Welcome, we are Rich and Leigh Coburn, professional dance instructors and owners of Upbeat Dance.
Our Story
It was June 2, 2001, a day that was filled with so many wonderful memories. Except for one, that fell short of our expectations and inspired the beginning of our dance journey together. I remember it so clearly, when the DJ announced our first dance as husband and wife. I would love to tell you that we floated gracefully around the room, my Cinderella dress twirling in circles, but that would be a far stretch of the truth. Here is what actually happened. The room fell silent, three hundred of our guests were focused on us, and our hearts started racing with nerves. During a time that we could have felt comfortable and confident, we felt totally unprepared and panicked. To make the best of it, we put a smile on our face, rocked back & forth, and carried on a conversation that went something like this; "Everyone is staring," "This feels awkward," "Maybe you should try turning me." And, before we knew it, this special moment, which was intended to celebrate our union, had passed. I am not sure how we had envisioned our first dance, or if we had given it much thought at all, but on the one day that you plan for everything to be perfect, feeling panicked and awkward was definitely not what we were hoping for.
Full Circle
Not too long after the wedding, we took a vacation to the Grand Hotel on Mackinac island, in our home state of Michigan. During our stay, we found ourselves inside a beautiful ballroom bursting at the seams with big band music, and a dance floor filled with dancers. The gentlemen were leading their partners around the room, the ladies skirts were twirling, smiles on their faces, and they were having the time of their lives. It immediately struck a personal chord, and made us wish that we had enjoyed our wedding dance as much as these dancers were enjoying this moment. We did not know how to dance that night, but it gave us the motivation to step outside of our comfort zone and into our first dance class. We were nervous just like everyone else trying something new, but it was exhilarating, and we quickly fell in love with the way it made us feel alive. We would spend many evenings turning on music and practicing in our kitchen, which we still do from time to time. Little did we know that this would eventually lead to dancing at a competitive level, and providing other aspiring dancers with the lessons, inspiration and encouragement that we wished we would have had that day.
Let's Dance
Are you interested in dancing, and looking for a place to feel confident, supported and free to be yourself? You are in the right place! Upbeat Dance provides the inspiration and encouragement to step out of your comfort zone, and onto the dance floor. We understand that starting something new can seem challenging, and sometimes a little scary too, but we are here to help you kick those fears to the curb and replace them with confidence. We are passionate about providing dance lessons for beginners and beyond that are fun, convenient, and easy-to-learn. From your first steps, to every move along the way, we are here to help you learn to dance with ease.
Dance instruction is delivered to you from Southeast Michigan.
Online Wedding Dance Programs, and In-studio & Local Group classes.
Accomplishments
- National & US Open Competitors
- Two-Time Rising Star Swing Champions
- 'Dancing With The Local Stars' Mirror Ball Champion
- Over Ten Years Of Dance/Teaching Experience
Benefits
Dancing allows an emotional release for the mind, exercise for the body and happy, feel-good endorphins to renew the soul.
We understand
Afraid you're not coordinated enough? We work with beginners and beyond and love helping our students grow from the ground up. Watching them have fun, and accomplish something they did not know they were capable of, makes us feel like doing a happy dance!
Here to help
We are looking forward to introducing dance into your life and helping prepare you for your upcoming wedding, cruise and dance events so you never miss a chance to dance again!