We’ll be celebrating a century of dance by focusing on a different dance each month. This month, we’re featuring the Charleston at Kentwood for the 8:15 pre-bronze group for the next two Thursdays and on Wednesdays at 7:30 for the Plainfield studio. Be sure to join us!

If you’ve resolved to have more fun in 2012, put on your dancing shoes and join

Arthur Murray, Grandville Studio for it’s upcoming

Public Dance:

Saturday, January 21, 2012

8 p.m. — 10 p.m.

Arthur Murray Public Dances are a great way to get a taste of the outstanding ballroom and Latin dance instruction available through our pros, and to witness first hand the smooth moves of our students.

We’ll feature fabulous music, refreshing beverages, and an awesome venue, all for just $5.00 admission!

If you’d like more information, please do not hesitate to call our studio at 608‑5149!

ALL ARE WELCOME!

Arthur Murray Grand Rapids is pleased to announce that guest dance coach Agnes Kazmierczak will be visiting our studios in late January and February. The International Smooth competitor and former Dancing with the Stars contender is scheduled for the Kentwood Studio, Jan. 30; Plainfield Studio, Jan. 31 and Grandville Studio, Feb. 1st.

About Agnes Kazmierczak

Miss Kazmierczak is originally from Poland and now resides in California. She, along with her previous dance partner, Urs Giesenhainer (from Germany) have been featured performers on “Dancing with the Stars” and “American Ballroom Challenge” several times. Miss Kazmierczak recently joined the Arthur Murray organization as a Professional Dance Consultant. She continues to compete in International Smooth dancing, and is a highly sought-after coach worldwide. We are please to have Miss Kazmierczak join us. Please give her a warm welcome to Grand Rapids!

Over the last 100 years, dance icon Arthur Murray revolutionized ballroom and Latin dance lessons. Here’s some fun pop trivia citing references to our founding father of smooth moves! (P.S. The picture on the right is from an ad celebrating 50 years of Arthur Murray — 50 years ago! We thought it was cool!)

• The Murray name and franchise were featured in the 1942 hit song “Arthur Murray Taught Me Dancing in a Hurry”, written by Johnny Mercer and Victor Schertzinger.
• In the film The Sky’s the Limit (1943), when Fred Astaire and his partner finish a dance number, she asks him “Where did you learn to dance like that?” and Astaire answers “Arthur Murray”.
• In the I Love Lucy episode “Little Ricky Gets a Dog”, (1957) Lucy tells Ricky that she is receiving Mexican hat dancing lessons from Arthur Murray.
• In the 1954 film, Phffft! starring Jack Lemmon, Judy Holliday and Kim Novack, Lemmon’s character (Robert Tracey) is seen walking into an Arthur Murray Dance Studio in New York to work on his Rumba with teacher Merry Anders.
• In 1957, Buddy Holly & the Crickets performed a live show at the Arthur Murray Dance Party – this is the only known live footage of Buddy Holly in his short lifetime.
• In the 1960 film The Apartment (Oscar winning film) starring Jack Lemmon and Shirley Maclaine, Lemmon’s character (C.C.“Bud” Baxter) makes two references to Arthur Murray.
• In a dream sequence, “Arthur Murrayrock” seeks help learning Fred’s “Frantic” dance in the Flintstones episode “Shinrock-a-Go-Go.” In the 1987 film Dirty Dancing, Johnny tells Baby that he received his training at the Arthur Murray studios.
• In the 1995 film The American President, when Sydney Ellen Wade (Annette Bening) remarks to the President (Michael Douglas) while dancing, “I don’t know how you do it.”  Misunderstanding her question, the President simply replies, “It’s Arthur Murray. Six lessons.”
• Arthur Murray is mentioned a The West Wing episode in a conversation between a congressman and Toby Ziegler. The Congressman says, “Personally, I don’t know what to say to people who argue that the NEA is there to support art that nobody wants to pay for in the first place… Arthur Murray didn’t need the NEA to write Death of a Salesman.” Toby corrects him by saying, “Arthur Murray taught ballroom dance, Arthur Miller wrote Death of a Salesman.”

This year, we’re celebrating 100 years since Arthur Murray gave his first dance lesson. On April 4th, in studios throughout the world, we’ll join together in the biggest “birthday” dance ever to salute the master of the global groove! This bio, drawn from Wikipedia, will help give you a sense of the history of the dance legacy that we’re delighted to share with you!

Arthur Murray (April 4, 1895 – March 3, 1991) was a dance instructor and businessman, whose name is most often associated with the dance studio chain that bears his name.  His pupils included Eleanor Roosevelt, the Duke of Windsor, and John D. Rockefeller Jr.

Arthur Murray was born in Galicia, Austria-Hungary in 1895 as Moses Teichmann. In August 1897, he was brought to America by his mother Sarah on the S.S. Friesland, and landed at Ellis Island. The Teichmanns settled in Ludlow Street, in Manhattan with his father, Abraham Teichmann. He started his business of teaching the world to dance in 1912 at the age of 17; he taught at night while working as a draftsman by day.

Murray was shy as a child and self-conscious about his tall, lanky appearance. He wanted very much to be a part of the social activities that most of his friends enjoyed, particularly the dances, but was afraid to socialize with girls.  At the age of 14, a friend of his whom he admired because of his popularity with girls, taught him his first dance steps.  To get practice on the dance floor, Murray attended weddings in his neighborhood, where he found willing dance partners of every size and age.  Murray won his first dance contest at the Grand Central Palace, a public dance hall. The 1st prize had been a silver cup, but Murray went home without anything to show for his win. His partner of the evening took it. This loss made an impression on Murray, and in later years every winner in his dance contests took home a prize.

He soon began teaching ballroom dancing to the residents of Boston, Massachusetts at the Devereaux Mansion in Marblehead, Massachusetts before moving to Asheville, North Carolina.

At the outbreak of WWI, under pressure of the anti-German feelings prevalent in the US, Teichmann changed to a less German-sounding name

Murray was inspired by a casual remark made by an associate one evening at a hotel: “… You know, I have a fine idea on how you can collect your money. Just teach ‘em what to do with the left foot and don’t tell ‘em what to do with the right foot until they pay up!”  Murray thought about the man’s remark, and devised the idea of teaching dance steps with footprint diagrams. Within a couple of years, over 500,000 dance courses were sold.

On April 24, 1925, Murray married his famous dance partner, Kathryn Kohnfelder whom he had met at a radio station in New Jersey. She was in the audience while he was broadcasting a dance lesson.

After their marriage, the Murrays opened a dance school offering personal instruction. Their business prospered, especially in 1938 and 1939 when Arthur picked 2 little-known dances, the “Lambeth Walk” and “The Big Apple”, and turned them into dance crazes. They were taught at hotel chains throughout the country, and the name “Arthur Murray” became a household word.

There are now hundreds of Arthur Murray studios globally, with specially trained instructors, making Arthur Murray the most successful dance instructor in history.  His slogan was: “If you can walk, we teach you how to dance”, and the company guaranteed that the pupils learn to dance. After WWII, Murray’s business grew with the rise of interest in Latin Dance. Murray went on television with a dance program hosted by his wife, Kathryn Murray, The Arthur Murray Party, which ran from 1950 to 1960, on CBS, NBC, DuMont, ABC, and then on CBS again.

PLUS: Please Save the Date for our Public Dance — Saturday — Jan 21st, 8-10pm.

Looking for a place to try out those new dance moves?  Then please join us at the Grandville Studio for a great evening of dancing! This FUN event is open to everyone!.  Cost is only $5/person.

Call (616) 608‑5149 for details.

That’s what you’re giving when you give our Arthur Murray Holiday Gift Certificate. You’re also giving (and getting) great value. For a
limited time only, we’re offering 1 introductory lesson, 2 private 1/2 hour lessons and one group lesson for the low price of $98 —
regular value of $186. So if you’re looking to put some Merry into someone’s holidays, give the gift of dance — for life!

TO BUY ONLINE: Visit the studio of your choice and click on ‘gift certificates’.

• Jan. 9–11 coaching with Emmanuel Pierre-Antoine and  Lianna Churilova
• Jan. 30 & 31 coaching with Agnes Kazmierczak
• Feb. 15th &16th coaching with Urs Geisenhainer
• Feb. 25th Medal Ball in Plainfield. Dinner, dancing and celebration to follow at the Amway Grand Plaza.  Bob Long is the judge.  He is in for a day of coaching on the 24th.
• March 7–9 coaching with Snow Urbin
• March 21-25th New York Dance-o-Rama
• March 28th-30th coaching with Bob Powers
• April 4th is the Worldwide 24-hour 100 year Anniversary Celebration.  Join us to celebrate the anniversary on Mr. Murray’s birthday at the JW Marriott.  A night of spotlights is in store, with dance competitions like Peabody, the Twist, Charleston, Lindy, Electric Slide and more! Stay tuned for details to get in sync for a Global blast!
• April 27th Dancing for a VARI Good Cause, with a special performance by John Roberts and special guest TBA.
• May 20th Showcase at JW Marriott

We’re calling on all students to bring non-perishable food and gifts for our family to the Holiday formal instead of regular gift giving. So please join us Thursday, Dec. 15th at the Kentwood studio, and help a local family have a brighter night this Christmas!

Our “family” adopted through Access of West Michigan, is comprised of four boys, aged 1, 11, 13, and 17 and one mom.

Access recommends considering the following foods for the gift basket:
Meat — turkey*, ham, or chicken; Potatoes, (fresh, boxed, or canned,) rice or pasta; Vegetables — fresh, canned, or frozen; (Preferred fresh produce includes: potatoes, onions, squash, broccoli, celery, carrots, garlic, pepper, zucchini, green beans, collards, turnip greens). Fruit – fresh or canned; Bread/Rolls; Butter/Margarine; Dessert — frozen, cake mix, pie mix and filling, or whipped topping; Gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, pickles or olives. Additional suggestions that you might want to include:
Beverage — juice, coffee, tea, milk; Salad fixings and dressing; Pasta products; Soup; Jello and Pudding; Dry Milk; Sugar; Eggs; Cereal; Peanut Butter.

Thanks in advance for your contribution to create a nice holiday for this family!

The party will  feature champagne punch, fancy foot work, and staff and student spot lights! Be there with ‘bells on’ from 9 p.m. to 10:30. A merry time is on tap!

What do you get for the guy or gal who has everything? How about something that will give them good health, romance and social opportunities galore?

That’s what you’re giving when you give our Arthur Murray Holiday Gift Certificate. You’re also giving (and getting) great value. For a limited time only, we’re offering 1 introductory lesson, 2 private 1/2 hour lessons and one group lesson for the low price of $98 — regular value of $186.

So if you’re looking to put some Merry into someone’s holidays, give the gift of dance — for life! Click on the Gift Certificate link in the menu bar above to order yours today!