The summer heat has you dreaming of a getaway, but you don’t want to leave your dancing shoes at home? Make room for them in your suitcase, because there are some amazing dance vacations out there that will have you waltzing into a new kind of sightseeing. And you don’t have to leave the fancy footwork you’ve learned at your Fred Astaire Dance Studio at home!
A Cultural Learning Experience
Salsa Retreat offers a unique opportunity to learn about the culture of Cuba at a dance retreat in Havana! During the day, you’ll take part in a workshop with salsa dance lessons; then, as a group, you’ll go on special excursions to listen to live music with dancing at night. And, of course, there will be food!
If the sandy beaches of Mexico are more your speed, Salsa Retreat also offers trips to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Oaxaca, Mexico. There, you can learn the salsa, mambo, cha-cha, bachata, merengue and cumbia with professional instructors. If that doesn’t wear you out, there are also Spanish lessons, cooking classes, yoga lessons and cultural tours.
A Way to Connect
Add to the stamps in your passport with another cultural adventure even farther south, to Rio. Dancing Trips is run by folks from Brazil so they know the food to eat, the places to go and the people to meet. They schedule dance workshops with local coaches and special dance events that include showcases and competitions so you get the chance to perform. Any level dancer can take part and enjoy themselves. Go with a partner or on your own. Dancing Trips says that dancing is a chance to connect with a different culture — and communicate in a way that may be even better than speaking! Take the trip and find out for yourself!
Dancing at Sea
If you want to trade your dancing shoes for swim fins part of the time, a cruise may be for you. It’s a great way to see the sights and still dance the night away. There are several options.
You can set sail this November out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on a Ballroom Dance Extravaganza cruise through the Western Caribbean. The warm waters are ideal for swimming or snorkeling in the day, and the Turks and Caicos Islands are home to one of the world’s largest coral reefs. Back on the ship, there will be live music and shows each night as well as daily group lessons. Here, you can learn to dance with the international pros.
Or, you can set sail on a cruise and see the world! Dancers at Sea offers cruises that sail to Alaska, the Mediterranean, the Panama Canal, South America, Canada and Russia, just to name a few. You can also ring in the new year with them on a ship in the Caribbean.
Dancers at Sea says they are perfect for anyone who loves to ballroom dance with a trained partner. There are only 40 spots on each cruise, so everyone can dance as much as they want. And there are lessons each day to brush up on your best steps. Couples and singles are welcome to join in on the unlimited dancing fun.
Camp — But Not Like When You Were a Kid!
This is not sleeping in a tent and eating s’mores around a smoky campfire. This camp includes a semi-formal dance with tuxedos and ballgowns! From beginners to advanced dancers, anyone who wants to learn should consider a week at Ballroom Dance Camp in Warwick, Rhode Island. The classes have just 13–15 couples, and there are both group and private lessons each day. You’ll take on the foxtrot, waltz, tango, rumba, cha-cha and swing — and guest artists may add in a dance they specialize in, too!
One thing is for sure, whatever dancing vacation you choose, when you return to your dance class at your local Fred Astaire Dance Studio, your classmates will be wowed by your stories and the new bounce in your step!
