What is Elan Dance? Elan Dance is a unique, fun and social dance organisation with style. Elan Dance has now been in the light for 18 years. It started off by a woman who had the passion to dance and wanted to teach others of what dance means to her. Rita Nita when meeting her was down to earth and full of life, who I could tell was defiantly a hip-hop dance head. When speaking to her she spoke with desire of what her intentions were and the mission behind her organisation and she says “Creating a social and emotional connection”
15 years in of wearing all the hats and teaching all the class, it was getting too big for her to handle by herself, so she brought together a team of12 people who each help Rita run their own style of dance classes in Perth.
Wednesday night I attend an Elan Dance class at their Perth location. It was a dancehall dance class and the amount of young women and men that showed up was unbelievable all preparing for what was to come. I on the other hand did not know what to expect. When the music turned on, it was nothing what I’ve heard before not your typical hip-hop jams but something so foreign to me, it was a soft Jamaican feel with a touch of afrobeats, but it defiantly got me pumped and it was very difficult for me not to dance before the dance session even began.
We all got into positions in front of the large mirror that took up the whole wall and awaited instructions from Rita. She stood in front of us showing us each step, as I followed trying to mimic her foot work in the mirror, thinking this is pretty cool, until…. The music got quicker and they got faster, trying to match each step was difficult but so much fun, especially when I got it right, It was an amazing feeling. Also to see the amount of people in the room that were all so in sync with each other by each step and move created such a high energy in the room.
Now it was time for the real deal, she put names of each dance move that we were to learn upon the mirror and took us step by step through each dance move. Of course each round got faster and faster until the end result was the whole class once again was in sync with other creating something amazing. By this time, I was out of breathe, sweating and feeling very hot but still enjoying every moment of it. Once we learned the moves that where given to us, we were to get into groups of 3 or 4 and pick at least 3 moves and create a little routine piece using the moves that were just taught to us.
We were to perform in front of the class while they too would mimic the routine of what that group had just created, this was so much fun. It also gave us the chance to get to know one another in the class and to show to Rita and the rest of the class of what I got to bring to the table.
Towards the end of the session was far by the best moment of the class, we all joined in a circle, and one by one, each person got into the middle and showed us their dance moves, it could have been what we just learnt today or just freestyle to the music, this was amazing!
We all would be dancing and clapping hyping and encouraging the person that was in the middle, when it came to my turn I was so nervous but so glad I did it, never felt so hyped up and full of energy and so one with myself, you really let yourself go and just have an amazing experience, while getting fit! This was the best thing. I haven’t done anything like it before and doing it felt pretty self-rewarding I defiantly recommend in checking out Elan Dance Est. and becoming part of the family. This is just one of many Perth dance classes that Rita and her teachers teach. Check out their Facebook page and Instagram where they keep their followers in the loop of what they have been up to and what they have install for us. Also their webpage shows you the different workshops and time sessions. I hope to see new faces when I next go because I for sure will be returning to Elan Dance Est.
- Official Elanien