Changing Lives through Dancing by David Woodbury
Arthur Murray Santa Monica
This may seem like a simple and obvious question, but how do you learn to dance? The answer is in the amazing Arthur Murray system of teaching.
When you learn to dance at Arthur Murray, on your first lesson, you learn the Four Elements of Dance:
The Walking Steps Forward and Backward
The Sidestep from Side to Side
The Triple Step
The Rock Step
From these four elements, every partnership dance may be learned. Upon being introduced to the elements, you first combine a walking step with a sidestep and repeat. Voila, you have the box step. The box step may be danced in virtually every style and rhythm of dancing.
Then, you combine the rock step and two triple steps, and you have the famous Swing dance. We offer single, double, triple, Jive, Hop, Bop, East and West Coast Swing. Push, Country Swing and Lindy Hop (and more!). Swing is called the American Fun Dance. You get to dance to the best music ever written in all styles.
The sister of Swing is: Rock Step, Triple Step, Rock Step, Triple Step. This is the Cha Cha Cha! Then the other sister is: Triple Step Forward, then Triple Step back. Done with repetition, this is Salsa and is a twin of Cumbia, also a cousin of Bachata and Merengue.
If we take the walking steps, take three of them, then a slide sidestep, we get T.A.N.G.O. or Tango! Very addictive and fun dance. Staccato and alluring.
Returning to the Box Step, it may be danced as the Waltz (123) the Foxtrot (Slow Quick Quick) Viennese Waltz (very fast 123, 123), Slow and passionate Rumba (Slow Quick Quick), even done in Samba (1 ah 2, 1 ah 2) or even in Cha Cha! The box step is so versatile.
The truth about dancing at Arthur Murray is that it is Fun, Easy, and Quick and the formula of using the elements makes dancing a snap.
If you can pass through our front door, you can dance. If you have a heartbeat and breath, you have a natural rhythm. Everyone can dance at Arthur Murray, young or old, big or small, leader or follower, everyone can dance. You just have to be willing to take the very first step, then the second step, then, on and on!
Learn to dance today! Please give it a try. You’ll be happy you did!
Just a note, when you reach the top, top levels of dance, one still practices the four basics of dance and basic lead and follow, frame, footwork, partnering, timing, posturing and the character of the dance. Life at the top is just the same as being a newcomer. The basics are always so important for all levels of dancers.
Thanks for reading,
David Woodbury