| New Dancer Information |
Are you brand new to the passion and glamour of ballroom dancing? This page will educate you about different levels and styles of dance and go into more detail about the history and scope of our company, plus explain the methods of teaching used at Fred Astaire Dance Studios. DANCE LEVELS
Basic Level All beginner students start their lessons with a basic package designed for the novice dancer. Basic elements in the common, popular social dances are introduced in order to determine a student's learning rate and style, retention level, interests and goals. Students generally try to get through this initial awkward level as quickly as possible and at least into the Social Foundation level where they will begin to feel more comfortable. Social and Advanced Foundation Programs A socially comfortable level, the Social Foundation Program is an individually planned and personalized dance program. The student is introduced to a handful of step patterns and basic techniques of lead and follow, musical timing and blending, which allow them to have fun and hold their own in many social dance situations. Bronze Trophy Program The Bronze Trophy level is for you if you want to become a confident, master social dancer. It is the most popular standard for our students, and the first Trophy Program available to new students. As a Bronze dancer you are considered fun to dance with because you know enough different dances and patterns to be able to cope with almost any dance situation. At the Bronze level you are introduced to and eventually master the technique and style that makes each dance look and feel the way it should on the dance floor. Silver Trophy Program The Silver Program is for the person who wishes to become an expressive, polished dancer distinguished by versatility and style in all the popular social dances. Silver dancers stand out on the floor but not just because of the intricate steps they can do. It's their confidence and poise, the way they carry themselves, their ability to maneuver in a crowd and the fact that they don't appear to be thinking, but can laugh and talk while they dance! Gold Trophy Program The Gold level dancer is an outstanding ballroom dancer. It is the highest level an amateur dancer can achieve. To a non-dancer, the Gold dancer may be mistaken for a professional because they have developed the poise and polish that comes with a complete and thorough knowledge of all the major ballroom dances. Advanced style and poise in all of the ballroom dances sets the Gold dancer apart from all others. History The first Fred Astaire Dance Studio was opened in New York City in 1947, on famous Park Avenue, where socialites and celebrities were taught by Fred Astaire himself. Today, numerous Fred Astaire Dance Studios are located in cities in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and a world-wide network of studios have been established in Europe, South Africa and Australia. Fred Astaire Dance Studios are franchised to individual owners who are required to maintain the highest standards of excellence. Fred Astaire Dance Studios are furnished with music and sound equipment of the finest quality. Dance floors are beautifully maintained for your dancing pleasure. Afternoon and evening lessons are available. We who have privilege of carrying the tradename of Fred Astaire Dance Studios, are immensely proud to do so. We have an obligation to uphold the fine reputation of the master dancer in everything we do from the moment you walk though our door for the first time until you leave as a better dancer. Your Fred Astaire Dance Studio is a positive, happy place because our students are having a great time while engaging in a healthful, beneficial activity... DANCING. "Dancing," wrote English philosopher Havelock Ellis, "is the loftiest, the most moving of the arts, because it is no mere abstraction from life... it is life itself." The Fred Astaire Curriculum Occupying several volumes and covering the full range of American, Latin American, International Style and Exhibition/Theatre Arts dancing, the Fred Astaire Curriculum is the most fully documented and up-to-date fund of ballroom dance knowledge available in the world. Originally inspired by Mr. Astaire's superb style of dancing, it is the subject of regular study by our highly skilled dance directors and teachers. The Three-Way Method of Instruction
The unique Fred Astaire teaching method includes regularly scheduled private instruction for individual attention as well as group technique lessons and the all-important practice lessons. Private lessons with one or more key teachers provides each student with specialized and personalized attention necessary to develop the ability to lead or follow a partner. Group lessons are an important aid to private instruction, in that patterns, technique and style are featured in these lessons. More importantly, group lessons provide every student with the opportunity to meet other students with similar dancing goals and to see that all students share similar challenges in the learning process. Practice lessons are scheduled to provide an ideal atmosphere in which to practice with teachers and other students. Regular practice lessons are usually held bi-weekly for current students and their guests. Music and refreshments abound, and a good time is had by all! Each type of lesson develops different skills and all are equally important in the process of becoming a confident social or competitive dancer. New dances, patterns and techniques are introduced or refined in a group lesson. The individual follow-up on a private lesson allows the instructor to clarify any confusing points and blend the new material with what the student has already learned. Using this new-found knowledge in an actual dance situation provides new challenges, however, and requires very distinct skills it is impossible to get anywhere but in a practice lesson. Our students find that taking advantage of all three lesson types is the fastest and most cost effective way to becoming a confident dancer. The Fred Astaire Trophy System and Conceptual Method of Teaching The Fred Astaire Trophy System and the Conceptual Method of Teaching combine to create a unique method of dance instruction. Providing structure while allowing for individual goals and interests, the Fred Astaire Trophy System is an exciting way for you to gauge your progress in receiving the benefits you expect from the investment you have made in your dancing. Depending upon the particular program you choose and your progress to various levels of accomplishment, you may earn a coveted Fred Astaire Dance Studio Trophy, awarded to you at a Trophy Ball held semi-annually. Competitions and Showcases Competitions and Showcases are a regular part of every Fred Astaire Dance Studio's yearly calendar. At local, regional and national competitions, students enter at levels appropriate to their experience and teacher-student teams rival each other in spirited contests. At competitions students meet, mingle, and compete with other student dancers. Beautiful Bronze, Silver, or Gold medallions are awarded at the national championships. Orlando, Miami, Chicago, Las Vegas and the Bahamas are frequent locations for these gala national events. Participating in our competitions gives every student the opportunity to progress more rapidly and become a better dancer sooner. Showcases are designed for students who find performance dancing exciting. Special choreography is incorporated in solo or group routines to suit each student's ability and interest. They often take place in a public theater where the lights, curtains, green room, etc. provide an element of the theatrical. Participating in a Showcase is a long remembered experience, and something that many students derive pleasure in year after year. American Style From the time of the Castle Walk and the Charleston, through the jazz era with the Boogie Woogie and Swing, and by the adoption of Latin rhythms, such as the Rumba and Cha Cha, the United States has developed a style of social dancing unique in the world today. The American Style of dancing, as adapted and refined by the Fred Astaire Dance Studios, enables its adherents to dance comfortably at any social function, on every dance floor, to the greatest variety of rhythms, with any partner. The American Style syllabus of the Fred Astaire Dance Studios offers a variety of social dance programs from beginner to professional levels and includes the Foxtrot, Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz, Rumba, Cha Cha, Samba, Mambo/Salsa, Merengue, Eastern Swing, Western Swing, Bolero and Paso Doble. International Style Although it is a more standardized form of dancing, International Style shares similar dances and techniques with American style. It is becoming more popular in this country but is used in the US primarily in competitions. The dances include the Foxtrot, Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz, Quickstep, Rumba, Cha Cha, Samba, Paso Doble and Jive.
Exhibition Style Exhibition dancing is an exciting form of choreographed ballroom dancing, where movements and lines of a theatrical nature are used to enhance the atmosphere of a dance. Students who undertake the study of Exhibition Ballroom dancing derive much pleasure from the preparation of specialized dance material used to choreograph routines in the dances of their choice. Theatre Arts/Cabaret Style This exciting course was developed by the Fred Astaire Dance Studios many years ago to offer the creative dancer an opportunity to express individual choreography in conjunction with the standardized ballroom dances, thus ever insuring fresh and innovative interpretations of the common dances. The dramatic movements of lifts and drops and techniques drawn largely from Ballet, Modern Dance and Jazz were carefully selected for appropriate adaption to ballroom dancing. The elements taught are used within the framework of any dance to bring a new dimension to the art of ballroom dancing. The Popularity of Dancing It’s always fund to be with a good dancer so being a good dancer is a tremendous social asset. If you are a beginner, we at Fred Astaire Dance Studio will make you a good dancer. If you are already a good dancer we make you a better one. In either case your social life improves naturally, and so does your creativity, expression, physical fitness and sense of fun. Dancing expresses the joy of living, therefore it brings out people’s best qualities when they are dancing together. And good social dancing as taught at Fred Astaire Dance Studios brings with it a tradition of courtesy, consideration and friendliness. We teach our students to express a positive attitude, accept compliments graciously and never take complaints and problems to the dance floor. Inspired by the talent and career of the man who started our company in 1947, every independently own and operated Fred Astaire Dance Studio franchise strives to maintain its status as the very vest in social dance instruction. There is continuous development of teaching methods, keeping abreast of dance trends, ongoing teacher training, social programs and activities, exciting local, regional and national activities and competitions. Our standard of excellence is unparalleled in the dance world. This is why millions of people have become good dancers at Fred Astaire Dance Studios, and why for almost 60 years we have proudly said, “At Fred Astaire Dance Studios you have confidence in our reputation.” The Master’s Touch Social dancing is one of the most popular pastimes in the world – enjoyed in every country, by persons of every age. In the art of living, the art of knowing how to get along with people, dancing is a social necessity – and to realize the full enjoyment of this experience you must know how to dance well. We invite you to learn the easy Astaire way so that you too can enjoy the pleasure of accomplishment on the dance floor. You’ll learn so quickly and easily that you’ll be dancing with grace and assurance in no time at all. Fred Astaire once said, “Some people seem to feel that good dancers are born that way. All the good dancers I’ve known have been taught or trained.” People who believe they can't dance or even learn to dance do not fully understand that dancing is a natural form of self-expression – and that every person is a potential dancer. You’ll find learning to dance, like dancing itself, is filled with fun and delight. As you master this ageless art, you will feel pride of accomplishment – and you will realize the countless social, physical and esthetic benefits that dancing provides. If you decide to enroll, whether you are a beginner or already good ballroom dancer, we can assure you that our staff will bring out the best dancer you are capable of being. While you're learning, you'll be associating with other students in a whole new world of fun, glamour and social activity. |
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