Ballroom dancers are the most fascinating people, and they all have great stories.

We're ballroom novices ourselves, but we've started a project to collect the stories of ballroom dancers. We'd love to hear how you first got interested in Ballroom Dance. We'd like to include your story in our collection, which is published at http://www.ballroombeginners.com

Please take a few moments and write us your story. Please include one or two photos and answers to these questions:

- How did you get into Ballroom Dancing?
- How has Ballroom changed your life?
- What are your favorite Ballroom web links? (You may include up to 5 links to your favorite school, dance shop, or location to dance.)

Take a few minutes to send us your story today. It's easy, and you'll be part of a growing community of ballroom dancers!

Thanks very much for your time!

-Paula Williams
www.BallroomBeginners.com
435-579-1733

My name is Eric Arciszewski. I moved back to Wisconsin from a year in Phoenix, AZ, and was in need of a job. I answered an ad in the want ads that said "no experience necessary". I trained for over 40 hrs/week for the first 3 months. I started teaching beginners, while I continued to learn. This past June, I left my studio because I felt overworked and under payed. Three months went by working other jobs, and I coudn't take it anymore. I decided to go off on my own and teach. I now make substantially more than I did at my old studio.

Ballroom dancing changed my life by helping me get through my divorce. Because of my students, I was able to keep hope, and move on with my life. It's become so much of my life that even when I'm not working, I dance on my free time.

Any other questions, you can contact me at icondance@gmail.com

LOL!

I was dragged down kicking and screaming about 12 years ago.

Actually, I was tricked into lessons. We had good friends that we used to coffee with a couple of nights a week.

One day my wife said,"We're meeting Joe & Jean for coffee tonight."

We all piled into one car and the wives drove us to the YM/YWCA.

"I thought we were going for coffee?" I said.

"Oh, didn't we tell you? Coffee isn't until after a dance lesson!"

There was no other way ever she'd have got me there with. Regardless, I was one of the 50% of "dragees" to get the bug.

We started taking lessons (private & group)with a local teacher. Her teacher from Montreal is a Fellow/Examiner from ISTD. He's judged at the World Championships 7 times. He travels all the time to Asia examining for ISTD and stops off here on his way for 10 days about six times a year.

Knowing we were school teachers he talked us into teacher training (we work very well with groups). Had it not been for a car accident 3 years ago I'd have my Associate (It left me with severe whiplash in the lower back). It's finally starting to improve and I'm hoping to take the exam in June (although that might be pushing it but hey! I haven't taken any painkiller today).

My wife now teaches for the local ballroom society. They don't pay me but I go along to assist. Because of our classroom experience we know how to make groups fun and have developed a reputation for beginners. Her group class had 46 students last term and she expects more than that this term. It's definitely the largest of the 4 beginner classes.

OB

When we became empty nesters, we decided to try ballroom dancing. We signed up for FADS special 5 for $5 offer and proceeded to take lessons there for over 5 years. We go dancing once a week, plus do a little dancing at concerts, weddings etc..

When your children leave home, you need to refocus your attention back on your spouse. Ballroom dancing has been very helpfull in that area. It has been a healthy, wholesome and romatic way to spend time together on a regular basis.

We also have met a lot of really nice people.

We also started going on one cruise a year. Key factor in selecting a ship is the dance opportunities. We are going on the Costa Magic, despite the fact the food and shows were the worse off any ship we have been on. Magica has a ballroom and 4 other venues with dance floors. 4 of the locations have 6 plus hours of music a night. Last cruise we stopped dancing each night, because we were wore out.

Dennis,

OT:

I've heard the Magica is good and we plan on trying it some day.

We just got off the Oceania Insignia.

It's only 30,000 tons and had one of the better dance floors we've encountered. However, they just didn't seem to be prepared for people who really wanted to dance: 45 minutes one night, 30 minutes the next. There were 42 of us from our club. It was like pulling teeth to get them to give us extra time.

Other than that it was by far the most elegant cruise I've been on (Repositioning from Lisbon to Rio, 14 days, $1,299 US, tips included (because we were a group), $100 room credit each person and return air fare Vancouver to Lisbon-Rio to Vancouver. You can hardly fly to Europe for that cost.

Incredible. Best cruise we've ever done (except for the rip=off excursions in Recife & Salvador).

OB

My parents were ballroom dancers. I started at a very early age. This was at a time when all the wonderfull electric gear we have today wasn't around. At home we had what was called a gramaphone which we had to be wind up every four minutes otherwise it got slower and slower untill it ran down.The part that went on and played the two sided records was a steel needle that came at sixpence a tin of 100 from Woolworths or the like. The needle needed changing ever four or so records. My parents were pupils of Alex Moore at about the time he wrote the book. Our collection of these wax records were all by Victor Silvester and his strict tempo orchestra, anything else just wasn't suitable.

When our last child left for college, we wanted to find something to do as a couple, that would also be healthy.

We signed up for a 4 lessons for $5 Fred Astaire promotion. Much to my wifes surprise, we made it to the second lesson . After a few bad choices in places to dance, we went to a real ballroom dance in a real ballroom. Since than we have gone dancing once a week for almost 6 years.

We took lessons at FADS for over 5 years and now learned from videos. We have practised at least once a week, inaddition to going to one dance a week. We have to drive a minimum of 50 miles to dance, so we only go once a week and do a lot of dancing at each dance.

It has provided another excellent source of exercise for both of us. We enjoy the dancing and challenge of improving and learning new manuevers/steps.

Dance is flirtatous, romantic etc.., which has obviously benefited our relationship. it gives us time every week were we really are together and interacting with each other. As oppossed to being in the same place watching something, but not really interacting.

Favorite links are this site, dance forum and eBay. Ebay because I buy dancve videos there and sell ones we have completed.