DWG Newsletter - April

Grace is the Creative Director and will be teaching Salsa, Dance Worship and more! Pictures coming soon to our Photo Gallery!

Dancing With Grace Takes on the Florida State Fair

DWG was honored to entertain at the International Stage for two days at the Florida State Fair. They taught modest versions of the Salsa, Merengue, Cha-Cha, Bachata, Dance Moves, and Sedentary Dance to the elderly. Grace even had the opportunity to be the Master of Ceremonies of the Florida State Fair Dance Sport Festival held by Debra Loran at the Fair. It was a lovely time had by all. We thank Al Frederick Marketing, The State Fair and Debra for having us! To see pictures of this event click here.

St. Petersburg Human Rights Festival

It was a breezy and beautiful day at the St. Petersburg Human Rights Festival. Dance Schools from all over Tampa and the surrounding areas came together to compete for prizes and promote awareness of people's basic human rights. The winners were the Community Mimers! They were awesome. Morgan Angelillis's Tapped In Crew took Second and Diamond Dancers of Tampa took 3rd Place. We are proud of all of you and thank the committee and judges from Dancing With The Stars and The Tampa Bay Magazine! To see pictures of this event click here.

PHHCC (Pasco/Hernando Hispanic Chamber of Commerce ) Mixer Pictures

Student Hightlights: Everyone is good at something!

In each newsletter, we will highlight different people's talent, send me your dance photos today! (Modest pictures pretty please). Would you like to know what I think you are great at? Send me your photo today!

Lizzie, Smallest Waist on Planet Earth LOL, Great Rhythm, Learns well from watching, Incredible Hip Movements During Difficult times in routine!

The Dancing For Him Dance Worship Convention

Grace and the Team attending The Dancing For Him Dance Worship Convention in Lakeland, Florida To Experience Dance Worship. It was a fun, uplifting and amazing experience! To see the pictures click here.

Article of the Month: Evil Dance Instructors

At the New Jersey Congress, Grace released her booklet titled "Dance Articles by Grace Badillo" that was the talk of the congress. Everyone wanted a copy. Even Magna protected her copy fiercely! People from all over the world are now linking to DWG's website to have access to these articles. They were written to help people navigate the salsa scene. To check out the booklet, click here.

Need a Christian DJ?

Christian DJ: I have just the guy for you. I had the pleasure of working with Felix of www.felixthedj.com who was a real joy to work with at the Florida State Fair. He was super kind and easy to work with. I would recommend him anyday!

Other DJ's I have worked with at private events about the city, out of NY that now reside in Tampa/North Tampa Areas that I also recommend are:

Forgotten Children March & Flashmob!

It was a delight for us to help an incredible organization place a light on the need for more foster parents in Hillsborough County. Grace, Mercedes, and Roberto taught a group of students and committee members a mini dance to do a Flash Mob Dance right in the middle of their kick off party at the Tampa Bay Museum of Art. It was, not only, a lot of fun, but a super honor for us to make it happen. Afterwards on Sept. 24th, we also did a special march at their festival where Mercedes and Roberto performed. I want to thank Mercedes and Roberto for being so selfless; I am very proud of you for not only using dance as a vehicle to teach people how to live but how to love. BRAVO! Check out the Forgotten Children March photos and the Flashmob photos in our Photo Gallery!

Spotlight: We have a new Website!

As you all know Grace is writing a book called "Is Dancing A Sin?" based on the article below in Topic #6. She created a website specifically for her book. Please check it out and sign Grace's guestbook today at: www.IsDancingASin.com.

Last Month's Scoop of the Month: Schools Unite to Fund Raise For Diamond Dancers & Dancing With Grace Receives Recognition In Tampa!

Recently Diamond Dancers International experienced a devastating accident to one of their prima dancers. His injury necessitated major surgery. Dancing With Grace worked hard to promote their impending need and inspired other schools to do fundraisers to help them raise money to pay for their expenses during this difficult time. Roberto Lira of DWG donated I Love Salsa Mugs to raise funds and we were able to help the family. Thank you to every school and individual across Florida and the USA that helped Sonia's family. Sonia teaches at her new studio on N. Dale Mabry. Check them out on facebook by searching for Diamond Dancers Tampa or email Sonia Rivera at diamonddancers2004@yahoo.com

When we do fundraisers, its our privilege to help, but once in a great while someone gives us a little recognition. Sonia gave us a lovely award that read:

"For your hard work in the salsa community using dance as a means of promoting faith and social work. Your charisma and good faith not only help but inspire many others to follow your dream of salsa with a purpose. God Bless you and your wonderful team!"
Sonia Rivera and Arturo Gonzalez

See the Photos of the 2011 St. Louis Salsa Congress

St. Louis Salsa Congress: A Spiritual Journey

Not all people like to hear that a lot of mambos have pagan roots, but at the St. Louis Salsa Congress, Grace gave a workshop on just this subject. Mambo has a history of ritualistic pagan worship. Its music is layered with many references to evil spirits that people sing and pray to, to this very day. As a dance educator I work hard to tell people that not all Mambo/Salsa songs come from a good place. A very large percentage of music out in the main stream are not singing about good things, but glorifying Chango, Babalu Aye and other evil spirits and not the true God, Jesus Christ. At this congress, I taught on the subject and had students who were very grateful to understand this important topic. Would you dance to a song about suicide? Not likely! You would change the song to something better right? Salsa/Mambo songs that sing about lusting after your neighbors wife, sex, drugs, or evil spirits are something you shouldn't be dancing to; the excuse "I don't know the language; I just dance to whatever", is an attitude we should avoid. Feel free to ask people, "what is this song saying, what is it about?" Get good music to dance to and request it when you go out.

Try these Salsa Artists:
Bobby Cruz, Richie Ray, Orchestra Libertad, Grupo Gale and many many more! These guys are Christians and sing happy music. We only teach to music that is positive; so the next time you dance and feel weird on the floor: its your spirit saying STOP!!!!!!!! Don't just dance for the sake of dancing. Know what you are dancing to and feel peace while dancing! Check out www.IsDancingASin.com for other interesting articles and information!

Veterans Dance Too!

Grace went to the VA Hospital to entertain the troops who are wheelchair bound and had a great time. We put up televisions with videos of dance performances, performed a demonstration solo dance, did classes for them to watch their nurses fumble around on the floor & danced with them in their wheelchairs. She even brought Ms. Bella to the event and the guys just loved her to pieces! Grace made sure to tell all of the men that they will have a new body in heaven with Christ and to save a dance for her! Two weeks after this photo was taken, Mr. Kingsford died and met his savior in heaven! To use salsa for a reason join us today! Check out the Salsa4aReason X Photos.

New Tampa Dance Clubs Review Page on Our Website!

Check out the new Tampa Latin Clubs Reviews web page that includes reviews for some of the regular dance locations in Tampa/New Tampa areas.

Private Lesson Packages

Checkout the private packages for 2012! A variety of choices that may even include a gourmet meal! Wives, learn a dance for your husband! Check them all out in our online DWGstore under Private Lesson Packages! To see photos of our Home Studio Go to Our Photo Gallery.

Article:

Dancing With Grace Productions offers weekly beginner and intermediate salsa lessons in the Tampa, Florida. We also offer Merengue, Bachata, and Cha-Cha in some of our locations. All of our weekly group lessons are drop-in. Class participants do not require to bring a partner. We recommend shoes without rubber soles since you will not be able to spin with rubber soles. Come join us in one of our salsa classes and have a great time.

2012 DWG Accomplishments

2011 DWG Accomplishments

We have many more accomplishments between 2000-2010. Checkout the list of the past DWG accomplishments on our DWG Accomplishments page.

Throughout this year, our dance company will continue to help the suffering, the lonely, the hungry, the sick and poor.

Where do you want us to go next? Click here to check out all the places we have helped before in our DWG Accomplishments page.

This year I would like to target Alheimer's and Parkinson's disease patients, Cancer patients, abandoned children, Veterans of Florida and even the Big Cat Sanctuary. Do you know anyone who needs alittle joy?

Have you ever wondered if dance is a sin? Many of us have been taught about God (the creator of Heaven & Earth). What does He say about Dance? To read Grace's article, "Is Dancing A Sin" click here: Check out www.IsDancingASin.Com to learn more.

My name is B and I attended the Beginner and Intermediate/Advanced level workshops that you were gracious enough to give at the University of Tampa this past weekend. I have lived in Tampa all of my life and have been dancing salsa for just shy of 10 years. Salsa is what I call my long lost love. Growing up in a family that has no Latin background and little of the culture, I spent my childhood mesmerized by what I called the "bongo beat", only to learn later in my twenties that it had a name -and that was Salsa. Since then Salsa has become and always will be very dear to my heart as it is something that I have loved all of my life but was introduced to it only a few years ago.

I started learning here in Tampa and have been blessed to grow enough in it to dance socially. In the beginning, dancing was so enjoyable and I felt as though I was finally in place where I belonged. It was what I thought was an excellent way to meet others and really participate in what most lyrics in salsa encourage- the celebration of life, freedom and loved ones. A few years ago, however, the vibe in Tampa changed and it became more of a "show down" than it was just enjoyment of the music and the dance. For me, where I used to be a very liberated dancer, I became very self conscious because it seemed that I was not "eligible" to dance with anyone unless I danced at a certain level. What was once enjoyable became extremely intimidating and it started to show in my dancing. For that reason, it has been almost 5 years since I have danced socially and it has been such a sore spot because salsa is such a part of me that I have had to ignore a huge part of who I am for so long.

Coming to your workshop was the first time in a long time . I must tell you that it was HUGELY REFRESHING not only to be back in the rapture of salsa but to hear you speak of modesty. In your class, I instantly felt at home and that I did not have to be ashamed to let salsa manifest in me the way God designed. Before your class, I had convinced myself that I was not "good enough" to dance salsa because I didn't dance at the level of other dancers. It was such a blessing to learn from you and be reminded that God's goodness is in everything and He placed you and your team in my path to go back to doing one of the many I know is in my heart...Salsa. Thank you for your presence, your blessing of reminded modesty and encouragement. If more instructors placed emphasis on modesty and the true essence of Salsa, multitudes of more people would have the chance to experience and know just how truly wonderful salsa is. Thank you for inspiring me to come back out of my shell and go back to doing what I love!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sincerely,

____________________________________________________________________

Dear Grace,

Wow! I am convinced that you have a mission from God. He places each one of us in strategic places to reach out to individuals that otherwise would not hear of Him. You are destined for something big and many will join in. What a strategic tool! God goes beyond our imagination. Just trust Him and let's continue to promote, advertise, invite, spread the word. This is big and will be huge. All the glory goes to Him. Yesssssss!

Hi Grace-

I loved your article on dancing. I grew up being told it was a sin…so I was prohibited from dancing. So guess what I wanted to do most of my life? Yep!

BTW…Is there a sinful form of dancing?…of course. And there is a sinful form of eating, driving cars, watching TV, recreating etc.

I loved your take on the issue. Thanks for sharing what you’ve learned and experienced.

As a Baptist Minister, and Christian radio Talk show host I now enjoy dancing with my wife…and I DON’T CARE anymore what the legalists say.

Neil
PS I’m not much of a dancer…but it’s fun, and I hate the fact that the enemy tried to steal it from God’s people. Well, I am committed to taking it back!

Testimonial: It was nice to meet teachers that believe in the Lord and arent afraid to tell people whats not appropriate for us to be doing on the floor. Most people dont want to hear it, but it does need to be said. Its refreshing to see teachers that care about my spiritual well being and teachers that pray for us when we arent around. I dont pray much, but I sure did appreciate it.

Dancing With Grace will be listing all the salsa schools and companies in the Tampa/Clearwater area. If you have a salsa school or company and a website, please let us know and we will add your school or group to the list to inspire unity and promote everyone! Send us an email today at grace@dancingwithgrace.com All Salsa Is Beautiful

Message to Our Students

Grace Receives The National Presidential Volunteer Service Award from President Bush!

Walk In My Shoes: Global Project

Join Us On Facebook!

Thank You For Helping OthersThrough Dance

Grande Jete Dance School

Bravo Award

Grace’s Salsa Tips

2012 New Jersey International Salsa Congress

Purchase Our Beginner & Intermediate Salsa Videos

Contact Us

Topics:

SpotLight: Take a Trip to the New Jersey International Salsa Congress this April.

July

28

Saturday

Celebration of National Dance Day 2012

Dancing With Grace Takes on the Florida State Fair

St. Petersburg Human Rights Festival

PHHCC (Pasco/Hernando Hispanic Chamber of Commerce ) Mixer Pictures

Student Hightlights: Everyone is good at something!

The Dancing For Him Dance Worship Convention

Article of the Month: Evil Dance Instructors

Need a Christian DJ?

Forgotten Children March & Flashmob!

Spotlight: We have a new Website!

Last Month's Scoop of the Month: Schools Unite to Fund Raise For Diamond Dancers & Dancing With Grace Receives Recognition In Tampa!

See the Photos of the 2011 St. Louis Salsa Congress

St. Louis Salsa Congress: A Spiritual Journey

Veterans Dance Too!

New Tampa Dance Clubs Review Page on Our Website!

Private Lesson Packages

Article:

*** May Schedule***

*** April Schedule*** Tuesdays Only as Grace is On Tour Some Weekends For Some of April

No April Lessons on Thursdays At This Location.

*** May Schedule ***

No more lessons after May 2012 on Thursdays at this Location. All Lessons from now on will be on Tuesdays at Dance World.

Jul

21

Saturday

Private Salsa/Mambo Workshop by Grace Badillo

AUG

4

Saturday

Private Salsa/Mambo Workshop by Grace Badillo

May

20

Sunday

Fundraiser for Celebration of National Dance Day Event

July

28

Saturday

Celebration of National Dance Day 2012

2012 DWG Accomplishments

2011 DWG Accomplishments

Thank You For Helping Others
Through Dance

* May Schedule*

* April Schedule* Tuesdays Only as Grace is On Tour Some Weekends For Some of April

* May Schedule *

No more lessons after May 2012 on Thursdays at this Location.
All Lessons from now on will be on Tuesdays at Dance World.