tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362568662012-01-31T01:56:08.664-05:00Welcome to the blog for the Fred Astaire Dance Studios. Inside you'll find information about current events, dance news, and stories about our dance instructors and studios. Please leave comments and check back for daily updates. <a href="http://www.fredastaire.com">Visit our national site for a complete dance studio directory.</a>Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.comBlogger9401100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-61381159861420688602012-01-27T10:44:00.000-05:002012-01-27T10:45:18.313-05:00

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-7738446432164145752012-01-26T10:45:00.011-05:002012-01-27T14:03:00.798-05:00

<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt

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Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-74865015898948775722012-01-18T12:19:00.014-05:002012-01-20T11:12:13.819-05:00

~by Carmen Champagne<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:"";

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-7548686971055220392012-01-13T12:07:00.003-05:002012-01-13T15:25:04.077-05:00

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-76100835252716076572012-01-11T15:26:00.001-05:002012-01-19T15:39:44.200-05:00

-by Carmen Champagne I think there area lot of people like me out there who harbor a little secret spot inside them that yearns to learn to dance. The reasons are different for everyone, I’m sure. But for me it was that scene in the movie, Swingers. Mike, the more contemplative friend of the swinging bunch, was so busy hanging onto his old, less than desirable relationship that the art of

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-75436647538271784402011-12-21T12:58:00.002-05:002011-12-21T12:58:29.346-05:00

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-24314428952729696842011-12-12T09:13:00.000-05:002011-12-12T13:12:56.224-05:00

Fred Astaire Franchised Dance Studios proudly presents the West Coast Dance Championships, January 20-22, 2012 at The Hyatt Regency in the picturesque seaside community of La Jolla, CA.  The Saturday night gala will showcase the winning professional dancers of the weekend’s competition as well as an exhibition performance by five-time World Cabaret Champions, five-time US Champions and

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Do you think she can dance?  Watch for yourself. Coming soon...

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-20383036650902686822011-11-18T15:32:00.001-05:002011-11-18T15:37:34.115-05:00

~by Nancy Lapierre Tomorrow, November 19, Upper Montclair FADS teachers Kostadin Bidjourov and Carrie Babcock, as well as their adorable daughter, are definitely looking forward to a good morning, America! Emi, with dad, Kostadin Bidjourov We join them in being so excited that their little girl, Emi, is appearing on the ABC television show, Good Morning America, for a Disney promotion!

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Born Frederick Austerlitz (1899) in Omaha, Nebraska, Astaire was the quintessential American innovator in film and stage, as well as a master dancer, choreographer, actor and singer. His career spanned a total of 76 years, during that time he made 31 musical films, ten of which he made with Ginger Rogers (whose name is practically synonymous with Astaire). Named as the fifth “Greatest Male

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The Tampa Bay edition of the Gulf Coast Business Review recently ran a story on president and CEO of Ambassor Limousine, Ken Lucci and his involvement in this year's Tampa Bay's Dancing with the Stars. The event is a dance competition featuring local celebrities and raises money for area charity organizations including, Hands Across the Bay, Kids Charity of Tampa Bay and Pepin Academies.Lucci was

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Ever wonder if doctors’ heed their own advice for living a more healthy and fit lifestyle? Fred Astaire Dance Studios in Durham, North Carolina can attest to it. Duke anesthesiologist, Jennifer Fortney reluctantly attended a ballroom guest party and was instantly “hooked”. This past September she competed in the United States Dance Championships and placed second in the bronze level of the

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-81803278710222575322011-10-04T10:32:00.011-05:002011-10-04T13:23:09.170-05:00

Why not host a movie marathon that will inspire your guests to get up and dance? Here's a list of our top ballroom dance movies:5. Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing and Charm School (2005) - This charming, star-studded movie (including Marisa Tomei, John Goodman, Mary Steenburgen and Danny Devito) unfolds when grieving widow Frank, fulfills a dying man's wish and attends a ballroom dance class

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-80955211023334312132011-09-30T08:37:00.003-05:002011-09-30T09:01:23.931-05:00

When Barbara Carroll walked into the Fred Astaire Dance Studio of Plymouth, Massachusetts, for her very first dance lesson on September 27, 2010, it was certainly no accident! She could never have imagined that just one year later, almost to the very day, she’d be starring in a TV commercial for the world-famous BlueCross and Blue Shield insurance association. Carroll is featured with

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Fred Astaire Dance Studios invites you to experience the magic of dance at the next 2011 National Dance Championship being held October 26-30 at the Hilton Bonnet Creek Resort in Orlando, Florida. You will make everlasting memories at this action-packed event filled with competitive dancing and spectacular professional performances. Saturday night’s Gala Banquet will be the highlight of the

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Can you imagine our pleasure at discovering Fred Astaire’s image (well, sort of) inside a well-loved children’s storybook, My Name Is Not Alexander? Alexander is a little boy with big dreams. Through a series of conversations with Dad from breakfast to bedtime, Alexander changes his name half a dozen times to match those of heroes he identifies with, including Theodore Roosevelt, Jackie

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-67623182620805524102011-07-05T13:16:00.005-05:002011-07-05T13:25:59.885-05:00

Nice "careers" ad from the Denver North Fred Astaire Dance Studio...* *

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-13412437871644580072011-06-30T13:17:00.002-05:002011-06-30T13:21:59.581-05:00

George C. Ballas, Sr., father of ballroom dance champion Mark “Corky” Ballas and grandfather of professional dancer and Dancing With the Stars pro Mark Ballas Jr., passed away on June 25, 2011. He was 85 years old.George was born in Ruston, Louisiana, in 1926. Upon reaching 17 years-of-age, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF), serving in the Second World War as a bombardier. He would

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-48516369251326140522011-06-15T10:30:00.004-05:002011-06-15T10:38:50.992-05:00

Over at the Upper Montclair studio's blog, owner Carrie Babcock has a terrific post on why it's important to compete in ballroom dancing."We seriously doubt that you decided to pursue ballroom dancing because you needed another activity to fill your dull and boring life," writes Carrie. "Most of us barely have time to watch the Dancing with the Stars episode that we TIVO’d. Competitive dancing

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-19989429076308741782011-05-26T09:37:00.004-05:002011-05-26T10:18:45.188-05:00

This week - the final week of our Season 12 DWTS Power Rankings - we see Chelsea Kane dropping from her #1 spot all the way down to #3, and by no fault of her own other than not having enough fans. Mirror Ball Trophy winner Hines Ward was a consistent #1 finisher throughout the weeks of this competition, and he was never seriously in jeopardy. Kirstie Alley managed to capture 2nd Place thanks

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-70717375814943853782011-05-25T14:12:00.007-05:002011-05-26T09:49:56.058-05:00

Season 12 of Dancing with the Stars is finally upon us. Each week Syracuse, NY FADS co-owner and award-winning ballroom dancer Natasha Oreshkina will be sharing her thoughts on the competition and giving us her take on which celebrities had the best week on the dance floor and which ones should be getting ready to pack their bags.*WEEK TEN Okay, this past week was the Finals on Dancing with the

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-35983960198032799592011-05-18T11:29:00.009-05:002011-05-19T08:19:50.090-05:00

Well, this week on DWTS we didn't see any surprises in the contest. As I expected, Ralph Macchio and Kirstie Alley were the two "in jeopardy" celebrities and, thankfully, Chelsea did not join them. There's been a lot of debate on the ABC DWTS message boards about Ralph deserving to stay and how Chelsea (possibly) has the lowest fan votes and so she should have gone, blah, blah, blah and so forth.

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-23911173614182574432011-05-18T11:18:00.007-05:002011-05-19T08:06:18.833-05:00

Season 12 of Dancing with the Stars is finally upon us. Each week Syracuse, NY FADS co-owner and award-winning ballroom dancer Natasha Oreshkina will be sharing her thoughts on the competition and giving us her take on which celebrities had the best week on the dance floor and which ones should be getting ready to pack their bags.*WEEK NINE[Natasha]This week we had four couples performing three

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-50935284194324702872011-05-17T07:46:00.001-05:002011-05-18T11:01:29.081-05:00

As I mentioned in last week's Power Rankings, Romeo held on in Week 7 only due to Kendra's presence and subsequent elimination. With her out of the way, Romeo was the next weakest link in the DWTS competitive chain.Something told me, even as I watched the drama of the "in jeopardy" showdown between Romeo and Ralph Macchio, that Romeo's time had come. Ralph's fan base, I'm beginning to think, is

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-63542253093555173952011-05-16T10:36:00.003-05:002011-05-16T11:08:23.915-05:00

[NOTE: This is a re-posting of a post published last week that was evidently removed from Blogger.] Season 12 of Dancing with the Stars is finally upon us. Each week Syracuse, NY FADS co-owner and award-winning ballroom dancer Natasha Oreshkina will be sharing her thoughts on the competition and giving us her take on which celebrities had the best week on the dance floor and which ones should be

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-50328489776820092792011-05-04T12:24:00.011-05:002011-05-05T10:38:45.030-05:00

It took Kendra Wilkinson 6 weeks to get excited about competing on Dancing With The Stars. On Week 7, she was voted off. The outcome that so many have been waiting to see has finally happened. On Tuesday night, at the end of Week 7 of Dancing With The Stars, Kendra Wilkinson's name was the last one called out by host Tom Bergeron - and on DWTS, that meant the competition was over for her.A lot of

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-349345556490621922011-05-04T10:34:00.012-05:002011-05-05T07:49:39.743-05:00

Season 12 of Dancing with the Stars is finally upon us. Each week Syracuse, NY FADS co-owner and award-winning ballroom dancer Natasha Oreshkina will be sharing her thoughts on the competition and giving us her take on which celebrities had the best week on the dance floor and which ones should be getting ready to pack their bags.*WEEK SEVEN[Natasha] This week the couples were separated into two

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-15381747839331698782011-04-26T13:11:00.018-05:002011-04-28T11:25:44.372-05:00

What is it with the pros this season? First Maksim Chmerkovskiy has a muscle pull and drops Kirstie Alley, and now Karina Smirnoff trips over partner Ralph Macchio's coat tails. Mak's mishap didn't appear to cost Kirstie any points (perhaps because it was injury-related?), but Karina's spill probably dropped Ralph's score by a couple of points, at least. Let's get it together, pros!On with this

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-61609093188045297342011-04-26T12:55:00.008-05:002011-04-27T15:29:18.963-05:00

Season 12 of Dancing with the Stars is finally upon us. Each week Syracuse, NY FADS co-owner and award-winning ballroom dancer Natasha Oreshkina will be sharing her thoughts on the competition and giving us her take on which celebrities had the best week on the dance floor and which ones should be getting ready to pack their bags.*WEEK SIX[Natasha] Well, once again there's still no clear leader

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-44403264145344457792011-04-21T12:02:00.004-05:002011-04-21T12:08:32.933-05:00

In his latest film-making endeavor, The Cave of Forgotten Dreams, German director Werner Herzog takes us back to the early Paleolithic era as he examines cave paintings and engravings found in the famed Chauvet Cave, located in France, which were first discovered in 1994. Herzog brings his unique talent of direction to a new level with this production as he delivers a 3-D presentation that draws

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-58261652262186541272011-04-21T07:32:00.011-05:002011-04-21T10:12:38.420-05:00

Well, wasn't Week 5 of DWTS an interesting one for everyone? We all got to listen to some patriotic songs and watch our favorite celebrities do their thing on the dance floor as best they could. Some of the dances fit in pretty well with their accompanying tunes, while others seemed a bit out of place. Regardless, there were some really good scores on Monday all the way around, with no one

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-81539641532797558282011-04-19T12:31:00.010-05:002011-04-20T13:37:11.407-05:00

Season 12 of Dancing with the Stars is finally upon us. Each week Syracuse, NY FADS co-owner and award-winning ballroom dancer Natasha Oreshkina will be sharing her thoughts on the competition and giving us her take on which celebrities had the best week on the dance floor and which ones should be getting ready to pack their bags.*WEEK FIVE[Natasha] This week was all about celebrating America,

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-6899330808841678612011-04-13T14:19:00.012-05:002011-04-14T07:38:32.538-05:00

Season 12 of Dancing with the Stars is finally upon us. Each week Syracuse, NY FADS co-owner and award-winning ballroom dancer Natasha Oreshkina will be sharing her thoughts on the competition and giving us her take on which celebrities had the best week on the dance floor and which ones should be getting ready to pack their bags.*WEEK FOUR[Natasha] This week was Classic Music night, and I

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-60193884379840007302011-04-08T07:46:00.010-05:002011-04-13T15:02:01.763-05:00

Season 12 of Dancing with the Stars is finally upon us. Each week Syracuse, NY FADS co-owner and award-winning ballroom dancer Natasha Oreshkina will be sharing her thoughts on the competition and giving us her take on which celebrities had the best week on the dance floor and which ones should be getting ready to pack their bags.There were 10 dancers on this third week of Dancing with the Stars

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-77226625082872791642011-03-31T09:49:00.003-05:002011-03-31T13:06:28.520-05:00

Season 12 of Dancing with the Stars is finally upon us. Each week Syracuse, NY FADS co-owner and award-winning ballroom dancer Natasha Oreshkina will be sharing her thoughts on the competition and giving us her take on which celebrities had the best week on the dance floor and which ones should be getting ready to pack their bags.*WEEK TWO[Natasha] Because there was no elimination last week,

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-84925719712527951752011-03-28T10:13:00.004-05:002011-03-28T10:36:25.847-05:00

The website Zap2it.com has a listing of the dances that each couple competing on Dancing With The Stars has selected to perform on tonight's episode. (They got the listing by following the celebs & pros comments on Twitter.) According to the site, they are:Quickstep:Wendy Williams & Tony Dovolani Chris Jericho & Cheryl BurkeKendra Wilkinson & Louis Van AmstelKirstie Alley & Maks ChmerkovskiyRomeo

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-71029237226303619192011-03-25T12:52:00.005-05:002011-03-25T15:53:49.471-05:00

There's a lot going on now that Dancing With The Stars has finally fired up its 12th season. Beyond the usual storylines and online news blurbs, there's also a fair amount of chatter going back and forth over on Twitter - and its coming from the stars and pro dancer themselves.Below is a listing of Twitter comments made from celebrities and their pro dance partners going back to DWTS's premier

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Season 12 of Dancing with the Stars is finally upon us. Each week Syracuse, NY FADS co-owner and award-winning ballroom dancer Natasha Oreshkina will be sharing her thoughts on the competition and giving us her take on which celebrities had the best week on the dance floor and which ones should be getting ready to pack their bags.*WEEK ONE[Natasha] On the premiere episode of Dancing with the

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-81702694112119391432011-03-21T07:45:00.004-05:002011-03-25T15:08:07.136-05:00

Dancing With The Stars premieres tonight at 8:00pm EST on ABC. Below are key dates that fans might want to take note of as the season unfolds. (Dates provided by TVGrapevine.com and may be subject to change.)- "Dancing with the Stars'" two-hour season premiere performance show, MONDAY, MARCH 21 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET).- "Dancing with the Stars the Results Show" one-hour season premiere, TUESDAY,

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As Season 12 of Dancing with the Stars gets ready to kick off this March 21, celebrity contestants are prepping their moves and hoping that what they’ve got will be enough to take home the much-coveted Mirror Ball Trophy.Contestant and former Playboy model Kendra Wilkinson was quoted as saying she’s really just a freestyler and that other contestants such as Sugar Ray Leonard, Chris Jericho and

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-88895349442444244572011-03-04T08:45:00.007-05:002011-03-04T12:49:09.912-05:00

The entire lineup of professional dancers set to appear on Season 12 of Dancing With The Stars is listed below. (The pros are in bold, their celebrity partners are to their right.) The season starts on Monday, March 21st!Tony Dovolani --- Wendy WilliamsAnna Trebunskaya --- Sugar Ray LeonardChelsie Hightower --- RomeoCheryl Burke --- Chris JerichoDmitry Chaplin --- Petra NemcovaKarina Smirnoff ---

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-35402668244359672722011-03-01T08:42:00.003-05:002011-03-01T09:15:43.148-05:00

Last night Dancing with the Stars announced its celebrity cast of competitors for Season 12. This season's Dancing Stars are:Men- Rapper Lil' Romeo- Retired boxer Sugar Ray Leonard- The original "Karate Kid," Ralph Macchio- Wrestler Chris Jericho- Football player Hines Ward- "Loveline" host Mike CatherwoodWomen- Disney actress Chelsea Kane- Model Petra Nemcova- Reality star Kendra Wilkinson- Talk

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The world of dance has greatly benefited from such television hits as Dancing With The Stars and So You Think You Can Dance, and this year dancing fans everywhere have been given yet another treat to satisfy their craving for high-energy dance competition.Live to Dance premiered on January 4, 2011 with a diverse assortment of acts and with a judging format that gave the viewing audience

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In the latest issue of Dance Beat, writer Andrew Pueschel interviews professional dancer Karen Hauer.Hauer and her husband & partner, Matt, are currently ranked #6 in the USA in NDCA American Rhythm and captured 2nd place in Mambo at the 2007 NDC Championships, according to Hauer's Facebook page. Hauer has also danced with partners Kevin Hunte (Cha-Cha) and Victor Smalley (Tango, hip-hop) on TV's

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-2795661121990092512011-02-01T08:42:00.006-05:002011-02-01T10:15:59.872-05:00

This past January has been a snowy one for us here at FADS Corporate. In one week's time we had about three feet of snow dumped on us as two storms came by, one after the other (click on the photo above for a larger view). Now it's snowing again today, and local forecasts are calling for another foot-plus to fall by Wednesday.Happy days!

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-72954742726070043422011-01-28T09:53:00.002-05:002011-01-28T10:01:15.127-05:00

Pop Eater reports that Bristol Palin says she has left her Alaska home for good and that "Dancing With the Stars" was the catalyst."Bristol loves her mom and family, but it was time for her to start her own life with her son," writes Rob Shuter of Pop Eater, citing a friend of Palin's. "'Dancing With the Stars' changed her life. She had never left home before, and it gave her the confidence to

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Below are the award winners at this year's FADS West Coast Dance Championships.Congratulations to all the award winners in this year’s event. Special thanks to everyone who helped organize this event and to all the attendees!Top Amateur CoupleMaria and Tony Sanchez, Pasadena, CATop Newcomer StudentsMale - David Harris, Portland, ORFemale - Erin Brown, West Hartford, CTTop Bronze StudentsMale -

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This news was first announced in our online In Step newsletter, but I thought I'd get it out here for those who don't subscribe to it.We have welcomed in yet another Fred Astaire Dance Studio franchise, in Greenfield, Wisconsin. Owners Richard and Vanina Soppa have been with Fred Astaire for several years, now, and decided to start their own "Fred Astaire Family," which opened this January 10.

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Over at a website called Film Misery, blogger Alex Carlson has put together what he calls Fred Astaire's top 10 finest dancing scenes. He's listed them all along with accompanying YouTube videos.Regardless of whether you agree with his selections, the videos are some of Fred's best moments in film.Check out the post here.* *

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-42187353277090587162011-01-13T08:54:00.003-05:002011-01-13T09:07:04.699-05:00

The Upper Montclair FADS blog has a great post on New Year's resolutions that relate to ballroom dancing. Actually, the resolutions themselves are pretty general on their own, but the post follows up their listing with a more detailed analysis on why they are all, in fact, associated with the benefits of ballroom dance.Read the Upper Montclair FADS post here.

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-59061808293523320352011-01-11T12:01:00.004-05:002011-01-11T12:15:01.755-05:00

On January 9, 2011, the 10th BDFI Malaysia Open DanceSport Championship was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Below is a video clip from the event along with a link below that to more videos.Check out this link for more videos of the 10th BDFI Malaysia Open DanceSport Championships 2011.

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Stamford, CT, first lady Maureen Pavia is set to launch her version of Dancing Classrooms today (January 10th) after the project was initially announced last September.Pavia, who, according to The Daily Stamford, is herself an accomplished ballroom dancer, is excited about the opportunity. She spent a week in New York last November training for her role in the program. "I'm thrilled, I'm

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-7103022510272949482011-01-07T12:07:00.002-05:002011-01-07T12:11:12.121-05:00

Competitive ballroom dancing isn’t just for studios and television, and in December students at Jefferson Jr. High School, in Woodridge, Illinois, took to the dance floor to compete in that school’s 6th annual Dance Finals Contest.“During the four-week unit,” writes Woodridge Patch Editor Mellissa Tussing, “the students worked on the waltz, cha-cha, tango and swing and line dancing.“Students

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-8590173559852484522011-01-05T09:46:00.003-05:002011-01-05T09:56:46.936-05:00

Keeping your kids occupied can be a chore sometimes. (Keeping them away from video games can be even harder!)Over at the Stop Tantrums blog, writer "Matt" has a great idea to keep our bored children busy: Ballroom dancing."For those who have been searching for a new activity for your youthful child that is certainly as advantageous to them as it is fun, how about ballroom dance lessons?" Matt

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The Eastern United States Dancesport Championships are set for February 18-20, 2011, at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel. According to the event's website, they are expecting an estimated 3000-plus participants. The three day event will include "a variety of dance, clothing, food, sports equipment and health-related products and services."For more information, check out their webpage, here

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-67377698977763335722011-01-03T09:56:00.003-05:002011-01-03T10:06:31.859-05:00

The stage production "Burn the Floor" came to us long before there ever was a Dancing with the Stars or So You Think You Can Dance. Celebrity Attractions now brings the show to Oklahoma City to kick off 2011...Celebrity Attractions kicks off 2011 with production of ‘Burn the Floor'

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-8884077658556115102010-12-29T08:37:00.005-05:002010-12-30T11:15:49.205-05:00

Vowing not to let misfortune bring him down, bodybuilder champ Nick Scott transformed himself in just a few years' time from a depressed, out-of-shape victim of a car crash (which left him wheelchair-bound) to a national bodybuilding champion.Scott achieved his goal and then some, becoming the nation's leading advocate for wheelchair bodybuilding, according to Kansas City Star reporter Edward M.

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The West Coast Championships are set for January 21 & 22, 2011 (Friday and Saturday):Friday January 21, 2011 Hotel Check in All Smooth DivisionsAll International Latin DivisionsAll Smooth Solos and Showcases Saturday January 22, 2011 All Standard DivisionsAll Rhythm DivisionsAll Rhythm Solos and Showcases Awards Banquet Showcase of Championships featuring Mikhail Zharinov and Galina Detkina

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-42636723850510455922010-12-23T12:29:00.002-05:002010-12-23T12:32:54.103-05:00

Below is an interesting comparison photograph I ran across. Not bad!see more Celeb Look-A-Likes

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-73180215144370918472010-12-23T10:42:00.002-05:002010-12-23T10:45:09.283-05:00

This just in from the Illinois News Tribune:"Planning has begun for the 2011 edition of Illinois Valley Cellular’s Dancing with the Stars for Charity.Local charities and high-profile local “stars” can submit requests to participate by emailing Don Grant Zellmer at dongrantzellmer1@yahoo.com and including “Dancing with the Stars ‘11” in the subject line.The annual event pairs local celebrities

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-2180269544999662552010-12-22T10:59:00.002-05:002010-12-22T11:27:16.328-05:00

Brady Bunch fanatics and fans of Florence Henderson will get a chance to see their favorite celebrities on board a week-long cruise planned for 2012.The "Ballroom Dance Celebration at Sea 2012" is set to sail January 7-14, 2012, heading out of Miami, Florida on a round trip voyage. "Mrs. Brady" will be along for the trip and will also be hosting a cocktail party. Other Brady Bunch alumni going

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-1537718653659798162010-12-22T08:41:00.002-05:002010-12-22T08:47:22.017-05:00

<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>

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DECEMBER UPDATE: The winners of the 2010 WDC Disney Resort World Open Championship's Amateur Ballroom competition, held on December 10 - 12 in Paris, France are:1.) Gaetano Iavarone & Emanuela Napolitano (Italy)2.) Andrey Sirbu & Alexandra Hixson, of (England)3.) Ben Taylor & Stefani Bossen (England)4.) Richard Still & Morgan Hemphill (England)

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With Season 11 now in the bag (as of this past November), fans of Dancing with the Stars will have to suffer through yet another long, cold winter before they get to resume their addiction this coming spring, when the hit show begins its 12th Season.But the harsh winter weeks don't have to all be about living in the "doldrums," as writer Gina Carbone puts it. Carbone, who writes for WetPaint.com,

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By Natasha Oreshkina, award winning ballroom dancerI want to start off by saying that I am very happy that Jennifer Grey won the competition! She was definitely the winner and the best dancer!For Jennifer's freestyle, everyone was waiting to see some dance from the Dirty Dancing movie and she didn't disappoint. Her "salsa-style" freestyle put her in first place!I was glad to see Kyle Massey come

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-17725244191059769342010-11-26T08:38:00.001-05:002010-11-26T08:44:30.586-05:00

from chicagonow.com:On Monday, the Ledge at the Willis Tower Skydeck had a first......in fact...it may be a first-time ever...anywhere......a Salsa was performed 1,353 feet above the ground, with a hazy Chicago Skyline as the stage.Jesse DeSoto and partner Jaana Lillemagi from the Fred Astaire Dance Studio [200 North Michigan Avenue] performed a salsa on the 103rd floor of the Willis Tower,

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-70823131798250806732010-11-23T14:24:00.001-05:002010-11-23T14:26:10.155-05:00

from news.yahoo.com:Keri WithingtonFri Nov 19, 12:17 pm ETWhether you are single and dating around, in a new relationship, or celebrating your golden wedding anniversary, you can always use a little more romance in your life. Whether you want to get the girl or impress the one that you have, you can learn something from Fred Astaire's classic movie Top Hat. Here are love lessons every man should

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from buffalogrove.patch.com:Buffalo Grove dance studio owner will perform a salsa 103 stories above ground.Jesse DeSoto, owner of Fred Astaire Studio in Buffalo Grove, will attempt to set a world record Monday by dancing 1,353 feet over the city of Chicago.With partner Jaana Lillemagi, he will perform a salsa on The Ledge at the Willis Tower's Skydeck. The Ledge features a series of glass bays

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Week NineBy Natasha Oreshkina, award winning ballroom dancerThis week, the semi-finals, each dancer had to dance one Latin and one Ballroom dance.Kyle Massey's first dance was a Samba. There was a lot of shaking going on! He showed the character of the dance. His Argentine Tango was also a good routine, one of his best performances ever! He ended up with a total score of 58 out of 60.The solo

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-60809749166970552972010-11-19T12:16:00.001-05:002010-11-19T12:18:00.237-05:00

from examiner.com:After eleven seasons, fans of Dancing With the Stars have come to expect the unexpected. So, what were the Top 10 most shocking moments on Dancing With the Stars? Yes, the elimination of Brandy from the current season makes the list!1.Marie Osmond faints in season 5. After performing a lively Samba with partner Jonathan Roberts, Marie Osmond faced the judges to hear their

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from more.com:by "Dr. Deb" Castaldo Guest WriterFor years, I wasted my energies chasing a fairy tale. Then I took up ballroom dancing. and discovered parts of myself I didn’t know existed.Curtain up! This Renaissance woman is reinventing her former shy self in bold ballroom style! I’m dancing on out my Act I and kicking up my heels in my Act II with a sexy cha cha cha complete with fringes,

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New Testimonial Videos! Blog Fred Astaire Tampa Bay

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from thesunnews.com:Dance competition aids education, symphonyBy Steve Palisin"Annnnd one," he would say, counting off to start some box steps as part of the waltz they will dance Saturday evening during the third annual "Horry County Dancing With the Stars."The fundraiser, at Grande Dunes Marina Inn in Myrtle Beach, helps the Business/Education Expectations (BE2) Partnership/Early College High

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Week EightBy Natasha Oreshkina, award winning ballroom dancerThis week, the celebrities had to perform two dances: one ballroom dance and one "Insta-Dance" where they didn't know what song they were dancing to until the very last minute. It was interesting to see how the couples improvised, with such short notice.Kyle Massey's first dance was a Viennese Waltz. Lacey was hard on Kyle during the

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from westseattleherald.com:By Steve Shay2010-11-07If you ask Tyler McKenzie about his grandfather, he might dance around the topic. That's because his grandfather was Fred Astaire, and he is shy about discussing it. But he did, with the West Seattle Herald, and seemed to develop a bounce in his step recalling hanging out with perhaps the greatest dancer in the world.Full disclosure, they were

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Week SevenBy Natasha Oreshkina, award winning ballroom dancerThis was another shocking week with a surprise elimination. All the couples were asked to perform a new interpretation of an old routine. But first they participated in a Cha-Cha Challenge. Team Kristi included Rick Fox, Kyle Massey, and Bristol Palin and Team Appollo had Kurt Warner, Brandy, and Jennifer Grey. Team Kristi's performance

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from wellesleynewonline.com:By Anna Tupper-Bridges '14Copy EditorMoments before a ballroom dance competition starts, the dancers take a deep breath, stand up straight, and, according to dancer Lena Mironciuc '13, "find themselves." Then, they focus on their partners. "It's magical, it feels so good when it's done right," Mironciuc said.Getting that moment right, however, takes more time than some

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from reuters.com:Wed Nov 3, 2010 1:17am EDTBy James HibberdLOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - In 2004, the BBC rummaged through its library and dusted off "Come Dancing," a ballroom-competition series that launched in 1948 and ran for nearly five decades.The British state broadcaster planned to revamp it into a celebrity edition titled "Strictly Come Dancing." Before its U.K. premiere, producers

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-15770146174191242112010-11-01T10:47:00.002-05:002010-11-01T11:03:24.073-05:00

To celebrate the 200th episode of Dancing With The Stars today, let’s take a look at all the professional dancers who have participated throughout the years on this hit show. What does it take to earn a spot as an instructor to the stars?(Some of these names you’ll recognize but others you may not…)Louis Van AmstelAppearing in seven seasons of DWTS, Louis Van Amstel is an accomplished, Dutch-born

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from examiner.com:By Patsy Holden, Orlando Ballroom Dancing Examiner.. No matter what generation you emerge from, there will always be something that the younger generations do that cause you to shake your head and frown with disgust. Believe it or not, the Waltz was once considered one of those very things, the downfall of young society.It is true, yet hard to believe, that there was once a

Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16528025985639666412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256866.post-1074300683798468572010-10-29T08:41:00.002-05:002010-10-29T08:42:09.277-05:00

Auditions are underway for season 8 of the hit show So You Think You Can Dance. The show will continue its search for America’s Favorite Dancer on Monday, Nov. 15 at the Howard Gilman Opera House at BAM in Brooklyn, NY.Additional audition cities, dates and venues will be announced.

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Week SixBy Natasha Oreshkina, award winning ballroom dancerThis week's theme was rock and roll with a group marathon at the end.Brandy had the best performance of the night with her Tango danced to "I Need A Hero." Brandy and Maks are becoming a very interesting couple to watch. They won the best routine for the night and finished first place in the marathon.Audrina Patridge came in second place

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from abcnews.com:It was the biggest shocker of the season so far.Audrina Patridge, who entered the limelight via the MTV reality show, "The Hills," was voted off "Dancing With the Stars" last night despite scoring a combined 32 from the three judges, the second-highest total of the show's sixth week."We were baffled Monday night after what the judges said. I still don't understand. I'm really sad

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from thestar.com:October 25, 2010Cassandra SzklarskiMary Murphy says more changes are afoot for the U.S. So You Think You Can Dance.So You Think You Can Dance will undergo another format overhaul in the U.S. after disappointing ratings over the summer, says Mary Murphy, the high-octane ballroom expert who until last season was a judge on the U.S. series.Murphy, who also guest-judged the Canadian

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by Carrie Babcock, business-owner, mother, wife, daughter, sister, dancer, actor, singer, US Champion, amateur photographer, gardener.Every year around gift giving time, I google search "great gifts for Dads" or "best gift ideas for my husband" or "gift ideas, Montclair, NJ". You see, I am the owner of the Fred Astaire Dance Studio of Upper Montclair, and all my friends and family already know

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Published: Sunday, October 24, 2010, 6:00 AMBy Kathy Kemp -- The Birmingham NewsEven on the telephone, Fabian Sanchez sounds like his hips swivel."Hey babe, what's up?" asks the Birmingham-area dance instructor, best known for his turn as actress Marlee Matlin's pro partner during their appearance in 2008 on "Dancing With the Stars."But don't get the wrong idea. Fabian, 38, is a family man who

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Week FiveBy Natasha Oreshkina, award winning ballroom dancerThis week, the competitors danced to TV theme songs. I was looking for couples who really opened up the idea expressed in the theme song.Brandy received the highest score of 27 for her Quick Step. Her dance showed lots of movement and was very interesting to watch.I really liked Jennifer Grey's Foxtrot number. I saw the idea of the dance

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Week FourBy Natasha Oreshkina, award winning ballroom dancerThis week, the couples danced either an Argentine Tango or the Rumba. They were scored separately for technique and performance with a combined perfect score of 60.The Situation's Argentine Tango wasn't so interesting. Although Karina did a great job dancing around her partner, I didn't see what of anything he was doing. They were

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from examiner.com:What does long-time Chicago Bears Quarterback Bob Avellini have in common with Brady Bunch mom Florence Henderson? Illinois State Rep Mike McAuliffee share with Jersey Shore's Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino? The common link between former Chicago radio host Judy Markey and Bristol Palin?Seems they've all slipped into dance shoes in the past few weeks, preparing to burn-up the

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from legendsrevealed.com:BALLROOM DANCING LEGEND: Fred Astaire’s will stipulates that he never be portrayed in a film.STATUS: TrueIn the decade or so leading up to his death, Astaire had been turning down requests for “official” film versions of his life, and in his will, Astaire stipulated that he never been portrayed in a film.He felt that he should be judged by his life, and his life only, and

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from cbs.com:CBS will hold open casting calls for its new reality-competition series, “Live To Dance” in New York City on Thursday, Oct. 14 and Los Angeles on Thursday, Oct. 28. Paula Abdul, award-winning dancer/choreographer and multi-platinum recording artist, is executive producer and lead judge. She will also serve as coach, mentor and advocate for contestants during the performances and

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By Catherine BrillTao Porchon-Lynch isn’t your ordinary dance student. She is a former Hollywood movie and small screen actress, model, screenwriter, and documentary producer, and has been a Master Yoga teacher for more than 45 years. She has studied with yoga legends Indra Devi and BKS Iyengar and has made over 24 pilgrimages to India with her yoga students. She also frequently competes in Fred

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Week ThreeBy Natasha Oreshkina, award winning ballroom dancerThis week was Story Week where each dance had to tell a story.Margaret Cho was eliminated this week after performing a Samba. The beginning of her dance was OK but then she lost her timing as the dance progresses.Bristol Palin performed a Foxtrot for a score of 19. Her dance last week was much better than this week's.Florence Henderson

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from the Winston-Salem Journal:By Mary GiuncaPierre Dulaine strides onto the stage at Forest Park Elementary School with a combination of Old World courtliness and drill sergeant snap.“Feet together!” he commands a group of fifth-graders who stand around in various forms of slouch. “Hands out of your pockets.”For the next 45 minutes, Dulaine, a professional dancer and the founder of Dancing

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from independent.co.uk:The secret of male dance floor success is all above the waist!A study reveals upper body movement, not fancy footwork, is key to attracting womenBy Jeremy Laurance, Health EditorWednesday, 8 September 2010The difference between a good and bad dancer - as rated by 35 heterosexual women for the Northumbria University study - lies in the movements of the upper bodyWe have all

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Week TwoBy Natasha Oreshkina, award winning ballroom dancerMichael Bolton was eliminated this week although I thought he got better since the week before. His dance was a strange interpretation of the Jive. The choreography wasn't good for him. Bruno was too mean and his comments were too tough. The problems with the dance wasn't Michael's fault. Chelsie created the choreography and it just

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What to expect at your first ballroom dance lessonIf you're new to ballroom dancing, you might be a little nervous about your first lesson at a Fred Astaire Dance Studio. Many questions will run through your mind. What will happen? How difficult will it be? What should you wear? Here's some information to help you prepare.What to expect when you arriveWhen you arrive at the Fred Astaire Dance

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