People of a certain generation first fell in love with dance via Hollywood films of the 1930s, ‘40s, and ‘50s featuring dancers Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Eleanor Powell, the Nickolas Brothers, Shirley Temple, Bill Robinson (Bojangles), Ann Miller, Judy Garland, and the list goes on. They danced into our hearts in movies like 42nd Street (1933), Top Hat (1935), Shall We Dance (1937), The Wizard of Oz (1939), Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), Easter Parade (1948), On the Town (1949), An American in Paris (1951), Singin’ in the Rain (1952), as well as Oklahoma! (1955), The King and I (1956), Carousel, South Pacific (1958), to name only a few.
Briana Suakjian – Photo courtesy of the artist.
Fred Astaire Dance Studios have been around for decades and are currently located in cities throughout North America and around the world. One of the newest is the Fred Astaire Dance Studios Laguna Hills which will be hosting a free Masquerade ball-themed Grand Opening celebration on October 29, 2021, at 6 pm. Owned by Briana Suakjian, the studio is located at 27001 Moulton Parkway a208 in Laguna Hills California and has been offering classes there since July of this year. The studio provides youth and adult programs and features professional dance instructors from a wide range of styles.
Kris Suakjian – Photo Dapper Images
Briana Suakjian is married to her long-time dance partner Kris and by opening the Fred Astaire Dance Studios in Laguna Hills, they have fulfilled one of Briana’s dreams. The two have been dancing together for over 20 years and have earned extensive national and international awards and credits. They have also taught at the Orange County School of the Arts in the Ballroom Conservatory.
“We wanted to open a studio that would serve everyone in the community from children to adults as well as young professionals. FADS (short for Fred Astaire Dance Studios) is a place where everyone can feel comfortable – whether learning simple social dances, creating alternatives to a normal workout routine, or studying with top-notch instructors and coaches to compete,” The Suakjians said. “Dance has changed our lives in so many positive ways that we have made it our mission to individualize a program to meet the goals of each student so they too can experience the joy, excitement, and fulfillment that dance can bring to them.”
Schedule of events for the October 29, 2021 evening
6:00-7:00 pm – Cocktail hour
7:00-7:30 pm – Student Shows
7:30-8:00 pm – Line Dancing, Giveaways & Games
8:00-8:30 pm – Professional Shows
8:30-9:00 pm – Silent Auction Closes and Winners Announced
All donations from the silent auction will be going to benefit Orange County School of the Arts students in the Ballroom Conservatory program 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
To learn more about Fred Astaire Dance Studios Laguna Hills please click HERE.
To visit the Fred Astaire Dance Studios official website, click HERE.
Written by Jeff Slayton for LA Dance Chronicle.
Featured image: Briana and Kris Suakjian – Photo by Tony Eng/Decadance Photography
