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entertaining u newspaper: your monthly guide to entertainment
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Kids' Dancing
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by hilary johnson
Dancing is a social tradition that has existed throughout time, always transforming and adapting to new cultures, but always maintaining. Since the cavemen and their dances around the fire, people have used dancing as a form of expression, a means of celebration or mourning, and a physical way to experience the world around us.
That tradition is no different today. Dancing is still a very large part of our culture. And while people are still dancing around fires, just like our ancestors, we also have many more options available to us. Today, there are many different styles of professional dances that are out there for our learning pleasure.
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For children, dance lessons are easy to come by. In almost every neighborhood in town there is at least one dance studio, ready to pass out tutus and toe shoes. Just look in your local yellow pages under dance, and an overwhelming selection can be found, offering basic lessons in ballet, jazz, tap, acrobatics and modern.
It’s once we reach adulthood, inside our nine to five days and families and bills and every other thing that filters out the rest of what we used to love, that we lose that love for dancing. Sure, we might still dance around the living room while we’re vacuuming, or at the occasional wedding, but most people lose their connection to this age-old tradition.
But all hope is not lost. Outside the walls of our homes and offices are endless opportunities to get back into the swing of things, literally.
A Social Affair Dance Studios offer a little something more in the way of adult dance lessons. They teach everything from the Samba to Swing to the Waltz and the Cha-Cha. ASA provides group lessons and private lessons, and offer package deals for members that include a combination of both. They also host weekly Practice Party Sessions that are open to the public.
“[The parties are] a very social evening,” says Carolyn Ignatz, an instructor at ASA. “Music plays all night and no one ever refuses a dance because we are all here to dance, but there is a very social side to it. We are all friends here.” The night is also used to make announcements about the studio, and to give customers a chance to show off their new moves in spotlight dances.
There are also other places around town that offer dance lessons to adults, as well. It is possible to take a class or two at your child’s local dance school, but the options don’t end there.
Starting September 9, Tango Jax will begin hosting a Sunday Matinee Milonga at Avondale Dance Directions. Every Sunday at 5pm people can gather to get a free Tango lesson and then use their new moves immediately after.
For more of an Old Skool flare, check out 57 Heaven, with special nights Wednesday through Saturday. There you will find everything from musical chairs to comedy skits, and even some free dance lessons thrown in every Wednesday.
There are also a lot of options for those who are interested in showcasing the dance moves they’ve already learned. Cuba Libre is a great Latin club to do the Cha Cha, as well as the Twisted Martini in the Landing. 57 Heaven is good place to go for swing dancing. Dick’s Canteen hosts ballroom night on Tuesday evening and River City Brewery does ballroom dancing on Fridays. And these are just to name a few.
Club Savoy is a great place to go for those people who just like to boogie, but don’t like the bump and grind of a nightclub. They have set rules in place to keep the environment all about the dancing, rules that include No Womanizing, No Drunkards, and No Foul Language.
On the flip side, Bourbon Street Station hosts five unique bars in one easy location for those who like a little drink with their dance. Located on St. John’s Bluff, it has Crazy Horse Saloon for Country and Western music, Mardi Gras for Hip Hop, Top 40 and House music, and Studio 80 and The Blue Room which feature live music, as well as visiting DJ’s. For those who like variety, this is your one stop shop.
Dancing affects everyone differently, but its benefits are endless. For some, it’s a form of self-expression. An impersonal work place may leave people feeling dull, uninspired and dancing is a great way to break free of the daily humdrum of life. For people who work in high intensity jobs, like surgeons or psychiatrists, it can be a great stress reliever. “Some find it to be pretty much a life saver,” says Ignatz, of ASA’s students that have come to them with serious health conditions. “We also have a group of teenagers who find it to be a great confidence boost. It’s different for everyone, but everyone gains something from it.”
With so many places around town to dust off your old kicks and get back on the dance floor, it’s about time to do so. It’s a great social outlet that lets you get your body back into a groove. It doesn’t matter how you move, just that you move. We’ve got the beat inside us. It’s time to let it out.
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