Steve and Stephanie Holtzman
“They say that being engaged is supposed to be the happiest time of your life. While I was over the moon excited to marry my fiancé, my wedding seemed to be the only thing in my life to be happy about. I spent months in a power struggle with my ill grandparents, trying to get them the care that they needed, and at the same time was managing a new assignment at work and mentoring a colleague who was new to the profession. As the stress mounted, my health began to suffer. My blood tests showed that I had developed a hormone condition, that if went untreated would result in infertility. I had frequent headaches and couldn’t keep weight on. This was not a good time to hear that I wouldn’t be able to start a family. I’m not one to take medication, so my doctor advised me to try to minimize my body’s reaction to stress as much as possible. I tried a number of different therapies which were helping, but not enough to make a significant difference in my symptoms.
Months after my diagnosis and with our wedding coming up, my fiancé and I won a gift certificate to Arthur Murray Princeton at a silent auction. I was thrilled- my fiancé needed the lessons and I danced for years as a child. I had a background in ballet, tap, etc. and I missed it terribly. Although there were studios more local to us, we soon realized how worthwhile it was to drive half an hour each way to AM Princeton. We instantly made a personal connection with our two instructors. Through working on our first dance, my fiancé began to gain confidence and I began to fall in love with dance again. I found myself counting down the days until our next lesson to be able to learn something new or practice our skills.
During the week of parent/teacher conferences at school, my fiancé questioned if I had the energy to attend group class and try the party afterward. I didn’t really think so, but I wasn’t about to give up a chance to go to the studio. We made friends with some of the other couples in our foundation class and got to meet and dance with the other instructors. My fiancé and I had such a great time that we knew that we would have to do this again. At the end of the week, I went to my acupuncturist for my weekly checkup. I knew it had been a strenuous few days at work, so I didn’t have high hopes for her assessment of my stress level. To my surprise, she said I was doing better than I had in a while! She asked what I had done differently and there was only one thing that came to mind. The fact that I was having fun made that big of a difference in my physical self. The doctor prescribed for me to keep dancing, and keep dancing I did!
Two and a half years in to our journey, my husband and I are even more in love with dance than when we started. The studio has become a safe haven for us- a place to shake off the stress of the week and spend time with friends and the instructors that have become our family. Everyone comments on how my husband is a different person from when he started, building up enough confidence on the dance floor to help and teach new students. As for me, my acupuncturist has stopped worrying about whether or not I will be able to have a baby when the time is right. My headaches are few and far between these days and my blood tests show that my hormone levels are under control. We participate in any events we can afford- Medal Ball, Summer Showcase, Super Saturday- just to get more chances to do what we love with people that we love. We cannot thank the staff of Arthur Murray Princeton enough for helping us to become the best versions of ourselves and to make our days and our future quite a bit brighter!”
Rachel Lauren Friedman
I moved to Lawrenceville for work a few months prior to first stepping foot inside Arthur Murray Princeton. I needed both a way to meet new people and a more engaging way to exercise than going to the gym. As a self-described “voracious learner” who wanted to take dance classes since I was a child but never had that chance, joining the Arthur Murray Princeton team was an easy decision. The staff welcomed me with open arms, and I instantly connected with both of my instructors. With Arthur Murray, you aren’t just moving for the sake of moving, you’re actively learning as well. I have ADHD, but being engaged both physically and mentally helps me maintain focus even long after my medication has worn off for the day. I always look forward to being in the studio whether it’s for a lesson, a class, or getting to spend time with the friends I’ve made here.
Best,
Rachel Lauren
