Rucquoi
Dance Family Spotlight: Kira Rucquoi 1)How long have you been dancing? "I have been setting the floor on fire since January with a break during the COVID closure."✔ 2) What got you initially started on your dance journey? "I have always thought ballroom dancing was...
Blazing the competition trail: a look into the first competition we attended since the pandemic
2020 has been a crazy year thus far. Yet, though we may think things have come to a halt, the ballroom world has pushed forward to get back to the “swing” of things! Anne and Shelley paved the way for all of us in heading to the Grand Nationals Dancesport...
Your Dance Emergency Kit: What you should have in the ballroom at competition
Picture this…you are in a beautiful competition ballroom, flying from heat to heat and trying to stay looking put together like you just walked out onto the floor for the first time…or in the middle of your favorite waltz, your heel goes through your ballgown…or, in...
Back on the Competition Floor! How the ballroom dance world is reemerging in the “new normal”
After more than half a year of cancellations, rescheduling, and hopes being put on hold, the ballroom dance world is reemerging. We’ve all had to adjust to a “new normal” and the ballroom dance circuit is no different. With the shared goal of creating a healthy...
What do I wear?! Best things to wear for your dance lessons
Whether you have been dancing for years or just starting, what you wear to your lesson is going to help make for a good dance lesson. In this post, we are going to talk about the various types of attire based on what you want to achieve in your dancing....
Meet Raymond: The newest addition to the IBDS team!
Meet our newest instructor, Raymond! Raymond Cancel has loved music and dance since he was a child dancing salsa, merengue, and bachata with his Puerto Rican family. As he grew, so did his love for dance…experimenting with breakdancing and hip hop styles. In 2003,...
“Dance Shoes? Why do I need those?” Top reasons why dance shoes will magnify your dance growth
Picture this: you have just started dancing and are starting to feel how everything moves and grooves of each dance you are working on. Then, at the end of your lesson, your dance instructor asks, “so when are you going to get some dance shoes?” Why would you need...
Meet Anna Marie: The newest addition to the IBDS team!
Meet our newest instructor, Anna Marie Anna Marie Imbordino has been passionate about the performing arts since childhood. As a child she studied and competed in jazz dance, hip hop, lyrical and theatre dance in addition to studying voice performance, flute,...
Dance Family Spotlight: Carl Gottlieb
We all have a story as why we started dancing. Whether it be for exercise, fun, or the thrill of learning something new…everyone’s reason is different. For our next Dance Family Spotlight, we are highlighting Carl Gottlieb! Take a look at his dance journey: 1. How...
