“Deal with the difficult while it is yet easy. Deal with the great while it is yet small”

Changing Lives through Dancing by David Woodbury                                      

Arthur Murray Dance Studio Santa Monica

There is an old phrase that says, “Whoever is too big for the small things is too small for the big things”. As a ballroom dancer with Arthur Murray for 49 years, I was trained in my early years to learn the most difficult dances, steps, and choreography. I was so young that I didn’t know how hard it all was, and I loved learning all the dances and all the steps. I learned that the smallest techniques are what make dancing great.

The most challenging and difficult parts of dancing were also exciting. I was a new dancer, fearless, and a hard worker. My teachers searched for any latent greatness I might have had while my abilities were still very small.

As a new ballroom dancer in my late teens and 20’s, I taught students who were much, much older that I was. Some students I taught for many years. As I look back, it seems that they taught me about life, giving me wisdom and personal guidance. I in turn taught them how to dance. I know that for over 25 years my students were “raising” me and coaching me. They were my life guides; I was their dance guide.

How does this saying apply to adults middle aged, and adults my age? I have learned to tackle the difficult things in my life while they are still easy to fix. I do not like the dread I feel if I’m behind on something. I am still working on dealing with the great things while they are still small and manageable.

Perhaps the biggest change in my life is daily having more fun and joy. When I am dancing and teaching, I laugh a lot. I enjoy every moment. I love my partners and love my couples and love the groups and parties. I’m truly now just like my students from so many years ago. Older, calmer, wiser, happier, and less stressed, and I truly love my dancing!

When I am registering students on new courses, I don’t care about the enrollment, I care about how they feel about their new dance course and about their fun experience in our school. When I am enrolling, we just laugh and have a great time. I love every moment and so do they (I hope!). I just let the joy roll over us, and I let the dancing speak for itself.

The first thing we do for every new wedding couple is at the beginning of their introductory lesson we (a professional couple) do a demonstration dance wedding dance to their chosen music to show them the possibilities of the dance. They always love this demonstration every time. We say that our job is to honor our brides and empower our grooms. It’s super fun for us and there is laughter and harmony all around and they are excited to learn. By the way, I learned to do this dance demonstration from one of our brides. She said to me “Would you demonstrate what our dance will look like?” and we have done this ever since with overwhelming success.

We sit down after the wedding couple’s first lesson, I ask them “What was the best part of your lesson?” Their answers are amazing and inspiring. When they enroll, I ask them what they want to do. What are their dreams. What is the perfect course for them? They chose the best plan for themselves.

When I chat with wedding couples, most of them have never danced before, especially with each other. I try to paint a picture of what will happen over the weeks and months ahead and assure them that they will have a lovely first dance routine. I always say that the reason they should dance together is for the partnership and connection they share on each lesson and every time they dance.

Our new couples are truly dealing with the difficult while it is easy and dealing with the great while it is yet small.

The truth is that we create this vision for all our students, women, men, and couples and families. We become dream makers to all our dancers.

This blog can be summed up this way…start today. Take the first step. Call for a lesson. Come in and try the dancing and then give it a go. If you love it, keep on dancing!

Thank you for reading and Keep on Dancing!

“Dance & Thrive in ‘25”

David Woodbury