Dance Camp - June 25/26, 2010

Now that I’ve had a few weeks to step away from the entire dance camp experience, I can finally sit still and write about it.

I’ve never attended Dance Dynamics’ dance camp before. It’s an old idea that was dusted off and brought out for interested students to try.

Friday night consisted of an evening focused on the smooth dances. We learned some of the basics, some of the intricacies, some history, and a little technique for good measure. From the Foxtrot to Waltz to the Tango, we learned of the similarities and the differences. We learned some basic patterns that could be carried from one dance to the next and onto the third.

The evening started at 6:00 and wound up just a little after 9:00. Three separate dances with breaks in between each. We had time to rest our feet, grab some water and visit with friends we hadn’t seen in a while.

There was time to revive sore and tired feet, get a good night’s sleep and start off with a clean slate the next day. Saturday’s classes didn’t begin until 1:00 and they lasted until 4:00.

Saturday’s focus was on the rhythm dances – Rumba, Cha Cha and Swing. Dancing the rhythm dances is a completely different learning experience. The body moves in different ways, the footwork is unlike the smooth dances and it a whole new adventure. Herb spices up his classes with stories, humor and a vast amount of knowledge that he is most eager to share with his students.

Six types of dances were wrapped up into one value packed parcel called “Dance Camp”. The weekend dance camp experience was wound up with a pot luck supper. Time to bond with those who danced along at our side and build friendships.

Dancing is more than teaching your feet to move to the beat of the music. It’s a body and soul experience that can be enhanced to your own personal preference. Whether you dance for pleasure, the challenge or your goal is to travel and compete … there is something for everyone.

I walked away from the weekend Dance Camp with more knowledge than I had at the onset. It was a fun way to enhance the dancing experience and a most excellent way to kick off the summer holidays!