Rhythmology: Feel the Rhythm (and get your significant other to dance!)

It’s a story that may seem familiar to many young boys: they have trouble meeting girls, and their father instructs them that the way to help is to do very well in school or learn to dance.  In this story, the young boy decided to do really well in school.  When that was not producing the results he wanted, he decided to try his hand at dancing.  Joining the Cornell Ballroom Dance team in college, he wasn’t the star at first (“I was very bad” he says), but he stuck with it. Such is the story of Alfred Pena, founder of Rhythmology.

Fast forward to today, where Alfred has grown Rhythmology into a very large social network and community that people come to for both personal and professional reasons.  What is Rhythmology?  Simply put, it is the study of movement, balance and rhythm.  Alfred started the company working out of several different Long Island dance studios, and now works mainly out of Avanti Nightclub in Westbury for dance lessons.  He also hosts dance events in various other locations on Long Island.

The goal?  To bring together people from all communities, ages, genders, and levels of dance ability together.  Alfred teaches dance classes out of Avanti Nightclub, 272 Post Avenue, every night of the week (check our community calendar on the right for more information).  He also hosts a once a month social at the club for people to practice what they have learned and meet new people.  (Insider note:  plans are in the works for Alfred to have his own Rhythmology space in about a month!).

Below is a video of Alfred dancing with his professional partner, Aleksandra Kozlowska, at their social party at Avanti Nightclub:

In addition, Rhythmology currently has two salsa dance teams that have been together for about two years.  Alfred is starting up two new teams, a Bachata style dance team and Ladies team.  They practice twice a week and perform all over the tri-state area at different charity events or Salsa Festivals.  Check out the video of their performances below:

I met up with Alfred to help out the readers of Nassau Happening with the age-old question:  How do I get my significant other to look good on the dance floor? Here are his top three tips:

1-Look like you’re having fun!  Smile and look approachable.  If you are doing that, no one will even notice or care what you look like while you’re dancing.

2-Ask somebody to join you.  Someone else dancing with you will always make you look good, especially if they know what they are doing!  Follow along to their movements.

3-All you have to do is transfer your weight from side to side.  Who can’t do a step touch?  Move your feet to the beat, but don’t move your arms around too much.  Think of the movie Hitch and his dance lesson scene

So what’s next for Alfred?  He hopes to bring the first ever Long Island Salsa Festival to us, with live music and performances, in about a year.   He is also continuing to grow his network through an upcoming Rhythmology Academy, in which he will teach high school and college students dance to encourage social skills, teach the basics, and overall encourage respect between boys and girls.

To see a class schedule or event schedule, check out our community calendar.

For more information about Rhythmology, or to contact them to perform at an event, contact Alfred Pena at www.rhythmology.us or pena.alfred@gmail.com

You can also text Salsa to 83361 to be on the text message mailing list for upcoming events, discounts and special offers

Below: Some pictures from the May 2011 Latin Party at Avanti

 

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