Monarch - Monarch Ballroom and Dance Studio

I Don’t Pay for Dance Lessons

Monarch — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 14:41:54 +0000

The other day one of my students told me he was at a party dancing with his wife and someone complimented him and asked him if he took lessons. He said “yes” and then they said “isn’t it really expensive?” His answer was amazing.

He said “Actually it really isn’t but I don’t pay for dance. Personally, I never cared all that much about dance. Before starting at Monarch Ballroom, I knew absolutely nothing about dancing. Up until the day that my wife convinced me to join her at the Monarch Ballroom in Jacksonville, if you had asked me to salsa, I would have asked, mild or spicy? Just a year ago, I though hustle was something I had to do when I was running late for work.

So if I am not paying for dance, what am I paying for?

I pay for the moments when I get to hold my wife and watch her smiling uncontrollably back at me. I pay for the moments that make me forget about all of the stress caused by my hectic work schedule.

I pay for the time with friends that I look forward to seeing each week who have become an integral part of my life. I pay for my fun active lifestyle that makes me feel less guilty about foregoing that gym membership… again.

I pay for the moments that remind me that anything worth having requires countless hours of hard work and dedication. I pay for the times when I’m pushed out of my comfort zone to make me a stronger person. I pay for the sense of accomplishment that comes with every performance and checkout. I pay for the moments of frustration and disappointment that drive me to work harder.

I pay for the reminders that success does not take place overnight. I pay for the moments when I feel confident in my own skin. I pay for the moments when I can take the dance floor with my daughter at her wedding and make her proud.

I pay for the times when I don’t turn down party invitations because I’m no longer scared of being asked to dance. I pay for the memories I have made and will continue to make with my wife, my friends, and the people I have come to know as my Monarch Ballroom family.

I could go on, but to keep it short, I don’t pay for dance. I pay for all the benefits that I receive simply as a result of dancing. I am happier, stronger, confident, more determined, less stressed, healthier and have developed lifelong friends because of dancing. From what I have seen so far, I think it’s a great investment!”

-written by Christian Marcantonio

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Which Dance Studio is Right For You

Monarch — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 23:25:33 +0000

This dance studio….or that one?

You can drive from one end of town to the other and pass many Ballroom Dance studios, so how do you know which ones are “good”? More importantly, which one is right for you?

It might take a bit of time, but here are six tips to finding THE ONE:

Determine your current goals in taking lessons. If you have a dance partner, discuss this beforehand and come to some agreement. If you don’t have a partner, why are you taking lessons? Do you want to be more competent on the dance floor in social settings? Do you want to become an expert in a handful of dances? What about competing; does that hold any interest to you? Are you taking lessons for your wedding or other special event?
Is distance to the studio you eventually choose important or not? Do you need to be close to home or close to your office? Or does it matter at all?
Make appointments to visit 2 to 3 studios. Many will offer a free lesson or at the least an inexpensive Introductory Package so you can get a feel for the owners, teachers, and environment. During that time, you can talk to other students, too, and find out what their experience has been. At the end of that process, which studio best met your needs and goals? Where did you feel comfortable?
Make it known that you are shopping studios; also share your goals with the owners or managers that you meet with at the studios as you visit various places. Do they seem interested and receptive to what you want? Your goals may change over time, but you’re looking for a studio that treats you with respect no matter how basic—or lofty– your initial goals might be. Do you feel your goals and wishes are heard?
Observe the interactions going on around you as you visit each studio. Does it seem friendly and open to visitors? Were you greeted when you first entered the studio? Did your host or hostess introduce you to others while you were there? Did they make you feel welcomed and valued?
In fairness to the studios you visit, keep in mind that this is a business for them. They will discuss packages with you, along with the costs. You should expect that and be willing to have an honest conversation with them and give them a shot at getting your business. Make sure they know you are serious and not just wasting their time to get some cheap lessons.

Above all, trust your instincts. If you don’t feel comfortable at a studio for any reason, don’t assume things will change. Take your time; you may find one that draws you in immediately and makes you feel like you’ve come home!

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One of the best days of your life…..

Monarch — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 22:19:04 +0000

Getting Married

This day I will marry my best friend, the one I laugh with, live for, dream with, love. – The one that I become when we dance together…..

A couple’s wedding day is a time of celebration, a day that becomes a memory to take out—along with all those photographs–and cherish for the rest of their lives.

Hopefully, the couple’s first dance is reflective of those good memories instead of an awkward reminder of the fact that they really should have taken a few lessons first.

Let’s face it: all eyes are on the two of you during that short time on the dance floor. And over the past few years, witnesses to this event have come to expect a bit more, haven’t they?

Ballroom Dance studios can make this time magic for both the couple and the observers. Provide your special song to the instructor, give him or her some time to choreograph some moves for the two of you, and let the magic begin!

We’re all busy people, though, so the couple can tailor the complexity of the dance to not only the amount of money they have to spend on this piece of their wedding day puzzle, but also to how much time they can devote to the instruction it takes to get them up to speed on their dance.

Industry standards to accomplish your goals are:

Basic dance, very simple: 3-6 weeks
Choreography to song 3-6 months
Very elaborate, 4 months to a year

And most couples schedule their instruction twice a week, but that’s flexible based on work schedules and other wedding plans, too.

So, call your local dance studio and talk about it; meet the instructors, and go from there.

You want all those eyes watching you as you waltz or tango or boogie to see two who have just become one, both off AND on the dance floor!

Best wishes to the happy couple……..

http://www.theweddingspecialists.net/dance-and-wedding-quotes.html

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