WHAT DANCE DO YOU DO AT MARDI GRAS?

Ok, so our house is suddenly close to empty... Deni and Nick moved out, Erin is hardly home, Scott is on a mission and Sami is so busy we hardly see her. We have become almost empty nester's really fast! So, Suzie and I decided if we were going to be on our own we should start doing some "things and stuff" that we have talked about doing for years... like learn to dance! Seriously! The question was where to start.

Our friends the Cannon's, who are getting ready for a wedding, invited us to their dance class at Willow Creek Country Club and we had a riot. Turns out their instructor is Martin Skupinski who is the owner of Ballroom Utah Dance Studio. He is a great teacher and makes the whole process a lot of fun.

So, after a couple of weeks at the Country Club Martin said we should come to his studio for his Friday Night Dance Party. Why not? It turns out that every Friday night he opens his studio for open dancing from eight until ten o'clock. It is only five dollars a person and I was amazed the first time we went. Ballroom Utah is a beautiful studio with a great wood dance floor and it doubles as a gallery for Salt Lake artist Pamela Nielsen. She does amazing, large scale contemporary art and the studio is a perfect place to appreciate its beauty.

Any way, back to the dancing. They teach a wide variety of dance styles as well as offering several class and lesson options. On Friday nights Martin and his staff are there during the party to help with technique, teach some new steps and to just keep the party going. It really is great fun and it is our new Friday night date.

Last Friday night we celebrated Mardi Gras and Martin taught the Samba in honor of Carnival. After he taught the basics, with everyone in masks, he lead the parade around the studio as if we were really at Mardi Gras, beads and all (kidding, no beads). It was a kick!

Suzie and I in the masks we picked up in New Orleans at the Mardi Gras party.
We are in front of one of Pam Nielsen's pieces.

Suzie with studio owner Martin Skupinski.

If you want to try something new and fun, check out Ballroom Utah. The studio is located at 3030 South Main Street in Salt Lake and you can call 801-916-4716 for information or go to their website at ballroomutah.com.

We are thinking about going to the group Salsa lessons on Wednesday nights at nine also. It is only ten bucks a person and Salsa dancing is 'hot' (clever, huh?). Come and go with us-- more people make the party even more fun!

Let's go BALLROOM!