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Dance blog covers a blog page on dance topics such as dance classes, dance studio, instructors, dance accessories, dancing clubs and more general dance related issues. |
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Posted on August 30th, 2007 by Andry
The world seems to be divided into dancers and non-dancers. To the chagrin of women everywhere, men often simply declare that they don’t dance. These guys don’t understand that men who do dance have a secret weapon in their dating arsenal. Let’s face it: women are enamored with men who enjoy dancing.
Aside from the gender divide, there are people who seem to have a natural sense of rhythm and people who don’t. We’ve all witnessed people on the dance floor who can’t seem to keep time with the music, or who cause us to look away when they begin their “signature move.” Shudder.
There are any number of reasons why people can’t or don’t dance. Many times, they’re just not used to expressing themselves through movement. They may be disconnected with their bodies, and have never experienced the joy and satisfaction of feeling the beat and moving to its rhythm. They might be self-conscious and want to avoid drawing attention to themselves because they fear being ridiculed. Or perhaps they simply don’t know how to dance.
Learn to Dance without Fear
For those who can’t or don’t dance, dance videos can open up a wonderful new universe of self-expression - without the fear. For example, a person can buy a dance DVD and learn to dance in the comfort of his or her own home, away from prying eyes. A couple can practice together in the living room, either in conjunction with lessons or instead of lessons. Over time, non-dancers will realize that dancing is nothing to be feared; the only objective is to enjoy themselves.
There are an amazing number of dance videos available on the market today. Whether you’re looking for a hip hop dance video, a ballet video, a line dance video, or a ballroom dance DVD, you’ll find a variety of dance videos to suit your taste.
Expand Your Horizons
For those who already love to dance, dance videos can serve as an introduction to a greater variety of dances. For example, maybe you’ve always harbored a secret desire to learn clogging, or want to express your sensuality through belly dancing. Perhaps you want to feel the Latin heat, and are ready to learn flamenco or salsa. Or you may want to go retro and learn to swing dance or to do the Lindy hop.
If you love dancing, you’ll find that dance videos open up a whole new universe of delight. You don’t have to wait for a class, or if you’re in a class, dance videos can help you practice between classes.
Dancing is Great Exercise
If you want to get into or stay in shape, dancing can provide cardio benefits, as well as improve your balance and increase your stamina. Who wants to log in time on a treadmill when you can move your body to the beat? Learning to hula dance will provide a workout to muscles you never knew you had, while hip hop will get your heart rate up. In addition to dance videos, you can also find videos and DVDs that use dance as a mechanism to achieve fitness. For example, there are dance videos that use Motown moves or rock tunes as part of a specific fitness routine.
Whatever your relationship to dance, there’s no doubt that dance videos can kick it up a notch. Just remember that dance is all about expressing yourself through movement and that the bottom line is to enjoy yourself.
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Filed under: Books and Videos
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Posted on August 30th, 2007 by Martina
Salsa dancing is a high energy, high impact, and exotic style of dance that that is as addictive to watch as it is to perform. Cuba gets the credit for Salsa’s origins in the 1950’s but it was the influence of Puerto Rico and many of the nearby Caribbean islands that made Salsa what it is today. By the 1970’s Salsa’s popularity really began to take off. This is the period when the term Salsa was the term used to describe this style of dance. Since then, this dance has become more and more popular for its sexy moves, excellent exercise, and the exciting music that comes with it.
As Salsa has become more popular so has the need for the dance wear that is needed when you dance. Shoes are one of the most important parts of dance wear for the dancer. Dance shoes differ from regular in many ways. First regular shoes are designed to look attractive as its first priority, and then they are made to be as comfortable as possible. Of course, compromises have to be made. The most beautiful shoes are certainly not necessarily comfortable if not uncomfortable and they will not be made for high impact activities. Dance shoes on the other hand, are designed from the beginning for comfort, grip on slick surfaces, light weight, and durability. After these features are designed into the shoe, then the looks of the shoe are developed. There are shoes available that are just as sexy and beautiful as regular shoe but are comfortable, durable, and light enough to dance in. In addition, you don’t necessarily have to pay more to have all of these features. Websites such as http://www.saveondancewear.com has a full selection of dance shoes at deep discounted prices to make them as affordable as regular shoes!
The next most important piece of dance wear you will absolutely have to have is your dance outfit. Much like shoes, the outfits made for dancing are greatly different than outfits made for regular wear and tear. Just as a runner would not run in blue jeans, a dancer would not Salsa dance in a formal dress. Dance wear is designed for ease of movement, comfort, and durability. With the exotic designs and styles of the outfits desired for salsa dancing, it is important to find a store that specializes in Salsa dance wear. The owners at http://www.saveondancewear.com state on their site, “With over 25 years in the dance industry we understand what dancers look for. Over the years we couldn’t find the quality, uniqueness, and prices we desired. We now can offer it to all dancers.”
Finally, you will want to get your dance wear accessories to go with your dance outfit, you will need to find durable jewelry that can stand up to the rigors of the intense moves that Salsa dancing demands. Bags and purses are available that are designed with dance wear storage in mind. These will have heavy duty components as well as extra large pockets for ease of use. Once you have your dance wear together it’s time to get out and dance!
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Filed under: Dancewear and Accessories
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Posted on August 30th, 2007 by Jimmy
Attending dance camp can be an excellent experience for your child. Dance camp gives students the opportunity to improve old skills and learn new ones; meet, interact, and bond with likeminded peers from all over; and establish a solid foundation that can help them successfully continue to work towards their dance goals. Before you help your up and coming dancing star choose a camp for the summer, here are some things to consider:
1. Goals - Finding out what your child’s dance goals are is vital when deciding what type of camp to send them to. If they are younger and just starting out, it may be more important to find a camp that focuses on having fun and using dance as a means to do so. If your child is a little older and has career goals in dance, it may be more important to focus on institutes that have full academic year sessions as well as camps.
If career ambitions are driving your decision, then it would be best to choose a camp that will look good on applications and at auditions. It’s also a good idea to send them to a camp that will put them in contact with some of the best dancers giving them a better chance at becoming part of a prestigious company in the future.
2. Type of Dance - What type of dance interests your child the most? If your child is a beginner it may be better to send them to a camp that exposes them to several types of dance including tap, jazz, and ballet. If your child is already involved in one particular school of dance, a camp that focuses solely on developing and improving the related skills may be a better choice.
3. Cost - Unfortunately cost is a big factor in deciding where you can send your child. Some programs can be very pricey so check for the availability of scholarships and other types of assistance.
4. Size - What kind of social environment will your child feel most comfortable in? If your child is used to being in smaller classes it may be best to choose a camp that offers classes of a similar size. If size doesn’t matter then one of the larger camps can offer your child a great environment for making friends and learning about different cultures.
5. Location - Once again the comfort level of you and your child will play a big role in how successful the camp experience is. If both of you are comfortable with an extended stay in the city, it’s a good idea to look at some of the schools that are linked with some of the larger dance companies in the city. If the city isn’t the right place for your child or if this is their first camp experience, a camp closer to home or in a smaller town can be more beneficial and comfortable. Both types of programs can offer an excellent experience.
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Filed under: Dancing School
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Posted on August 30th, 2007 by Luca
There are numerous competitions that are currently going on around the world, but many of us don’t know to life’s growth. As a responsible company, www.competearoundtheworld.com plays a vital role in bringing individuals, rich or poor, who may not have access to the global community, a chance to have an opportunity to participate, and win a competition.
Both where to find them. In this scenario, www.competearoundtheworld.com offers you a resource full of information on various categories of competitions that is going on through out the world. Whether it is on writing, dancing, painting, drawing, mathematics, science, quiz, music, photography, poetry, or no matter what it is or where it may be, if you can name a competition this site finds it for you.
In this way, anyone, from a small village to a big city, can have access to find what they want. A healthy competition is a great way to build confidence, appreciate talent, and help to create new innovative ideas, while contributing winners and losers of competitions come away with valuable experience. This experience increases interest in their chosen field or talent, as well as encourages creativity and innovation. While winners want to win more, losers strive to beat the winners after realizing their mistakes. This healthy environment gives a great boost for new talent, benefiting all of our society. Competitions also are instrumental in building a reputation for participants in their fields, both as individuals or as a group.
The goal of this site is to obtain all information about current competitions around the world, for both online and onsite competitions. This site wants to be a valuable resource for everyone in the future. The specialty of this site is that it bans all competitions that are not suitable for general audience, i.e., adult, sex, sweepstake, and lottery. Further this site follows strict guidelines and ensures reviewing of all reported competitions before making it available for the public.
It is a known fact that each and every individual has a unique talent. This site aims to play a role in bringing out that talent, providing a comprehensive resource of information to find competitions and competitors. This is purely a confidence building site; again, through healthy competitions. Practice makes perfect, people make mistakes and by correcting mistakes, improvement and success is achieved. Competition in this world is a continuous process, whether its business, studies, or career everyone has some sort of competition in his or her life, and competing with others is a never ending job. Even before our birth we competed along with other sperms to get first place into our mother’s ovary. So we all have won a great competition even before our birth! Every one of us is a winner, a born winner, but we lose that confidence as we grow older, and we forget our past successes. Competition is one of the best ways to identify the talent, innovation and growth for this world. This site aims to play a small role in that growth, by providing this rich resource. All you need it to log on to our website and join your preferred category of competition and win prizes and accolades from all over the world. This site and all its resources are offered freely to all who are interested.
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Filed under: Festivals and Events
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Posted on August 30th, 2007 by Catherine
Looking for a way to add a little excitement and romance into your love life? Let me make a suggestion then. Forget about all of those pills that promise to fix anything and especially put down that relationship book. Instead, tie up some good workout shoes and take up dance lessons.
Countless couples have benefited from taking dance lessons. Many singles and couples say that it has created more romance in their lives. It has raised their self-confidence because of all the health benefits and lost weight. They also love the way they look and feel when out on the social dance floor.
No other dance style truly fills all of these compliments than learning the Latin dance styles. Latin dance music is sultry and physical. It gives the dancer the appearance of being full of fire and life. No wonder why it has helped people’s love lives. Here are some basic rules to follow when starting off learning how to dance this way.
* It’s all in the hips - Any student of Latin dancer will tell you that to truly learn this style of dance you will need to start with your hips. It’s ALL in the hips. To get your body moving freely like it is supposed to, relax your muscles and sway your body to the music. Latin dancing is not steps or feet positions unlike other styles of ballroom dancing. It is a completely different way of moving your body.
First, sway your hips without moving your feet. Feel yourself reacting to the music. Once you do start the basic steps, don’t forget to let your body relax. If you don’t, you’ll look tense and jerky. Let your movements slide into each other, and move your shoulders as you dance. Once you get the body movement down right, your feet should follow.
* Beat it - Despite what many may think, Latin music is more complex than basic Rap or Pop music. Getting to know the beats is important for starting on the right foot and not getting lost. Some Latin music relies on its downbeat, while others have a changing emphasis. Be able to correctly identify which beat is stressed in the song and which to start on. Don’t get frustrated if you get lost and need to stop to find the beat again. If you do get lost, try and keep dancing while adjusting your steps. Stopping in mid-dance will break your rhythm, and make it harder to find the beat again.
* Heads up - For a beginner dancer like yourself, your first instinct is to look down at your feet, making sure you’re doing the right movements and not stepping on any toes. You need to fight the urge and keep your head up. It gives you a much more balanced feel. Instead of concentrating on your feet positions and movement, get a feel for how your whole body is supposed to move since Latin dancing is a whole body experience. Keep your hips loose and straighten your back. Easily hold your partner, not pulling them too close, and move your arms with the music as you move your feet.
* Follow one another - Unlike other types of ballroom dance, Latin dancing is an exchange of energy between two people. It doesn’t matter if you’re the guy or the girl, both people should learn from each other and know when to anticipate the other’s movements. If you have a partner that is more experienced than you, make them lead. Try and do what they are doing, or let them take control and lead your movements. Maybe you can learn some new moves and movements.
* Be different - Never be afraid to try new things. Dancing is all about having fun no matter what style of dance you are learning. Don’t be afraid to try new things or make mistakes. Try things out that you’ve never done before. By adding a new twist or turn, the entire experience will be eve more pleasant and a little unexpected. Even the most experienced dancers started off making mistakes. What makes you think that you’ll be any different?
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Filed under: Dance and Technology
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