Tuesday, June 15, 2010

DeSoto Kicks Off Lunch, Rush Hour Classes at Downtown Fred Astaire

from chicagonow.com:

Local celeb and former Dancing with the Stars dancer Jesse DeSoto is kicking the summer off with a new class series at his newest Fred Astaire studio downtown.

The new classes target professionals working downtown who want to utilize their lunch hours or rush hours for something other than eating or commuting through heavy traffic.

DeSoto says the classes are perfect for people looking to "enjoy their time instead of spending it in a cubicle or on the road." With these classes, attendees will be able to learn a new skill during a time which otherwise might be wasted sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

The class targets adult beginners looking to improve their skills on the dance floor (it is wedding season people!). But with any skill that takes practice, the sky is the limit. DeSoto himself didn't start until after high school. The former high school jock started out training when he was 19 at the Fred Astaire near his hometown of Greendale, Wisconsin. The rest is history, as he started competing with Jackie Josephs in 2003 and winning countless titles, including 2nd place in the World Mambo.

DeSoto got picked up by Dancing with the Stars in 2006, and danced with Shanna Moakler, former Miss USA and Travis Barker's ex-wife. DeSoto retired from competing in 2008. He opened Fred Astaire studios in Buffalo Grove and South Barrington, Illinois, in 2008, and then purchased the downtown Chicago location this past April.

The kickoff event for the Lunch Hour and Rush Hour Beginner Group Dance Lessons is at China Grill this Tuesday, June 15, at 12:15 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. DeSoto and his staff will lead a free 30-minute group lesson, have dance demos, drawing for prizes, and complimentary tastes from China Grill's revamped menu. The actual lesson series begins June 21. For more information call the studio at (312) 263-6505.

No comments: