Over 25 years ago, I decided to take dance lessons at a local dance studio. I noticed how people who kept learning to dance developed a different kind of confidence. People grew and changed as a result of pursuing a physical discipline. Over time I saw that for some people dance lessons were life changing. Dancing kept people more mobile and allowed them to express themselves in ways that were otherwise unacceptable in other areas of their lives.
Dance lessons were life changing for me as well. I decided to become a teacher and learned about the business side of teaching as well as how to dance and be a good teacher. After a year of being a student and another year being a teacher, I struck out on my own first with an independent studio and then my own studio in 1996. When I started Dance Easy, I decided to focus on good teaching and service rather than selling large packages as I had done at other studios. I believed that I was a good enough teacher that I would not need a contract to keep my students. The very first year, I made a living wage and grew to be one of the premier studios in Madison. I believe the strengths that allowed me to excel include my ability to communicate in ways that students understand, my patience and good humor that students often compliment me about and my ability to simply information by demonstrating how the dances are interrelated.
In recent years, Marlene has consolidated her dance business to be able to pursue other business interests. Marlene now uses horses to work with veterans and at risk children through a field called Equine Assisted Learning and Healing. The common denominator of both dancing and working with horses is good leadership.
As an animal lover, Marlene is sometimes involved in fostering and rescuing dogs, cats and other animals. Her farm is a cat sanctuary for feral cats from Angels Wish and Dane County Friends of Ferals. She continues to occasionally foster dogs and does in home cage and kennel free boarding for dogs. She is also a horse motel for people travelling with horses.
. Dance Easy offers professional ballroom dance instruction especially suited for beginning social dancers. Got two left feet? Feel uncomfortable in a competitive styled studio? Just want to learn for fun or for a wedding? This is the place for you. Our people are friendly and fun and your instructor is very patient.
We teach all the major partner dances in ballroom,country swing and Latin dancing. We never require our couples to switch partners however we do offer singles the opportunity to switch and meet new people. We teach private lessons,group classes and we hold periodic beginner dances so you can practice what you are learning in a forgiving,semi-private atmosphere.