Americans are falling back in love with dancing. The number of people in the United States who have started ballroom dancing lessons jumped 35% from 2001 through 2011. The American dance studio industry has done very well, too. It has produced about $2.1 billion in revenue. The roughly 49,000 dance studios nationwide employ approximately 8,400 people.
There are a lot of reasons people take dancing lessons. There are dance lessons for kids or first wedding dance lessons. There are also people who recognize the health benefits of dancing. It is great exercise. It helps prevent heart disease and can help with weight loss. It is also one way some people manage depression.
Find a dance to learn:
- What kind of dancing interests you? Before you head to your local dance studio, do some research into what kind of dance you want to learn. You have a lot of options and different styles to choose from. Ballet’s graceful moves differ completely from tap dancing’s quick and short steps. Maybe you want to lean to dance with a partner because you watch a lot of “Dancing with the Stars.” There are different kinds of ballroom dance such as the Rumba, Foxtrot, Viennese Waltz and Cha cha.
- Head to YouTube and check out other people dancing. You may have heard of the different kinds of dance but not really know what they look like. Do you know much about the Cha cha? Rumba? What is the Foxtrot, anyway? Look online at differente dances and see what you think. Is there one that looks like fun? Do not assume, as many people do, that you cannot do a dance because it is complicated. Instructors at the dance studio are experienced at making complicated dance moves more comprehensible.
- Explore the history of dance. If nothing jumps out at you when you watch videos of other people dancing, maybe looking into the history of different styles of dance will inspire you. Many dances do have interesting histories and has influenced a number of different cultures.In ancient Egypt, dance was a part of religious ceremonies and entertainment. Louie XIV opened the Académie Royale de Musique et de Danse where ballroom dance rules were set.
- Go watch dance performances. You do not have to go to the American Ballet Theatre to get a sense of what interests you. Ask the local dance studio about local dance performances. Maybe they will know of a dance school that puts on shows or a local theatre that does that. Now, do not expect to be able to do whatever dance you like as well as people who have been working at doing that dance for years but maybe the excitement will grow in you as well.
- Find some friends to go dancing with. A lot of bars around the country have swing dance lessons or rumba lessons one night a month or every week. Try a few with your friends and if there is one that you really like, go back to the dance studio and get more serious lessons.
Learning to dance is not as hard as you may think. You have probably heard the phrase “two left feet” but that is just a state of mind. You can start with a more simple dance and advance as you become more confident in your abilities.
