Charlotte Studio 704-544-0222 | Lake Norman Studio 704-895-5575

Blog

  • gooddanceposture
    Permalink Gallery

    Improve Your Posture by Taking Ballroom Dance Lessons in Charlotte NC!

Improve Your Posture by Taking Ballroom Dance Lessons in Charlotte NC!

How is your posture? How is your dance posture? Are you satisfied with the way you carry yourself, or do you think you could do better? Good posture, just like poor posture, is a habit. Good posture keeps your spine strong and makes you look strong and confident. Poor posture leads to fatigue in your muscles and ligaments, and pain in your back, neck, and head. It also makes you appear unsure of yourself.  Having good posture while dancing also makes your dance moves much better as well!
Posture is your body’s alignment and positioning with respect to gravity. When you stand, sit, or lie down, gravity exerts force on your joints, ligaments, and muscles. Good posture helps distribute the force of gravity throughout your body so no one structure is overstressed. According to the American Chiropractic Association, good posture helps keep bones and joints in correct alignment, reduces the stress on the ligaments holding the spinal joints together, allows muscles to work efficiently, and helps prevent muscle strain, fatigue, and pain.
Here are some tips from the Mayo Clinic to help you make good posture a part of your daily life.

Standing
Hold chest high.
Keep shoulders straight and relaxed
Pull in abdomen and buttocks
Keep feet parallel and balance weight evenly on both feet
Keep knees relaxed, not locked

Sitting
Keep shoulders straight and relaxed
Rest both feet flat on the floor, keeping your knees level with your hips
Sit with back firmly against chair (use a pillow for your lower back)
Stretch top of head toward the ceiling, tuck chin in slightly
Keep upper back and neck comfortably straight

Did you know that dancing is great for your posture! It strengthens the core muscles in your abdomen and back, as well as those around your spine, […]

  • ballroomdanceclassesincharlotte
    Permalink Gallery

    Eat These 15 Foods for a Healthier Life & be a better Dancer Too!

Eat These 15 Foods for a Healthier Life & be a better Dancer Too!

We all know that eating good food is one of the keys to living a long and healthy life. The tricky part for many of us is choosing the right food. The items on this list are loaded with vitamins and antioxidants, easy to find at your grocery store, and require little or no preparation to eat. According to nutritionists, not only can these foods help you look and feel better, they can reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and many cancers. Try adding some of these to your diet today.

Apples—soluble fiber lowers blood cholesterol and glucose levels; vitamin C protects your body’s cells from damage; helps reduce risk of heart disease, lung cancer, and diabetes.

Beans—good source of iron, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, and magnesium; low-fat source of protein and fiber; reduces risk of heart disease, diabetes, breast and colon cancers.

Beef—lean beef is one of the best-absorbed sources of iron; zinc helps memory; B vitamins help your body turn food into energy.

Blueberries—low-calorie source of fiber and vitamin C; loaded with phytonutrients to prevent heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers; helps improve short-term memory.

Broccoli—a great source of folate (B vitamin that prevents birth defects), vitamin A, and C; contains phytonutrients; good for preserving eye health; helps protect against cancer and heart disease.

Dark Chocolate—packed with flavonoids; helps keep blood platelets from sticking together; may help unclog arteries; helps with weight loss by making you feel full.

Eggs—great source of choline; helps lower breast cancer risks as well as macular degeneration and cataracts.

Garlic—contains phytonutrients; decreases high blood pressure; lowers rates of ovarian and colorectal cancers; helps fight infection.

Greek Yogurt—twice the protein of regular yogurt; loaded with calcium and immune-boosting bacteria.

Nuts (almonds, walnuts)—loaded with fiber, riboflavin, magnesium, iron, and […]

Take Rock N’ Roll Dance Lessons Charlotte!

There is something special about Rock ‘N’ Roll that makes you feel like a teenager again. Who doesn’t want to get up and dance when you hear music from Bill Haley and The Comets, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, and the Beatles?

Rock ‘N’ Roll is a form of Swing dancing that started in the United States in the 1940s and 1950s. When enthusiastic teens performed it on American Bandstand in 1952, the nation was instantly hooked—Roll ‘N’ Roll was here to stay.

Rock ‘N’ Roll can be performed by couples and groups, and requires a great deal of skill and stamina. Athletic and energetic, it often includes kicks, lifts, jumps, throws, spins, twists, and flips. Rock ‘N’ Roll is danced to a 4/4 beat. The music is very fast, and can range from 176 to 208 beats per minute. Although Rock ‘N’ Roll started off as a social dance, it is now mainly a performance and competitive dance.

Here are some popular Rock ‘N’ Roll dance styles.

Rockabilly—A combination of Country and Rhythm & Blues; incorporates the Jitterbug and Lindy Hop; very acrobatic.

The Philly Bop—Partners hold hands and dance to Motown music in this “smoothed-out version of the Jitterbug.”

The Twist—This dance was created to accompany “The Twist” by Chubby Checker. Partners face each other, resting their weight on the ball of one foot and twisting their bodies to the music.

The Stroll—This line dance is done to Swing or Blues music. Dancers stand facing each other in parallel lines, stepping side to side with the music; those at the top of the line dance together down the aisle.

 

Ready to Rock and Roll? Learn from the best at the Arthur Murray Dance Studios in Charlotte and Lake […]

Are You Getting Enough Sleep to Stay Healthy?

Eat right. Exercise daily. Get enough sleep. Health professionals agree that these 3 activities are the keys to health and longevity. During the sleep cycle, our bodies reenergize and repair themselves. For many of us, however, sleep is not viewed as a priority. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control reports that insufficient sleep is now a public health epidemic. Here are some facts you need to know about the importance of sleep.

Your body works hard while you are sleeping.
heals and repairs your heart and blood vessels
maintains a balance of the hormones that make you feel hungry and full
triggers the release of the hormone that promotes growth in children and teens
supports the metabolism of sugar to prevent diabetes
keeps your immune system functioning properly
enhances your performance at school and work

How does inadequate sleep affect your body?

Negatively alters your mood and behavior (which can affect relationships with family, friends, and coworkers)
Increases your chances of mistakes/accidents
Increases your risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, depression, and obesity

How much sleep do you need daily?
How much sleep you need depends on your age. Many people think that they can substitute coffee or energy drinks for sleep, but this is simply not true. There is no healthy replacement for sleep. Use the following table to see if you and your family are getting enough sleep.

Newborns  16-18 Hours
Preschool 11-12 Hours
School Aged 10 Hours
Teens 9-10 Hours
Adults (Including Elderly)   7-8 Hours              Source:    National Institutes of Health

The CDC recommends trying the following tips to help you sleep better at night: follow a regular bedtime schedule; avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bedtime; and avoid nicotine. Also remove electronics from your bedroom and keep your sleeping area dark.
Regular exercise helps you sleep better […]

Learn the Mambo and Shake Things Up

Originating from Havana, Cuba in the 1930s, the Mambo became a popular dance in the U.S. in the 1940s – 1950s, when Cuban music merged with American Jazz and Swing. The Mambo was instrumental in the development of several other popular Latin dances, including the Salsa and the Cha Cha.

There are a variety of Mambo rhythms, all based on the clave rhythm used in Afro-Cuban music. The rhythms are set by a variety of percussion instruments, including bongo and conga drums, timbales, maracas, and cowbells. Piano, bass, strings (guitar and violin), and winds (trumpets, saxophones, and trombones) are also common in Mambo music. The Mambo uses a 4/4 beat and its tempo covers a wide range—from 32 beats per minute to 56 beats per minute. It is a high-energy dance that is performed both socially and competitively.

Are you ready to shake it? Schedule a Mambo lesson today at the Arthur Murray Dance Studios in Charlotte and Lake Norman, NC.

 

 

 

  • Kathryn Kohnfelder
    Permalink Gallery

    Who Was Kathryn Murray? She was more than Arthur Murray’s Wife!

Who Was Kathryn Murray? She was more than Arthur Murray’s Wife!

Kathryn Murray led an extraordinary life. The wife of dance instructor and entrepreneur Arthur Murray, Kathryn helped inspire millions of people to try dancing. In her professional career, she was a dancer, dance instructor, television hostess, author, and vice president of a multimillion dollar business. In her personal life, she was a wife of 66 years, mother to twin daughters, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

When Kathryn Kohnfelder was a teenager, she was a member of the studio audience at an Arthur Murray radio program. Mr. Murray often asked people from the audience to help demonstrate the dance steps he was teaching. On that particular day, he called Kathryn onto the stage. Later he asked her for a date.

“I had visions of going to some swanky New York nightspot,” she recalled in an interview. “Instead, he took me to a theater—on passes—and then we went home, where he made sandwiches in my mother’s kitchen.”

They were married four months later, in 1925. Together, the couple opened a dance school. Kathryn wrote the training manuals for the Arthur Murray franchises, teaching instructors how to engage students and foster their love for dancing.

In 1950, Kathryn took on the role of hostess for the couple’s television show, The Arthur Murray Party. The show received high ratings throughout the decade. Besides hosting the show with her husband, Kathryn danced and sang on the show, and was involved in the show’s dance contests and comedy skits. At the end of each episode, Mrs. Murray told her audience “Put a little fun into your life. Try dancing.” At that point, her husband waltzed her away.

In 1964, Arthur and Kathryn retired as president and vice president of their dance studio business. At the time, the […]

If You Can Swing Your Hips You Can Lambada

Sensuous. There is no better word to describe Lambada. It’s an intimate and energetic dance, and really fun to learn. The rules are simple: Grab your partner and hold on tight, feel the rhythm of the music, and sway your hips in unison as you move across the dance floor.

Lambada is characterized by swaying, wave-like movements, and is danced to a strong Brazilian/Caribbean beat. It originated from Brazil and became popular in the 1980s in Latin America and Caribbean countries. The Lambada’s incredible hip action—combined with the very short skirts of the female dancers—made it intoxicating to watch. It didn’t take long before the dance gained world-wide attention.

Lambada is a Portuguese word for the wave-like motion of a whip. And that is exactly how Lambada dancers move. They stay on the balls of their feet, with hips closely positioned to create a fast-paced, swaying action that moves from side-to-side.

You can learn the Lambada! Follow the music’s rhythm and move your shoulders from side to side in the opposite direction of your hips (when your hips twist to the left, move your shoulders to the right).  Continue alternating these movements. Once you are comfortable with that, you can add head rolls to continue the wave movement, moving your head in the same direction as your hips. Spins and dips can be added later, after you have mastered the basics.

Schedule a Lambada lesson today at the Arthur Murray Dance Studios in Charlotte and Lake Norman, NC.

Videos:

http://www.last.fm/group/Mya+Fans/forum/45172/_/573226

 

Learn to Dance the Cotton-Eye Joe!

If it hadn’t been for Cotton-Eye Joe
I’d been married long time ago
Where did you come from, where did you go?
Where did you come from Cotton-Eye Joe?
Rednex
 

Who doesn’t recognize the lyrics to this popular Country Western dance? The Cotton-Eye Joe is a popular choice at dance parties, nightclubs, weddings, and school dances. The relatively easy steps are repeated over and over again. It can be performed as a partner dance and a line dance.

Dancers performing the Cotton-Eye Joe execute stomps, kicks, and shuffles in a line or circle. When partners dance they are in shadow position, which means that both partners face the same direction, one of them squarely behind or shifted slightly sideways (in the shadow). Partners step with the same foot in the same direction, and on the same beat of music.

The original version of Cotton-Eye Joe may have come from the South before the American Civil War. In 1994, a new version of Cotton-Eye Joe was made popular by the Swedish dance group Rednex. This fun and energetic dance remains a favorite among people of all ages.

Ready to learn a great party dance? You can’t go wrong with the Cotton-Eye Joe. Schedule a lesson today at the Arthur Murray Dance Studios in Charlotte and Lake Norman, NC.

 

 

 

 

Videos:

Crowded Dance Floors? Not a Problem Dancing the Balboa!

The Balboa—a form of Swing named for the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach, CA—was the answer to crowded dance floors in the 1950s.

The basic steps of the Balboa take up a small amount of space. It is danced mostly in the close embrace and is led with a full body connection. Dancers execute fast and elaborate footwork while keeping their torsos close together. Communication between the lead and follow is accomplished through weight shifts, which most viewers cannot even see. For this reason, the Balboa is often considered more of a dancers’ dance than a spectators’ dance.

Balboa is a restrained or introverted dance, with most of the movement occurring below the knees. This is an eight-count dance. It involves chaining two-step movements together into groups of eight-count patterns, while shuffling your feet on the dance floor. It appeals to many dancers because of its variations on turns, kicks, and twirls that allow the lead to show off his partner’s legs—an effect that is particularly dramatic when the follow is wearing a skirt and high heels.

You can dance the Balboa to a wide variety of tempos: fast music (over 300 beats per minute) or slow music (under 100 beats per minute). Dancing to slower music allows the dancers more time for the intricate footwork and variations that make this dance so popular.

Learn how to dance the Balboa and other Swing dances from the professional instructors at the Arthur Murray Dance Studios in Charlotte and Lake Norman, NC.

videos:

Ways for Shy People to Meet New Friends in Charlotte

Making friends comes naturally for many of us, but for someone who is shy, it can be very difficult. According to the American Psychological Association, shyness is the tendency to feel awkward, worried, or tense during social encounters, especially with unfamiliar people. Shy people often want to interact with others, but don’t know how or are overcome with anxiety why they do try. People who are extremely shy are often lonely and miss out on opportunities that they would like to experience.

If you are shy and want to have fun with other people, try taking a dance class. In a beginner dance class, everyone is there to learn and have fun, just like you. Don’t worry about making mistakes—you will not be the only one! Everyone makes mistakes when they are learning a new skill, and dancing is no exception. And don’t worry about everyone watching you—they will be too busy trying to learn the dance steps themselves. Instead, focus on the instructor and the music.  Check out our article on “Three questions You may Want To Ask During Your First Dance Lessons”

Here are some tips to help shy people get involved in social activities.

 

Exercise—Join a dance class. It will help you feel better about yourself. It also gives you the opportunity to be around others without a lot of pressure.

Volunteer—Direct your focus on the valuable work you are doing. Helping others will give you a sense of purpose.

Join a hobby group or class—It is easier to be around people who share a common interest.

Make and accept invitations—You can ease into this slowly (coffee, lunch, or shopping with a friend).

Practice talking to people—Learning to engage in small-talk is a skill. Like anything else, the […]

Visit Us On TwitterVisit Us On FacebookVisit Us On Google PlusVisit Us On PinterestVisit Us On YoutubeVisit Us On Linkedin