Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Ballroom Dance Classes in Dallas and Plano - Arthur Murray Celebrates 100 Years!

Happy Birthday to Arthur Murray!

In case you didn't know, April 4th marks the Worldwide 24-Hour Celebration of Arthur Murray's 100th year teaching the world to dance!

In celebration, we have several upcoming events we want you to be aware of! Over the next 5 weeks, the weekly parties in the Dallas and Plano studio will celebrate each decade since Arthur Murray's inception in 1912. We will showcase the music of the era, the styles, and some of the dances! So, be sure to join us as we gear up for a huge celebration! Costumes are encouraged, but not required! The theme's of the parties will be:

Thursday, March 1st: Dallas studio - Edwardian Party (1910's theme)
Friday, March 2nd: Plano studio - Roaring 20's Party (1920's theme)
Thursday, March 8th: Dallas studio - Swing's the Thing (1930's theme)
Friday, March 9th: Plano studio - Boogie Woogie Bugle Boys & Girls (1940's theme)
Thursday, March 16th: Dallas studio - At the Hop (1950's theme)
Friday, March 17th: Plano studio - Motown Memories (1960's theme)
Thursday, March 22nd: Dallas studio - Disco Daze (1970's theme)
Friday, March 23rd: Plano studio - Crazy Eighties (1980's theme)
Thursday, March 29th: Dallas studio -  Grunge, Pop & Hip-hop (1990's theme)
Friday, March 30th: Plano studio - Millenium Party (2000's theme)
Wednesday, April 4th: Dallas Studio (Joint Party) -  Yesterday and Today - Celebrating 100 years of dance!!!
 

We have several other things planned for April 4th...stayed tuned for details!

Thursday, February 23, 2012

The Energy of a Dance Studio

So, here I am on a Thursday night sitting behind the desk at the Plano Arthur Murray studio. It's a new thing for me (sort of). After spending 10 years in the studio as a teacher, administrative assistant, counselor and manager, I've been out of the studio for the past few years working behind the scenes to co-ordinate all of our events and social media, and I had a baby! Now I am helping out in the Plano studio on Thursday and Friday nights.

It's funny how when you are away from something that was a part of your daily life for so long you can quickly forget how it feels. For me, the studio was always a fun place to be. It was a place where I could live out my dreams of dancing and teaching. I had great friends there in the other instructors and I loved teaching all the students! Arthur Murray was like my second family! I forgot how energizing the atmosphere was and now that I am here for a few nights a week, I am happy to report that nothing has changed!

The studio is simply buzzing with energy and excitement! There are always a ton of people in the group classes and on the floor having lessons! Our Newcomers Classes are especially huge, which means that there are lots of new students who are learning to dance. I love beginners because they are so excited and at the same time, they are a little bit scared. Arthur Murray is the perfect place for a beginner to learn to dance! The teachers are all so patient and what makes them really special is that they are specially trained specifically to be able to make learning to dance EASY! We use the Arthur Murray Interrelated System of Teaching which teaches in layers and starts with the easiest skills and then works up to more difficult ones! It's so logical it isn't even funny! And when you feel success, you want to keep learning and then you reach your goals faster! An Arthur Murray teacher will never just throw out any old thing, they always make sure their student is ready for the material.

The Friday night parties are also a blast! There are students coming up from our Dallas Arthur Murray studio and even all the way from our Ft. Worth studio to join in on the fun! The music is pumping and the air is just electric!

So, why am I telling you all of this? Well, if you are already a student, you know it's true...but please comment and share your own experience with our readers. But, if you are someone who is just getting started, or just reading this and thinking about trying it out...I am telling you this to let you know that there is no better place to spend your time than on the dance floor at Arthur Murray!

The studio will become like your second family. You will always feel warm and welcome when you come here and you will always find positive encouragement and a smile! It's like Disney World without having to take the plane ride!

So, come on in and join us! Check out our New Student offer and it won't cost you a dime to see what I mean!

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Arthur Murray Celebrates 100 Years in 2012!

100 Years and Counting...5.6.7.8...

Arthur Murray teaching dance on a cruise ship, circa 1925
2012 marks 100 years since a shy young man named Arthur Murray stepped onto the dance floor and into the history of American pop culture. Known best for the iconic Arthur Murray Dance Studios, Arthur Murray, the man, was a brilliant marketer and innovator, starting his dance teaching career in 1912.
“Most people remember Arthur as an older gentleman smiling in grainy dance photo poses from the 1950s, many times accompanied by his wife Kathryn, a television celebrity in her own right. But Arthur was a visionary,” said John Kimmins, President of Arthur Murray International. “Fueled by a passion for sharing his love of dance, Murray created new marketing methods and embraced the latest in technology and media to bring joy to millions.