Ballroom Dance

J M (Mike) Nelson
320-251-4445 - Email:jmnelson@cloudnet.com

The curriculum offered by Nelson Studios is designed for the social dancer; thus, if your goal is to enjoy dancing in public places, whether a ballroom, night club, bar, studio dance, or other such venue, then you are probably in the right place.

There is a distinct difference between competition ballroom dance and social ballroom dance. If you aspire to compete, I would be glad to discuss opportunities and recommend some excellent coaches for competition ballroom dancing. If you are a beginner aspiring to compete, then Ballroom Basics would be a good place to test your commitment and potential, but you would eventually need to study privately, in a more formal setting, and with a more strict approach to frame and footwork.

This curriculum is designed for the social dancer, and the efficiency and effectiveness of this design in based on the assumption that you will practice the material learned in class. The success of this approach rests on two critical factors: 1) hierarchical sequencing of a measured amount of information, and 2) the assumption that you will practice the material so that it will be retained, thus providing a foundation on which to build during the next class. This enables you to take, for example, three lessons during the first three weeks rather than "take one lesson three times."

Each class includes an on-line "handout" to help you remember important information and to guide your practice. If you only hit a golf ball during a golf lesson, or only hit a tennis ball during a tennis lesson, you will never become proficient in either sport. Ballroom dance is a sport, and you will never be proficient if you do not practice. Even so, it is unrealistic to expect every beginner to have the confidence to begin dancing in public after only one lesson, but everyone can dance privately. Unlike golf and tennis, ballroom dance can be practiced in the privacy of your own home, and it does not take much space. If you have room to walk around while listening to music, you have a place to practice. Class notes will not only enable you to practice efficiently at home, but you will also be shown an easy method to simulate partner dancing; thus you can practice productively even without a partner.

If you practice the skills introduced in each class, you will come to the next class with confidence and competence to add another measured amount of information. You will progress quickly, you will progress confidently, and you will soon be enjoying social dance in any public venue of your choice. You will also get a good return on your investment.