Congratulations! You’ve decided to learn to dance. Now what? You can learn to dance socially or competitively. If you dance competitively, you then have even more choices. If you and your partner are both amateurs, you can enter amateur competitions. If you are an amateur and you dance with your professional instructor, you can enter pro-am (professional/amateur) competitions. If you’re really ambitious, you can do both!

Why compete? Compete for fun, to meet goals, to meet other competitors, to travel, to show off your dancing skills, to enjoy watching those with more skills (as well as those with less skills), and to wear glamorous costumes.

If you do dance competitively, certain dances usually require specific dance costumes. The man can wear an elegant tux or tails while the woman can wear a glittery, flowing gown. For Latin dances, the man dresses less formally – typically a spandex or knit shirt and dark pants, and the woman wears more fitted, shorter dresses adorned with sparkles for flair.

If you don’t enjoy competing, learning to dance socially has advantages too. You can still learn the dances of your choice, meet other people, show off your skills, and wear slinky outfits.

Whether your dance competitively or socially, we’ll teach you how to do either or both.

The music is playing; the dance floor is available.

Would you like to dance?

Does a lady ask a man to dance?

If you’ve ever wondered about the etiquette of asking another person to dance at a dance party, here is the answer: Either a man or woman can ask another person to dance. Asking another person to dance may be in a formal or non-formal way, depending on how well you know the person and how frequently you’ve danced with them before.

Asking Someone to Dance:

Here are some methods of asking another person to dance:

Verbal types

• “Would you like to dance?”
• “May I have this dance?”
• “Dance?”

Non-verbal types

Declining an invitation to dance:

Here are some methods of declining an invitation to dance:

Verbal types

• “I’ve already promised this dance to someone else. Could we dance the next dance?”
• “Thank you, but I’m really tired and need to rest for a few dances. Will you ask me again in a little while?”
• “I’d love to dance with you, but I don’t know the steps to this dance – unless you want to show them to me.”
• “I’m sorry, I’m about to leave. Let’s dance at the next party.”

Non-verbal types

During the dance:

After a dance:

Following is the most polite way of completing a dance:

Words of wisdom:

Final advice:

If you’ve watched “Dancing With the Stars,” you know that anyone can learn to dance. Be your own star by learning how to dance yourself. Don’t have a partner? Neither do a lot of other people, so you can take a group class or work individually with an instructor. Think you’re too old or too young to dance? Young or old, whatever your age, you’re just right to start learning.

Already know how to dance? You can always learn more steps, technique, and choreography. Learning how to improve your skills never ends.

Are there any reasons not to dance? None. Dancing provides fitness, fun, and fellowship.

Ask any dancer why they dance and you’re likely to find as many answers as you will dancers. The answers you hear may include, “Because I can move to the music,” “I want the exercise,” “My partner wants me to learn,” “I want to meet people,” “I like to feel the rhythm,” or “Dancing makes me feel romantic.”

When is the best time to dance? Right now! Seize the moment, the motion, and the mystique of a star. Call Atlanta Ballroom Dance Centre at 404-847-0821 right now and make your move right onto our dance floor. We’ll be looking for you!

Do you have a wedding in June, July, August, or anytime in the future? If you plan to have dancing at your reception, do you know how to dance your first dance as bride and groom?

You’ve probably seen typical newlyweds at their reception. The bride puts her arms around the groom’s neck, they gaze longingly in each other’s eyes, and they sway back and forth – sometimes in time with the music, and sometimes not. These couples settled for not learning how to dance.

You don’t have to settle for anything less than sensational for your reception. Even if you’ve never danced before, we’ll teach you how to dance for your special moment.

The process of learning together is the fun part and if you step on the other person’s toes or even your own, you won’t be the first or certainly not the last to do so. Laughing as you go is the whole point!

Imagine yourself learning the graceful waltz or fox trot to “your” song or any music of your choice. You may be wearing jeans while you’re practicing, but visualize your ultimate performance in your special wedding attire. Won’t your audience be surprised when they see you “perform?”

You’ll be amazed at how quickly you’ll learn and once your start dancing, you won’t want to stop. Best of all, you don’t have to stop. Start by learning to dance for your wedding reception and after your wedding, keep your romance alive by continuing to learn dances that keep you in each other’s arms forever.

Ready to start learning? Call us at 404-847-0821 to make an appointment.

Congratulations on your big day!

We hope (with a little help from us) that you dance right into the world of happily ever after!

Written by Terry L. Wynne

Sultry southern days and hot, steamy nights – how will you tolerate them?

By dancing in the comfort of our air-conditioned studio of course!

We offer private or group dance lessons and social dances to practice and have fun. What a combination!

Couples enjoy learning, and if you have children or teenagers, we’ll teach them to dance as well. In fact, the whole family can learn and practice together.

If you’re single, you don’t need a partner - just come and meet other singles learning to dance too.

We believe fun is best when it’s “cool,” so we’ll provide the air conditioning, the lessons, the music, and the studio. All you have to do is dance – and we’ll even help you learn to do that too.

Instead of sweltering in the heat, join us every Friday night for our group dance lesson at 8:00 p.m., then stay for the social dance that starts at 8:30 p.m.

We’ll be looking for you at the dance this Friday and you look for us too. You’ll easily recognize us – we’ll be wearing our dancing shoes!