Category: Ballroom Dances

The Gift of Dance Makes a Great Holiday Present!

Ballroom dance lessons make a perfect holiday gift because of the many benefits they can provide. Not only does dance help people to stay fit and healthy, but it also teaches them coordination, creativity and discipline. It’s a creative and out-of-the-box gift idea AND it’s a gift that keeps on giving. Dance can be a...

10 Tips to Improve Your Ballroom Technique

Any ballroom dancer can tell you, there is no easy way to get amazing at any particular ballroom style in a short period of time. However, there are certainly best practices that smart dancers will use to ensure they get the most out of every moment spent practicing, performing, and thinking about ballroom dance! Here...

What Heel is Best for You?

When it comes to shoes, comfort and performance go hand-in-hand. Possibly the most important component of a dancer’s outfit, the type of shoe and heel you choose is crucial. We’ve compiled a list of heels that suit different needs and dancer preferences. Traditional Heel The traditional dancing heel, known as the “Oxford” or the “Gibson,”...

A Brief History of Ballroom Dance

Ballroom dance is a broad term that encompasses a variety of dance styles that are performed in a ballroom setting. These styles include the Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, Quickstep, and Viennese Waltz. The history of ballroom dance can be traced back to the 16th century in Europe, where it was primarily a social activity for the...

How to Deal With Perfectionism

Posted on

Perfectionism is a common trait among ballroom dancers. It can be helpful in driving you to improve your skills and become the best dancer you can be. However, perfectionism can also be harmful if it leads to excessive self-criticism or perfectionistic standards that are impossible to meet. There are some things you can do to...

What Type of Dress Should You Choose for Your Latin Dance?

Posted on

Ballroom dance outfits, especially for the ladies, can range from flirty and fun to graceful and elegant. Latin dance in particular highlights the dancers’ legs and hips, making it more sexy and provocative. But what kind of dresses go well with each of the 5 Latin dances? Paso Doble This traditional Spanish is passionate and...

Fuel Your Body For Dance!

Posted on

Eating right can help you make the most of your ballroom dancing lesson at Fred Astaire Dance Studios as you improve your dance moves! Ballroom dancing is a fun way to stay active and trim your waistline. Thirty minutes on the dance floor can burn at least 200 calories. That’s more than 30 minutes on...

What to Expect At Your First Dance Lesson!

Posted on

Whether you’re learning some new moves for the first dance at your wedding or hoping to drop a few pounds before swimsuit season arrives, your first dance lesson can be a lot to handle. Knowing what to expect during your lesson will help you stay focused and be ready to hit the dance floor. At...

Relieve Daily Stress With Dance!

Fred Astaire Dance Studios urges people to cut loose on the dance floor to help reduce stress and alleviate anxiety during trying times. Watching Russia’s invasion of Ukraine unfold on national television and social media is mobilizing Americans to take action by providing humanitarian aid and support for the people of the democratic nation. At...

Find Your New Year’s Dance Resolution!

The new year is here, and that means it’s time for New Year’s resolutions, promises, and challenges to sweep across the world, and then be promptly forgotten by next month. At Fred Astaire Dance Studios, we believe in setting realistic, achievable goals that help you better yourself. To this end, we’ve compiled a short list...

Give the Gift of Dance This Holiday Season!

No matter what you’re celebrating this holiday season, give your friends and family a gift they’ll treasure! Dance lessons with Fred Astaire Dance Studios make for the perfect present, even if your loved ones don’t have any dance experience.    Dance lessons are a fun and physical activity Does the gift recipient want to start...

Holiday Season Dance Gift Giving Guide!

Ballroom dancers are always looking for new ways to improve their skills and enhance their performances, so there are plenty of opportunities for great gifts out there to help them further their passions. Here are some great gift ideas for the ballroom dancer in your life! Dance Shoes A good pair of dance shoes is...

Dancing for your Health & Wellbeing

Posted on

At Fred Astaire Dance Studios, we believe wholeheartedly in the power of dance as a social engagement and a form of personal improvement and expression! But arguably even more key in the appeal and value of Ballroom dance are the health benefits it can confer! Ballroom dancing and other forms of social dance are powerful...

5 Things You Should Know About the Father-Daughter Dance

Posted on

  The father-daughter dance is a staple at many weddings. It’s the moment when the bride honors their father, and represents the love and gratitude they have for the father or father figure in their life. If you decide to include the father-daughter dance in your own wedding, you might not know where to begin....

Wedding Dance Questions You’re Too Embarrassed to Ask!

Posted on

So! Your wedding day is coming up, and you are now realizing that you have to DANCE! In front of CLOSE FRIENDS AND FAMILY! AAHHHHHH! Take a deep breath. You’ll get through this. To help assuage the fears and concerns of brides and grooms to-be who don’t have any dance experience or knowledge, we’ve compiled...

Famous Dance Moms That Make a Difference!

Posted on

Mother’s Day is the most important day of the year to celebrate moms for all their support and love. However, once we recognize the sacrifices and the time moms dedicate to our success, we can’t help but ask: what would we do without them? Moms deserve more than flowers and brunch for their efforts, especially...

Calm Wedding Dance Jitters With Spotlight-Worthy Moves

Your wedding is a day you hope to remember fondly for the rest of your life, but if something goes wrong, it can easily mar your big day. Take it from the folks who’ve been there for countless couples — your wedding is not something you want to mess up. But many people might not...

Proper Footwear Improves Ballroom Dance Finesse

Students at Fred Astaire Dance Studios are dancing their way to good health by achieving fulfillment and fun on the dance floor. Taking care of your feet by picking proper dance shoes is an important step to take when learning how to salsa, cha-cha and swing. Pay Attention to Your Feet Taking care of your...

Rekindle Romance on the Dance Floor

Resist the temptation this Valentine’s Day to take the easy route and buy a box of chocolates or a bouquet of roses for your significant other. Rekindle romance with your loved one to an innovative alternative by gifting them a ballroom dance lesson at your local Fred Astaire Dance Studios. Ballroom dancing provides a romantic...

Take a Cue From The 1920’s and Learn to Tango

Posted on

Heat up your summer evenings with your favorite partner by letting the professionals at Fred Astaire Dance Studios teach you the tango; a steamy dance that roared onto the dance scene in the 1920s. Holding a red rose between your teeth is optional. The tango has its roots in brothels and dance halls of the...

Dance Spotlight: The Jive!

One of the beauties of ballroom dance is that a once-popular style never needs to go away. It can continue in its original form, or it can grow and change and remain a fixture among savvy dancers. Which brings us to Jive. Once upon a time, this lively style of dance was known as the...

The Best Ballroom Dance Styles For Beginners

Posted on

Learning to dance provides you with social skills that last a lifetime and allows you to feel at ease in any situation where there is music and dancing. Once you decide that now is the time to learn how to dance, you may wonder which style is best to start with and which style will...

4 Reasons to Love The Tango

Posted on

Ah the Tango. Romantic, passionate, intense, sensual. There are so many reasons to love this Latin dance style. The Tango is one of the most highly stylized ballroom dances we teach. It is dramatic, with measured crossing and flexing steps to the front, the side and the back combined with turns. Of all the dances...

A Simple Guide to the 10 Traditional Dances of Ballroom Dance

Posted on

If you are interested in ballroom dance but don’t know where to begin, then there’s only one place to start: beginner dance classes at Fred Astaire  Dance Studios. Learning the most widely known partner dances can make you a star in any social gathering, and bring some fun and culture to your life at the...

How To Tell The Difference Between Popular Types Of Latin Dances

Posted on

Ballroom dance is enjoyed all over the world in a variety of forms, many having common roots. This is particularly true of the popular Latin dances. While we often think of them as South American specialties, their histories are more complicated than that. Many derive from African rhythms and patterns that were later adapted in...

Where To Take Your Dance Routine For Vacation

Posted on

Fred Astaire Dance Studio students work diligently to perfect their steps on the dance floor, to master the dances they learn – and have fun along the way. They come to our partice parties and our outings, they dance, they meet others who share that passion for dancing. But there’s a big world out there, and...

6 Ballroom Dances Sure To Turn Up the Heat This Winter

Dancing is a great way to reignite the flame with your partner and these six styles of dance are sure to keep you warm this winter! Remember, ballroom dancing is a chance to do a little makeover on yourself. Feeling confident makes you feel more desirable – and frankly, how could you not be, with...

How Well Do You Know Ballroom Dance Trivia?

Test your knowledge and see how much you know about ballroom dance trivia, with this super-fun quiz, originally published on Discovery.com. 1. This early form of ballroom dominated the dance scene from the 17th century to the 19th century. A. Minuet B. Waltz C. Reel 2. Which 3/4 count ballroom dance style represented a transition...

4 Reasons Why We Love to Salsa

Posted on

It’s summer, and summer brings the heat. The same goes for one of our favorite dances – salsa. It’s hot, hot, hot. Salsa continues to grow in popularity because of its fast pace and the lively music that accompanies this Caribbean-based dance. Latin dances build to a crescendo, creating tension and release. That makes salsa a...

History of the Cha Cha

Once upon a time, it was known as the Cha-Cha-Cha. Somewhere along the way, it lost a Cha. Now it’s just the Cha Cha, but it has lost none of its appeal! This dance is characterized by three quick steps (Cha-Cha-Cha!) followed by two slower steps. With American Style Cha Cha averaging 30 beats per minute,...

Why Do You Think You Like To Dance?

We know that ballroom dance is beneficial physically, mentally and socially. But what is it, exactly, that makes us like to dance? Beyond the tangible physical, mental and social benefits, why does the movement and the expression of dance give us such pleasure? Now, here at Fred Astaire Dance Studios, we’d probably say we like...

The History of the Foxtrot

When we discuss the basics of ballroom dancing, we often fall back on two of its staple styles – the foxtrot and the waltz. Today we are going to take a closer look at the foxtrot – a smooth, progressive dance characterized by its slow step, and long, sinuous movements.  Named for its creator, vaudeville...

Winter Ball 2016

Posted on

[SGVYT ids =’9F_9nbIB_Ow’ types = ‘yt’ title = ‘undefined’ desc = ‘undefined’]