Ballroom Dancing
Did you Dance with Carlos
at GSK's Upper Merion Fitness Center?
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Ballroom Dancing |
(Note: the classes ended on Tuesday, Decemebr 21, 2004 - This is now a "historical" site)
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to have any previous experience? No. Beginners are welcome. (This is not a "high pressure" class. We come to have fun!)
How much does it cost? $24 for 8 classes.
Where? At the Fitness Center of GlaxoSmithKline, Upper Merion West.
Who can join? Anybody who can get into the Fitness Center.
When? Every Friday from 1 to 2. (Except for Thanksgiving and Christmas weeks - on Tuesday.)
Which dances? We are now doing just Argentine Tango.
If I am very busy, can I just come for one dance and not the other? Of course, your choice!
If I miss a few classes, will I fall behind? No. We will bring you up to speed, don't worry!
Do I need to bring a partner? No. We switch partners every few minutes.
What shoes should I wear? The most important thing is that the sole does not provide too much friction (i.e. some sneakers.) You should be able to pivot on the ball of the foot with ease (else you could hurt your knees on a turn!) Also, the shoe should not extend much more than your foot (i.e. some women's shoes with very pointy toes, men's shoes with very wide soles.) Dancing shoes with suede soles (that you can get at a place like "Capezio's") are of course ideal! Also, the Fitness Center requires that you use shoes that will not damage the wooden floor (i.e. not stiletto heels.)
What about clothes? You want to be comfortable and wear clothes that do not get in the way of your partner (i.e. jackets or loose bulky tops.) Tight skirts might make it hard to bend your legs.
Accessories? Please, no sharp rings, big chains, or badges that might fly around and hit your partner when you turn!
Hair? If you have long hair, please wear a pony holder to avoid hitting your partners with it (or get their hands tangled with it.)
What other dances have we done in the past? We started with East Coast Swing and Foxtrot, then followed with Rumba and Cha-cha, and Salsa and American Tango. We also did Waltz.
Dancing links:
My Argentine Tango teacher's web site: http://www.dancephiladelphia.com/
For Swing, Salsa and Argentine Tango web instruction, visit http://www.dancetutor.com/
You can find dance music, videos, on-line dance instruction, etc. at http://ballroomdancers.com/
Questions: for dancing questions, email Carlos Escolar at 610-270-5384 at carlos.escolar(at)gmail(dot)com.