Don’t be shy. If you want to get up close and personal with ballroom dancing before committing to lessons, feel free to step into the , 767 Alpha Drive, Highland Heights, and watch awhile. They’re always happy to have prospective students visit first, co-owner Frank Allen said.
Don’t expect the drama of a Dancing with the Stars rehearsal, where the stars intermittently break down in tears or break up in laughter. The school, also co-owned by Lisa Vegas and P.J. Navarro, is an oasis of calm – with, of course, a pleasant soundtrack.
Do expect a very enriching experience.
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“Dancing is much more than learning steps,” Navarro said.
“As I’ve gotten older, I’m dancing for the reasons I used to tell my students – the relaxation, the cardiovascular benefits, and keeping the mind sharp. Doing a three-minute samba is like running a mile and a quarter.That’s why Dancing with the Stars contestants lose weight,” he said.
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Navarro has been teaching dance for 42 years, but he also travels the country to judge dance competitions, a gig that’s given him the opportunity to evaluate the likes of Tony Dovoloni and Louis van Amstel, hunks who partnered with The Hills reality show star Audrina Patridge and actor/comedian Margaret Cho, respectively, during season 11 of Dancing with the Stars.
“It’s fun to see old cronies, but you don’t get out much,” he said. “You can start at 8 a.m. and work through to 12:01 a.m., just with breaks.”
The school has been an asset to the Hillcrest community for 32 years, the first 10 on SOM Center Road, Mayfield Heights. As it happens, Allen designed the current studio space originally for an Arthur Murray school of ballroom dancing, where Navarro taught for seven or eight years.
“We’ve come full circle,” Navarro said smiling.