This past Thursday Papa Frenchie and I went to our first dance lesson. Papa Frenchie didn't really dance at his own wedding so Mama Frenchie still can't believe taking dance lessons was his idea. My job was to find the studio and since I only knew of two in our area (Londance and Arthur Murray) I called the closest one, Londance. Pat (one of the owners) set us up with a free trial lesson to see how we liked everything and decide if we wanted to take more lessons.
Photo by Me. Sorry it's dark :-/
Papa Frenchie and I had NO CLUE what our song would be going into this lesson, we just figured we picked something we could dance to. When we arrived we ran into our teacher, Lisa, at the front desk and she had our song picked before we even hit the dance floor.
I'm extra happy we're using a Frank Sinatra song because it is definitely something our band will play well. SCORE! Lisa recommended this song because it's the song her sister and father are using for their dance in her sister's upcoming wedding and because it's Foxtrottable (my word, not her's). According to Lisa, your can foxtrot to any slower American song.
Lisa started us out with the basics. First up was a lesson in leading - like Ms Perfume, I have a nasty habit of trying to lead. Lisa had us face each other, put our hands on each other's shoulders and simply walk. We learned that the man should always start with his left foot and the woman with her right.
Lesson two was the basic swing, according to Lisa you can swing to any faster American song. The combo was really fun and even had a turn.
Here's Lisa showing Papa Frenchie how to spin me around...
Photos by Me, again.
Lesson three was the Foxtrot. You may know this one, it goes - slow, slow, quick, quick, slow. (Name that 80's tune) Here we are mastering the new arm placement, I must have found it really funny.
Photo by Me, agian.
Lisa, described this dance as walking to music and it prety much is. We take 2 slow steps backward (or forward for Papa Frenchie) and then a quick side step together.
This diagram shows you going back the direction you came from, we didn't learn that last night, but perhaps we will at our next lesson. Yep, Papa Frenchie and I had so much fun he signed the whole family up for a 25 lesson plan. Now I can go with Papa Frenchie or Mr Frenchie, Papa Frenchie go with me or Mama Frenchie, and even Sister Frenchie can get in on the action. They don't normally let families share the same plan, but since it is a wedding Sean let us sign up that way because apparently, "Sean does what he wants" and we're not complaining. Another cool part is that because we signed up for private lessons we can go to any group lesson for free and we can also attend their Friday group lesson/dance party.
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