Hit The Ground Dancing

The two main things men need to remember

Vicky Penn — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 00:43:02 +0000

Men – or those leading:
You have only TWO THINGS that you need to remember when you are partner or social dancing. Only two? Yes it is that easy!

1 – Keep your partner SAFE

This means keeping aware of the other couples who are on the dance floor, and being aware of your location on the dance floor (as it relates to walls, posts, tables, stages, or etc.) at all times. You use your leading skills to deftly steer and re-direct the course of your dancing to keep from running your partner into anything.

2 – Make her look PRETTY

Your lead should be assertive enough (notice I didn’t say aggressive) that she should never have a question about which way she should be going. This is developed through good coaching and practice to increase your confidence level. You don’t need to know a great quantity of steps as long as you are leading your partner well into the ones that you are doing. It also means that you gain an awareness of your body position, and how changes to that impact your partner’s body position. Again, this is accomplished through good coaching and practice to increase your confidence level. The great thing about partner dancing is that after you’ve learned some basic steps and how to move, as long as you’re moving in a way that makes sense when you think of anatomy and physics, you’re leading your partner assertively, and she has learned how to follow well, no observers will ever be able to tell when you’re doing “variations”!

Okay, so it’s really a bit more than just two things. But if you keep these two in mind – SAFE and PRETTY – you are already a LONG way towards being an excellent partner for dancing.

Men respond with the ONE or TWO of these words that outline your duties, and I will send you a coupon for $5 off a lesson! (Ladies, you will get your chance later

Don’t look down!

Vicky Penn — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:30:55 +0000

What happens when you look at someone who is looking down? Your eyes tend to follow. This means if you are looking at a dancer who is looking at their feet, you will end up looking there as well. Which is great if their feet aren't doing "variations"!

I remember when my cat would be sitting in the room, and would look up at the ceiling. Natural curiosity, I couldn’t help but look up at the ceiling. Nothing was there! By the time I looked back down, she was looking at me like I was silly.

I never danced with my cat, but this proves a point that as humans we can’t help but look where other people are looking. It happens with my cat. It happens (unfortunately) with accidents on the highway. People look somewhere, and we turn to look and see what they’re looking at.

How does this apply to dancing?

If you look down at your feet, the people who might be watching you will also look down at your feet. Most likely you’re looking at your feet because you think they’re doing something they aren’t supposed to – which could be the case. But when everyone else looks down at your feet as well, they will see any “step variations” that you may be making down there; or at the very least they will think you’re not as confident as you could be.

The point is, keep your eyes up … looking at your partner, looking at other dancers, looking at pictures on the wall. Anything shoulder level or above. Keep the eyes up, and anyone watching will also keep their eyes up, meaning they will see your smiling face (and not that accidental step you just took on your partner’s toes!)

Angela and Grant’s beautiful first dance at their wedding

Vicky Penn — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 11:58:44 +0000

Angela and Grant did an amazing job on their first dance at their wedding reception!

See the video: First Wedding Dance

September Schedule

Vicky Penn — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 21:34:36 +0000

The September schedule is posted. Click on the Schedule tab above to view.

Leading the men through a step in country/western two-step class

Classes will be held Monday evenings at Musician’s Lessons and Performance, 420 W. Main St. in downtown Denison (near the Rialto).

I suggest pre-registering using the link on the schedule page, as class size is limited to the first 7 couples!

Vicky Penn — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 15:54:22 +0000

Fall schedule will be posted this week, check back soon!

August…

Vicky Penn — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 17:47:55 +0000

Currently working with the studio owner to work on Fall schedules. She is right in the middle of finalizing her registrations for the many youth dance classes which the studio offers, everything from tap to jazz to ballet to hip hop. Will post my schedule as soon as I know the open dates! In the meanwhile, if you know a girl or boy who would benefit from ongoing exercise, muscle development and refinement, and learning a bit of rhythm, check out the studio website at http://www.dancendy.com

Hot Hot Hot July

Vicky Penn — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 15:40:13 +0000

Due to attending my oldest son’s wedding out of town this month, my month is short. I have not scheduled group classes for July.

However, private lessons are available for $75 per hour per individual or couple; or semi-private lessons are available for $20 per individual or couple if I have at least 3 couples available for the same time slot. (That can be you and a couple of your friends … or I can arrange multiple couples into one time slot if available.)

I do have several students interested in a joint semi-private class, so if you’re interested please let me know, and I will coordinate dates/times with everyone.

Contact me at vickypenn@gmail.com or call 903-361-7278 for more information or to book your time! I look forward to seeing you!

I expect to resume regular class schedule in August.

Current students, May discount offer!

Vicky Penn — Wed, 11 May 2011 11:49:34 +0000

All current students, if you bring a friend to group class in May, you will get 1/2 off your May group class tuition. They must be a new student, not taken lessons from me in the past, they must pay their tuition, and they do not have to take the same class that you do. For every new student/class, you can take 1/2 off the same number of classes; so if you bring two students who each take one class, or one student who takes two classes, you can get 50% off tuition for two group classes.

Share the fun!

Vicky Penn — Tue, 03 May 2011 18:22:53 +0000

The perfect gift!

Give the gift of dance to MOM!

Gift certificates available here

Just a few clicks, pay online, and you can have the certificate sent directly to the recipient’s email inbox either immediately or when you specify! They then use the certificate with just a few clicks to pay for the class or private lesson of their choice.

That easy! You can sit back and smile, knowing that you’ve given a gift that is fun and engaging, the benefits of which can be used FOREVER, and that is healthy too.

Interested in purchasing multiple certificates for coworkers or other uses? Contact me for quantity discounts at info@hitthegrounddancing.com or call (903) 361-7278.

Ballroom, social, country/western dance lessons for even the dancing-impaired!

Vicky Penn — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 13:43:59 +0000

Have you always wanted to dance, but didn’t think you could?

Think you have two left feet, or that your feet just don’t connect to your brain?

No Dance Experience Required!

If you can walk, you can dance!

There are only FOUR very basic steps that make the foundation for every step you will learn in social or ballroom dancing …

and I guarantee that if you know how to walk, you already know how to do all four.

Let me teach you how to easily put those steps together while you learn basic steps of some of the dances that you’ve always wanted to do! There is no need to assume that you need to walk into class already knowing how to dance; that’s what we’re here for – to teach you. And everyone else in class is there for the same reason – they don’t know how to dance but want to learn.