Learn The Cha Cha Slide in 10 Minutes From Home

The Cha Cha Slide Line Dance is a very popular line dance Why... because it's easy and FUN! Basically if you have ears that "WORK" you can do It! Here's the best part about learning the Cha Cha Slide; you don't have to memorizes the steps D.J. Mr. C (Casper) call out the steps.

Still worried that you won't catch on to the the moves? Don't fret we'll spell it all out for you. Our cha cha slide line-dance instructions are so explicit that even a blind squirrel can pick up the moves. But I have to warn you in advance, that there are a lot of steps. However, you won't need a cheap sheet because the DJ will announce what to do next. His words are italicized..

Below are the steps

"Take it to the left!" or "Take it to the right!" (This is the "grapevine" step)
"Take it back now!" (step back three times with a tap.)
"One hop this time!" Hop like you're doing the bunny hop, using both feet.
"Left or Right foot let's stomp!" Stomp right or left foot the DJ will let you know.
"Now, Cha-Cha!" (This step is actually from the Latin dance form, the Mambo.) Cross the right foot over the left, step back with the left foot, step to the right with the right foot, step forward with the left foot.
Turn it out!" or "Let's Go to Work!" (Begin a "grapevine" step with a slight turn.) Make a slight turn to the left, step to the right with the right foot, step across right foot with the left foot, step to the side with the right foot, touch the left foot beside the right.
"Clap your hands!" Feel the groove, clap your hands to the beat.
"Criss Cross!" Jump up with both feet, cross right over left, or the visa verse.
"Slide to the left!" Slide either left or right, listen carefully or Not!
"Reverse, Reverse!" Face the opposite way.
"How low can you go?" This is the "drop it like it's hot, but at a lot slower, speed, Bend your knees to the beat and go as Low as you can go!
"Bring it to the top!" Return to a standing position.
"Hands on your knees!" Place your hands on you knees in a crisscross position, add a bounce to the beat.
"Charlie Brown!" Rock forward and backward resembling a child's rocking horse.
"Freeze!" Freeze and strike a pose...with some attitude!

After you freeze just listen to the DJ and he will tell you exactly what to do next. It's always something different,. And before you go to worrying you won't be the only one that won't know what to do... Nobody knows, because there are a lot of different versions of the Cha Cha Slide.

But if you really want to Show Out and not just SHOW UP and attract the attention of a few of those cuties at your next function; feel free to view our step by step cha cha slide video, its, FREE and there's no Opt-ed needed. See you at the Party!

cha cha slide video

Original article

Learn Your Basic Step Footwork More Quickly By Breaking Through The 'Conscious Competence' Barrier!

When new dancers attend their first Imperial Swing* dancing class and learn the mechanics of performing their basic step, they seldom have a miraculous epiphany when all the elements of their six-count, triple step footwork suddenly fall into place; instead, they simply manage to somehow shuffle through the prescribed sequence of alternating steps without making a mistake. Never mind how many steps there are, or how those (eight) individual steps interface with the (six) beats of the music; rather, there just comes a transient moment in time when a beginning dancer can, for the very first time and by rote learning, perform his basic step footwork properly. It may be said that at this watershed moment, when a swing dancer is born, that he performs his footwork in a 'consciously competent' manner; that is, he is stiff and mechanical, and although he is blissfully unaware of the impact of his transient weight shifts on his center of gravity, he does know which foot is his lead foot as he proudly marches through his footwork in a painfully robotic manner! Dance instructors see this birthing process take place every week during their club's introductory swing classes. Like other challenging endeavors in life, swing dancing has an attrition rate and sometimes beginners get discouraged and quit taking the classes because they cannot make the transition from being 'consciously competent' students whose movements are too premeditated, to becoming 'unconsciously competent' dancers who move fluidly with carefree abandon. The teaching technique presented below eliminates this unnecessary transition because it enables new students to perform their basic, triple step footwork almost immediately without the usual hesitation that often erodes their confidence.

Dance instructors have about one hour to present the different syllabus swing 'moves' which are specified for an introductory lesson. Since new students cannot perform any of these elementary 'moves' until they first learn their basic step, instructors in St. Louis are now beginning to use a new technique that teaches this six-count, triple step footwork in the quickest, most spontaneous and uncomplicated way possible...by enabling their students to relate the first six steps of their eight-step footwork to "skipping" forward and back; the last two steps are their in-place rockstep. Since most people can remember their carefree years as a youngster when they gleefully skipped around their school's playground, this technique redefines the basic step footwork and verbalizes it as follows: one skip forward (1 and 2), one skip back (3 and 4) and a rock-step (5 - 6). Gentlemen begin skipping forward with their left foot, and their left foot always remains in front of their right foot until they perform their rockstep. Ladies begin skipping forward with their right foot, and their right foot always remains in front of their left foot until they perform their rockstep. Unlike the bouncy, undisciplined movement associated with children skipping, dancers must not allow their shoulders and arms to move up and down; all of their upper body movement should be absorbed at their waist. New students must be taught that their first two triple step counts of "1 and 2" and "3 and 4" are actually 'scoot steps' best expressed as: "1 'n 2" and "3 'n 4" because dancers cannot take eight full steps in only six beats of the music. In other words, "1 'n" is a beat, "2" is a beat; "3 'n" is a beat, "4" is a beat; "5" is a beat and "6" is a beat. After everyone in the class demonstrates that they can perform both their basic step by skipping forward and back, and their in-place rockstep, the instructor should then refine his explanation of this same footwork in the traditional, detailed manner described below.

When dancers perform their basic footwork, they use triple step footwork rhythms; i.e., they take three steps for every two beats of the music. This footwork count is: 1 and 2 (first triple step), 3 and 4 (second triple step), 5 - 6 (rockstep). Dancers take three smooth (not bouncy) steps forward on the 1 and 2 count always keeping their feet in the "chase position"; i.e., with their lead foot ahead of their other foot. The male dancer keeps his left foot ahead of his right foot and his partner keeps her right foot ahead of her left foot. The first step that both dancers take on the "1" count creates the distance between their feet that keeps their weight from becoming centered over both of their feet at the same time and confusing their balance. This weight shift cues them on how to execute their next step (see below). Their second step, on the "and of 1" count, is an accelerated, "scoot" step which is followed by their third forward step on the "2" count. On 3 and 4 count, both dancers take three smooth steps backwards, and again, they keep their lead foot ahead of their other foot in the "chase position." On the 5 - 6 count rockstep, both dancers step back onto the "ball" of their lead foot keeping their heels from touching the floor, and then they rock forward onto their other foot. Notice that this rockstep is the only time when either dancer's lead foot moves behind his or her non-lead foot!

Although dancers take 8 steps (make 8 "weight changes") in their triple step footwork, they have only three "weight values" while executing their footwork. On the 1 and 2 count, the male dancer makes 3 weight changes (left-right-left) but he has only one weight value (or bias) that is on his left foot. On the 3 and 4 count, he makes another three weight changes (right-left-right) but again, he has only one weight value on his right foot. To dance with more lilt and balance, the male dancer must keep his "center" over his foot with the weight bias. Finally, on the 5 - 6 count, although he makes 2 weight changes (left-right), he has only one weight value because his two-step rockstep is counted as only one. The instructor presents the weight values for triple step footwork as follows:

On the 1 and 2 count, when the male dancer steps forward with his left foot, his right foot and then his left foot again, he makes three weight changes but he has only a single weight value (or bias) on his left foot. On the "and of 1"; i.e., the "and" of this first triple step count, the male dancer's "transitional weight" is momentarily on his right foot so that he is able to step forward again with his left foot, but his weight value remains on his left foot and he should adjust his posture and weight to favor (or bias) his left foot!

On the 3 and 4 count, when the male dancer steps backwards with his right foot, his left foot and then his right foot again, he makes three weight changes, but he has only a single weight value (or bias) on his right foot. On the "and of 3"; i.e., the "and" of this second triple step count, the male dancer's "transitional weight" is momentarily on his left foot so that he is able to step backwards again with his right foot, but his weight value remains on his right foot and he should adjust his posture and weight to favor (or bias) his right foot.

On the 5 - 6 count, when the male dancer steps backwards with his left foot and then rocks forward onto his right foot, his weight value is "left-right" because he shifts his weight from his left foot to his right foot. There are only three weight values in triple step footwork because the breakstep, which has two quick weight changes (left foot to right foot), is considered as a single weight value (L-R). The faster the music's tempo the quicker these weight changes become. After reviewing the basic step footwork, the instructor asks everyone to rejoin their original partners and then he teaches the couples how to execute their basic step together in the closed position while he corrects their body stances and arm positions.

St. Louis Imperial Swing is a "mirror pattern" style of dance. The male dancer and his partner begin their basic step footwork together in the closed position standing at about a 45 degree angle to each other in a mirror opposite stance. In this "V" position, both the angle of their bodies and the bow of their arms in front of them form the letter "V." The male dancer holds his partner's right hand in the "cupped" fingers of his left hand without any thumb pressure; his right hand is centered on her upper back, and his right upper arm is angled downward with his partner's left arm resting on top of it. The female dancer leans back against her partner's right hand and she positions the palm of her left hand lightly on the top of his right shoulder with her fingers draped forward. These body connections establish the "frame" within which the male dancer leads his partner. Both dancers should stand up straight with their diaphragms raised; center their weight on the balls of their feet, not on their heels; avoid leaning forward and maintain eye contact with their partner while they dance. The instructor concludes this first segment of the class by discussing the importance of the "slot," and how it should be oriented to the room.

The male dancer leads his partner within a rectangular dance space that is called a slot. He orients this "line of dance" to two of the four walls of the room by aligning his closed position stance on the dance floor as follows: on a wooden floor, he orients his slot to the floor boards; on a tile floor, he either goes with the length of the room if it is rectangular, or he goes with the width of the room (sideways to the DJ or stage) if it is square. The slot is often referred to as a railroad track and its sides are called "rails." The breadth of the male dancer's shoulders defines the width of the slot and the distance that he extends his arm (bowed in a "V") to touch his partner defines the length of the slot. The female dancer always has the undisputed right-of-way over her partner on this track, and it is jokingly said that: "when she gets the gravel (between the wooden ties) then he gets the steel (of the rails) or they aren't tracking properly, and he will get run over."

During the second part of the class, the instructor introduces his students to the remaining dance 'moves': the "Glideaway;" the Open Position Basic Step (with and without using the 'patty-cake' handwork);" the "Right Side-Pass (with an Underarm Turn)" which is also called a "Crossover;" and finally the "Basic Return (into the Closed Position)." Whenever an instructor teaches these fundamental swing 'moves,' he should always emphasize how critical the female dancer's arm resistance is to his ability to lead her. For the male dancer, trying to lead his partner when she provides insufficient arm resistance (or a "noodle arm") is equivalent to him trying to maneuver his car without a steering wheel! All of the swing 'moves' above are very important because they not only improve the male dancer's ability to lead his partner, but they also enable both dancers to use their newly learned, triple step footwork to practice stepping around left and right and reversing their positions in the "slot."

There are numerous, excellent swing dance clubs located in the St. Louis area and every night of the week at least one of these clubs hosts scheduled lessons and a dance. If you are a swing dance instructor then I hope that the information presented in this article is helpful when you teach your introductory classes. If you are an aspiring, new dancer then consider attending one of these classes; it is the first stop on your fun, life changing journey into the world of social swing dancing. The large, friendly community of enthusiastic dancers welcomes you to join them when you are ready to take that first step. And, speaking of steps, don't forget, if you have ever "skipped" around your school's playground as a child then you already know how to perform swing dancing's basic step because the footwork is identical. Plan to take your first lesson at an upcoming dance and put your newfound knowledge of the footwork to music!

*Note: Imperial Swing is St. Louis' own style of East Coast Swing that is danced in a rectangular slot (instead of in-the-round) and infused with a touch of West Coast Swing styling.

Copyright © 2011 by Henry H. "Skip" Culver, Jr. Member of the West County Swing Dance Club and author of: Imperial Swing Dancing (visit: http://www.imperialswing.com/ ).

Henry H. "Skip" Culver, Jr. is a member of the West County Swing Dance Club in St. Louis Missouri. He is a Gold Seal Instrument Flight Instructor and the author of the bestselling book on navigation titled: IFR 'Pocket Simulator' Procedures. In 2000 Skip turned his attention from aviation towards the dance floor. He became a Certified Swing Dance Instructor in 2004, and then with over seven years of detailed notes from various classes and workshops in hand, he began assembling the Imperial Swing Dancing manual which he published in June of 2007. Skip is a frequent contributor of articles on swing dancing to different club newsletters throughout the United States.

Original article

Learn to Dance - Modern Jive - The Beginners Survival Guide

The first obstacle that anyone wanting to learn to dance has to over come is quite simply going for the first time. While some people are willing to throw themselves straight in and go with the flow others are a little more unsure. Men especially tend to find going dancing for the first time awkward because, as most of them freely admit, they don't usually hit the dance floor until they have had a few drinks.

So what are some of the main concerns that newcomers to Modern Jive dancing have and why shouldn't you use them as an excuse not to try.

I haven't got anyone to go with.

The Modern Jive teaching method ensures you will dance with many different people of varying abilities, some will be there for their first time and some will be more advanced and able to help speed up your learning process.

I have two left feet.

As we said above you will dance with lots of people, it won't be long before you find someone with two right feet to compliment you perfectly. Don't assume that everyone else is going to be better than you.

Everyone else will know what they are doing. I will be the only beginner.

Because of the way Modern Jive is taught you do not have to book a course of lessons which start with the basics on week one and progress from there. At most venues there are at least a couple or more newcomers every night so it is highly unlikely that you will be on your own. Even if you are the only new person that night there will be the people who were new last week or the week before. Because there are approximately 21 beginner moves for the teacher to choose from and only 3 or 4 moves taught in the beginners class each week it is more than likely that last weeks newcomers will be seeing all of this week moves for the first time and are in the same boat as you.

I'm to young/old for all that.

Rubbish, you are as old as you feel. And you can dance Modern Jive in a style that suits you.

What if the guys at work find out.

Like it or not ladies it is one reason why the men who do go dancing love it. It doesn't matter what Modern Jive venue you go to 9 times out of 10 there are more women than men. Usually the numbers are not that uneven and due to the constant rotation of people during the classes this does not present any inconvenience at all, however, when the classes are done and you get to the part of the evening called "freestyle" where you put into practice what you have learnt, a good male dancer will never be short of a partner. As soon as the guys at work find out that you spent the entire evening dancing with a host of different women they will soon realise that their life spent in front of the TV is the sorry one.

Now that some of the excuses are out of the way here are the top ten things to remember when you rock up for the first time.

1. Don't give up on your attempt.

If you make the effort and go for the first time you have already won half the battle of learning to dance. Even if the first week doesn't go quite how you would have liked give yourself another couple of weeks to get into it.

2. Don't try to remember everything you learn.

Once you have learnt a few move you may find that your memory starts to leak information. If this happens just try to remember the moves that you like, practice those and forget about the stuff that you were not so keen on. Its better to do 4 moves well than 10 moves badly.

3. Go with the flow.

Join in and try not to be too self conscious. It is highly unlikely that you will be the only newcomer and even if you are no one will take any notice of the fact because there are new people starting constantly. You will be more conspicuous if you stand out than if you join in.

4. If you don't understand ask.

If there is something in the class that you don't quite get then ask one of the crew when the class is over, they will always go through it with you. Also don't be afraid to ask the teacher questions when they have finished their classes as they will usually take you through any problems with the moves one to one.

5. Ask others to dance.

Don't be shy the more people you dance with the quicker you will learn and the more fun you will have.

6. Arrive for the start of the beginners class.

Because there could well be a large number of people in the class the teacher will not be able to go back to the beginning just for you.

7. If something goes wrong don't panic.

If you forget something while doing the class or something doesn't go quite right then don't worry about it. The whole point of Modern Jive is that it is fun and not a school of perfection, no one will mind, everyone was a beginners once, simply try again and don't give up.

8. Men lead and ladies don't.

If both of you try to lead neither of you will win and you simply won't be able to dance.

9. Have fun and socialise.

At least 50% of the enjoyment of learning Modern Jive is having the opportunity to meet new friends and have a fun night out. If you join in and try your best without taking it too seriously you will almost certainly have a great time.

10. It could change your life. In one year alone I went to four weddings that were the direct result of people meeting at Modern Jive nights. (now there's something to think about)

Want to find out more about Modern Jive? Visit http://www.danceyourselfdizzy.co.uk/ and start learning moves, online, today.

Original article

Hoping to Learn The Wobble Line Dance Before Your Next Event? Here's How

Hoping to learn the Wobble Line Dance but are too shy to get up on the floor. Afraid of making a mistake because you feel as if all eyes are on you, and you just know you'll end-up turning in the wrong direction? Want to learn how to do the popular wobble line dance from the comfort of your home in 10 minutes even if you have two left feet?... Read on.

Dancing is gaining momentum, ever since American's Got Talent, Dancing with the Stars and all of the other TV dance programs. Everyone is dancing from 8 to 88. Today, many are teaching line-dance steps. From health clubs, church clubs and senior citizens facilities... those baby-boomers are WORKING IT!

Read below as we walk you through the 4-count easy shake your booty wobble line dance, it will amaze you how quickly you catch on and how good you look doing it... Watch.

Step 1.

Take a step forward and wobble in place for four beats. (to wobble; shake your shoulders, butt, or knees in a circular direction)

Step 2.

Take a step backward and do the same thing for four beats. (to wobble; shake your shoulders, butt, or knees in a circular direction)

Step 3.

Lend forward for 4 beats add a bounce or shake what your mother gave you is what we used to say back in the day~

Step 4.

Lend backward for 4 beats add a bounce, shake it...

Step 5.

Cha Cha starting with your right foot, then left cha cha for 4 beats each, here you can put a little spice in the dance, your preference.

Step 6.

Last step starting on your right foot tap (like the old rock) left, right, left for eight counts, while turning a quarter- turn. Once you get the wobble dance down and feel comfortable, then you can add your own style, anything goes as long as you end up on the right beat going in the right direction.

And if not, just turn around. Now just start the whole sequence all over again. Just make sure you're turning making a square. Start turning to your right first and after each sequence you make a quarter turn.

No longer will you feel awkward at social event. Or be the only one that can't do the Wobble line dance. Now you can join in at your next family reunion, wedding invite, or take to the deck on your cruise.

Let the truth be told; learning how to do the wobble line dance may be easier than you think. Although we went through the steps in the above article; and if a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is worth a million.

Join in and learn from our step by step video. There's nothing to buy and no opt-in box. Just click on the link and in 10 minutes you'll be the next Wobble Line Dance pro.

Original article

Salsa Dance Steps - How to Learn the Right Salsa Dancing Moves to Turn Heads On The Dance Floor

Salsa dance steps aren't as hard to learn as you might think. Read on to find out how to get good at Salsa dancing by practicing all the right moves.
And yes, it does take quite a bit of practice to get it right, and to become familiar enough with those steps that you won't be distracted by more complicated moves. So it's important to give proper attention to the basics.

As you surely already know, Salsa is a Latin dance, just like Tango and Mambo. In fact, the steps are very similar for all those dances, so if you know one or both of these, you're already way ahead of the game. If not... you'll simply have to do a bit of catching up.

The Basics

Here's the basic pattern for Salsa dance steps: essentially, you take six steps over 8 beats of music, sort of in a "quick quick slow, quick quick slow" kind of pattern. You can step either forwards and backwards, or from side to side.

There's a bit of a debate as to which step should be skipped, the first or the fourth...

The alternative pattern would be something like "pause quick quick quick pause quick quick quick." It ends up a lot like the previous one except that you're one beat off when compared to the other version.

You might find followers of both approaches on the same dance floor... Of course, there's a lot of sexy hip movement as well, which makes this a terrific core strengthening exercise, or, put a different way, if you've got a strong "core," you'll naturally be better at this.

Either way... the basics are not hard to learn at all. I actually learned my first basic Salsa steps from a Salsa aerobics video and a basic salsa dancing instructional video. Then I went to a concert, and was able to keep up pretty well.

But of course, to get actually good at dancing Salsa you have to go beyond the very basic Salsa Dance Steps.

Beyond the Basics

So how can you learn the more advanced Salsa dance steps?

As much fun as it is to get into the advanced stuff, don't rush things. Personally, I believe that it's important to be really solid with the basics, so practice them a lot with some cool Salsa music, which is a kind of fusion of various Afro-Caribbean and Latin musical styles, and which is both fast and energetic. How fast? About 180 beats per minute, which makes it ideal for aerobic exercise as well as for a high-energy party.

You may want to check out some music from the major salsa artists include Tito Puente, Marc Anthony (yep, the one all over the tabloids right now), Hector Lavoe, Celia Cruz, Jerry Rivera. Then practice your Salsa dance steps....

Get Started Now

If you're interested in dancing and specifically in dancing Salsa, here's how to get started. First, focus on getting really comfortable with your basic Salsa dance steps so you can graduate to the advanced moves with confidence:

Go get yourself some basic instructional videos along with some music by Tito, Marc, Celia and others, and dance away, until you can practically do the salsa dance steps on auto-pilot.

Ready to get started? Grab my FREE Dancing Success eBook for lots of great tips on what it takes to get good at dancing Salsa and other Latin dances (and even the Waltz).

And click the link for more info on Salsa Dancing.

Original article

Life Lessons Kids Can Learn From Participating In Dance Classes

Many kids participate in some sort of physical activity and there are activities to fit nearly every kid's interest. Things like soccer, basketball, gymnastics and more are all fun things for kids to do, but some of the most popular are dance classes. There are a number of different types of lessons, including a tap or ballet class. Whether you sign your child up for one class or have them in a number of different activities, here are some of the life lessons that kids can learn from participating in dance classes.

Dance Classes Foster Teamwork

Teamwork is an important lesson to learn. Kids who work together in a ballet class or other type of class will be able to use these teachings throughout their entire life. Whether it's in an academic setting or in the office, the ability to work with others is a vital life skill that will be used for years to come.

Classes Can Encourage Politeness

Have you ever wished that your child was exceptionally polite to teachers, babysitters and other people you encounter every day? Dance lessons can help encourage that discipline and politeness. Children will learn how to listen attentively and the discipline that's required to participate in these classes will carry on to life outside the studio.

Dance Lessons Create A Love Of Physical Activity

Staying physically active throughout your lifetime keeps your body healthy, but the benefits go far beyond that. Beginning a fitness routine that includes dance classes can help kids later in life. Adults who are physically active have fewer problems with their health and find it easier to remain at a healthy weight. Additionally, physical activity lowers your risk of cardiovascular disease, boosts your mood, improves your energy levels and even helps you fall asleep and stay asleep. Although it might seem like these things don't matter as a child, each of these benefits can help as your child enters into adulthood and they can set your child up for a lifetime of healthy living. What parent doesn't want that for their child?

Increase Self Esteem Through A Ballet Class

Fostering a great sense of self-esteem is important. Kids who feel good about themselves are more confident and will be able to tackle new activities or conflict head on without running from it. Kids with a low self-esteem can be hesitant to try new things or worry constantly that they might not be good at a new activity. When your child shares something they've accomplished at ballet class, take an interest and ask them to show you what they've learned. Your interest and their accomplishment will help them feel great about themselves and can help encourage them to branch out in other new activities.

There are a number of benefits of dance lessons -- these are just a few. Although other types of physical activity that can provide the same benefits, these classes are some of the most fun for children of all ages. Consider calling a local studio to ask about these classes for children -- the lessons there can last your child a lifetime.

A Step Above Dance Academy offers dance classes in Batavia, IL. The school offers a number of different dance lessons in Batavia for students of all ages. If you're interested in learning more about a ballet class in Batavia or want to view a class schedule, visit their site.

Original article

Want to Learn How to Dance? Here Are a Few Pointers!

If there's one thing that can evoke much emotion, it has to be dance. Dance has been used for a very long time as a form of expression, and this is why it's still popular today. Most people think that the art of dancing is inborn; that some people just can't dance no matter how much they try. While some people are naturally gifted at dancing, it's very rare to find people who can't dance at all. For this reason, if you have ever had the opinion that you can't dance for whatever reason, this is very likely to be false, as if you get someone talented enough to teach you, you are likely to find it very easy to learn how to dance.

Why would you want to learn how to dance in the first place? Apart from the issues named above, the other benefit of learning how to dance is the fact that you are likely to increase your self-esteem. This results from a number of things which are related to dance. For instance, when you learn how to dance, you develop rhythm and you also improve other aspects of your life such as your posture and general physical look. This not only makes you more attractive, but it is also a very good boost to your self-esteem and should be harnessed for this reason.

The other benefit of learning how to dance is the fact that you would improve your dating life a lot. For instance, if you are a man, you would know that women normally want more from a man other than the superficial in order to have an interest in them. If you show that you can dance well, they will become more interested in you, and will be curious to know more about you. In this manner, the simple act of learning how to dance is going to make it much easier for you to have an active dating life.

If you need to benefit from the above through dance, you need to be aware of several things first. For one, you should know that you should be able not only to dance but to dance well. This means that you should choose a dance instructor who can make you as perfect as possible, instead of settling for someone who may not be very good at it. There are many dance instructors that you can choose from, but you should always try and choose the ones who seem to have a very good grasp of what they are teaching.

In any town, such dance instructors are easy to spot. All you need to do is use the internet or other means to prod around your arts culture in your city, and several names will pop up when it comes to dance. You should consider only those dance instructors who have a good reputation, as they are the ones who are most likely to give you the best dancing lessons you can find. You can also read the reviews of such dance instructors online as well so as to know which instructor best suit your needs.

Don't feel shy to take up dance lessons! San Francisco is a great city full of fantastic dance instructors so why not take up a dance today, perhaps the flamenco dance?

Original article

Hip Hop Dance Moves - Learn the Coolest Moves for the Dance Floor

Welcome to my article about hip hop dance moves where I will describe what I have found to be important in regards to hip hop dancing from my experiences as a beginning student. I will hopefully encourage you to take up hip hop, because if at the age of 29 I was able to begin lessons and get a few moves together, then absolutely anyone can do it! I have never danced before and have absolutely no dance skills at all.

So what is important?

1. Feeling the beat of the music.

When you are beginning, it is easy to get lost in trying to get the moves correct, and forget that you are actually dancing to music. I was like that at the start, and it makes it less enjoyable and actually more difficult to get the moves happening. You will find that as you progress even just a little bit, that you make the best progress in learning moves when you are feeling the beat and moving to it.

2. Remember to bounce.

Most hip hop dance moves are done to the beat of the music, as described above. Almost always, the timing of the moves involves bobbing your head, and bouncing your body "up, down, up, down, up, down" to the beat of the music. All of the moves beginners will try to master early, everything from the two step, to the running man, all need to have the concept of "the bounce". If you don't have the bounce in your moves, you'll be dancing stiff and upright and will look strange. It is also a bad habit to get into, and if you are not bouncing, the moves are not timed well and it will be almost impossible to dance to the music in any way that looks good.

3. Warm up and Stretch

Warming up and stretching should be a part of every hip hop dance session. As you learn hip hop, take note of the stretches and isolation exercises your teacher takes you through so you might use them when you practice or dance elsewhere. Without a proper stretch you can injure yourself, or not be loose and ready to dance well.

4. Put a routine together

Dance moves should come together in a sequence, otherwise you will be doing the one thing repeatedly, or just randomly starting the next type of move as you go. If you practice your moves in a routine with steps that lead in to the next move, you can then store these transitions through practice and can use them in the future when you are dancing. With a few different transitions, you'll be able to dance smoothly for short periods of time quite easily.

5. Practice

Practice really does help you to remember what you have learned. The thing with hip hop, and other dance styles, is that physical learning is not like learning from a book. You can't just study it to learn it, you actually have to do it. Practicing short routines, even just for 15 minutes outside of class, can really help to consolidate the steps you have learned and ensure you don't forget your hip hop dance moves.

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Learn Belly Dance Moves The Right Way

If you want to get a trim figure and enjoy yourself at the same time you can learn belly dance movements which will give you a low impact workout and develop a skill at the same time.

Learning how to dance the Egyptian way is not all that hard but some proper instruction will help you progress faster and this in turn will keep you going.

Belly dancing is a great workout device and will enhance your suppleness and flexibility as well as increasing your stamina.

The dance of the belly will also tone all parts of your body whilst retaining your womanly curves. Belly dancing is all about femininity and seduction and so it will make you curvaceous and sexy!

I would suggest that learning how to dance belly style is ideally done under the watchful eye of a professional dancing instructor at a formal class but this may not be convenient for every body for one reason or another.

The next level down is to invest in an online belly dancing course which you can follow at your own pace and in the comfort of your own home.

A good dancing instruction course will give you all the techniques required and a full explanation of what you should be doing ad how you should be doing it.

Most online course are delivered as a series of emails with videos attached. These type of courses allow you to work through each stage before going on to the next one so you learn to dance methodically and sensibly.

If an online course doesn't appeal to you then you could purchase one of the many 'Learn Belly Dance' DVDs that are available.

This is how I started out, practising on my own until I felt comfortable enough to go to an actual class. I must say, I need not have worried because the class I attended was fun and friendly and we were all novices together.

Another free way to learn dance movements is to head over to YouTube.com. There are thousands of belly videos on the site and it's all free.

The drawback with this method is that it is unstructured and could end up confusing you or even causing you injury.

I will finish this article with only one piece of advice to any budding belly dancers and that is to go for it. Belly dancing is fun, sexy and a fabulous way to attain a great figure.

Try a belly dancing DVD You can also find some fun and sexy belly dancer costumes to give your performance that extra sparkle!

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