Changing Lives through Dancing by David Woodbury
Arthur Murray Santa Monica
After the pandemic, we suddenly had a flood of wedding couples. Many were planning their weddings a year in advance. Many had to wait because suddenly all the venues were booked. It was back to dancing.
This trend has continued even until now. We have many couples preparing for their 2025 weddings. And not just couples. Many of our new students are attending their friend’s weddings featuring live bands and DJs, and they want to learn how to dance at the reception.
Along with couples, we have entire dual families who are taking lessons. Both the parents of the bride and the groom are coming in to take lessons. Then the Mother-Son and Father-Daughter dances. Of course, the wedding couple’s first dance. It’s all amazing.
Most of the time we have couples who come in early to learn their first dance. Perhaps three months to a year early. They always ask, are we starting too early? I respond, you have made the best decision to start now and have all this time for many date nights. I say to them that by the time they have their wedding, they’ll have mastered their first dance and they will be able dance every reception dance.
Then, we have couples who come in 4, 3, 2 weeks before, or even the week of the wedding to learn their first dance. We once had a couple who came in the week of the wedding and wanted a 3-minute dance medley with a live band and 300 guests watching. We did it and they practically lived here that week. Mission accomplished!
If you’re taking a cruise, dancing at your wedding or a friend’s wedding, going to a grand ball, dancing at a Salsa club or at a Country-Western club, it’s always best to start too soon rather than start too late.
I want to use this motto in my own life. Do you know late people? I do. Sometimes I’m late. But I don’t want to be a late starter; I want to be a catalyst to make great things to happen for others. I always try to be early. Being somewhere early gives me a time to relax and more time to dream about more visions and goals.
This is the key to becoming an early person. Just hang out with other early people. They will also be hanging out with other early friends. Everyone early person has time for conversation, preparation, contemplation. Early people meditate. Early people read. Early people have more time to get more things done. Early people are also surprisingly busy. Give being early a try!
Thank you for reading and Keep on Dancing!
David Woodbury