Lee Briggs's Page

The human race has been dancing since we lived in caves. Early man fulfilled a need for self expression with hectic gymnastics. Gradually we acquired grace and rhythm through an accompaniment of sound effects such as sea shells, hand clapping, and foot stomping. Soon the drum was invented and we began to dance in earnest.

Primitive man celebrated all of life's milestones from birth to death with dance.

As civilization developed, so did dance. Murals depict ancient Egyptians dancing; Biblical p… Continue

The next Introduction to Ballroom class begins Thursday, November 19th at 7:30. This will be a lively course as we introduce the Hustle and New Generation Swing.

Hustle, of course, is from the disco era of the 1970s and helped make partner dancing popular again. It is danced to contemporary or disco music with 28 to 30 measures per minute. The dance consists of the lady spinning while the man draws her close then sends her away. Hustle is a member of the Swing family of dances.

New Generation… Continue

We will begin a new session of classes at the Intermediate Level on November 24th at 7:30. These classes will feature Samba and Paso Doble.
Samba is the national dance of Brazil. It was first introduced in 1917, but was not accepted as a ballroom dance until 1930. Carmen Miranda is credited with introducing Samba to the US in 1939. Samba is danced in 2/4 time with the American Style having more "bounce" than International Style Samba. American Style Samba is also danced to a faster tempo than it… Continue

Trying to find a dance instructor? Here are some tips on finding the right person to teach you to dance.

There are the obvious things to look for, of course. Is the teacher certified by a national dance organization or have other dance instruction credentials? What sort of teaching experience does the instructor have? Is the price right? Are the dances you want to learn being taught by this instructor?

Once the obvious questions are answered, try looking at how that instructor's students dance… Continue

Be sure to sign up now for the Introduction to Ballroom section beginning July 30th at Continuing Ed. We will introduce the romance of the Waltz and the sizzle of the Cha Cha. A class choice of Hustle or Merengue will make this an exciting 5 weeks. The class runs from 7/30 to 8/27, Thursdays from 7:30 to 8:30 pm. Register now so you and your partner won't miss out. I'm looking forward to seeing you in class.