Yes, everybody can learn to dance
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Yes, everybody can learn to dance 〰️
Why dance with Glenn Clark?
Glenn Clark has been teaching in the Michigan area for over 30 years; working at numerous studios. He was the organizer of the Midwest Invitational Dance Competition. He’s been Chairman of Judges at The Michigan Senior Olympics for the past 15 years and is also one of the organizers. He has won Top Teacher at The Michigan Dance Challenge competition several times. He holds credentials with the National Dance Council of America (NDCA) and the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance (ISTD). He teaches social dancing, choreographs for wedding dances, and trains dancers for ballroom competitions.
Dance: exercise your brain AND your body
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Dance: exercise your brain AND your body ***
What Students Have to Say
“Excellent! Lots of great people who want to either learn to dance or become better!!”
– Bill T.
“Dancing with Glenn at Dance Elite gives me great joy. We do eighteen different dances together. Dancing is sublime for the mind and the heart, and with every step Glenn teaches me to reach new levels. Every lesson is a new challenge and his professionalism and energy is constant.”
– Margaret R.
“Glenn Clark is a wonderful teacher. He is very patient and awesome in every style of dance. His ability to teach one on one privately or in a group is fun and easy. He is good with any age, any level and any ethnic background. His professional manner is unbelievably easy to understand and comfortable for any person learning to dance.
Taking private lessons gives you an ability to dance in a short amount of time. Whether a social beginner or a full competitive student. Glenn can enhance your dancing to a new level”
– Olga Nevill
“I’ve been going to Glenn’s Friday night parties for a few years and he is the best teacher from which to learn, meet new people! Always 80-100+ dancers every week! Super friendly, beginners welcome! ”
– Ballroom B.
“I really enjoyed my first time out with Glenn and Blair. It was amazing all of the dancers were graceful and very welcoming. I will look to the next time out with this group. Really a lot of fun! If you are looking for good people and good clean fun while learning to dance this is it. ”
– Tyiese D.
An experienced ballroom dance coach, Glenn leverages his extensive professional expertise to coach students in all styles of ballroom dance. Glenn takes the time to understand his students’ learning styles and dance needs and then customizes each lesson so that their dance knowledge, confidence, and technique continuously improves with each session.
“After just 12 weeks of training with Glenn, I competed and won a top title at a national DanceSport competition. Glenn’s outstanding coaching, patience, and passion to help me perform at my best enabled this significant accomplishment. I’m grateful for his dedication to helping me become a competitive ballroom dancer, which has positively impacted my life. ”
– Jennifer N.
How to contact Glenn Clark
Patriot Ballroom
1054 West Huron St
Waterford, MI 48328
PHONE
248-343-8337
ClarkStardust@gmail.com
HOURS
Call, text, or email to schedule privates.
See schedule for group classes and dance socials
What We Offer
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There are many group classes available in ballroom dancing; why take private lessons?
The most important element of ballroom dancing is not learning patterns and combinations, but the non-verbal communication of body movement and connection. Group lessons focus on patterns and choreography.
Private lessons are imperative to learn good follow/lead technique and optimum alignment.
Students can learn faster one-on-one or as a couple when they feel the correct movement from their instructor; and can get specific feedback on their technique. and what’s working and what’s not in the partnership.
Learning to dance comes with a steep learning curve that eventually flattens out. With private instruction the level of frustration can be lessened and the length of the learning curve shortened.
Learning good technique and a few basic patterns at the beginning allows for greater success in both the competition and social dance worlds.
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Group classes are an affordable way to continue your dance journey and expand your pattern/combination toolbox.
Rotating partners in group classes is encouraged to hone your lead/follow skills since every dancer is different. However changing partners is NOT required.
Come with friends, a partner, or by yourself.
During group classes you have the opportunity to dance with your instructor, Glenn Clark.
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Come practice what you’ve been learning in your private lessons and group classes on a full-sized competitive dance floor.
Glenn’s social dance parties start with a 60 minute group lesson. The lesson is followed by a 90 minute dance party with specially curated dance soundtrack so you practice all the ballroom and night-club dance styles. NO PARTNER REQUIRED! Beginners always welcome.
Dance parties are the second and fourth Fridays of the month.
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Think “Dancing with the Stars.”
Learn choreography, technique, precision, and execution starting at the entry level “Novice/Newcomer” division with progression up to Open Gold Level
Not your “week-end warrior softball league.” High-level of commitment and discipline needed.
The rewards are immeasurable though!
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Creat an extra special memory on your special day. Five sessions for bride/groom, mother/son, father/daugher, mom/dad, or wedding party to learn choregraphy (including photo opportunities) to a song of your choosing designed for the space at your hall.
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West-Coast Swing
Detroit Hustle
Night Club Two-Step
Country Two-Step
Salsa
Samba
Bachata
Merengue
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Cha Cha
Rhumba
East-Coast Swing
Bolero
Mambo
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Waltz
Tango
Fox Trot
Viennese Waltz
Dance Styles Taught
A Special Dance for Your Special Day
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A Special Dance for Your Special Day ~~~
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Five 45-minute private lessons for $399. Dance choreography available for Bride/Groom, Mother/Son, Father/Daughter, or Flash Mob style for wedding party.
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Feel confident on your special day. Learn how to enter and exit the dance floor for your special moment. Learn basic choreography, turns, and dips to wow your guests. And you’ll have amazing photos!
Look and feel comfortable, confident, and prepared.
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When should we start?
It is always nice to have six months before the wedding to start working on your first dance together as man and wife. Many couples don’t have this luxury and a wonderful dance can still be accomplished within 2 weeks, if motivated!
Generally, couples take 1-2 lessons a week to develop some repetition and muscle memory and, of course, confidence to perform it!
How should we choose our instructor?
When choosing an instructor, one should look for instructors who teach wedding couples as a full-time job. Beginning wedding couples are looking for that one special performance, and are running on empty trying to get it all done before the big day. A professional teacher who has considerable experience can tame those nerves and make all feel great about dancing, even when they walk in the door with two left feet.
Recommendation: ask the potential instructor how many wedding couples he/she has taught in the past 6 months and how many wedding couples do they have now as students. How many years of experience in total? I have more than 20 years of professional instruction experience and teach many wedding couples every week along with my social and competitive dance students.
How should we pick our wedding song?
The wedding song really expresses special feelings, experiences and mood for each wedding. Many couples come in with that special song, other couples know what dance they wish and need good music suggestions, such as something for foxtrot. Finally, an experienced instructor will have on hand many great selections from which to choose. Some couples think that if they are really novice dancers, that they should pick a slow song. Actually, dancing slow is harder because more body movement is required to fill in the slow music. In contrast, a medium tempo song is easier to pull off successfully. By far, the most popular wedding song these days is “At Last” by Etta James. Although not the easier dance for beginners, novice dancers can still perform it with an experienced instructor. After that, the Sinatra standards come in a close second (“The Way You Look Tonight,” and “Fly Me to the Moon,” etc.). Again, I have done it all with music ranging from “Great Balls of Fire” to music from Enya, Sade, Celion Dion, Faith Hill, Julio Iglesias, Sting, etc. Generally, the music should not last more than 2 minutes, because of the need for more choreography. Music can always be “faded out” when you have a DJ on hand if the selection runs longer
What should we wear to our lessons?
When working on your wedding dance, the suggested practice clothing is loose, comfortable clothes that move. Shoes should be thin-soled, preferably lace-up or with a strap. Athletic shoes, sandals, mules and clogs are not recommended. For the brides, I recommend they bring in their wedding slip to get the feel of the beautiful dress width and length and their shoes to break in (with tape on them to protect from black scuff marks-white satin is difficult from which to remove stains). Dresses that have a very heavy bustle take some practice to move around in. Also, dresses that have narrow skirt bottoms can limit how much one can move!
Can anyone really look good after 5 lessons?
Anyone can learn! I have had many women drag their men in with very skeptical feelings about a wedding dance! The goal is to make the men feel confident in their moves (without back leading) and actually have some fun. Many of our couples continue ballroom dancing for fun and exercise and “real date nights” after their wedding, as a result of their first fun experience. It is important to remember that most people do not feel comfortable on the dance floor, so even very simple, elegant moves can impress the wedding guests! Of course, the wonderful expressions that you convey also really get the crowd going!
What will make us look better in our special dance?
Anything well practiced will be evident in your performance. For example, a rehearsed entrance and exit and perhaps dip with a hug can make a great wedding dance moment and wonderful photo for your album. Dance photos are often the favorite shouts of the wedding couple because they are in each other arms and moving, not posed for endless shot angles. Eye contact and posture also conveys confidence and ease with each other and really helps cover any small mistakes in the choreography. Choreography that does not become overly complicated and matches well with the music also really adds to the overall effect. I also take into consideration any cultural issues/wishes that are special to you and your family and guests. It is important to make everyone feel comfortable with your special first dance.
What if we have to cancel our scheduled lesson?
You are welcome to cancel and/or reschedule your appointment and will incur no charge as long as you call to report the cancellation within a 24-hour notice. We can be reached 24/7 at 248.343.8337. If I do not answer the phone, you can leave a voicemail, which will be time-stamped for the 24-hour deadline.
Because we guarantee that time for you and turn away others who would like that spot, we need at least 24 hours to rebook that lesson. If you do not give sufficient notice, or are a “no-show,” your lesson will be deducted from your package. We apologize we have to have to take such a tough stand, but I can only accommodate “true” emergencies at the last minute. We will do our best to help you remember the lesson dates by appointment cards and after-lesson reminders. It is also important to be on time for your appointments – we teach back-to-back lessons with only a 10-minute break for scheduling and returning phone calls. If you arrive late, we can only make up a couple of extra minutes in consideration for the next waiting student.
What form of payment do you accept?
We accept payment in person in the form of cash or check only. . We do not refund any or all of your pre-paid wedding packages and recommend that you schedule all of your lessons at your earliest convenience to avoid last-minute scheduling conflicts.
Will you ever sell our contact info to other people/businesses for mailing lists?
NO! We firmly believe in your privacy and will not release this information to any other business or individual.
What the Happy Couples Say
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What the Happy Couples Say 〰️
We have recently taken wedding dance lesson for both Bride/Groom and Father/Daughter from Glenn. Glenn is an excellent teacher to work with. Highly recommend him. In fact, my wife and I also started a group lesson from him !
I'll start off by saying that I don't know how to dance. Other than just messing around at some weddings, I never learned. So when I got engaged, I wanted to learn a nice dance for my wedding. We called Glenn and talked to him about what we wanted. I told him I was very novice and that we wanted a simple, elegant dance that I would be able to remember. Something not overly complicated. Once we shared the song, he new what kind of dance would fit. From the first lesson, Glenn was very personable and kind. He had simple analogies to help explain different elements of our dance. He was also a funny guy who made the lessons fun. It wasn't a boring lesson, we were actually excited when our lesson days came. Our wedding day has passed and everyone in the crowd was impressed by our dancing. We filmed our dance and I can say, it looked exactly the way Glenn said it would. Elegant and beautiful really. I would highly recommend Glenn. We had so much fun we're thinking of coming back for some salsa lessons. Thanks for everything Glenn!
Glenn was such a great teacher that I want to keep taking lessons! We do not know how to dance, but he made us feel so comfortable and was such a great instructor that we actually learned our first dance! Which is shocking if you know us haha. He’s a funny guy and he’s a great teacher! We picked kind of an offbeat song to dance to but he knew exactly how we could make it work, would absolutely recommend!!
For the few months leading up to my wedding, I worked with Glenn on both my father daughter dance with my dad (where we danced a foxtrot), and my first dance with my now husband (where we danced a waltz). Working with Glenn was absolutely wonderful. As someone who doesn't have much experience dancing, he brought us all out of our comfort zones, while making it all so enjoyable and genuinely so much fun. We are so fortunate to have been able to spend so much time with Glenn, and are so grateful for not only his level of expertise, but also his personable nature, sense of humor, and overall generosity in giving us so much of his time in preparation for our wedding. Glenn is a fabulous instructor with such a vast knowledge base about so many styles of dance. His patience, precision, and attention to detail were unparalleled. Choosing to dance with Glenn was truly one of the most special, meaningful, and memory-filled parts of the wedding preparation process. Glenn is a talented dancer, a kind man, and now a sweet friend, and I will forever cherish the time I was able to spend dancing with both my father and my husband, all thanks to Glenn.
We loved our time dancing with Glenn! It was unlike anything we've ever done before and the dance lessons teach you things about your relationship/partnership in a beautiful and unexpected way. We remembered our entire routine at the wedding and it was incredibly more entertaining for ourselves and our guests than anything we would have done without lessons. If being awkward is your worry, I don't think anything could be much more awkward than standing up in front of everybody not knowing what to do with yourselves. Glenn helps you become very aware of your body language, eye contact, posture, and presence. The best thing you can do is practice and have fun because that's what it's all for! Of all the investment that goes into wedding preparation alone, we think that our dance lessons with Glenn were by FAR the most valuable.
Glenn was a breeze to work with and made our first dance easy to pick up just weeks before the wedding. Thank you for making us look great while covering the dance floor!
My fiance and I have never taken any dance lessons before and Glenn immediately put us at ease. He's an amazing instructor and I highly recommend booking him.
Glenn is the best! Taught my husband and I our first dance as newly weds! It was a hit at our wedding!
For more reviews visit www.theknot.com
Glenn was fantastic! He choreographed a dance for our first Dance as well the Mother and Son Dance. He has a good sense of humor but takes his coaching seriously. He breaks the choreography into digestible chunks that allows you get better at each phase and build upon it. He also made himself available as much as possible to accommodate our schedules. We ended up having a great moment for our first dance that was unique and everyone really enjoyed. Now we have something we can continue practice and enjoy.
We went from not knowing how to dance to performing a choreographed dance taught to us by Glenn over a couple of months, at our wedding. Glenn was great to work with and has a lot of experience working with couples to learn a dance for their wedding. Would 100% recommend to anyone!!
Glenn was absolutely stellar as a dance instructor! My husband was quite nervous about taking dance lessons, but we had so much fun the entire time and we're planning to come back in the future for more lessons just for fun! We felt so ready for our first dance as husband and wife, and we're so glad we came to Glenn for our lessons!!
We recently took a wedding dance package with Glenn, and it was an incredible experience! Glenn was an amazing instructor who made learning ballroom dancing so much fun and easy to learn. We had chosen an Indian song for our first dance, and Glenn was able to seamlessly incorporate traditional ballroom techniques with the unique rhythm and style of the song. His patience, expertise, and ability to tailor the lessons to people who have never danced before just shows how great of an instructor he is. Thanks to Glenn, we feel confident and excited to perform our dance on our big day. I highly recommend this package to anyone looking to make their wedding dance special and unforgettable!
