Friday, November 30, 2012


Ballroom Dancing Tips: Get Connected | Suite101

Connection to your Partner in Partner Dancing
First and foremost, you must remain connected to your partner. Without this teamwork, you are not moving in harmony—why even dance with a partner? You must be constantly aware of where your partner is, what they are doing and how what you are doing relates to them. Even if you are not looking at them, your body is always trying to face them. In Latin dancing and swing dancing, you have many opportunities to look directly at your partner, which helps you to connect on a lead and follow level, but also on an emotional level.
In partner dancing, you communicate through your dance frame and through any other body contact you have. Keeping your center turned toward your partner wherever possible and maintaining a solid frame by keeping tone in your muscles (not flexing them, stiffening your arms or trying to crush your partner) will keep you connected to your partner for better leading, following and harmony.
If you both really want to connect try a pair of comfortable ballroom dance shoes for men and women from The Dance Shoe Depot.com. We have a great selection of quality dance shoes for the whole family, including dance sneakers and boots. We also have a Christmas sale going on right now and until Christmas day, so hurry and join in on the savings!






Happy Dancing!

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

The Merry Christmas Dance Shoe Sale – 10% off everything!


That’s right folks we are having our annual Merry Christmas Sale start early this year. We are so excited for Christmas this year that we couldn't wait any longer and decided to start our sale early!

Enter promo code 2Dance4Me (case sensitive) and get an additional 10% off your already well-priced ballroom dance shoes.  This promotion runs from November 19th until Christmas day.

It doesn't matter if you've been naughty or nice; you can still take advantage of this sale and get your feet into comfortable, quality ballroom dance shoes to start your 2013 dance season off right.
Your Welcome from all of us here at The Dance Shoe Depot.com
Happy Festive Dancing!

Friday, November 16, 2012

Tips to learn the Foxtrot


Learning the Fox Trot ballroom dance from home is possible. You need to keep a few things in mind when you are learning how to do it. Take a look at these to use them during your studies and soon you will be dancing the Fox Trot very well.

The hold is very important in the Fox Trot. Make sure that you use good posture and that your hands are proper. Always keep your chin up and do not look down.
When you are going forward in the Fox Trot, you need to make sure that you use heel leads. Your movements should be precise. This dance is not about hip movement. It is a regal dance and made to move a partner about the dance floor using a steady beat.
In order to become very good at the Fox Trot from your home, you should practice in front of a mirror. A mirror will allow you to check your posture, the placement of hands and the movement of your body. You need to always be aware of these when you are dancing the Fox Trot.
The Fox Trot is a dance where a man leads and a woman follows. It is important to have strong leadership and the woman needs to know how follow his lead. Practice will make perfect when you are learning from home. Try a little more each day and you will improve. Learn the steps and memorize them so that you can move on to different levels of ballroom dancing. The more you dance the better you will get and the more you will enjoy it.
Get into a slick new pair of smooth ballroom dance shoes to make learning the Foxtrot even easier.  Speaking of smooth dance shoes, we've got a few you might fancy, check our great selection out by visiting us at The Dance Shoe Depot.com.






Happy Dancing!

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Ballroom Basics: Ten Tips in Ten Minutes that Result in Ten Times Better Dancing


Tip #10: Stop the Stutter Stepping

Advanced dancers dance with long flowing, confident strides rather than with tentative stutter steps. Beginners tend to dance with tentative small steps. A common fear is one of stepping on the lady’s toes. The unfortunate consequence is a dance that is stunted and awkward looking. When in proper body alignment and with proper stepping action on the part of the lady, crushed toes will likely never result, no matter how clumsy the man might be. Here’s why. When in a closed hold, his body is slightly to the left of hers such that his right foot is pointed between her two feet. Thus their feet are on different tracks. More important, though, is that the lady should take all backward steps reaching from her hip and extending to the toe. Again the lady should extend from the hip and reach to the toe. When a woman dances in this fashion, you will find that it is nearly impossible to step on her toes.
Avoid stepping on her toes with a new pair of swanky mens ballroom dance shoes from The Dance Shoe Depot.com. While they may not help with avoiding ladies toes, they will look damn good on the dance floor and be sure to get you come compliments!






Happy Dancing!

Monday, November 5, 2012

Ballroom Basics: Ten Tips in Ten Minutes that Result in Ten Times Better Dancing


Tip #9: Leading Turns with the Cup and Pin System

As we've discussed, dancers should try to avoid losses of connection. Maintaining frame and connection during turns is critical to leading and following. When leading spins and turns a cup and pin hand connection system is usually the best technique. In this system, the follower cups her hand and provides a cavity for the leader’s pin, which he forms with one or two fingers held vertically and pointing down. The orientation of the follower’s cup is thumb down for inside turns and thumb up for outside turns. Connection does not have to be lost when transitioning between inside and outside turns.
As important as the cup and pin connection system is the follower’s frame, specifically the positioning of her arm being led during the turn. The forearm should remain approximately vertical and in the front quadrant of her body, never moving behind her midline. The upper arm remains approximately parallel to the floor. The cup remains approximately above the lady’s elbow, never directly above her head. In this way, the leading action through the turns traces a halo above the lady’s head. Such a system provides a form of a crank that the leader can use to more precisely control turning speed and turning direction. The leading pressure is applied during the part of the halo that is in the direction the leader wishes the follower to travel.
Several mistakes are common among followers. The first is spinning out of time with the music, usually spinning too fast. In such a case, connection is lost and therefore leading and following is lost. The next mistake is the follower’s hand being positioned directly above her head, like a music box dancer. For partner dancing, this is wrong. Another mistake is allowing the arm to collapse and fall behind the midline. Here we see that mistake and the consequence. Another thing to avoid is squeezing the leader’s fingers while turning. Obviously, this can create a lot of pain.
Several mistakes are common among leaders. The first is trying to grab the lady’s fingers rather than simply providing a pin. The next is forming a humongous, non-circular, and non-level halo, which disallows the lady to maintain balance while turning.
All of this said, in the end, the leader needs to be able to lead the direction, timing, and speed of the turning action – both the acceleration and the deceleration. Very important is that connection never be lost during the turning actions. In competitive sequences, turns may start slow, then accelerate, and then stop suddenly. Such figures require a highly developed connection system.
Stay connected with a quality pair of ballroom dance shoes from The Dance Shoe Depot.com.  We’ve got a great selection for all your ballroom dancing needs, from cuban heeled shoes to Latin heel, dance sneakers and even dance boots. If you don’t see what your looking for, send us an email (support@thedanceshoedepot.com) and we’ll do our best to find what you’re looking for.






Happy Dancing!

Friday, November 2, 2012

Ballroom Basics: Ten Tips in Ten Minutes that Result in Ten Times Better Dancing


Tip #8: Learn the Dance Walk

Many dance teachers teach a drill or exercise called The Dance Walk to help their students understand the correct way to move when dancing smooth dances such as the foxtrot. Many beginners dance with heavy, plodding steps. In contrast, the dance walk develops a smooth, gliding stepping style. The key is that the swinging, free foot always skims the floor as shown. On forward walks, the moving foot skims the toe and then the heel. On backward steps, the moving foot skims the heel and then the toe. Notice that the dance walk is smooth and gliding, not heavy and plodding.
Try learning the dance walk in a new pair of ladies, mens or kids ballroom dance shoesfrom The Dance Shoe Depot.com.  We carry a great selection of quality, comfortable dance shoes to suit your style and wallet.






Happy Dancing!