You’ve decided to take dance lessons in preparation for your wedding. Hurray! We love to hear that you’re spending time with your loved one, preparing for an important moment of your wedding day. Now, we know that the decision to take dance lessons might not be one that was met with joy and excitement. It might feel like just another thing that you need to check off your wedding to-do list. Well, we’re here to help you change that feeling! While it’s our job as dance instructors to inspire your interest in dancing, there a few changes you can also make to ensure you have a great time learning and spending time together. Really, it all comes down to the way you think about dance lessons.

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I’m a dancer because I love music and moving to it. At least that’s what I’ve always said (and there is a bunch of truth to that), but recently I’ve begun to realize that what I love most about dancing is the other dancers and the relationships I’ve forged with them. I feel this most with the team here at Ballroom Dance Chicago. When you dine with others, drink wine with them and share dances and conversation, it’s pretty easy to form real, lasting bonds. And that’s why I blame you, my Ballroom Dance Chicago family, for the strange relationship I now have with social media.

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Ballroom Dance Chicago hosts weekly BYOB group dance classes at our home studio in Lakeview.

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We are dance instructors, not therapists, but we can’t ignore the fact that dancing together, and more specifically learning to dance together helps to maintain a happy, healthy relationship. We all have basic needs that must be met in order to live fulfilling lives. Identified by Abraham Maslow, an American psychologist, as a hierarchy for human potential, there are six basic human needs that are all met through the process of learning to dance. By learning to dance with your loved one, you are not only meeting your personal needs, but you are fulfilling the needs of your partner and strengthening the bond between you.

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You've heard that practice makes perfect, but how exactly should you go about practicing your newfound dance moves? Let us tell you in this video!

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During the learning process, mistakes and missteps are bound to happen. If we were perfect at everything, there would be no reason to learn. And, some would argue that experiencing the mistakes and overcoming the hurdles along the way not only help you to better understand the task at hand but also builds your personal character and ability to persevere. Often, we at the studio experience students who have created unrealistically high expectations for themselves in the learning process. Rather than being patient with themselves, they expect to get every step and correction perfectly on their first or second try. It’s hardly ever the case that this happens, and even if a student does successfully achieve what we asked of them, there are still likely ten other things that they still need to work on...

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As dance instructors, it goes without saying that dancing brings us joy. We all know that if we’re having a hard day, we can just get up and dance, and even if nothing is resolved, we at least feel better about it! And we have the pleasure of sharing our understanding of the benefits of dance with our many wedding dancers preparing for their first dance! But, do we just enjoy dancing because it’s a lighthearted, fun activity or does dance actually have the power to make us happier, healthier individuals?

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Ballroom Dance Chicago loves this Chicago landmark and the amazing variety of bands they host on Friday and Saturday nights. Find a table in the expansive Palm Court, grab a cocktail and enjoy the music. Or if you’re a dancer, grab your special someone and hit the dance floor (not too small, like many other venues in Chicago). This is our favorite place to dance in Chicago, mainly because of the old school charm and beauty of Palm Court.

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The Green Mill Cocktail Lounge is located on Broadway in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood. This jazz venue hosts local, national and international bands and has a rich history with the poetry community and Al Capone’s Chicago outfit. Why is it one of Ballroom Dance Chicago's favorite live music venues?

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We’re glad you asked!  First of all, everyone has rhythm.  Your heart beats. Your breath can quicken or slow. There’s even a cadence in the way you walk and brush your teeth.  You already have rhythm.  You just have to learn to listen for it.  Learning to listen for rhythm is really just learning to recognize the regular patterning of beats within music. All it takes is a little awareness, practice, and self confidence!

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