Many years ago a friend and I met in Las Vegas. One of our typical hangouts has always been the lounge in the Bellagio. The band is terrific and when they take a break you can go out on to the veranda and watch the fountain show from the backside, which is equally as amazing as watching it from the front.

Usually we spend many hours there, dancing the night away. On this particular visit, we sat and watched, discouraged and envious. Normally there are all types of dancers on the dance floor and we never felt the least bit intimidated. On this particular evening, it seemed as though we had been dropped right into the middle of an Arthur Murray dance studio. Everyone on the dance floor was partner dancing as though they had been dancing together their entire lives. We watched in awe as the partners and dances kept changing to the music, and wondered what had happened since the last time we were there. They were having so much fun, and while we enjoyed watching them, we were both thinking the same thing……….I want to do that! My envy turned to desire, I was no longer envious, and I became inspired.

What we learned, while commiserating on the veranda, was that there was a Ballroom Dance Convention in town for the weekend. Something that I never even knew existed. A world of dance. People just like me, not just the professional dancers that you see on TV, but everyday regular Joe’s. It was right then and there that I decided that I was going to learn to dance.

After returning home from that trip, I did not immediately start dancing. I did not have a partner and I really didn’t know what to do. While my excuses slowed me down, they did not quench my thirst. Several years went by and the desire to learn to dance just increased. “Dancing with the Stars” became a phenomenon and my feet became more restless. I moved from southern Ca to Idaho and said, “Self, you have always wanted to learn to dance, there is no time like the present”! Luckily, I stumbled upon a Cha Cha class at our local recreation center. I went alone and have never looked back. Dance is the greatest gift I have ever given myself.

For those of you like me, that have many excuses and reasons why NOT to dance, here are a few really good reasons TO learn to dance.

1. It is Fun!

2. It’s great exercise for the body, mind and spirit.

3. It’s a great way to make new friends.

4. It builds confidence and makes you feel good.

5. It relieves stress.

And did I mention that it is so much FUN?

Let me help you get started, so you don’t waste any more time. Often the most difficult part of doing something new and different is knowing where to begin. You have many options. Let’s compare them and you can decide what works best for you.

The quickest way to learn to dance is to take private, one on one instruction. It is expensive, but affords you the opportunity to progress at a quick pace. I have personally paid $50 – $85 per “dance” hour (which can be anywhere from 45-60 minutes), and have seen prices as high as $150 per “dance” hour. I feel that it is money well spent. I would recommend being careful and selective in choosing a dance instructor. (More on this in another article)

Group lessons are an alternative to private lessons. Most private instructors also teach group lessons. They are much more affordable and often a stepping stone to “interviewing” a dance instructor, that you may want to take private lessons from, after perfecting your basics. They typically cost $25-$55 for a 4-6 week course. You do not need a partner and will make many new friends. Group lessons are often taught at dance studios and local Recreation and Senior Centers. The atmosphere is non intimidating and fun.

Many cities and towns have local Swing Dance and Ballroom Dance organizations that offer monthly dances with a lesson prior to their dance. They are also a great way to find instructors and ongoing dance classes. These dances and lessons are generally $5-$10.

Organizations and dance studios may also offer weekend workshops. These can be overwhelming at first, but give a beginning dancer the opportunity learn and practice for many hours at a time, helping to develop muscle memory. I encourage you to sign up for the first weekend workshop that you can find. The typical cost is $40-$100 per weekend. They often coincide with membership drives. I encourage you to join the organizations and get on their email list. They will keep you informed to upcoming dance opportunities.

If you really want to indulge yourself, attend a convention. Make sure if you are a beginner, that they offer beginning instruction. Conventions offer intensive instruction and many hours of dance practice as well as competitions. The last one I attended, I danced until 4 am every night, and when I left the dance floor, it was still packed! At a convention you will have the opportunity to watch and dance with incredibly talented dancers. Keep in mind, that the only difference between you and them is time and effort. Conventions typically cost $100 plus for 3 or more days. They are worth every cent!

Local bars, pubs and lounges often offer free dance lessons several night a week. Check them out and make a few phone calls. You are sure to find them.

Online instruction and DVD’s are another alternative to learning to dance if there is no instruction available or if you are intimidated or self conscious. It is also a great way to reinforcement all of the above suggestions. Remembering what you learned in your lesson is very difficult in the beginning. Do not become discouraged! It gets easier, I promise.

You can find excellent online instruction at www.LearntoBallroomDanceOnline.com

If you have a desire to learn to dance, do not allow anything to stop you. I hope that the above suggestions will help to move your feet onto the nearest dance floor.

Happy Dancing,

Ras #1

Posted for Robert:

While not a Luddite, I am thick when it comes to computers and sites. So, I decided to write the paragraph in this form and hope that you folks will post it on your blog site.

It was Friday night and I was in town for the upcoming Mario Robau workshop. Shorty’s had been recommended to me as a local dance option. Not knowing what to expect, I sat down at the bar and took in the lay of the land. The band had yet to start and the local WCS dancers had the run of the floor. I was pleasantly surprised at the skill level. Mario’s presence as one of the dancers might have influenced this. Not knowing anyone I wondered who was available for dancing? Unable to resist the urge, I steeled myself with the belief that dancers love to dance and asked Ras #1. The dance went every bit as well as I had hoped. The rest of the evening went even better in that both Ras #1 and #2 turned out to be wonderful people in every sense of the word. They also attended the weekend workshop and made the whole experience so much richer for me in the warmth of the connection. I attended the workshop hoping simply to improve my dancing. I think this objective was met. Meeting two wonderful people was icing on the cake and every bit as rewarding as the dancing.

Friday night, after my private dance lesson with Mario Robau, Ras #2 and I headed down to “Shorty’s”, another Boise Honky Tonk. Not long after we got there, practically all of the other dancers’ dispersed. As usual, Ras #2 and I were left standing there, looking at each other. Just as we were deciding what to do a gentleman walked up and asked if he could West Coast Swing dance with me. Now, having had this happen before, I did not know what to expect, so I headed to the dance floor a bit apprehensive.

Much to my delight, not only was the gentleman, aka Robert, a wonderful dancer, it turns out that he is also a great guy! Ras #2 and I spent the entire evening (and weekend) dancing with him. We took turns, so we got a break. He, on the other hand, or should I say foot, must have been exhausted! He never complained and just kept dancing. The band was good, the DJ was better, and we had the whole dance floor to ourselves. What more can a dancing girl ask for! Seems that he was in town for the Mario Robau workshop, and heard that Shorty’s was where the dancers’ would be hanging out. Once again, dancers’ all speak the same language.

Thank you, Robert for the best Friday dance night I have had in a really long time!

Mario Robau

Several times throughout the year, the High Desert Swing Dance Club brings professional dancers to Boise to hold weekend workshops. This past weekend (November 15-16, 2008) we had the great opportunity to learn from the best! Mario “Swing Daddy” Robau spent the weekend here, dancing with us. It was by far, the best workshop that I have ever attended. Mario is not only an extremely talented dancer and coach, he is also the “teacher’s teacher”.

I don’t know how many of you have taken private dance lessons, but I am here to tell you, that when an opportunity like Mario arises, you do NOT want to miss it. It is an opportunity to have the “best”, critique your dancing, and correct your bad habits and to encourage and enlighten your dancing ability.

It is often the small things (ones that you do not even realize you are doing), that keep a good dancer from becoming a great one! When he dances with you, he sees and feels things that you are completely unaware of. It may be a small adjustment that you need to make, or a large one, but whatever the case may be, it is time and money well spent! I encourage all of you to take a private lesson from a well trained dancer and instructor at least once a month.

Yes, I am walking, or should I say dancing around my house completely different than I was two days ago! My hips are a bit sore, as are my little baby toes, my brain is a bit overloaded, but I know, that eventually with practice all of the great tips that Mario gave me will eventually become second nature, and my dancing will move up a notch, with any luck, maybe even two!

Thanks, Mario , for your time and willingness to share your amazing talent and experience with us! And thanks for the best, most fun Country Two Step Dance that I have ever danced!

Mario has online dance instruction and DVD’s @ www.MarioSwingDaddy.com