By Cindy Wolfe
Are you familiar with the romantic comedy Shall We Dance? The movie, starring Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez, appeared in theaters in 2004. Gere played an attorney who found joy in his secretive dance lessons from Lopez. The sexy tango dance scenes with the addictive music would make anyone stop and stare, as Lopez and Gere danced across the floor, matching every step to the beat of the music. As my husband and I watched, he actually said that we should take dance lessons. That’s all I needed to hear. After that, we began our journey with College Station’s Extra Education ballroom dance classes. From there we researched the various schools that teach dance locally and the rest is history. We made some mistakes along the way, but we have had fun and learned to dance.
While there are several dance lesson options in Bryan College Station, the quality at each school is good. Finding the right school or instructor is important. If you have never taken formal lessons, or it has been a long time since you have danced ballroom, I would recommend taking a beginning waltz lesson. How to address your partner and begin your moves are stressed in this class. Posture, leading, and following leads along with basic moves will all be covered in this class.
Are you a single or a couple? The dance schools will either require a partner or state that singles are welcome. Keep in mind that some schools will ask you to trade partners so you can practice leading or following with different people. I can say from experience that this, at first, is uncomfortable. On the upside, however, you have the opportunity to dance with people who might be better than your partner, and you can share this experience with your partner.
Are you getting ready for a wedding? Several of the schools specialize in lessons for the bride and groom or their parents or for a quinceañera. I highly recommend these classes months before the actual event, so you can practice your new moves and have confidence on the big day. How many times have you been to a wedding or a dance hall and asked your partner or a friend to dance? Was their response, “I need to have a few drinks before I get out on the floor”? With dance lessons you can trade fake courage for confidence and open up a whole new world of fun.
With regard to equipment, leather or suede soled shoes are extremely helpful for sliding across the floor or planting your feet for a turn. The heels should be medium to low for beginners. The internet can help you find the perfect fitting shoes. Keep in mind that dance shoes and street shoes vary in size. Be sure to read each company’s sizing chart. If you have large or wide feet, like my family, Tic Tac Toe is an online site that offers a good selection of shoes in large and wide sizes. On a personal note, I have taken dance lessons in leather-soled cowboy boots and they worked perfectly. Also, I would not recommend open toed shoes.
The key aspect of learning to dance is practice, because we all know practice makes perfect. Other than weddings and country western bars, there are several practice options. First, there is the B/CS Dinner-Dance Club that meets on the second Friday of each month for a dinner dance. This club has been around for a long time, and I’d highly recommend giving the club a try. The Meyer Senior and Community Center has a free senior dance usually on the last Thursday of each month. Finally, the dance schools periodically open for public dances.
If you are still not sure about ballroom dancing, then watch the movie, Shall We Dance? I am sure it will motivate you to get out and shake a leg. This is a fun way to exercise and meet people and start your journey.
