By Kathleen Mest | Photos by Monique Kuhlman and Alexiz Gomez
For some, dancing can feel as awkward as a fish out of water, but Arthur Murray Dance Centers can help make it feel as natural as walking. Owner, Donald Holt, Steve Platt, and Georgette Platt were dance instructors themselves before becoming franchise owners of 8 studios in the Southern California area.
“We begin with an intro lesson to get them moving to the tempo and get comfortable with the dance floor,” says Gonzalo Lara, a dance instructor at the Long Beach studio, as he walks me through their methods of teaching dance. It’s a Three-step Method: private lessons to focus on specific needs, next are group classes to create muscle memory of the dance movements, followed by practice parties. Gonzalo recommends participating in all 3 steps within a couple of weeks for a dance immersion experience!
A perk of being a member is that you can attend classes at any studio– even internationally! There are over 300 centers in 60 countries.
Packages are available for date nights, wedding dances, and gifts. Need another reason to dance? Physical therapy. Gonzalo shares, “After joint surgery and physical therapy ends, dancing is a great alternative. It maintains a lot of the practices.”
The center offers classes in ballroom, Latin, swing, and country western. “Any type of dance that requires 2 people,” Gonzalo says with a smile. However, for lessons, you can come on your own or with a partner. And who knows… Gonzalo met his wife at an Arthur Murray Dance Studio. You never know who you’ll meet!
@arthurmurraylongbeach
5236 E Los Altos Plaza, Long Beach, CA 90815,
(562) 986-4496
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