Hi All,

We are Michael and Francis.
We live just outside Charlotte, NC.

Yes we are very new to Ballroom Dance, so now is the time for a couple of the many questions we will have on our journey to learning the basics of social dance. We are not interested in competition dancing, only to enjoy dancing in a social environment.

It has taken a while for our schedules to mesh enough to start some classes, but now it seems to be happening.

The first question I have is in regards to confidence. We had signed up for some dance lessons from a local dance studio, and the first class is next Thursday. Last night we were just looking through a few videos, and something that I had never heard from her before. "I'm not going to be able to do that." What we were watching was a video on West coast swing basics. So now after hearing her repeat those words several times, I realized that she lacks some confidence. My my question is this: What are the tips that you as instructors give your students when they show a lack of confidence. She seems to feel that she doesn't have enough rhythm to "count and Step" at the same time. We are both in fairly good shape, she weighs about 105 wet, and is in good physical condition so that should be an issue.
I know she wants to do this, but feels reluctant to proceed.

The next question is about Rhythm and keeping time. How can I convey to her about recognizing the rhythms and how they translate to the footwork. I know this will be the job of the instructor, but he may need a little help.

Thanks in advance for your input.