- BEGINNER’S COURSE starts month of Feb 2019 (week starting Feb 4)- great time to start or resume classes – beginners plan offered – great rates and some special deals
Beginners Offer for novice customers (never line danced before): $70 for 8 beginner lessons
(conditions apply – novice beginner dancers, offer to be taken up on the 1st/2nd lesson).
OR
If you wish to just “pay as you go” – lessons are $13 each (and if a novice beginner you obtain the 2nd lesson free)
On the “pay as you go” system – you may stay on as long as you wish for other levels at no extra cost
Four day classes and one evening class, see times and venues here.
If this is your first time at line dancing, welcome! My name is Debbie and I will be teaching you.
The first thing to remember is that Rome wasn’t built in a day. This applies to line dancing. The fun is in learning something new that will benefit you in different ways, so don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t get it straight away.
This is very IMPORTANT. It takes about six weeks for a little coordination to kick in for beginners. So many people give up just when they are really starting to improve (usually after six weeks!). So trust Debbie, for I’m here to tell you it definitely starts to get easier.
If you can’t come for a couple of weeks, don’t give up. Come when you can and learn the dances that are being taught at the time. I keep repeating the beginner dances every few months, and what you miss out on the first time round, you’ll pick up the second and third time you do the beginner’s course.
Practice, practice, practice! Practice may not make perfect, but it will increase your confidence and help you learn a dance. Grab a copy of the dance sheet (which you can pick up from me at class), and have a run through. Dance parties are great practice and i always do walk thrus for beginner dances and am there dancing with you as support.
Don’t be discouraged if you seem to be the worst dancer in the class – everyone started off as a novice. Today’s two left-foot stumbler may be tomorrow’s champion.
Proper footwear is very important.
No, I don’t mean y’all have to wear cowboy boots. Rather, you need to wear shoes or boots that are comfortable and provide just the right amount of traction. Leather (or smooth) soled footwear is best, but not compulsory – especially for beginners.
For my first year or so, I wore a pair of sneakers where the tread had been worn flat. If there is too much traction (i.e. grip), then your ankles will be quite sore afterwards (this is also the case if the floor is in a poor condition). If there is not enough traction, then you’ll be slip-sliding all over the floor. Oh, and the rest of your outfit is entirely up to you (comfortable, cool clothing with layers in winter).
If you bump into someone, briefly apologise and keep on dancing. Bumps, and worse, are a fact of life on the dance floor. No matter how good you may be, you’ll still occasionally bump into people-and that’s alright, we’re all friends and don’t mind a bump two.
At the moment I teach 15 Beginner dances in about 15 weeks
I teach these in block form, three times a year. If you aren’t satisfied that you have learnt one well, you know I will be teaching the same dance again in the next course.
We learn the dances for 5 weeks in a row at least and then dance them regularly (at dance parties) after that, so don’t worry if you don’t pick them up immediately.
When you feel ready, you can stay for the Early-Intermediate session, held after the Beginners’ class. The dances are beginning to be more varied and interesting. The cost of the Beginners class entitles you to stay on after beginners for as long as you wish.
The dances that I teach in the early-intermediate session are regularly put on at the back of the Beginners’ session, so that eventually you can pick and choose the dances that you want to do, depending upon your pace of learning.
Also, if you can come twice a week, you will pick the dances up far more quickly, and remember them. But of course that is not imperative. At least try and come to my socials once or twice a month. I have a beginner/early intermediate/interm party on a Sunday/Saturday afternoon once a month where I walk through all of the beginner dances once – and we dance them twice during the session.
Now for three extra reasons for learning linedancing:
- Exercise. You can do as much or as little as you want and sit down when you think you need a break. Remember it takes time to build up your fitness and because you are dancing on your own, you know when you’ve had enough (you won’t be affecting anyone else). Please remember to drink water regularly throughout the class as this aids in concentration.
- Mental exercise. We are all at different stages in our life and are all individuals. The ability to learn line dances is affected by age, regularity in learning, and the stress we have in our life. Some people just have better memories than others. Hurrah for them! If you come regularly to classes and maybe go to a dance party once/twice a month, the dances go from the short-term memory into the long-term memory. We usually don’t realise that we know the dance, and I usually do walk thrus to help jog the memory. Everybody always makes mistakes, so don’t feel embarassed; others are too busy concentrating on their own dancing (or sometimes even the music!).
- Social reasons. It’s a great place to meet new friends, of all ages. Everyone will be welcoming to you.
Below is a list of the dances you will learn throughout the Beginners Course:
Cc shuffle
Elvira
Beginners Waltz
Cowboy hustle
Houston hustle
Cowgirls Twist
DC 22
Woolshed waltz
Stray cat strut
Cupid Shuffle
After 5 stomp
Waltz across texas
Two Step
Honky tonk stomp
Bootscootin Boogie
Improver Beginners: One dance is taught every 6 weeks – see following
Tennessee waltz, South West cha cha, Cowboy cha cha, Slap Leather, Midnight Waltz
Remember, everyone has been the beginner at some point in time.
CHIN UP – ODE TO BEGINNERS
You are finding it hard but just give it a chance
You must keep on trying to master this dance
Your stompin’ and clappin’ is all out of time
You shuffle and slide instead of doing a vine
You feel clumsy but please don’t give in
Don’t let it be over before you begin
You turn the wrong way and come face to face
With the person behind you but that’s no disgrace
Just smile & say “sorry i got in your way,
“My head knew the steps but my feet went astray!!”
You sit on the side for the dance you can’t do
The way you feel now you haven’t a clue
But I really don’t know why you’re in such a plight
Goodness!! What do you expect on your very first night….
