When Life Hands Us Lemons . . . Watch What FADS Folks Can Do!

On November 9, 2012, the inspirational message on the left appeared on the facebook page belonging to Fred Astaire Dance Studio, Beirut, owned by Marwan Jammal. And the message isn’t just lip service. When it comes to positive thinking (as is the case with so many other FADS folks), Marwan and his staff are notably, remarkably upbeat.

 
Well, we’ve had Marwan and his staff on our minds quite a bit during the past 3 days as they’ve endured the worst storm in their region in a decade (some reports say the worst of all time). Like Hurricane Sandy’s devastating effects on FADS folks elsewhere, this weather event has been highly destructive, resulting in widespread power outages, traffic nightmares, over-flown rivers, and saddest of all, fatalities, throughout major portions of the Middle East.

Now that the storm is finally loosening its grip on the area of his studio, Marwan has been able to send us these photos to share with you. We’ve also included a link to news about the storm. 

We wish Marwan and his staff, as well as all who are affected, a rapid recovery. And we’re pretty sure it won’t be long before FADS, Beirut, makes something positive come from it all, like teaching students how to dance in the snow. . . .

Read more about the Storm at The Daily Star

FAWC 2012 Theme Night

HOT! HOT! HOT!
"EL FUEGO"

FAWC Saturday Night Theme

The 'fire' will be burning with the hottest dancers from all over the U.S. at the 2012 FAWC in San Juan, Puerto Rico! You won't want to miss this year's World Championship event complete with fabulous Pro/Am and professional dancing, and many more highlights throughout the week.  

 

 

The El San Juan Casino and Resort and the FADS family welcomes you to our World Championship with open arms. The moment you arrive at the Fred Astaire registration desk, you'll know that this event will be the one you'll never forget. For four straight days, the beach will be hot with the sun and the ballroom will be even hotter with some of the best dancers in the U.S.!

The event will end with a fiery professional show, "El Fuego!" Attire for the evening is casual chic white; so, pull out your linen, Tommy Bahama, gauze, or cotton white shirts, pants and dresses and watch the ballroom come aglow! 

   

Your FADS family will be waiting for your arrival!

"EL FUEGO" = THE FIRE!!!

It Don't Mean A Thing, If It Ain't Got That Swing

-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 meeting someone new was proving to be nothing short of disastrous for him. Watching the infamous telephone answering machine scene literally makes me cringe for him, no matter how many times I see it.

But at the end of the film, Mike takes another shot at a relationship by making conversation with a quite fetching young woman named Lorraine whom he meets at a swing dance lounge. An easy conversation develops between them and he accepts her invitation to a slow dance on the dance floor. And no sooner does the couple begin to move than the band finishes playing the slow song and jumps right into a catchy, faster number.

Here it is: Lorraine looks him in the eye and makes no move to get off the dance floor. She wants to keep dancing. You can feel the mental anguish that Mike is going through.

Will he blow it?

Again?

But son of a gun, he can dance! And he proceeds to swing, twirl and move his girl—along with his luck—around. His friends watch in amazement from the sidelines, mouths agape. And finally, the good guy lets go of the past.

The result?

He gets the good girl.

So admittedly, I have a crush on Mike. I’m a sucker for a thinking man, anyway. And if I ever found myself on the dance floor with one such fellow, wouldn’t it be great if Iwas up to speed, too?

I recently started working as a communications specialist here at Fred Astaire headquarters. That’s when it became officially ridiculous that I still had not enrolled in dance lessons. But that all changed last month when I signed on for six lessons at my local Fred Astaire Dance Studio. Being a thinking gal, I thought, gosh, if it took me this long to get off my duff and follow through on making my secret desire a reality, how many others are out there not taking the (literal) steps to do so as well? Maybe I should document my lessons somehow; to show everyone else that they should try it, too. And my idea was conceived…

This Friday,January 13^th, Fred Astaire Franchised Dance Studios proudly presents, Champagne Social; a six-part internet video series following yours truly as I learn to swing, rhumba, tango and cha, cha, cha from the pros.

Stay tuned for my adventures in the world of dance lessons!