How Dancing with Arthur Murray’s Helps a Relationship
Welcome!
As February is popularly associated with love and romance, I’ve chosen the relationship-building aspect of dancing as our subject.
Part of the joy of being an Arthur Murray teacher is watching troubled marriages heal, and strong relationships deepen.
Dancing Is Magical!
How does that happen? What is the magic of a hardwood floor, energizing music, simple step patterns and an Arthur Murray instructor?
Partner dancing – whether it be sexy Latin, classy Ballroom, or relaxed Swing and Country Western – is really the only hobby a couple can share that nurtures both the individuals and the partnership. Playing a sport together doesn’t allow tender touches; academic classes don’t stimulate the creative soul and are individual efforts. But on the dance floor, couples discover a new talent and rediscover excitement in their relationship.
Students learning our special connection exercises concentrate on nothing but feeling each other move while holding eye contact. Worries about bills, children, jobs; all these things melt away as a husband and wife reconnect in a meaningful way.
Ask Yourself…
How often do you really look at your spouse these days? How much are you aware of each other physically? Do you take the time to deeply appreciate your relationship?
As partnering skills develop and the connection exercises make the dancing more effective and enjoyable, a beautiful transformation begins to occur.
Spouses fall in love all over again.
They share triumphs in their dancing and encourage each other through the rough spots. They see the creative, artistic sides of each other – and are sometimes greatly surprised to find those facets even exist! They impress each other by accomplishing something bigger and brighter than the mundane tasks of everyday life. They begin to see the world, starting with the dance floor, through their partner’s eyes.
When two people can shed the cares of the world and concentrate on something so simple and “meaningless” as a Waltz box step, they open doors to each other that may have been slowly closing. Or, perhaps, doors that were shut and locked long ago.
We here at Arthur Murray – particularly here in Little Rock – truly appreciate the healing power dancing has on the heart. You, too, can reap the benefits of dancing through artistic expression, physical touch, shared learning experiences and an excellent instructor.
Come join our studio family. We’d love to have you!
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Ballroom dancing puts the swing in exercise!
Steps like the cha-cha can burn as many calories as a gym workout
ALBANY, N.Y. - With its acrobatic twirls and jazzy kicks, the three-step swing is one of David and Joey Ono’s favorite dances.
“After a while, you learn to move your body sideways or backward depending on his touch,” said Joey Ono, who took up ballroom dancing with her husband to shed the weight they’d gained since marriage.
For many couples looking to get fit, the dance floor offers an exhilarating alternative to the drudgery of the gym, and experts say sticking to an exercise regime is easier when it’s not a chore.
“That’s why we lead such sedentary lives. Many of us haven’t had fun being physically active since we were children,” said Cedric Bryant, chief science officer at the American Council on Exercise.
Ballroom dancing is helping change the way people see exercise, especially for older Americans attracted by the sense of nostalgia it evokes. Adding to the attraction in recent years are pop culture hits like “Dancing with the Stars” and “Shall we Dance?”
Depending on the step, ballroom dancing can burn anywhere from 250 calories to 400 calories an hour — about the same as a brisk half-hour walk on a treadmill, and the more demanding dances like the salsa, samba and cha-cha can be comparable to an intense session at the gym, Richards said.
Dancing works muscles in different parts of the body and sharpens balance and coordination. Memorizing steps, kicks and twirls also flexes the mind — a critical benefit for older Americans.
“You don’t get that from walking in place on a treadmill,” said Dr. Ferdinand Venditti, spokesman for the American Heart Association and chief of medicine at Albany Medical College.
For baby boomers and older people, Venditti said, the duration and frequency of physical activity are more important than the intensity.
“And if you enjoy it, you’re more likely to do it a lot,” he said.
Time flies a lot faster when dancing, too, meaning people may dance for long periods.
Not just for couplesSome may even improvise steps into their daily routines, such as cooking, cleaning or walking down the street.
“It takes you to another place. It’s not like exercising,” said Pauline Bono, a 48-year-old Albany resident who started dance classes with her husband because they “weren’t gym people.”
For the Onos, dancing was a way to spend time together, along with dropping some of the weight they’d gained since getting married nearly two years ago.
Joey Ono, 47, and her 58-year-old husband now visit the gym about twice a week, but they don’t look forward to those workouts with the same sense of anticipation as their weekly dance appointments, where they salsa to favorites like Huey Lewis’ “Heart and Soul.”
Although most people who take up ballroom dancing tend to be older, more young couples also are walking into the studio these days, said Lorraine Michaels, who runs an Albany dance studio.
Richards of USA Dance agreed that the age of dancers seems to be “coming down more and more.” Some universities have ballroom dance clubs.
Not all those who take lessons are couples — many arrive alone and are paired up in class
But for couples, Michaels said, dancing allows a bonding not possible in everyday verbal communication.
“Especially when you’re married, you never get a chance to do teamwork,” Joey Ono said. “This is doing something where you have to pay attention to each other’s cues. It’s really a test of how much you can give in and be more understanding.”
© 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
ALBANY, N.Y. - With its acrobatic twirls and jazzy kicks, the three-step swing is one of David and Joey Ono’s favorite dances.
“After a while, you learn to move your body sideways or backward depending on his touch,” said Joey Ono, who took up ballroom dancing with her husband to shed the weight they’d gained since marriage.
For many couples looking to get fit, the dance floor offers an exhilarating alternative to the drudgery of the gym, and experts say sticking to an exercise regime is easier when it’s not a chore.
“That’s why we lead such sedentary lives. Many of us haven’t had fun being physically active since we were children,” said Cedric Bryant, chief science officer at the American Council on Exercise.
Ballroom dancing is helping change the way people see exercise, especially for older Americans attracted by the sense of nostalgia it evokes. Adding to the attraction in recent years are pop culture hits like “Dancing with the Stars” and “Shall we Dance?”
Depending on the step, ballroom dancing can burn anywhere from 250 calories to 400 calories an hour — about the same as a brisk half-hour walk on a treadmill, and the more demanding dances like the salsa, samba and cha-cha can be comparable to an intense session at the gym, Richards said.
Dancing works muscles in different parts of the body and sharpens balance and coordination. Memorizing steps, kicks and twirls also flexes the mind — a critical benefit for older Americans.
“You don’t get that from walking in place on a treadmill,” said Dr. Ferdinand Venditti, spokesman for the American Heart Association and chief of medicine at Albany Medical College.
For baby boomers and older people, Venditti said, the duration and frequency of physical activity are more important than the intensity.
“And if you enjoy it, you’re more likely to do it a lot,” he said.
Time flies a lot faster when dancing, too, meaning people may dance for long periods.
Not just for couplesSome may even improvise steps into their daily routines, such as cooking, cleaning or walking down the street.
“It takes you to another place. It’s not like exercising,” said Pauline Bono, a 48-year-old Albany resident who started dance classes with her husband because they “weren’t gym people.”
For the Onos, dancing was a way to spend time together, along with dropping some of the weight they’d gained since getting married nearly two years ago.
Joey Ono, 47, and her 58-year-old husband now visit the gym about twice a week, but they don’t look forward to those workouts with the same sense of anticipation as their weekly dance appointments, where they salsa to favorites like Huey Lewis’ “Heart and Soul.”
Although most people who take up ballroom dancing tend to be older, more young couples also are walking into the studio these days, said Lorraine Michaels, who runs an Albany dance studio.
Richards of USA Dance agreed that the age of dancers seems to be “coming down more and more.” Some universities have ballroom dance clubs.
Not all those who take lessons are couples — many arrive alone and are paired up in class
But for couples, Michaels said, dancing allows a bonding not possible in everyday verbal communication.
“Especially when you’re married, you never get a chance to do teamwork,” Joey Ono said. “This is doing something where you have to pay attention to each other’s cues. It’s really a test of how much you can give in and be more understanding.”
© 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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