Dances
Why Dance? Well it's quite simple, you'll learn to have more fun and enjoy your social life to the fullest extent. Dancing offers several benefits, some that you probably know, others that you may have never even considered. Dancing presents you and your body with the opportunity to exercise and become physically fit, it relieve stress, increases self-confidence and best of all - it's fun!
Our instructors teach various dances to include smooth and rhythm dances. Below is a list of some of the most popular dances.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZARGENTINE TANGO:
Originated in the West Indies where it was danced only by the lowest classes.
The name is from the African Tanganya. The dance found its way into Argentina
and then to France and finally into the United States in a modified form
about 1914. Latin American ballroom Tango is danced in 4/4 time. NOTE: See
also Continental Tango, English Tango, and Tango.
BALBOA:
Danced in 4/4 time, this dance involves close body contact with quick, detailed foot movement. Named for the Balboa Peninsula in California.
BOLERO:
Originally a Spanish dance in 3/4 time, it was changed in Cuba initially
into 2/4 time then eventually into 4/4. It is now present as a very slow
type of Rumba rhythm. The music is frequently arranged with Spanish vocals
and a subtle percussion effect, usually implemented with Conga or Bongos.
CAROLINA SHAG:
A very popular Swing style from Virginia down through the Carolinas into
areas of Georgia. Most often danced to "Beach Music" performed by such groups
as the Tams, The Embers, The Drifters and a wide range of "Motown" recording
artists. The dance showcases the man and resembles West Coast Swing with
the same slot movement, shuffles, coaster steps and pronounced lean resulting
in role of the partner movement. The music tempo is slow to medium and can
be danced comfortably by all ages.
FOX TROT:
Said by some to have been originated by Harry Fox (1913). It is now a standard
ballroom dance the world over and serves as a good foundation for social
dances in 2/4 or 4/4 time. NOTE: See also Two Step.
HUSTLE OR SWING HUSTLE:
A number if similar style disco dances which had its beginning in the mid-70's
and enjoys some continuing popularity as a swing style today. The record
"Do The Hustle" was followed by the movie "Saturday Night Fever." The movie
portrayal of partner dancing by John Travolta to the popular beat of top
selling music from the Bee Gees and the introduction to America of the Discotheque
setting, popular for some years in Europe, took America by storm. Flashing
lights, mirrors everywhere, loud throbbing beat, and high fashion were in.
Large numbers of popular Discos sprang up in every city and everyone was
waiting in line to dance.
JITTERBUG:
A toned down version of a Lindy Hop which is faster and happier than the
American Rock 'n' Roll or Swing.
JIVE:
International competitive Swing dance with elements of the Lindy Hop and
Jitterbug. Characterized by up-tempo single time music danced with triple
steps done primarily on the toes with very lively movement.
LAMBADA:
This latest dance crazy has its roots from the Northeast Coast of Brazil.
The exciting look of this dance on European television took the Continent
by storm in the late 80's. Introduced to the U.S. by Arthur Murray personnel,
its lighthearted Brazilian/Caribbean beat combines the flavor of the Samba
with the sultry passion of the Rumba.
LINDY HOP:
Named by Ray Bolger, after Colonel Lindbergh's flight across the Atlantic.
This Swing had as much "getting into the air" as possible. However, the
violently acrobatic style used for exhibitions is not the same as the quietly
rhythmic Lindy enjoyed by good dancers on the ballroom floor. The rhythmic
patterns takes place over two measures of music. The more acrobatic versions
were limited to ballrooms of which the most famous was the New York's Savoy
Harlem. NOTE: At one time the Jitterbug included the Charleston, Black Bottom,
Shag and Lindy Hop. It has now been consolidated into Lindy Hop in Eastern
U.S. and on the West Coast the West Coast Swing.
MAMBO:
The fusion of Swing and Cuban music produced this fascinating rhythm and
in turn created a new sensational dance. The Mambo could not have been conceived
earlier since up until that time Cuba and the American Jazz were still not
wedded. The Victor records of Anselmo Sacaras entitled "Mambo" in 1944 were
probably the beginning and since then other Latin American bandleaders such
as Tito Rodriguez, Pupi Campo, Tito Puente, Perez Prado, Machito and Xavier
Cugat have achieved styling of their own and furthered the Mambo craze.
The Mambo was originally played as any Rumba with a riff ending. It may
be described as a riff or a Rumba with emphasis on the fourth beat 4/4'
time. Originally played by some musicians in 2/4 time with a break or emphasis
on 2 and 4. Native Cubans or dancers, without any training would break on
any beat.
PACHANGA:
In 1955 Eduardo Davidson, a Cuban Colombian introduced the Marencumbae,
a Colombian dance in Cuba. The Original music was called La Pachanga with
Marencumbae underneath it. He made up patterns for this dance by watching
musicians keeping time on the band stand. It was then introduced into the
United States to play for the Cuban Embassy's annual affair at the Waldorf.
He was simultaneously booked at the Palladium. He had with him two terrific
boy dancers. These boys came out as part of the show and did Cha Cha's with
swiveling and trucking movements. People had never seen this type of Cha
Cha before and asked what it was. Since Fajardo had a Charanga band and
spoke no English, his reply was Charanga. After a big conference of dancers
in 1956 the Pachanga was introduced, but they found out that the Charanga
and the Pachanga were interchangeable. So instead of some calling it Charanga
and others Pachanga, they decided that the music would be called Charanga
and the dance Pachanga. A Charanga band is the typical Spanish Danzon type
band that only played in salons, and the others that played far out and wild
were called "orchestra typical."
PASO DOBLE:
The Spanish March or One Step. It makes an especially good exhibition routine
when the man styles his body movements to look like a bullfighter's and
leads his partner in and out of the patterns as if she were a cape. It is
usually in 2/4 time.
PEABODY:
A fast Fox Trot during which the dancers may use many quick steps set against
the figure called "open box." It was popular in the larger ballrooms where
dance space was not a problem.
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. It ranks among the "Big Five," the other three being
the Slow Fox Trot, the Waltz, the Tango and the Viennese Waltz.
RUMBA:
The Rumba was originally a marriage dance. Many of its movements and actions
which seem to have an erotic meaning are merely depictions of simple farm
tasks. The shoeing of the mare, the climbing of a rope, the courtship of
the rooster and the hen, etc. It was done for amusement on the farms by
the black population of Cuba. However, it became a popular ballroom dance
and was introduced in the United States about 1933. It was the Americanized
version for the Cuban Son and Danzon. It is in 4/4 time. The characteristic
feature is to take each step without initially placing the weight on that
step. Steps are made with a slightly bent knee which, when straightened,
causes the hips to sway from side to side in what has come to be known as
"Cuban Motion."
SALSA:
This is a favored name for a type of Latin music which, for the most part,
has its roots in Cuban culture and is enhanced by jazz textures. The word,
Salsa, means sauce denoting a "hot" flavor and is best distinguished from
other Latin music styles by defining it as the New York sound developed
by Puerto Rican musicians in New York. 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.
SWING:
An ever popular blend of several African American dances, which include
Lindy and Ragtime Jazz and Blues, as well as all the other dance music to
accompanying dances of the past ninety years. Today it generally refers
to the ballroom and night club version which is based on two slow and two
quick counts or the slow and two quick counts of rhythm dances.
TANGO:
Continental/English - See INTERNATIONAL TANGO. There are essentially three
types of Tango - Argentine, American and International Style. Argentine
Tango:
(arrabalero) A dance created by the Gauchos in Buenos Aires. It was actually
an attempt on their part to imitate the Spanish dance except that they danced
it in a closed ballroom position. The Tango caused a sensation and was soon
to be seen the world over in a more subdued version. American Tango: Unlike
the Argentine Tango, in which the dancer interprets the music spontaneously
without any predetermined slows or quicks, the American Tango features a
structure which is correlated to the musical phrasing. The dance is 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: This is a highly disciplined
and distinctively structured form of the Tango which is accepted worldwide
as the format for dance sport events. The dancers remain in traditional
closed position throughout and express both legato and staccato aspects
of the type of music appropriate to this style.
TANGO-CONTINENTAL OR INTERNATIONAL TANGO:
A refined, technical version of the Argentine Tango. It is probably the
most demanding of all smooth dances to execute. It calls for perfect control,
phrasing and musicianship. The subtle movements, changes of weight and the
design of the steps are never stilted but follow the melodic phrasing and
are created anew with each new piece.
TWO-STEP- COUNTRY WESTERN TWO-STEP:
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. In the old
Western days when women were not allowed to dance with men, men danced together
and that is the reason for the hard on the shoulder holding a can of beer
and the other hand to the side. The only women who eventually danced with
these men were Indian Squaws and that is where all the turns came about,
because Indian women loved to spin. Two-step is a Western dance whose popularity
has spread all over the United States.
VIENNESE WALTZ:
With such wonderful composers as Johann Strauss and others, the Waltz became
more and more refined. The steps became smaller with the turns smoother
and more compact. Adding the graceful lilt of the flowing skirts we have
today's Viennese Waltz.
WALTZ:
The real origin of the Waltz is rather obscure, but a dance of turns and
glides, leaping and stomping appeared in various parts of Europe at the
end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th century. In Italy it was the Volta,
France has its Volte, Germany the Weller and Austria had its Landler. These
were round dances but at the end of the dance itself there was a short period
in which the circle would break up into couples who would whirl madly round
and round and finish with a jump in the air. In the Landler the hopping
gave way more to a gliding motion and that is why it is considered the forerunner
of the Waltz. The Waltz can be traced back as far as 400+ years. The Waltz
regained its real popularity in the 20th century. The Waltz blossomed out
as the Hesitation Waltz in 1913. Until the development of the hesitation,
couples had waltzed in one direction until dizzy and then reversed until
ready to drop. The Waltz had degenerated into an endurance contest. The
Hesitation resulted in the Waltz it is done today. The slow Waltz was once
known as the Boston Waltz. Today the slow Waltz is the American Waltz, English
Waltz or just Waltz, and the faster is the Viennese Waltz.
WEST COAST SWING:
A stylized Swing dance popular west of the Mississippi from Kansas to California.
Danced in a slot to medium to slow Swing or Disco music and characterized
by slot movements, taps and shuffles, coaster steps, and push and pull action
of the dancers.
