By Bennett Fuson and Lexi Muir

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Prom is always a memorable event. Just watch any teen comedy made between 1984 and now. It’s the pinnacle dance of high school. Yet here, and everywhere across the country, it’s almost impossible to call prom a “dance,” since there’s very little real dancing involved.

So this year, for our senior prom, we set out to buck the trend of the social norm and did what we thought would make this year more memorable than the rest: we took up ballroom dancing.

It’s a bit of a stretch, to be sure. But dancing has always been one of the most important and most beloved social events throughout history. Back in its day, proper dancing was a sign of social status. Yet like everything else, prProxy-Connection: keep-alive
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er dancing has gone by the wayside. We, however, decided to bring it back.

We chose to embark upon ballroom dancing after attending a presentation by Arthur Murray Dance Studio purely by accident. There was something regal and captivating about the gracefulness of the dancers, something that is wholly uncommon in our own dances. Plus, the studio offered two lessons for $15. It’s hard to find a meal for that cheap, let alone something that might last.

To be honest, we didn’t know what to suspect when we arrived for our first lesson. When most people think of ballroom dancing, they think of only one thing: “Dancing with the Stars,” which is a fine show, to be sure, except that neither of us have nearly the time, money nor star power to garner fancy moves (or sequined outfits). But our instructor, Danielle, walked us through the basics of a few simple dance styles.

First and foremost, Danielle began, dancing is essentially stylish, patterned walking. So that’s precisely what we did. We walked. After mastering the technique of putting one foot in front of the other, sometimes backwards, and shuffling side to side, it was go time.

The first dance we learned was the foxtrot; in essence, the wedding dance. Next up was the tango, brought to the limelight by Latin lovers and Antonio Banderas movies. Then we danced the waltz, another slow dance that evokes 18th century social outings. Perhaps the most useful of all, though, were the rumba, an easy side-step dance that works well with Lady GaGa, and the cha-cha, another Latin-rooted dance that corresponds well to “Single Ladies.”

While these lessons were merely intended to introduce us to the particular dances (a clever marketing ploy), the fact that we know enough to cut up the dance floor is certainly an appealing use of $15 dollars. So while other people shuffle awkwardly to rap music, we will be flying by, perhaps waltzing, perhaps tangoing. All that we know is that we’ll be adding a touch of class to this school’s most hallowed night.

Classes Offered at Arthur Murray Dance Studio

Smooth Dances:
Waltz
Tango
Foxtrot
Viennese
Waltz

Rhythm Dances:
Swing
Hustle
Cha-cha
Samba
Rumba
Bolero
Mambo

Other Dances Available:
West Coast Swing
Kick Swing
Merengue
Jive

For more information call (317) 843-1110 or visit www.indyarthurmurray.com