“Prepare to Dance in January”

Changing Lives through Dancing by David Woodbury                                       

Arthur Murray Santa Monica

Most folks start making a New Year’s Resolution just about now. From exercising more, losing weight, learning to cook, reading daily, or being more successful at work. We all have goals and dreams in the new year.

My goal is to have the best health possible and using dancing more and more to help me attain that goal.

Dancing is good for you first because it’s so doggone FUN! You move from head to toe and you are connecting your mind, body, spirit, soul to a partner and to the music. Dance is truly easy for anyone with the guided instruction from an Arthur Murray Professional.

Take your calendar and MARK A DATE to start in January. In your planner, have the studio phone number to call and get ready to begin. If you have a bit of time in December, start with your first few lessons. The MOST important thing is to just get started!

Perhaps you must discuss this dancing decision with your partner and family. You may be shy about anyone finding out about your dancing at your workplace. Don’t worry, once you begin, they will all want to come in and try it out. The moment you tell your friends you are thinking about dancing they will ALL say YES, try it out! If you have already begun, they will have a million questions for your and they will want to start dancing. They may come is as your guest at Arthur Murray.

I hear it, you’re too busy. You may not know the tuition and think it might be too expensive. Arthur Murray can find the best times for you to dance, and your school will have a tuition plan that will work perfectly for you.

After you say you have no time, just go in and let your teacher help you with your schedule. You’ll find out that you have a lot more time than you every thought for dancing.

What will you learn? First, the basic elements. Then leading and footwork. If you have already danced, your instructor will take you are your current level and teach you from there. You’ll be surprised how much you remember from your past dancing and how quickly it will come back to you.

You will love your private lessons and quickly you’ll be taking groups and joining in on the parties. The first few groups and parties may be challenging, but soon you’ll be greeting other new students and encouraging them in their own dancing journey.

After January passes, and you are finding yourself dancing into February and March, you’ll be amazed at how much you have learned, and how much fun you’ve had through dancing. It is about this time that you will be ready for your own personalized Social Dance Program. Before you know it, you’ll be dancing the basic 6 dances. Then you’ll try a few more and then next thing you know, you will have over 10 dances in your repertoire! Just let it happen. I know over thirty dances and smatterings of many more and I love the learning process.

Please, just give it a try. Ballroom dancing will truly change every aspect of your life and you will be so happy with your decision to dance.

Here’s to dancing in 2024!

Thanks for reading,


David Woodbury