COUNTRY DANCE LESSON:

Who needs the bar to learn a country dance? Not you! Shawn Trautman offers his lessons anywhere there's a DVD player and he extends you the following guarantee. We at Xpress Innovations doubt you'll find a similar one at the local honky tonk.

• During your country dance lesson with me - Shawn Trautman - you won't crush any of your neighbor's toes. (That is, unless you invite a friend to learn along with you. In that case, apologize early!)
• You'll be blessedly free of frantic "I don't know what I'm doing!" thoughts, as I explain the fundamentals clearly and then demonstrate the steps.
• Best of all, I pledge to never move on to a more advanced skill as you stand there flustered, wanting to ask a question but trying not to hold the rest of the class from progressing. You are the rest of my class. It's you, yourself, and ... well ... you. And we're not moving onto another skill until you're ready for it.
• If you still have difficulty with a country dance lesson, whether it be the steps, arm placement or the general "feel" of the dance, e-mail me. I'll respond - and we'll work through the issue.

Go ahead - learn without the bar. Don't dodge the cowboy hats and shiny belt buckles as you try to master a dance - the Shawn Trautman DVD collection means that you can expertly perfect your steps before you join the line. And that, future dancer, makes for a truly good country time!