Blizzard Warning! Stayed Tuned...

Hey folks!
We're probably all watching the weather channel really intently right now, keeping track of this huge blizzard that's about to settle down on the East Coast later tonight.

Please stayed tuned!  Michele will decide by noon today whether or not to cancel tonight's classes.  For myself, I will probably have to cancel New Hartford's Tuesday classes; check for that tomorrow at noon.

Regarding private lessons on Wednesday: the blizzard should be done by that time, and I'll be digging my car out in the morning, so my private lessons should not be affected by the snow storm.  I repeat, I do not plan on canceling my Wednesday private lessons.  If you have a lesson on Wednesday, be prepared for tricky parking conditions, but that will probably be it.  If on Wednesday you feel like getting to the studio will be an issue, please let me know!

Monthly Article: Why Dance Instruction Videos Shouldn't Replace Actual Dance Classes

Good day dancers!  Every month I'm trying to post something about dancing and learning to dance.

This Month:

Why Dance Instruction Videos Shouldn't Replace Actual Dance Classes

In this day and age, technology and the Internet makes it supremely easy to access information of all sorts.  You can find information and advice for your health, lifestyle, hobbies, and news.  Youtube in particular has numerous instructional videos for just about anything....including how to dance.

Hartford Ballroom Packages Are Being Discontinued

Hey folks!  In case you haven't been to class lately, here's some news:

Starting on January 15th, our 10-for-$80 dance package is being discontinued.  That's right, I'm sorry folks, but the original idea behind the package was so that people who came several times a week would be able to save some money.  As it turns out, only a handful of people are really saving with the package deal.  Based on the amount of paperwork she had to do, as well as having to be the bad guy sometimes and get after people who hadn't paid for lessons in a while, Mom decided to discontinue the package to make things easier.  So now we're back to your basic pay-as-you-go $10 a class.

If you still have a package, don't worry!  You'll just use it up and you won't be able to buy another one after the 15th.  You can still buy a package before the 15th if you prefer.

Now, it's going to take some getting used to, but it'll be fine!  Mom does prefer cash or check, but if you forget to bring either, you can use a credit card as an emergency backup plan.

Well that's it for now!  Happy dancing!

Well That Went Well! My Class At Berkshire Hall

Well tonight went better than anticipated!  I went to Berkshire Hall at Brodie Park and taught my first ever beginner dance lesson there.  And it went rather well, I think!  I had 8 people in the first class, and 10 in the second!  Good start, yay!

I'd like to keep these classes going, so please spread the word!  I'm teaching beginner classes in New Hartford, and I'd love to see this class grow a little!  So grab flyers at the studio and tell your friends and neighbors.  Here's my main website for details (remember this blog is just one branch of the website):

spirodanceaway.weebly.com

Dance away everyone!

-Lisa

How to find the step lists

Having trouble finding the step lists?  Don't worry!  There's multiple ways to find them!

1. do a blog search (search box is on the right-hand side)

2. Go to the Hartford Ballroom page and scroll down.

3. Go to the page called "Step Lists and Workshop Reviews"

4. Click on the tag you want (ie, "Lesson Recap", "Waltz", "Intermediate") in the Labels section on the right-hand side of the page

I'm working on a new website!

When I first created this blog, my original intention was to make a website for myself.  But creating a website seemed rather daunting, and I already knew how to handle a blog, so a dance blog was made instead.
As I keep the Weebly site developer, however, I started figuring out more and more about, and now I'm finally in full force in making my very own website!  I've gotta say, Weebly is pretty easy to use, and I'm enjoying the experience immensely!
The website will also be called Dance Away, and this blog will connected to it.  Once the website is up and running, I'll provide a link for the site on this blog in various places.

Dance Away everyone!
-Lisa

Lisa Spiro is now able to accept credit cards!

That's right folks!  Now that I have a smartphone,  I am finally able to accept credit cards as a form of payment!  Nate found this cool app called "Square Up" that is nice and easy to use.  The only little thing is that there's a 3% transaction fee, so if you're using a credit card, you'll have to pay just a little more (For example, instead of $50, you're paying $51.50).

I'll be accepting any form of payment you want to pay for any private lesson or workshop that I'm teaching.  See you around!
-Lisa Spiro

New! Lisa's Tuesday Beginner Lessons In New Hartford!

Recently, I've been thinking of branching out from Hartford Ballroom and teaching classes throughout Connecticut.  Mind you, this is not because I'm thinking of quitting the studio or anything (no siree!), I just would like to make a little extra cash and maybe develop a dance reputation of my own outside of my mother's influence (she was actually the one who suggested I do this, in case you were wondering).  It doesn't help that we only have the one floor, so available time for new classes at the studio is severely limited.  So I shopped around for available floors to rent and found one in New Hartford that's really affordable!

So now starting January 6th  I'm going to start teaching beginner classes every Tuesday evening, from 7-9 p.m.  They'll run exactly the same as my Monday classes; they'll just be in a different town!

So far, I just have the schedule and the location.  The hall is a little isolated (it's 7 minutes up a hill from the New Hartford town center), but the floor is really nice.

New Hartford's Tuesday Beginner Ballroom Dance Classes

Where: Berkshire Hall in Brodie Park, 580 West Hill Road, New Hartford, CT 06057

How Much: $10 per person per class

Class #1: Absolute Beginners

7-8 p.m.

The perfect class for those who have never danced before.  Every month, we cover the basic steps of two dance styles, and we also do a little Merengue as a warm-up.  We keep things very easy and very friendly, so that the learning experience remains fun and relaxing.  The class is 45 minutes long with an additional 15-minute practice.

The Class Schedule:

December- Tango/Hustle

January- Foxtrot/Swing

February- Salsa/Cha Cha

March- Waltz/Rumba

April- Tango/Hustle

May- Foxtrot/Swing

June- Salsa/Cha Cha

Class #2: Ballroom Basics

8-9 p.m.

This is a great class for anyone who feels like the basic step is easy enough, and want to learn a little more but still consider themselves to be a beginner.  In this class we do one dance style a month; I'll quickly review the basic step, and then I'll teach up to 5 other steps within that dance.  These steps are repeated throughout the month, so you'll get plenty of time to practice the moves. 

The Class Schedule:

December- Waltz

January- West Coast Swing

February- Cha Cha

March- Rumba

April- Foxtrot

May- Hustle

June- East Coast Swing

Updates and News: What's Going On With This Blog And At Hartford Ballroom

 Hey dancers!  Here's a much-belated post that I've been meaning to put up all week.

So you might have noticed that I posted very little last month.  Unfortunately, I think I bit off a little more than I can chew with this blog, and with a sudden upsurge in private lessons, I found myself with very little time to keep this blog updated.  That "dance events in 4 states" thing has turned out to be my worst nightmare!  Somehow, my book blog is a whole lot easier to work with than my dance blog, even though that one requires more posts.  So I'm going to make some changes to make things easier and more streamlined.

Lisa's Monday Class Information

Here's your basic information for the Monday beginner classes.  These classes occur every week at the Hartford Ballroom Dance Studio, and the cost is $10 per person per class.  You also have the option of signing up for a package of lessons: 10 lessons for $80.

There's one additional special we offer: if you take the first class 12 times, you can take both classes for the price of one!

Class #1: Absolute Beginners

7:15-8:15 p.m.

The perfect class for those who have never danced before.  Every month, we cover the basic steps of two dance styles, and we also do a little Merengue as a warm-up.  We keep things very easy and very friendly, so that the learning experience remains fun and relaxing.  The class is 45 minutes long with an additional 15-minute practice.

The Class Schedule:

December- Tango/Hustle

January- Foxtrot/Swing

February- Salsa/Cha Cha

March- Waltz/Rumba

April- Tango/Hustle

May- Foxtrot/Swing

June- Salsa/Cha Cha

Class #2: Ballroom Basics

8:15-9 p.m.

This is a great class for anyone who feels like the basic step is easy enough, and want to learn a little more but still consider themselves to be a beginner.  In this class we do one dance style a month; I'll quickly review the basic step, and then I'll teach up to 5 other steps within that dance.  These steps are repeated throughout the month, so you'll get plenty of time to practice the moves. 

The Class Schedule:

December- Waltz

January- West Coast Swing

February- Cha Cha

March- Rumba

April- Foxtrot

May- Hustle

June- East Coast Swing

Head's up if you're using Internet Explorer!

Hey dancers!  Just a quick bit of news:
If you're using Internet Explorer as a web browser, just keep in mind that the "Book Appointment" feature doesn't seem to be working properly.  The page works well on Firefox and other web browsers, but on Internet Explorer it'll:
1) stop working and show you an error page
2) takes you through the booking process, but then won't alert me of the new appointment (I just had someone come in for a lesson that he booked online that I never got a notice for)

I've sent an e-mail to Setmore (the web program I'm using) and alerted them of the problem.  If you're using Internet Explorer and you want to use the booking page, try it out and let me know if it didn't work.  If it seems to work and it tells you the appointment is booked, send me a text to let me know so I can double-check and see if it worked on my side.

Sorry for the issues, folks!
-Lisa

Hartford Ballroom Announcements and Cancellations

Hey folks!  A quick update regarding Thanksgiving weekend for Hartford Ballroom:

1. Thursday's Classes (Thanksgiving Day) are Cancelled
2. Friday's Salsa Night (day after Thanksgiving, 11/28) is Cancelled
3. Sunday's Classes (11/30) is Still Going On!

Don't forget Nate has a workshop on the 22nd (click here for the link)!  And don't forget there are private lessons available.  Click on the button to the left to book an appointment with me, or click on the Hartford Ballroom for contact information.

Finally, as some of you already know, I'm starting to try and branch out from Hartford Ballroom a little.  I love working with my mom, but there comes a time when you are trying to make a little extra money to set aside for the future and the availability of the studio for new classes is rather limited.  So I'm looking for hall space to rent at a reasonable price.  If anyone knows of a good dance space (ie, church or town hall, American Legion, VFW, etc.) in or near the Hartford/Newington area, that is particularly available on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings, I'd love to hear about it!  Leave a comment below or send me an e-mail!

That's it for now!  Dance Away!
-Lisa Spiro

Thanks For Coming To My Workshop and Other News

Hey guys!  Just a quick shout-out to the 10 people who showed up to my technique workshop on Saturday!  I really appreciate your attendance and I hope you'll have found the exercises useful!

Within the next couple of days, I'll be posting a video covering everything that I did in that workshop, so be on the lookout for it!  There will also be a new page where I'll be posting all of my upcoming workshops and classes!  Look on the sidebar as well for polls that you can take that will help me determine when to do the workshops and what workshops people would prefer to see.

As for the event calendar, I had to take a little break from it.  It went from a little idea to a gigantic monster, and I found myself a little overwhelmed!  So here's what's going to happen: I'm going to reduce the number of events listed and I'm going to focus on finding dances in Connecticut.  If there are dances that people recommend that are happening in Massachusetts, New York, or Rhode Island, I'll go ahead and post them.

I do need help finding dances in the CT area, however.  So if you know of any, send me an e-mail!

Keep a look out for all these changes within the next week.  Ciao everyone and Dance Away!
-Lisa Spiro

Let's Dress Up For Halloween!

Attention dancers at Hartford Ballroom!

Halloween's coming up, and while there's not enough time to advertise a for a Halloween party, I thought we'd do something fun on the 30th.

The 30th lands on a Thursday, so I figured that we transform our Thursday lessons into a Halloween party!  We can dress up in some fun costumes, I can bake and decorate a cake (or some cupcakes, I'll see where my inspiration takes me!), and maybe everyone could bring some candy or goodies!

The lessons will still happen, of course, so make sure you wear costumes that you can dance in!  I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's costumes!

See you then!

Blog Bloopers

Hey Folks!

A few people have approached me with some complaints about certain features on my blog, so this post is about some of the issues some people have encountered.

My Top Ten Peeves When Ballroom Dancing

Hello dancers!  It's time for me to post something a little different from the norm.  

I like to share my opinion sometimes, and I figured that having an article about dancing posted at least once a month would be a nice addition to this site!

I already have a few articles on dancing.  If you want to check them out, they're located on the Ballroom Dancing 101 page.


So, this month, I want to talk about:

My top pet peeves when ballroom dancing

Blog Updates: New Look!

Hey everyone!

So the previous template for this blog, while very modern and cool, was starting to drive me a little crazy.  Gadgets kept disappearing, or refused to show up in the first place, so I decided it was time for a change.

Check it out!  If you are interested in taking a private lesson with me, you can now book it online!  Click on the "Book Appointment" button that you see on the left hand side.  It's super easy!  It's not set up for advanced payment (nor will it ever be), so you needn't worry about paying for the lesson until we meet in person.

You might have noticed that some of the posts look "unfinished" as you scroll down.  Don't worry!  I just inserted a page break to make things easier.  Click on the text that says "read more" in order to see the full post, or just click on the post title.

Here are some other cool new features that I was finally able to add with this new web template:

1. On the left-hand side you'll see there are some polls that you can participate in!  I love using polls to see what other people want, so please feel free to click on the choices you like best

2. On the left-hand side, you'll also notice a share-it gadget, which would allow you to share a link to this blog on your Facebook or Twitter page.  I encourage you to share this blog as much as you can!  The more attention the site gets, the better!

3. Did you know you can follow my blog and get a regular news feed on your Google+ page?  If you have a Google+ account (or Gmail) you can click on the button that says "Join This Site", and you'll get to see any new posts from my blog on your Google+ page!

4. On the right-hand side, you'll notice a gadget called "Labels".  Basically, every post has at least one label attached to it (Lesson recap, event calender, etc.).  If you click on one of those labels, you'll find yourself with a list of all the posts that have that label.  It'll make the posts you want easy to find! You can also use the search box to find the posts you need.

5. On the left sidebar, you'll notice some new buttons!  These buttons will take you to places like the Hartford Ballroom Facebook page, my Pinterest page, and my Google+ page!  This is a new gadget that I've never used before, so let me know if there are any issues with clicking on these buttons (please comment below).


Will I change the format again?  Maybe.  I'm still new to blogging, so I'll probably change the look every now and again to see what works best for me.  In the meantime, if you liked the old format better, let me know! (I saved the original template, don't worry)  Either post in the comments box below, or send me an email.

Cheers!
-Lisa Spiro

Eight To The Bar's Event Calender

Last week, Eight To The Bar performed at the First Friday Swing Dance.  They are an excellent band and I know I would love to see them again!

Want to watch them perform again?  Well here's a list of their upcoming events for the next month!  If you want to know more click here for their webpage!

Friday, September 19th at the Stafford Palace Theater

75 Main St, Stafford Springs CT

8-10:30 p.m.

860-851-9780

www.thestaffordpalacetheater.com

Join us at this historic, beautiful restored theater!  Concert seating, balcony, and dance floor--beer & wine.  Hear new songs from our upcoming 12th CD.  Great atmosphere!

Saturday, September 20th Harvest Celebration & Stomp!

Paradise Hills Vineyard, 15 Wind Swept Hill Rd, Wallingford, CT

Kids' entertainment 12-1 p.m.

ETTB 4-7 p.m.

203-284-0123

e-mail: info@paradishillsvineyard.com

Want to stomp some grapes?  Dance to some live music?  Drink some wine?  Bring your own food (no outside beverages, please) to this beautiful new vineyard and join the fun!  No cover!

Saturday, September 20th at Friends Cafe (Mostly Motown)

15 N. Liberty St., Southington CT

9-1 (not sure if it's a.m. or p.m., assuming p.m.)

860-426-1020

www.friendscafect.com

Great food & drink, large dance floor-don't miss this rare area appearance!

Friday, September 26th at LARC's 50th Anniversary Gala in the Torrington Country Club

250 Torrington Rd., Goshen CT

8 p.m.-12 a.m.

860-482-9364

www.litchfieldarc.org

Cocktail hour, dinner and dancing, program, live auction.  Don't miss this fabulous and fun event!

Friday, October 3rd at the Maple Tree Cafe (mostly MoTown)

781 Hopmeadow St. (rte 10), Simsbury CT

8:30 p.m.-12 a.m.

860-651-1297

www.mapletreecafe.com

A great longtime favorite of ours!  Big wooden dance floor!

Friday, October 10th, at The Knickerbocker (swing and blues)

35 Railroad Ave, Westerly RI

8:15-11:15 p.m.

www.theknickerbockercafe.com

Well that's it for now!  If you like this post and want more, please leave a comment below!

Updates, Bugs, and Teeny Mistakes: The Place To Ask Questions And Make Some Suggestions

This site is barely over a week old, so there's bound to be some mistakes scattered here and there.  And I'm sure that some people have suggestions to make this site better and more useful.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and this is the post to do it!  Below you can see a box to post your comments.  Please feel free to do so, and don't worry about creating some sort of account; the comment box is open to anyone and everyone!

Dance away everyone! Dance away!
-Lisa Spiro

P.S.- did you know you can view the posts based on their labels?!  Just click on a post, scroll down to the bottom to where it says "labels", and click on the topic label you want!  For example, if you want the posts about the lessons, click on a lesson post, scroll down, and click on the label "lesson recap".  You'll end seeing all the posts with the same label!

Welcome to Dance Away!

Welcome to Dance Away!  A site for ballroom dancers!!

My name is Lisa Marie Spiro, and I created this website with a simple goal in mind; to make ballroom dancing accessible to everyone.

I’ve been ballroom dancing for over 20 years.  It’s my passion and my life.  I love it so much that a few years ago I decided to make it my career as well, and became a ballroom dance teacher. 

In my experience as both dancer and teacher, finding information about dance events, classes and workshops is spotty and scattered everywhere, and websites that try to post everything are still limited in what they have, or their information isn't as updated.  Plus, it's hard to find good articles out there regarding ballroom dancing.

So, to combat these problems, I decided to start this website. 

Basically, this is a blog that contains everything about social dancing, from where to find classes and dance events, to articles discussing social dancing.   

On this site you’ll find:

• A description of the different existing ballroom dances, with videos giving you a general idea of what they look like. --Ballroom Dancing 101
• Event, class, and workshop information for dances not only in Connecticut, but in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New York as well. --Dance Events
• Weekly and monthly posts announcing socials and classes. --Home Page
• Weekly reviews of dance events and workshops that I’ve tried, with recommendations of the best places to go. --Dance Events and Home Page
• Articles discussing various dance-related topics (ie, etiquette, benefits of dancing, etc.) --Ballroom Dancing 101
• A page devoted to the studio where I work (Hartford Ballroom), with class and private lesson information, as well as information regarding our own events and socials. --Hartford Ballroom Dance Studio
• Posts for our Hartford Ballroom students, listing the steps that were done in each level. --Home Page and Hartford Ballroom Dance Studio
• A page about myself and my dancing family, with information on how to reach us for classes and private lessons. --About Lisa Spiro

To follow this site, look for a black sidebar on the right side of the page.  It will expand and you can click on the badge labeled "subscribe"; there you can follow either by e-mail subscription, or by Google+ (if you have a gmail account, then you have or can have Google+).

What The Post Icons Mean:

The Hartford Ballroom Logo: I use this picture for any posts related to the Hartford Ballroom Dance Studio, particularly posts regarding what was covered in the classes.

Monthly Dance Calender: I use this picture for my monthly calender of dance events, classes and workshops

Weekly Dance Calender: This picture is for my weekly posts of events

Special Events: This picture is for any special events and workshops that you must go to.

My Reviews: This picture marks any posts I have regarding events that I attended, and workshops/classes that I took.

This site is still new, so some areas look a little sparse.  But it will continue to grow, and it will be continuously updated at least once a week.   


Please also keep in mind that I can’t be completely objective about where to go, because I love the studio where I work, and I'm biased towards our events and classes.  But I am not so arrogant as to think that we’re the best and only place to go.  Therefore, you can expect me to be as fair and as honest as possible on this site.

I hope you’ll find this site useful, and I look forward to any comments or e-mails regarding how to improve this site, or what other events and articles I can add to it!

Enjoy everyone!  Dance away!

-Lisa Spiro, ballroom dance teacher, site creator

Facebook: Hartford Ballroom
E-mail: lisamarie@hartfordballroom.com or bastet630@gmail.com