You know the plot, you know the roles, and you probably already know the outcome, so why are we all such suckers for Bank Heist Movies?
And, while we are at it, how does that relate to ballroom dancing, social dancing, or any other permutation of your interesting hobby?
Just for the record, random connections to seemingly unrelated things to ballroom dance is sort of an Arthur Murray Live specialty, and by the way... it's a Bank Heist Movie tie in. There's no way we could pass this up.
The Typical Bank Heist Movie in Summary
At some point, the main character was wronged in some way. Maybe they have defaulted on their mortgage, have just been released from prison, or are fulfilling a Robin Hood-like quest in life to rob from the rich to give to the poor.
The main character then devises a plan, but in order to execute said plan, he'll need a rag tag collection of characters, each with a particular set of Bank Heist-ing skills.
At some point, they'll have "the meeting". This is where they will outline the entire heist. They'll discuss each person's role, may cover details like disguises, timelines, and getaway cars all illustrated with anything from maps, scale models, or hushed tones.
If you didn't catch it already, you are the lead character, and the mission is learning to dance.
Maybe you have an event you're getting ready for, maybe it's a goal you've had for a long time, or maybe you're using this as part of a comeback story to payback all the naysayers in your life with an epic dance moment in the not too distant future.
The bank you are breaking into is your Comfort Zone. We'll call it the Comfort Zone Federal Credit Union. It's heavily guarded, and is armed with a state of the art security system.
An all seeing eye takes inventory of all possible threats to the comfort zone, which is then followed by the conservative voice of reason to finish the job.
While this may sound harmless on the surface, this one-two punch has laid waste to countless threats to the Comfort Zone in the past.
Your dance program will include a variety of dances that are selected to help complete your "dance-heist" mission.
Just like Bank Heist Movies, each of these dance accomplices offers a skill that is critical to the mission's success. Here are a few:
A dance like Foxtrot is like that smooth talking negotiator that can gain access to just about anything. Every Heist needs a person that can gain access to the inside, procure security guard uniforms, or uncover the schematics to the bank's original construction.
Dance wise, the Foxtrot is your easiest entry point to social dancing. It is as adaptable as it is practical, and gives each dancer the look of someone who has been enjoying
A dance like Swing is your safe cracking expert. There's no lock this mastermind can't crack, and for swing - there's no dance floor this dance can't infiltrate.
Because of the wide variety of music it fits - from rock and roll to Lady Gaga, and everything in between - the Swing gives you access to dance floors at weddings, office parties, music festivals, or anywhere else fun, uptempo music may be playing.
Every successful heist needs The Muscle. That character that can disable the guards and protect the assets.
Dance wise, that's the Salsa. In addition to being incredibly popular, the salsa also gives you instant dance street cred. Just like the protection The Muscle can provide to even the most rag-tag heist operations, the salsa can turn even the most mild mannered mid-level manager into someone mysterious, adventurous, and somewhere on the Antonio Banderas spectrum.
Every heist movie needs a great "Wheel Man". A getaway driver that has one job, will execute it once, and will allow the team to escape the scene of the crime.
Tango is your getaway driver. You may only use it once, but when deployed well, you can say goodbye to the constricting confines of your old comfort zone forever.
There is no way any of this happens, however, without the Brains of the operation. The person with the plan.
For your dance program, The Brains is whatever dance that inspired you to learn. It's the one dance that, literally, got your foot in the door, and made everything possible.
If a dance program were a building, then this is the cornerstone, and everything you learn and accomplish in your dance program will be built around this dance that started it all.
The Challenges
Every Bank Heist begins with the most optimistic strategy, with each of the key players speaking glowingly about what they'll buy with their share of the loot.
But if you've ever been to the movies, you know that things rarely go as planned, which opens up plenty of great action and suspense throughout the remainder of the film.
Your dancing is no different.
There will be challenges along your Dance Journey. From the occasional awkward moments in the learning process, incorrect myths and assessments of your potential, or a lack of support in your comfort zone altering attempts - but just like a great heist movie, these moments make for an even greater payoff in the end.
Speaking of payoff, if all goes according to plan, and you successfully break through the walls of the Comfort Zone Federal Credit Union, you'll receive a treasure trove of positive byproducts from your dance hobby.
Whether that's increased self confidence, a decrease in your waistline, or never again turning down a dance invitation ever again, it's a payoff that is worth the risk.
Considering all the data, there are plenty of interesting comparisons between these two, seemingly, unrelated topics.
Your new ballroom dance program is nothing short of Danny Ocean planning to rob a casino and win back the girl in Ocean's Eleven.
It will be met with some resistance along the way, but nothing like that shootout in Heat, and the dances you assemble with your teacher will be like that cast of expert characters in The Sting or The Italian Job. Translation - this operation is built for success.
Your comfort zone may seem like an impenetrable bank, but you've got a plan, the right accomplices, and the blueprints to pull off a dance heist that will set you up for life.
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