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What we do
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We provide regular instruction and occasional dancing events for adults of all ages who may be
💃 Beginners - people with no previous experience. 🕺
💃 Improvers - people with some experience looking to develop their skills. 🕺
💃 Returners - people who used to dance and want to come back. 🕺
Instruction is provided in the following
💃 Ballroom including - Modern Waltz, Quickstep, Foxtrot and Modern Tango. 🕺
💃 Latin including - Rumba, Cha Cha Cha, Ballroom Jive and Samba. 🕺
We are happy to receive people with established partnerships as well as singles.
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Where we are
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Teaching and social events take place at the following address:
Ponthir Village Hall
Caerleon Road
Ponthir
NP18 1GX
💃 The polished wood ballroom floor is one of the finest in the area. 🕺
💃 The hall is easily found on the B4236 main road between Cwmbran and Caerleon. 🕺
💃 There is plenty of private parking. 🕺
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Why ballroom
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According to the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) ballroom dancing as we now know it started over a hundred years ago.
The style of "close hold" was considered by some as being immoral, but as it proved to be neither illegal nor fattening it appealed
to young people and became a very popular form of recreation and socialising for the rest of the 20th century.
It is therefore ironic that it is now considered by many to be an old person's activity, when it is enjoyed just as much by younger people.
Ballroom dancing is flexible in terms of the amount of energy that you can bring to your activity.
You can bring energy comparable to a session in a gymnasium if and when you are so inclined, or you can move smoothly to inspiring music while
enjoying more moderate exercise.
There really is something for everyone.
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Healthy and fun
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The benefits of dancing are physical, psychological and social.
💃 According to research the physical benefits accrue from the exercise which can be moderated by each person to suit their own capabilities,
while carrying a very low risk of sport related injuries. In particular, ballroom dancing develops poise, balance and co-ordination, all of
which are of continual benefit in our daily lives. 🕺
💃 Psychological benefits arise from moving to music. This generates dopamine and endomorphines that produce mental relaxation and even euphoria.
In addition, rhythmical movement also counteracts cortisol, which is a response to stress, and helps to reduce the effects of stress that can be damaging
physically and psychologically. 🕺
💃 Socially the environment of social dancing brings people together in a shared physical experience. This encourages friendships and creates a "comfort zone"
that brings pleasant anticipation into our lives. 🕺
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Strictly or not
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The term "strictly" adopted by the BBC many years ago derived from the relationships between competition dancing partners.
Usually competition partners are matched by their coach according to compatibility and potential. Very often they have no familial or personal relationship
outside their competition activities. They are understandably irritated when people (especially the press) assume personal relationships,
and have to constantly tell people their relationships are "strictly dancing".
For social purposes many keen dancers do not have partners that are interested in dancing. This may arise from work or other sporting commitments, health restrictions or
(dare I say it) separation or bereavement. So while some dance with their life partners there are many who
go dancing as singles and meet people at dances or dance classes.
At the end of the dancing we all go home to our normal family lives, just as we would after any sport.
Same sex couples are often found at dances, particularly as ladies are often more interested (or fitter!) than their life partners. Men also sometimes dance together
and no experienced dancers give it a thought.
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Who we are
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Our organiser and instructor Peter started dancing in about 1985. The exact date is lost in the mists of time.
He took lessons in modern ballroom and latin dancing in South Wales where he lives, and danced socially for several years until he was
encouraged to enter competition. With his appointed partner they were successful in events from Birmingham to Taunton and Dorchester until
he took voluntary redundancy as a computer systems development engineer from Ferranti in 1989.
Setting up his own business as a management and technical consultant put an end to all social life until 2016 when he started taking lessons
in Newport to get back "up to speed". He was then out dancing several times each week in various venues.
In 2019 he took teacher training in modern ballroom and prepared for examinations, not with the intention of teaching but as a personal challenge.
The pandemic then closed everything down for a while. After several more years of social dancing it was
not until 2024 that he decided that it would be a good thing to make use of his experience and technical training to encourage others.
Ponthir village hall has an excellent ballroom floor and is close to where he lives, so it was an obvious place to set up.
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What it costs
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This programme is not a commercial enterprise, and is intended to operate at cost.
The price per person will always be kept as low as possible and is capped at no more than £5 per person per hour.
Reduced rates may be possible according to average attendances and venue charges.
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When we meet
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Negotiations are in hand to set a schedule for lessons and possible ballroom dancing social events starting in September 2025.
Further details will be posted here when available and on our Facebook page (see index at top).
Ideas and requests are always welcome, so please share your thoughts using the contact details below.
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Other resources
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There are some good, independent on-line teaching resources. So to provide the best quality of instruction the lessons are linked to these resources.
While on-line teaching may be valuable for revision and private practise it does not substitute for personal instruction, discussion and feedback that is provided
in the "live" lessons.
Nor does it substitute for the social contact and entertainment gained through dancing experiences shared with others.
No responsibility can be taken for their availability or accuracy.
(The list to be provided)
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Dress code
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For training and casual social occasions we dress for social comfort rather than the gymnasium.
In modern ballroom and latin there is a lot of turning, so clothing needs to allow freedom of movement without being excessively "flappy".
Shoes are very important. They need to be well secured on the feet, over the bridge and behind the heel. And while proper dancing shoes with suede
soles are preferred for their lightness and flexibility it is really only necessary to have soles and heels that do not grip the floor, as this may unnecessarily strain the
ankles when turning.
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