Margery and I taught ballroom dance classes to the 7^th graders at Chester Academy as part of their annual “Supersize Me” program. The event is aimed at showing the kids that there are more ways to exercise than just going to the gym as well as presenting them with other options for a healthy lifestyle.  We taught both classes salsa, merengue and swing, all high energy dances that gave them enjoyable alternatives for exercise.

The classes also included two children who are students at the Manchester Arthur Murray studio. Tory Smith and Dorianne Belair have been coming to the studio for about two years now and each helped show their classmates the benefits of ballroom dancing. Even the faculty seemed to enjoy the dancing and told us how impressed they were with how easily we were able to help the children learn the basics of these dances. This was our second year participating in this event and we can’t wait to go back next year!

Andy

On the night of Arpil 17^th, we had a wonderful time dancing at the Milford High School “All That Jazz” concert. The concert featured Milford High School’s jazz band as well as a local professional group, the Temple Dance Band. The audience was treated to an evening of dinner, music and…dancing! We were invited to break the ice and open up the floor, encouraging the audience to dance, which took some work, but paid off when more and more couples started to join in the fun.

Both bands played a great variety of music, including foxtrot, rumba, swing and foxxy, giving everyone a chance to dance to their favorite tunes. The culmination of the evening was a high-energy performance of “Zoot Suit Riot” by the combined bands, filling the floor with spirited dancers. Afterwards, we got the chance to talk with students and faculty, who expressed their enthusiasm at having so many more people up and dancing at this year’s event. We are looking forward to future invitations.

Margery and Andy, Arthur Murray Dance Studio Manchester

It has long been my belief that we, your teachers, serve mainly as guides on your journey of self-discovery. Only you can know what it feels like to dance. Your body must execute the movements and your soul must express the feelings. We cannot do it for you. There is nothing more satisfying for us than to see that look on your face when you discover a new truth.

Any of you who are parents have seen that look on your childrens’ faces. You may stand them on their feet, but they must take those first steps. So when do we lose our ability to explore what our body can do? Why do we get discouraged when we don’t do it right the first time? Every time we try we learn something new, even if that is only that that way does not work. Sooner or later, if we keep trying, we find what does work.

Imagine how much faster we could learn if we discovered more of what our body can do when we are away from the studio. Have you ever just walked and allowed yourself to become aware of what your body does right naturally? We don’t have much time to think whe we dance but there is plenty of time to be aware. That awareness makes us live even more in the moment and we live a bit more fully.

I want to offer a challenge to all of you. Explore how your body works. Work your head, neck, shoulders, arms, back, ribs, hips, legs and feet. It takes almost no space. It can be done almost anywhere. You can do it sitting, standing, on the subway or stuck in traffic. Try it for 2 weeks and let me know what you discover.

Larry