The Dances

Foxtrot
The Foxtrot was created by a vaudeville performer named Harry Fox in 1913, who introduced this fun, theatrical dance to the world. Foxtrot dancers travel around the perimeter of the room in a counterclockwise direction in a basic rhythm of slow-slow-quick-quick. You wil learn to combine stepseasily and smoothly while experiencing variety and maneuverability. T he Fox Trot posture is attractive in appearance and helpful to all other dances . Being able to dance to all tempos will add confidence to your dancing and will assure fun and relaxation for your partner. Fox trot is often called the ‘get acquainted’ or ‘first impression’ dance.

Tango
Tango’s routes began in Argentina, and was later brought to North America. Some say the famous Rudolph Valentino played a large role in its popularity in the 20’s due to his production of ‘The Four Hosrsemen of the Apocalypse’. Tango is a distinctive style of dance which incorporates staccato footwork, along with fluid graceful movements. The unique rhythm of the music is ideal training for timing and phrasing which develops as the dancer becomes more proficient.

Tango can be subdivided into Argentine, American, and International styles. In Argentine Tango, the dancer interprets the music spontaneously without any predetermined slows or quicks. The North American Tango differs in that it focuses on structure which is correlated to its musical phrasing. It may be executed both in closed position and in various types of extravagant dance relationships which incorporate a particular freedom of expression that is not present in the International style. International Tango is a highly disciplined and distinctively structured form of the Tango which is accepted worldwide as the format for dancesport events. The dancers remain in traditional closed position throughout and expresses the staccato aspects of the type of music appropriate to this style.

Waltz
Waltz, ‘the mother of present day dances’ is composed of its ¾ rhythms and a strong accent on the first beat. Although this easy and flowing dance is said to have originated all around the world, known in Italy as the Volta, Volte in France, Weller in Germany, and Landler in Austria, it’ s true origin began in southern Germany in the seventeenth century. Today the slow Waltz is the American Waltz, English Waltz or just Waltz, and the faster is the Viennese Waltz.

The basic Waltz steps are the foundations patterns used in most ballroom dances. It’s attributes include posture, rise and fall, and flowing movements which should be stressed to achieve good styling. The elegant sweeping movement of the Waltz gives dancers the opportunity to practice balance, move lightly with ease while develping control. It is one of the four foundation dances.

Viennese Waltz
The Viennese Waltz is the quicker version of the waltz with a tempo of about 180 beats a minute. This dance is characterized by its fast pace and continuous circling. With the help of such composers as Johann Strauss and others, the Waltz had became more and more refined. With the addition of speed, compact steps, smoother turns came the beautiful Viennese Waltz! The Viennese Waltz is a glamorous, uplifting, whirling experience for the more advanced dancers to pursue and enjoy!

Rumba
The Rumba, is often referred to as ‘the dance of love’, because of the intensity of the movements and emotion. It was introduced in the United States about 1933, but stemmed from the spanish melodies of the Cuban Son, and African rhythms of the Danzon. The Rumba began the Cuban and Latin American dance crazes that we see tody. Americanized Rumba was the basis for the Mambo and Cha Cha.

The movement , called ‘Cuban Motion’ is produced through a transfer of body weight and not from direct movement of the hips. It is danced through the use of body language which is used to express emotion. The Cuban Motion is essential in most latin dances making it a prerequisite for good Latin Dancing.

Cha Cha
The mid-tempo Cha-Cha is a spin-off of the Rumba and the Mambo. Cha Cha or ‘triple mambo’ as it was known in the less inhibited night clubs and dance halls, underwent several changes to get to its final completion. The name cam from the scraping and shuffling sounds during the triple step action of cha cha cha..

With its differing slow and quick steps, this sensual, energetic dance is extraordinarily popular with old and young alike. The slow and staccato tempo makes it easy for dancers of all levels to inject their own personality into the steps and figures. It’s syncopated steps and varying open figures, you and your partner will feel the Cha Cha’s infectious and unique charm.

Mambo
A Cuban bandleader named Perez Prado is credited with starting the Mambo dance craze in the mid-1950s. The Mambo, with its fusion of Swing and Cuban music, is essentially a Rumba with a break on 2 and 4 in 4/4 time. It is danced in a closed position, but does include breakaway steps much like the other latin dances.

Salsa
Hector Lavoe is said to be one of the creators of Salsa, a fusion of Cuban, Puerto Rican and American styles of latin which he brought to New York in the late 1960s. It has roots in Cuban culture, and the heavily insprired jazz of that decade. It is characte rized by a complicated rhythm, small steps, Cuban motion, and a compact hold. Salsa is made up of an 8-beat pattern, with patterns using 3 steps during each 4 beats. It is characterized by a tap or kick used to mark time on the 4th beat. The dance structure is largely associated with mambo type patterns and has a particular feeling that is associated mainly with the Clave and the Montuno. Sassy, sexy, and fun....Salsa is sure to please!

Merengue
This national dance of the Dominican Republic, was created in the mid-1950s. It is made up of small compact steps and 1-2 march-like rhythm. The Merengue is known for its liveliness, with a step on every beat, knee action, and ever present cuban motion. It is a spot dance, so tight crowded floors are perfect!

Swing
The Swing is a dance that is famous for its “happy go lucky” energy and flow. It incorporates different styles and speeds of music while creating movement through dynamic swing outs, break aways and shine steps! Swing is danced with two slow steps followed by a quick rock step.

What was originally known as the Charleston has developed over the years into the Lindy, the Jitterbug, the Lindy Hop and the Jive. The Swing originated and thrived in the mid 1930’s thanks to the like likes of Benny Goodman and his fellow swing bands. It is a dance that when mastered you will find to be exciting, fast paced, and fun to learn and practice.

East Coast
Back in the good old days of Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry, the East Coast Swing originated as a simplified 6-count triple step dance. The East Coast Swing dance pattern moves smoothly either forward/back or side to side while circling freely around the floor with a very playful, effervescent nature. The basic step is triple step, triple step, rock step.

West Coast
The West Coast Swing originated from the Savoy Style Lindy dance. This dance soon became popular in California nightclubs during the 1930s and 1940s thanks to Dean Collins, a famous movied dancer and choreographer who is said to have brought the dance to Hollywood.

The official state dance of California, it incorporates slot movements, taps and shuffles, coaster steps, and push and pull action of the dancers. It is known for its "dancing in a slot" appearance where the man dances in place while the woman travels back and forth giving the dance a very “groovy” sinuous feel.

Lindy Hop
The Lindy Hop was named by Ray Bolger, after Colonel Lindbergh's flight across the Atlantic. This Swing had as much "getting into the air" as it could possibly have. It may be danced with highly acrobatic lifts and throws like you’d find in the ballrooms of Savoy Harlem, or as the quietly rhythmic Lindy which is more commonly danced on ballroom floors. The Lindy Hop, always fun to dance, is wild, spontaneous, jumpy, and jazzy!

Jive
The Jive is an international competitive Swing dance with elements of the Lindy Hop and Jitterbug. It is characterized by uptempo single time music danced with triple steps which are done predominantly on the toes with very little movement.

Hustle
“Do the Hustle” as they say or said in the 1970s! John Travolta’s Saturday Night Fever brought acclaim to this disco dance during a time when flashing lights, mirrors everywhere, loud throbbing music, and platform shoes were the fashion! The Hustle is a high-speed, energetic dance characterized by its continual turns. The lady seems to always be spinning, as the man stays cooly in place sending her in and out.

Bolero
The Bolero, originating in Spain, is danced to a very slow Rumba rhythm. The Bolero has a very romantic and silky feel to it, with its slip pivot and body rise which is danced to dreamy music usually accompanied by vocals in 4/4 time. In Bolero you become one with your partner with slow, sweeping motions which are combined with whsubtle percussion effects, and usually implemented with Conga or Bongos.

Samba
Although introduced in 1917, it was only adopted by Brazilian society in 1930 as a ballroom dance. The jovial Samba was introduced in the United States in 1939 by the late Carmen Miranda.

It is sometimes referred to as a Samba, Carioca, a Baion or a Batucado, differing only in tempos as the dances are very similar. The style is to bounce steadily and smoothly in 2/4 meter while flexing and straightening the knees as weight is transferred from the ball to the flat of the foot.

Polka
The Polka, coming from Bohemia in the 1800s, was said to have been originally created by a Bohemian girl. The name is Czech for "half-step," much used in the dance. The Polka is danced in pairs either face-to-face or standing side-by-side. Polka music has a 2/4 beat, and consists of preparatory hop followed by a chasse done first to left then to the right. It is notable for its boisterous energy and charm.

Two Step
The “Texas Two-Step” or as some call it a Foxtrot with a swagger started as a simple barn dance! The Two-Step originated in the 1800's by people who arrived here from Europe. It was an offspring of the minuet and they danced it as QQSS. It is a simple Western dance, more or less double quick march with a skip in each step done as rapidly as a couple can go!

International

Paso Doble
The Spanish March or One Step. This is not a social dance. It is more of an exhibition routine as the man styles his body movements to look like a bullfighter and leads his partner in and out of the patterns as if she were a cape. It is danced in 2/4 time

Quickstep
The English version of the Fast Fox Trot, which has quick hopping steps set in with the smoother gliding figures. It is very popular in Europe as a competition dance.