BALLROOM DANCING
By Melissa Brumer
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Rumba, anyone?
Sounds like a song, looks like fun: mambo, rumba, tango, samba, cha-cha-cha.
If you haven’t tried ballroom dancing, now is the perfect time.
Spring brings many celebrations –weddings, showers, and graduations
and with them come the opportunity to broaden your horizons… on
the dance floor.
According to Gus Guzinski, Kalamazoo is the HOT SPOT in all of Michigan
for ballroom dancing. Gus and his wife Jenny Grunberg are residents of
Kalamazoo and have been ballroom dancers for nine years. There are more
organizations, more studios, more dances, and more places to dance here;
which makes getting involved that much more accessible for those of us
in Southwest Michigan. Ballroom dancing does not require a lifetime commitment,
only the curiosity to try something new for the sake of enjoyment, socializing,
and exercising.
“
Being able to exercise and have fun and meet people at the same time
is great,” says Guzinski.
He began because his wife bought lessons
for the two of them as a birthday gift for her husband. What started
as a small set of lessons quickly turned into a passion , and today
they continue to take lessons weekly. Local studios offer monthly and
weekly
dances all over Southwest Michigan where people like Gus and Jenny
practice their moves, ranging in style from the waltz, foxtrot, tango,
swing,
mambo and samba.
Ballroom dance lessons are also a great and fun way to prepare for an
upcoming wedding. Most dance studios offer package deals for the bride
and groom, or anyone else in the wedding party, to learn basic dance
steps for the big day. Here are some local studios or groups to look
into:
USA Dance is a national organization that was formed in 1965 by a group
of competitive ballroom dancers to promote the acceptance of ballroom
dancing into the International Olympics.The Kalamazoo Dance is held monthly
at the KIA (see the calendar of events for time and dates). www.kalamazoodance.org
Kalamazoo Dancesport is located at 1522 Gull Rd. in Kalamazoo, right
across from Borgess. They offer a free trial lesson for all skill levels,
no dance partner needed. Call 269-345-5371 for more information.
Sharon’s Dance Studio, located in S.W.A.T fitness center at 5053
Sports Drive in Kalamazoo, offers lessons and hosts dances as well. Sharon
has a wedding special package which includes 4 private lessons, 6 group
lessons and 3 practice dances.
For more information call Sharon at 269-544-2420
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