Crystal! I am following in your footsteps!

[Mellifluous]

I discovered a place right here in town, not 5 minutes from my house that offers ballroom dance lessons. It is pretty cool, a family has come from Japan and purchased some downtown buildings and have created the "Opera House" chain of stuff - They have an Italian cafe, martial arts studio, gymnastics, a nice banquet hall and ballroom dance lessons on Monday nights starting in January. The lady who teaches is very nice and a wonderful artist.

I can't wait to start and Kevin is getting a bit excited too. It will be a great activity for us...and I read in newsweek that Ballroom Dancing has been proven to help prevent dementia. PERFECT! :D

[baileyholc]

Sounds like fun! How do I sign up?

[Mellifluous]

Come on down here and join us...You aren't that far away...well, depending on how you define "far" :D

[Heidi]

Where is Homer in relation to Atlanta? I'll have to go dig out my state map! (and then twist hubby's ear)
Heidi

[Mellifluous]

Well, it is actually Commerce...my neighboring town. It is north of Athens off Hwy 441, exit 149 off I-85

[Ginger]

I thought you were going to say you made it into Steph Dunkin's hitlist or managed to make a preacher start drinking :D

CongraTulations! Kevin didn't give you the whole "but it's gay" spiel? He moved up a notch in my book!

Long term: Next year, just around Nationals time, you have to check into the Hotlanta ballroom comp- it's one of the biggest, most fun comps in the US, and there are lots of pros and top ams there, plus camps and vendors.

One thing you MUST stock up on: chewing gum. You'll see! ;-)

[baileyholc]

I can do that. I live off I85. You take the toll road to the end and you are on Hwy 385 witch you then take the next exit onto W Geoiga Road.

[Mellifluous]

I thought you were going to say you made it into Steph Dunkin's hitlist or managed to make a preacher start drinking :D

CongraTulations! Kevin didn't give you the whole "but it's gay" spiel? He moved up a notch in my book!

One thing you MUST stock up on: chewing gum. You'll see! ;-)

HA! Thanks for the capital T on the congrats...Kevin is totally hip on the dancing thing since he already knows some basics. I am a complete oaf on the dance floor and can manage to embarass myself at home with my instructional bellydance videos.

I will have to practice chewing gum again. I think it will be pretty tricky with my braces. I bet it helps you keep time? Is orbit an acceptable ballroom dance gum? Should I select a particular flavor.

Oh, and I haven't driven a preacher to drinking - but my horse has! :shock:

[Ginger]

Chewing gum gives you a reason for having stupid facial expressions (or helps prevent them, sometimes), and for some reason, it just keeps the mind working better. Also- well, the whole breath thing... there are some stank people out there.

Hopefully they'll start you on something lke waltz, foxtrot, cha-cha, or rhumba. Those don't get you winded too easily unless you're working on something above group-level. Although, working on ANY of it for a solid hour will make you want Waffle House afterward!

Bellydance is a lot of fun, but there's no way I'll wear that stuff anymore, Lol!

[Ginger]

Oh: Anyone need a pair of shoes? 2.5 slim flare gold mesh/leathers Latin sandals?

[motorgypsy]

Believe it or not our elementary school required us to take ballroom dance in the fourth or fifth grade. I still remember foxtrot, waltz, cha cha, tango, and polka. We may have learned more but don't remember - it has been a million years! :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: Dancing is soooo much fun and so healthy! Kyle's uncle is a world class "shag dancer" (the South Carolina version of the jitterbug) who performs in all sorts of contests and does demos for many big events and he's over 70. He is really good!

[Barbwire]

Dancing was part of my school gym program from elementary shcool right up through high school. I was always terrified when I knew the dancing was coming up knowing I would have to touch a yucky boy's sweaty hands. ICK !!!!! Boy Cooties!...

[Ginger]

They had started to teach squaredancing in our fourth grade, but the christian fundies put the smack down on that quickly, because dancing is eeeevil.

Screw them. I'll dance all I want now!

[appyday]

I think watching the ballroom dancing is just beautiful...mezmerizing (yes spelled wrong for my GRC Maitaiias Lil Mezermized...cat RIP)

[Ginger]

I love to watch dancing- the first social we went to, some of the silvers and golds from other studios were there... It'd been a very long time since I'd seen dancers of that caliber, and it was more than a bit overwhelming and sobering to see them less than five feet from me, dancing just as amazingly as the professionals do on TV and in comps.

[Ginger]

Dummy me, I forgot to ask- when do you start? Maybe you can get in on the New Year's Eve party dance schools usually have.

Ours got cancelled this year. :cry: I'm searching all over to find "new-comer and out-of-towner-friendly" NYE parties with Ballroom.