The FINANCIAL — The desire to learn different European and Ballroom dances has significantly increased in recent times in Georgia.
The FINANCIAL — The desire to learn different European and Ballroom dances has significantly increased in recent times in Georgia. The television show “Dancing with the Stars” broadcasted by Imedi TV has inspired many Georgians to join dance clubs. As Georgian choreographers say, the demand to learn dancing has increased by 70%.
“The number of people who want to learn how to dance at our studio has greatly increased of late. We get many phone calls during the day from people wanting to be our pupils. Dancing with the Stars has had quite a big influence on viewers. Everyone wants to dance as well as the professional
dancers do, some even aspiring to take part in the actual TV show,” said Tela Dancing Studio representatives.
“The vast majority of the professional dancers at Dancing with the Stars are members of the studio Tela. Two of the most popular dancers – Salome Chachua and Gigi Gachechiladze, have been dancing at our studio and still work as choreographers here. This show appears to be proving a big advertisement for all dance studios in Georgia,” said a Tela representative.
“There is currently a dance boom happening in Georgia. Whereas we used to have 50 dancers at the studio now this number has doubled. From the day Dancing with the Stars was first launched in Georgia, the number of amateur dancers has increased by about 60-70%. Georgians love dancing, but most of them used to prefer to learn national dancing. Now European and Ballroom dancing have become more attractive to them,” said Goga Barbakadze, Choreographer.
Georgia has an old, big tradition of national dancing dating back to antiquity. The majority of Georgian families take their children to dance classes from childhood. The country has plenty of Georgian dance studios therefore. The Georgian National Ballet was the first professional state dance company in Georgia founded by Iliko Sukhishvili and Nino Ramishvili in 1945. It was initially named the Georgian State Dance Company. Thanks to this Company Georgian national dancing and music became known in many parts of the world.
Most of the people interviewed by The FINANCIAL said that they started taking dance classes after watching the performances of the beautiful dancers on the TV show.
“Salome Chachua, one of the best dancers on Dancing with the Stars, inspired me to learn European dancing. The dancers move so smoothly, look so beautiful and attractive in those special dance costumes that it made me decide to dance. I know that I might not become a professional dancer but anyway, dancing makes me feel happier and it has a good effect on my keeping in good physical shape,” said Mako Ioseliani, 25.
“It’s no secret that TV has a big influence on the people watching it. I made up my mind to start dancing only after I started watching Dancing with the Stars. Whoever watches it will I’m sure want to dance as well as the good-looking participants on the show. Not only will I learn how to dance, but my muscles will look better soon too. I am quite busy as I have lots of work to do during the day. Still, three times a week I always try to find about an hour and a half to forget my problems and just enjoy dancing. Dance, the same as any art form, can be used to express emotions,” said Tamuna Petriashvili, 27.
“I have a little daughter who is only seven years old. When she watches the celebrities and professional dancers on the TV show she says that she wants to become a dancer. It was her desire to start dancing and I took her to one of the most famous dance studios in Tbilisi. I wish my daughter could become as brilliant a dancer as those taking part in the show,” said Teona Toroshelidze, 29.
The choreographers interviewed said that the cost of dance lessons starts from GEL 40 and goes up to GEL 50-60 depending on the number of lessons taken per week.
“I teach three days per week for one and a half hours. My lessons cost GEL 50 per month. People can study European as well as different ballroom dances at my studio. The majority of people want to learn the Samba, Cha-Cha-Cha and Waltz. These are the most popular dances at the moment. Samba is a Brazilian dance, a symbol of Brazil and the Brazilian Carnival. It is a very rhythmic dance, everyone enjoys dancing it. The body movements are very sexy and free therefore. Women enjoy Samba the most,” said Goga Abasian, Choreographer.
“The cost of lessons at my studio starts from GEL 40 and goes up to GEL 60 depending on the number of lessons per week. I don’t think that it’s expensive. Dancing helps people lose extra weight, makes their body look better and positively affects their mood. After dancing most people feel relaxed and more cheerful. The Cha-Cha, Jive and Samba are the top dances for amateur dancers. Cha-Cha is a dance of Cuban origin and Jive is a ballroom dance,” said Goga Barbakadze.
According to most experts, dancing is not only a way to have fun, but a unique form of exercise. One 21-year study published in the New England Journal of Medicine even found dancing can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia in the elderly.
“Dancing provides the heart-healthy benefits of an aerobic exercise while also allowing you to engage in a social activity. This is especially stimulating to the mind,” Doctors said.
In the study, participants over the age of 75 who engaged in reading, dancing and playing musical instruments and board games once a week had a 7 percent lower risk of dementia compared to those who did not. Those who engaged in these activities at least 11 days a month had a 63 percent
lower risk.
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