Name: Bill Mutz
Town you Live In: Merrimack, NH
How long have you been dancing? 3 ½ years
How did you get into ballroom? After watching my daughter BreAna compete with Ray at the Commonwealth Classic Ballroom Competition I was amazed at the beauty of ballroom dancing. That was the first time I actually thought that I could learn to dance. I decided then that I wanted to share in the experience and make it part of our family life with both my daughter and wife Debbie.
Which dance do you enjoy the most? This is a tough question for me because I love them all, but I do have a few that stand out. I love Bolero with its emotional shaping and ability to tell a story, Cha Cha with its sassy attitude, Rumba with the art of sensual flow, V-Waltz has the grace and beauty of a goddess and Tango for its raw power that is barely kept under control. 
What is your favorite dance memory? I have so many favorite dance memories it’s hard to narrow them down. I will always remember the time when I showed up at a PaperMoon dance social with Debbie to see BreAna well before I thought about dancing. Unexpectedly, Maria took my hand and brought me up on the dance floor while Ray did the same with Debbie. We danced a Foxtrot around the floor and I was stunned at Maria’s kind voice and ability to call out the steps that I needed to take, as we made it around the floor several times.
I will always cherish a New Years Eve social at PaperMoon where Debbie and I shared a Waltz and were able to get around the floor. We hadn’t been dancing that long and the dance was simple, but for me, at that moment it was an accomplishment I didn’t expect. It was truly a magical moment for me with my gorgeous wife.
Another favorite memory I have took place about a year ago. We were performing in a Waltz Formation Team at a dance social in Newton, MA that Ray choreographed. BreAna was there to support and cheer Mom and Dad on. During the evening BreAna asked me if I would dance a V-Waltz with her. I had only been working on V-Waltz for a short time and was very unsure how this was going to go!! I will always remember dancing around the floor with her; she had such perfect frame and guided me around the room so I could feel the essence of the dance. It was one of the best Daddy Daughter moments ever!!
What dance goal would you like to conquer next? One area that I need a lot of improvement in would be musicality, the dreaded timing that continues to elude me. Not having a music background and not listening to a lot of music this area completely baffles me. The occasional times that I figured it out, I quickly get lost and lose it.
Technique, technique and more technique!! I always try to work on technique at the very basic level so I understand the feel of the dance. It seems that there are multiple layers of technique in every dance. Just as soon as I think I got it, more technique is added on to the one I just learned. I don’t think you ever stop improving on this.
Being better at communicating what dance step I would like to dance next, otherwise known as leading. It probably helps a great deal if I knew what dance step I wanted to dance first. I guess as more dance steps become muscle memory I will be able to concentrate on leading the lady through it so it’s a pleasant experience for her!!
I would like to add more emotion into my dancing. Every dance seems to have an emotion built into it and I want to work on bringing that out. I often find myself just dancing the steps or just trying to remember the steps. Maybe after the steps become muscle memory you then have the ability to bring the emotion of each dance out.
What are your other hobbies? I love the outdoors and the more remote the better. During the year I find myself without cell service on top of a mountain ridge, 20 miles from pavement, 5 miles from my truck with 6 inches of snow on the ground and more falling. As I stare out over the tree tops below and the wilderness in front of me, I continue on my journey following the tracks left by an elusive whitetail, not knowing what enchanted places he will show me today.
Tell us something you think most people don’t know about you. I’m pretty good at home improvements. Everything from plumbing, electrical, flooring, finish carpentry sheetrock, and stonework I’ve completed successfully. I’ve built two cedar strip canoes the first one being built in high school wood shop which started the practice and continues on today.