Soooo much dancing...

Whether you travel near or far, there are plenty of night spots for dancing in Northern Arizona, this weekend. In fact, you may just want to hop from one spot to the next!

On Friday night the 8th...

- Check out LeAnne Leman and Steve Sandner at Marketplace Cafe 6-9pm in the VOC for some smooth swinging jazz standards, sultry blues & ballads, and romantic bossa novas for your dancing pleasure.  That means you can swing (east or west coast), fox trot, night club 2-step, rumba and even argentine tango your night away.

- Also, the Rhythmistics play at Sound Bites Grill in the Hyatt shops beginning at 8pm. This band performs 60's-70's dance music to groove with your partner freestyle or you can partner dance when you hear the swing, rumba, cha-cha, nightclub 2-step, west coast swing and argentine tango beats they turn out.

Saturday the 9th...

Experienced swing dancers... there's a GREAT DEAL to be had on a Swing aerials class 3-5pm in NAU's Rolle Activities Center, room 103. IT'S JUST $5 per dancer for 2 hours of training! This class is hosted by both NAU and ASU swing dance clubs. You can find more info on Facebook... just search Aerials with ASU! *** NOTE: you will need a partner.***

- At the Sedona Pilates Studio (1350 West State Route 89A)  in the New Frontiers Marketplace Center you can get a dance class and open dancing for just $8.00. The night's theme is a "SoulTrain Tribute" and the dance lesson show you how to combine "free style dance" with West Coast Swing! For more info contact Thomas Felix tfelix88@yahoo.com or call 928-301-0770.

- In Clarkdale, the final Big Band dance of the season kicks off at 6:30pm until 9:30pm with Sentimental Journey featuring vocals by Jeannie Carrol. This is THE BEST wooden dance floor in the area. The glide is smooth and it's got plenty of room to move around. It's $10.00 at the door to get in and light snacks and soft drinks for sale. *** NOTE: Bring your ballroom shoes, They are best on a wood floor.***

- You will find Rosemary Chavez and the Platinum Trio at Marketplace Cafe in the VOC from 6-9pm. They play lots of great fox trots! It's an easy listening easy dancing kind of vibe.

- Sammy Davis Band will have the dance floor rockin' over at PJ's Pub also in the VOC. He hits the stage at 9pm. Sammy plays music for every dance known to man. So, if he hasn't played what you want to hear... just ask him nicely :D

Sunday the 10th...

- Susannah Martin & Eric Miller are at Sound Bites Grill starting at 6pm. Their infectious Latin rhythms  will draw you out on the floor to work your hips. Whether they play rumba, samba, bolero, cha-cha or meringue beats the results are fun to dance to.

Enjoy your weekend! I hope to run into you on the dance floor... well, you know what I mean.

Dana

 

Where are YOU dancing this weekend?

After reading the papers and searching my emails, here are my picks for the best dance spots on Sedona and the VOC this weekend:

Friday the 1st of March...
Check out Rosemary Chaves and Steve Sandner at Marketplace Cafe in the VOC Outlet Mall. They'll begin crooning old standards like Sinatra, some Ellington swing and a little Latin jazz at 6pm.  So brush up on your swing, fox trot, rumba, cha-cha and maybe some night club 2-step. They'll be entertaining from 6-9pm. Ladies a lower heel is best on this tiled dance floor.

Saturday the 2nd...
Marketplace Cafe makes the list again with a couple I just met a few weeks ago... Diversity. Tim and Renee play music from the 1920's to current songs you'll love to sing and dance to.... soulful and fun. Again, Ladies a lower heel is best on this tiled dance floor.

If you don't mind traveling a piece...
Friday and Saturday night at the Ranch House in Rimrock is a great little family band called the Hired Hands playing 6-9pm. {4250 N. Montezuma, 928-567-4492} They are mostly country but they play rhythms to swing, rumba, cha-cha, fox trot, waltz and... of yeah even country 2-step.

Sunday at the Cottonwood American Legion 2-5pm is Happy Days! They know the music that gets people on the dance floor.

Know of anywhere else for good dancing? Please, post below!

NEW "Baby & Me" Dance Class Opens!

Dana De Luz dance Studio is thrilled to announce the brand new "Baby & Me" dance class will open on Thursday, Feb. 21st!

This class has been in development for some time and it's debut is exciting. Class will include stretching, toning, dancing and bonding with baby. Parents and caregivers of infants through 30 months of age are welcome to join us.

"Baby & Me" dance class will be held every Thursday beginning Feb. 21st 4-5pm. Bring a floor mat and towel or baby blanket for you own comfort.

Baby sitting for older children IS available on site. Please, tip the baby sitter.

Class cost is as low as $8. per class with the purchase of a discount card! Please call, Dana, at 862-0118 to be added to the class list.

Join us and bring your friends. Your 1st class is Free!

Our FIRST Community Social Dance!

Our FIRST Community Social Dance and we'll have LIVE music!

Mark you calendars... save your pennies and... bring your friends!

Dana De Luz Dance Studio will host it's first open community dance night
on Saturday, February 23rd from 7-11pm. We are located in the Oak Creek Factory Outlets Suite A-7 next door to Canyon Moon Theatre in the Village of Oak Creek near beautiful Sedona, AZ.

What will it cost to get in?...
Since it's our first community dance we're going to leave that up to you. Simply, leave a donation at the door. We kindly suggest a donation of $15 for the dance class AND open dancing OR $10 for open dancing only. Current students with a "Happy Feet" class card can use one punch for the class and a half punch for the open dancing OR just one punch for open dancing only. That's a savings of $3 to $6! It's good to be a student at Dana De Luz Dance Studio :)

Give generously...
All proceeds will go directly to the purchase of our school's dance floor. The sooner we can afford it... the sooner you can dance upon it :) Note: There is only a cement sub-floor for now. Your best bet for footwear is a leather soled shoe, a dance sneaker, or a shoe that's well worn down and smooth on the bottom.

The night will begin...
with an East Coast Swing lesson from Dana De Luz and Dr. Grant Johnson beginning at 7pm and the fun will continue with open dancing until 11pm.

Who's playing the music?...
Our first musical guest will be the multi-talented Eric Williams!

Eric is a highly accomplished musician and performer who is capable of playing a wide genre of music. This makes Eric a great choice to play at a dance event. Eric will play everything you can imagine: all kinds of swing tunes, rumbas, fox trots, waltz, cha-chas, nightclub 2-steps, country 2-steps, samba, salsa, merengue and tango.

Eric is also a dance enthusiast... so expect to see him out on the dance floor when he's not playing.

Who's invited?
Everyone's invited! All ages. All dance levels. Even non-dancers who want to come watch and listen to some great music and dancing are invited.

Please, Share. 
Tell your friends, neighbors, FB friends, dance friends, work friends, your kids' friends, music lovers... anyone really. If this is a hit, we'll do it more often!

New Studio Space in the Works!

On Thursday, January 6th, 2013 the new Dana De Luz Dance Studio space will be open for business!

The new facility will include 1,700+ sq. feet of dance studio space, a welcoming lobby, a conference room, storage room, changing room and bath room, of course. The space will be shared with our neighbor Canyon Moon Theatre for their rehearsal use. Others may rent out the conference room or the main room studio for meetings, seminars, fitness classes, performance art, fine art showings ect.

We'd love to have you or your children come dance in this great new space! Dana De Luz Dance Studio current classes include...
-Adult ballroom/social Thursday nights at 7:30p
-Creative dance for ages 2.5-5 is offered Tuesday and Thursday at 3:30p and also Saturdays at 10:30a
-Private lessons are always available by appointment

Classes opening soon...
-"Baby & Me": A chance to workout WITH your baby. No daycare needed :)
-Preballet for ages 5-7 to learn what it's like to be in ballet class
-A Dancer's Workout: Created from many years of dance training

-Ballroom and Latin Dance fitness: a cardio and toning class all-in-one with moves you can use!

For more information call Dana De Luz Dance Studio at 928-862-0118 or post your questions/comments below.

Here's a look at some before clean-up pictures and a few during clean-up pictures.
Enjoy and come dance with us!

Who will win the Mirror Ball Trophy?

It's down to the final three dancers in this season's All-Star season of DWTS. All-Women have survived to dance another day.

Each of the the three gals performed their favorite dance number from this season and a Super Sized Freestyle.

Melissa and her partner, Tony, danced their samba that the judges called their break out dance this season and again it was met with high scores. Their contemporary freestyle was also scored highly but I didn't think it had as much emotion as the judges said it had and the choreography was a bit weak. Tony chose to use the contemporary style to show off Melissa's technique and softness after just performing an upbeat samba.

Kelly and her pro, Val, have been the center of much rumor this season over their close relationship. Neither one was talking about whether their romance is real or just for the cameras but... they certainly played it to the hilt during their steamy paso doble and later in their freestyle version of the famous final dance in the movie Dirty Dancing. Although I don't think Kelly is the strongest choice to win, she did herself proud with these two numbers.

Shawn and Derrick turned in two highly energetic and athletic (no surprise) dances. They chose to bring back the quickstep that the judges blasted them for rules breaking. Although Shawn questioned Derrick about keeping the routine the same, they still broke hold and kept the lifts and tricks that are a no-no in quickstep. Again the judges wagged less than perfect scores but the pair is hoping the fans will award them more kindness. For their freestyle, they brought out the Fantastic 5! Yes, the U.S. Olympic woman's gold medal gymnastic team were their back up dancers. No rule breaking here but what an advantage! It was certainly and All-Star Super Sized freestyle.

So, who should win? The former cheerleader become TV host, Melissa Rycroft, who is the only competitor who has NOT won a Mirrorball trophy? Soap star, Kelly Monaco, who has the least training but danced like a winner all while keeping the fans in suspense over rumors? Or Olympian, Shawn Johnson, who just wanted to regain her self worth by proving she's more than just a gymnast?

One more dance... the dreaded Insta-dance is the last showdown before the Mirrorball is awarded. A blind selection of music and 30-minutes to prepare is all each couple has left to prove they deserve to win. Who will you vote for?

2 Great Dance Spots for Saturday Night

Hi Dancers,

The two best dance opportunities in Sedona both happen on Saturday night, November 17th. So, pick one or the other or go to BOTH!

In the Hyatt Shops, La Cubanita's plays a whole host of danceable Latin tunes. Break out your salsa, mambo, cha-cha, meringue and rumba. Don't forget to have a bite to eat the menu is outstanding! www.soundbitesgrill.com

Further into Uptown at Canyon Breeze, dance to the Sammy Davis Band. These are some of Sedona's finest musicians and performers. They play a wide range of music including R&B, funk, rock, and beautiful ballads for slow dancing. You can dance freestyle, east and west coast swing, cha-cha, rumba, salsa, fox trot, nightclub 2-step and maybe even a waltz. Sammy may even teach you how to Wobble!
Check out this clip of Sammy...

All the live music begins a 8pm and both venues have poured concrete dance floors so... I suggest wearing a leather bottomed shoe. Leave your ballroom shoes at home. A leather sole will give you better turning ability on a cement surface. Cement will tear up the suede soles of your ballroom shoes and slow down your turns.

Remember, if you need lessons (group or private) give me a call 862-0118. See you on the dance floor!

Dana