Benefits of Ballroom Dancing

Dancing isn’t just about the steps and music; it’s a perfect combination of physical activity, social interaction, and mental stimulation.
Dancing enhances your life in so many ways:

Health - When you dance, your cardiovascular system improves, your muscle tone increases, and you burn calories. This low-impact aerobic activity also increases flexibility, strength, and balance. Olympic athletes often dance as part of their training to sharpen their control, agility, and speed. Dancing is great exercise in a pleasant, fun atmosphere.

Confidence - Dancers possess an aura of self-confidence and an ability to enjoy themselves more in social situations. When you learn how to dance, your entire mental outlook will take on a fresh sense of creativity, motivation, and energy. This new self-confidence in your dancing abilities will transfer to other aspects of your life as well.

Self Expression - Dance provides an emotional outlet so that you can reflect your feelings through your body movements with passion and flair. Dancing will bring out, improve on, and strengthen your ability to permanently use these expressive qualities even when not dancing.

Social Life - Dancing lessons are an easy, low-pressure way to meet people. Fred Astaire Dance Studios provide weekly practice dance parties, nights out on the town, regional and national competitions, as well as fun trips to many different locations. Our lessons are the perfect place to rediscover romance – dancing your way to love!

Relaxtion - In today's fast-paced world, we sometimes forget to take a moment for ourselves. Dancing provides a temporary escape from your normal daily activities, a chance to relax, relieve stress, and concentrate on yourself.

Fun - Dancing is a great way to add excitement to your life. Although learning to dance takes concentration and dedication, you will be constantly surrounded by artistic, cheerful people who make learning a pleasurable and rewarding experience. So join us and have some fun!

Fred Astaire Dance Studios on WGN News!

Fred Astaire Dance Studios will be featured throughout the WGN morning news Friday, July 27th between 7 and 9 AM at our National Competition, The Astaire Awards Championships, at the Westin North Shore! They will be celebrating our 60th anniversary as well as capturing demonstrations from the Fred Astaire dancers in the Chicagoland. There will be a special performance from our very own Jesse DeSoto and Jackie Josephs, Fred Astaire, United States and World Finalists!! Don't miss this opportunity to catch Fred Astaire Dance Studios in the news! Once again proving that Fred Astaire Dance Studios are the best in the city!!

Ballroom Dancing in the Media

BALLROOM fever is set to strike schools across Manchester as the latest TV dance contest shimmies into the city. Following in the twinkle-toed footsteps of other hit primetime shows such as Strictly Come Dancing, Baby Ballroom is the next show set to get the nation tangoing. This time the kids are the stars, with 28 under-12s battling it out to be crowned the junior Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Click here for the rest of the article.

ABOUT 500 people heated up the dance floor of the Hilton Kuala Lumpur grand ballroom as they showed off their salsa moves at the inaugural Salsa 101 party. The event started at 6pm with three salsa workshops: "Introduction to Guanguanco and Body Isolation Techniques" by Güpson Pierre of Attitude Dance Studio, Singapore, "Casino Rueda on Salsa Timba" by Pat Calzadilla of Ritmo Latino Studio, Kuala Lumpur, and "Newest Sexy Moves and Dips on Rumba Wena" by Malaysian Salsa Sam of Havana Estudio Kuala Lumpur. Click here to read more.

Blackpool 2007

By Armando Martin, former International & US Champion and the current Fred Astaire National Dance Director

Blackpool, England is not a very nice place to vacation, having been built in the 20s and 30s and having had very little done to it since. It is a place that takes us back into time in a way that does not remind us of history or great architecture or beauty of any kind.

The very best food you can find in the entire town is Pizza and Fish & Chips. Order anything else at a local restaurant and you may be taking your taste buds to places they have never gone before!

When I arrived there on Wednesday after a 14-year absence, absolutely nothing had changed. I stayed at the very famous Imperial Hotel, which at one time hosted the English Royals. My room was so small I had to open the window to create some ventilation and to avoid feeling claustrophobic. My view was of a 100-year old alley, which housed tons of doves taking cover from the rain and cold.

So, after leaving my window open once, I returned to my room to find the birds and some presents they left me on my bed, chair, floor, etc. I had left my bathroom door open but they decided not to use it. Nice, ha?

Than I decided, after getting all settled in the Hotel, to go to the Winter Gardens where all the dancing happens. Walking in, listening to the music and watching the couples throwing themselves across the floor creating great shapes and superb rhythmical actions with their feet, bodies, and souls, I remembered why we all go to Blackpool - to watch the best dancers in the world battle it out for the most coveted tittles in DanceSport, the British Open.

Being there also brought me back to my youth, when Laura and I were one of those couples, trying to make a name for ourselves on an International dancing stage. It reminded me of all the hard work and sacrifices that all these kids have to make to get there, with no guarantee of success, but only the hope that some of the judges recognize their talents and continue to put them into the next round, then the next, then the next. Laura and I were one of those lucky couples to have made it onto the Blackpool dance floor with only 5 other couples. That meant that we had made the final and that we had reached the top of the mountain in DanceSport. That feeling was worth all that we had sacrificed to get there.

This year's Blackpool was no exception, mostly disappointed couples and a very few happy ones returned home after nine days of dancing. The people that have to be the most disappointed is the US and the US Team Match team. In the Team Match event, the US sends their very best dancers (2 Latin couples and 2 Standard couples) to dance against 3 other teams; three judges judge the event and, on this particular night, the politics and ironies of judging DanceSport were very obvious. The US had on paper the very best team in the competition - 2 world finalists in Latin and the same in Standard. By far the strongest team in the Team Match competition, they managed to finish LAST! How did that happen? Well, that's Blackpool.

Our Fred Astaire couples were a little unlucky too. Eric Luna and Georgia Ambarian, with their sharp and strong dance styles, were only able to get a fourth place in the Cabaret, a style that is usually dominated by the US. In the Latin, we had Gabi and Vlady and Warren and Babette from Jupiter and Ilya and Nadia from Montville; all of these couples did not go as far as they should have, especially Ilya and Nadia who were in the Rising Star Latin Final last year. Tina and Plumen from the East Side NY studio went on to dance the 48 which they were very happy about.

The Amateur Latin featured a very strong field, and our TOP couple Eugene and Maria were disappointed to end up in 4th place since last year they were runners up in that category.

The Pro Latin was won by Brian and Carmen who retired that night to a very appreciative audience. Also making the finals in two dances were Max Kozhevnikov and Yulia Zagoruychenko from the US. This is a great achievement for a US couple; it has not been done in many years. Andre Gavriline and Elena Kryuchkova made the Semifinals in all the Latin dances - also a great feat for them and the US.

The Standard had a lot of good US couples. The eventual winners were Mirko Gozzoli and Alessia Betti from Italy. Jonathan Wilkie and Katusha Demidova from the US came in 2nd, which is by far the best that a US couple has done in that category. Also making the finals in 3 dances was Victor Fung and Anna Mikhed from the US. These couples are the epitome of class and great quality Standard dancing and everyone in the US should be very proud to be represented by them.

Over all it was a great week for the US and another exciting British Open Festival. I personally look forward to going back there again in 14 years.

Dancing Tips - Cuban Motion

By Stanley McCalla

Hello there! I hope everything is well with you & that you have made use of the exercises mentioned in the previous articles.

Today I want to talk to you about Cuban motion and how you can practice it.

Cuban motion is described as the lateral motion of the hips which occurs as a result of the flexing and straightening of the knees and never a conscious swing of the hips. You can use this technique in the Rumba, Bolero, Mambo, Cha Cha, Merengue, and Salsa, to name a few.

Stand with your back straight, your shoulders lined up over your hips, your center pulled toward your spine, feet together with toes turned out. You should feel that your weight is poised towards the balls of your feet.

Start by bending one knee at a time, and then straighten it. While doing this, you should control the movement through the center of your body. In order to feel your center, tighten your stomach muscles as well as your plexus muscle.

You should then feel the natural and lateral motion of your hips. If you don’t, then your posture is incorrect.

Once you feel the correct motion, try to use the same principle by taking a small step to the side with your L.F then slowly close your R.F to your L.F. All the while, remember the posture, the center and the bending and straightening of the knees one at a time.

Make sure that you confirm what you’re doing with your teacher.

Until next time, happy dancing,

Cheers,

Stanley Mc Calla
US Ten Dance Finalist
Fred Astaire National Smooth Champion
FADS National Dance Board Member Coach and Adjudicator
FADS Dance Board Examiner
jsmccalla@mindspring.com

Fred Astaire Dancer wins Accolades in Dancebeat

Congratulations to Charlotte Carey and Kostadin Bidjourov, of the Upper Montclair Fred Astaire studio!

Charlotte has been dancing for years, and only came to find Kostadin after seeing him dance in a show with his professional partner, Carrie Babcock. After a few years of struggle, she decided to leave her former teacher (non-FADS) to study with Kostadin.

Charlotte has been dancing with Kostadin for 2 years now and here’s what DanceBeat magazine had to say about their performance at the EMERALD Ball:

DANCEBEAT – Edition 0607
Page 19
Emerald Ball Pro/Am C Open Standard Championships
Review by Didio Berrara

“Somewhat unexpected but very deserving of the honor of winning this competition was Charlotte Carey partnered by Kostadin Bidjourov. I have watched this lady dance now for many years and have always been a fan of her dancing. I always thought her energy was good and her understanding of the skill, high. On this occasion I think Charlotte has jumped way ahead of her teammates. I have never seen her dance the Standard so well. She was totally in a league of her own, miles away from the challengers. This was a geat win for Charlotte but even a greater win for her dancing.”

Congratulations Charlotte!

Dance Among the Stars

Manhattan's Fred Astaire Dance Studio will produce "Dance Among the Stars," its second annual dance benefit for the High School for Arts, Imagination and Inquiry.

This year's guests will include Tony Dovolani of ABC's hit series "Dancing with the Stars" and his professional dance partner Elena Grinenko, international ballroom dance champions Darius and Jolanta Mosteika, and dancers from the Fred Astaire Dance Studio and the Dance Club of the High School for Arts, Imagination and Inquiry.

Dance Among the Stars 2007

to benefit the

High School for Arts Imagination and Inquiry

122 Amsterdam Ave (entrance at 66th street)

Thursday June 28th

Reception 7:30pm

Show starts at 8:15pm

For more infomation please stop by the New York West Side Studio or call 212-595-3200

Dancing with the Stars Rumors

Superstar actor, Al Pacino, told Time Magazine that he would consider going on Dancing with the Stars if he was asked.

He says, "Actually, I would consider it. All due respect and trying to be as modest as I can be, I am a dancer. "But I don't think I would be on Dancing with the Stars mainly because I would be too shy."

In other Dancing with the Stars news, Beverly Hills 90210 star Jennie Garth has confirmed that she will be appearing on the next season. According to her publicist "It's official!"

Fred Astaire Studios Are Hopping

Studio owner, Evan Mountain, spent some time talking with the Detriot Free Press about how popular ballroom dancing is becoming since the start of Dancing with the Stars.

You can visit the Bloomfield Hills Dance Studio website here, and click here to read the rest of the article.

Fred Astaire Movie Clips

Here are some of our favorite Fred Astaire dances from his various movies.

ROYAL WEDDING



YOU WERE NEVER LOVELIER



YOU'LL NEVER GET RICH



What are your favorite Fred Astaire Dance movies?

Dancing with the Stars Fundraiser

We are proud to announce that our Fort Walton Beach Fred Astaire Dance Studio performed at the Emerald Coast Conference Center Friday night for Dancing with Desire 2007. The dance performance benefits Desire Street Ministries and Take Stock in Children scholarship program.
Among the list of dancers were Dancing with the Stars Tony Dovolani, Elena Grinenko, Maksim Chmerkovskiy and more. You can view a short video of the event below.

Young Girls Learning Ballroom Dancing

At Fred Astaire we have always said that ballroom dancing has no age limits. Everyone can learn to dance, and our Panama City dance studio proves it! Three girls take ballroom lessons two times a week for 45 minutes. Their ages range from 7 down to 5 and a half. To learn more, click here for the full article.

Lights, Camera, Action, Dance!

Houston professionals and amateurs are stealing a Houston stage Friday, June 15th, 2007. Talented students of the local, Fred Astaire Dance Studios are coming together to bring “Rhythm of the Night”, 2nd Annual Ballroom Dance Revue to the thespian enthusiast and average Houstonian alike. The Wortham Center won’t be big enough to hold this fantastic display of ballroom dance skill, talent and creativity. One does not have to be a judge on “Dancing with the Stars” to know good dancers when they see them and Houston certainly has their share.

Their ages and dance education all vary, however, each of their star quality is apparent with every step they take. Houston area students will be accompanied by their teachers to dance over 60 different musical routines to a variety of music for the Professional/ Amateur part of the show. The music will be a mix of fun oldies, ranging from the 1930’s and younger, to the popular music of today. This show has something for everyone. Nevertheless, Fred Astaire Dance Studio would not be an awesome host if they did not give the audience a taste of the professional star power in the Professional Act. This delightful act will be accompanied by the sounds of Disney. It’s a family treat for not only our hometown of Houston, but from afar as well. Make sure you pick up your tickets for this fantastic broadway musical dance revue from http://www.fredastairehouston.com/.

For information on taking dance lessons contact your local Fred Astaire Franchised Dance Studio and who knows, next year it could be you on the Wortham Center Stage.

Ridgefield Dance Studio Says Anyone Can Dance!

Fred Astaire Dance Studios would like to welcome it's newest member into our organization. We have a new studio located in Ridgefield Connecticut, and owners Martin and Gina Goethche say "If you can walk, you can dance. We can teach anyone to dance. Fred Astaire actually developed a teaching system 60 years ago when he opened his first studio in New York. It’s been modernized over the years, but the basic principles are still the same."

Congratulations to Martin and Gina and for more information read this article about their studio and you can visit the Ridgefield Fred Astaire Dance Studio's webpage here.

Dancing to Help Children

Tuscon Fred Astaire Dance Studio Owner, Blake Kish, is preparing choreography for an October fundraising show that will donate gifts to more than 200 children who wont be spending Christmas with their families.

The toys will be given to children living in Sunshine Group Homes, which operates 22 children's homes in Phoenix's western suburbs. All of the children have been abandoned, abused or neglected and have been placed in the homes by Child Protective Services, said Simon Kottoor, chief operating officer of Sunshine Group Homes.

This will be the fifth year he has participated in this event, and will prepare 40 different routines for his dancers to perform.

Click here for the rest of the article, and to learn more about studios in the Arizona region, please visit their regional website.

Dancing With The Stars Tour - Summer 2007

The Dancing With The Stars tour is coming soon to a city near you! Cheryl Burke, Edyta Sliwinska, Julianne Hough, Louis Van Amstel, and Kym Johnson are some of the professional dancers joining this summer's tour. Celebrities include Joey Lawrence (Season 3), Drew Lachey (Season 2), Joey Fatone (Season 4), and Joey McIntyre (Season 1). Tickets are on sale now for these performance dates and locations:

06/20 Frank Erwin Cente, Austin, TX
06/22 American Airlines Center, Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX
06/23 Baton Rouge River Center Arena, Baton Rouge, LA
06/25 Amway Arena, Orlando, FL
06/26 American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL
06/28 Colonial Center, Columbia, SC

06/29 Charlotte Bobcats Arena, Charlotte, NC
06/30 RBC Center, Raleigh, NC
07/02 Giant Center, Hershey, PA
07/03 Arena at Harbor Yard, Bridgeport, CT
07/05 Wachovia Arena, Wilkes Barre, PA
07/06 Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, NJ
07/07 Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT
07/08 Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT
07/10 Scotiabank Place, Ottawa
07/11 Copps Coliseum, Hamilton, ON
07/13 HSBC Arena, Buffalo, NY
07/14 Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, MI
07/15 Peoria Civic Center, Peoria, IL
07/16 Resch Center, Green Bay, WI
07/18 MTS Centre, Winnipeg
07/20 Credit Union Centre, Saskatoon
07/21 Rexall Place, Edmonton
07/22 Pengrowth Saddledome, Calgary
07/24 GM Place, Vancouver

History Of The Waltz

The Waltz dates back to the country folk dances of Bavaria, more than 400 hundred years ago, but it was not introduced into society until 1812 when it made its appearance in English ballrooms. When the Waltz was first introduced, it was met with outrage! People were shocked to see a man dancing with his hand on a lady's waist! So different from the stately dances of the artistocracy, the Waltz was considered to be a wicked and improper dance! But it gained in popularity and quickly became one of the most popular of all dances. This easy and flowing dance is still commonly seen at weddings and other social events.

The basic compoments of the Waltz are walking steps and side steps. Styling characteristics such as "Sway" and "Rise and Fall" highlight the smooth, lilting beauty of the Waltz.

Fred Astaire vs. Michael Jackson Video Clip

2007 Astaire Awards Championships

Showcase your dancing and make memories of a lifetime at the next Fred Astaire National Competition - the Astaire Awards Championships (AAC) held on July 24-29, 2007! This year’s AAC will be held in a new location - the full-service Westin Hotel in Chicago’s prestigious North Shore district. With dramatic professional shows, gala dinners, fun parties, social dancing interludes, top competitive heats, a world-class judging panel, and generous cash prizes awarded to top teachers and students, the AAC is a premier competition that you won’t want to miss. Whether you’re a newcomer or have competed before, you’ll be amazed at how this thrilling competition will challenge you!

Your time at the AAC will be well-spent. Summer in Chicago means non-stop events, from concerts and movies in the park to baseball games and street festivals. Explore Lake Michigan, Millennium Park, Wrigley Field, hundreds of restaurants, live music, and much more.

You’ll be staying and competing at the Westin Chicago North Shore. This newly opened hotel features luxurious guest rooms and suites, a fully-equipped business center, lounge, expansive fitness center, and indoor pool.

Talk to your dance instructor today about joining us at the AAC! Early Bird registration date is May 29th and Regular registration is June 12th.

Dancing Tips - Forward Walk in the Tango

By Stanley McCalla, a former US amateur champion in Latin, Standard and 10 dances; 4 times US representative to World Championships; Fred Astaire National Dance Board Member and Adjudicator; Fred Astaire Dance Board Examiner; Fred Astaire Smooth Undefeated Champion. Stanley can be reached at jsmccalla@mindspring.com or 845-304-9028.

Hello and welcome back to Tip of the Week. In my last two articles, I mentioned how important it is to practice certain techniques that will improve your dancing. I introduced the Forward Walk exercise and the Back Walk exercise in the Smooth & Standard dances. Today, I’ll tell you about the forward walk in Tango.

Stand with the knees slightly more relaxed than in the other Smooth dances with weight on the R.F. Pick up the L.F slightly from the floor and place it in (CBMP) i.e. in front and in line of the R.F with a crisp action. The weight should be taken on the L. edge of the foot first, then the whole foot. At this point, pick up the R.F from the floor with a slight delayed action and place it forward on its own track with a crisp action, also with the L. edge of the foot and with a right shoulder lead. Repeat these two steps slowly making sure that you maintain your center balanced over the middle of your supporting foot.

The Tango is a different animal and a beautiful dance. It takes understanding and practice in order to capture its full characteristic. Next time I will introduce the backward walk of Tango.
Until then make sure that you practice your exercise. You will only get better.