WALTZ
History - Considered the mother of present day dances, the Waltz began in southern Germany in the seventeenth century. The popularity of the Waltz grew with the music of Johann Strauss and eventually blossomed in the 20th century. It is the basic for many dances and is popular today all over the world.
Music - the Waltz has a slow to medium tempo with the musical accent occurring on the first beat of each measure. The basic count for Waltz is 1,2,3. Faster tempo Waltz is called Viennese Waltz.
Characteristics - The basic components of Waltz are walking steps and side steps. Rise and Fall and Body Sway are some of the styling characteristics which make the simplest Waltz patterns elegant and beautiful.
Waltz songs and artists:
VIENNESE WALTZ
History - The Waltz Developed in Central Europe from the Austrian dance known as the Landler. The fast whirling of partners held as if in an embrace shocked polite society. The music of Johann Strauss and the famous ballrooms of Vienna popularized the faster version known as the Viennese Waltz.
Music - Viennese Waltz is basically Waltz music played at a much quicker tempo. While slow Waltz is played at 28-36 measures per minute (MPM), Viennese Waltz is played at 50-60 MPM . It is usually played in ? time, but some Viennese Waltz's are written in 6/8 time.
Characteristics - Sweeping turns that gracefully move around the floor characterize this dance. The Viennese Waltz is known for its rotational movement, which is simple and elegant.
Viennese Waltz songs and artists:
TANGO
History - The Tango began in the West Indies and found its way to Argentina where it was stylized by the Gauchos. It became the rage in 1921 after the silent screen star Rudolph Valentino brought this romantic dance to millions in “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse". More recently, it has been dances in movies such as “True lies" and “Scent of a Woman“. Today, the Tango is considered the “dancer's dance" and becomes a favorite of all who learn it.
Music - Tango music is usually written in 4/4 time. The first teaching rhythm in tango is slow, slow, quick, quick, slow.
Characteristics - The hold in Tango is more compact than in other moving dances. The walk in Tango differs from walks in other dances in that it is staccato action obtained by delaying the follow through of the free leg and foot.
Tango songs and artists:
RUMBA
History - The Rumba was at the beginning of the Cuban and Latin American dance crazes. Danced to music inspired by African rhythms and Spanish melodies, the Americanized Rumba was the basis for the Mambo and the Cha Cha in the United States. Rumba rhythms have found their way into Country Western, Blues, Rock & Roll and other popular forms of music.
Music - Rumba music is usually written in 4/4 time and may be played over a wide variety of tempos. Often in rumba music there may be an underlying pulsation of & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4. The basic step in Rumba is counted Slow, Quick, Quick(SQQ).
Characteristics - The distinctive hip movement of Rumba, called the Cuban Motion, is one of the most important elements of this dance. Introduced in the rumba, it is an important styling element in a number of popular Latin American dances.
Rumba songs and artists:
CHA CHA
History - One of the most popular Latin dances in the United States, the Cha Cha began as a variation of the Mambo called triple Mambo. It was so easy and so much fun, it became the rage of the early 1950's. It's infectious ont-two, one-two-three, rhythm demands that sitters become dancers. Everybody can learn the Cha Cha.
Music - Cha Cha music is written in 4/4 time and may be played over a wide range of tempos. Often in Cha Cha music, a rhythmical link can be heard between each measure resulting in an overall rhythm of 1,2,3,4& repeated over and over.
Characteristics - Triple steps(chasse) and rock steps are the basic components of the Cha Cha. Since the Cha Cha is derived from Mambo and Rumba, Cuban Motion is an important aspect of this dance.
Cha Cha songs and artists:
SWING
History - The Lindy(Swing) picked up where the Charleston left off. It had “swing-outs", “break-aways" and “shine-steps". With the birth of “Swing" music in the mid 1930's the Lindy climbed the social ladder. In August of 1935, at the Palomar ballroom, bandleader Benny Goodman played a Fletcher Henderson arrangement of “Stompin' at the Savoy". The rest, as they say, is history. The dance craze swept the nation , and depending on where you lived, it was the jitterbug, the Lindy Hop or the Swing . Since those days, each successive generation has “discovered" the fun of Swing. This most uniquely American dance is enjoyed all over the world.
Music - Swing, Jitterbug, Jive, Shag, Lindy Hop, etc are normally written in 2/4 or 4/4 time with the musical accents occurring on the second or second and fourth beats of a measure. Swing includes two general rhythms: Swing rhythm 1,2,3&4,5&6 or its equivalent; Lindy Rhythm - 1,2,3&4,5,6,7&8 or its equivalent. Swing may be danced comfortably over a wide range of tempos.
Characteristics - A side step or triple step(shuffle) followed by a rock step done to lively music is the fundamental pattern for this dance.
Swing songs and artists:
SALSA
History - Salsa is the Spanish word for “sauce" denoting a spicy or hot flavor . As a dance it can be danced to a variety of different rhythms. Generically salsa music encompasses many Afro-Latin rhythms driven by the clave (two wooden sticks struck together). Today's Salsa is the result of many years of rhythmical evolution due to economical, social and political change. Salsa is the national dance of Puerto Rico. Many of the Salsa dance patterns are closely related to those of Mambo.
Music - In 1933 Cuban songwriter Ignacio Piniero wrote the song Echale Salsita(throw on some sauce) after tasting food which lacked Cuban spices. However, it wasn't until 1962 when Jimmr Sabater's tune Salsa y Bembe suggested the dancers liven it up or spice it up by adding a little “salsa"(sauce) to their movement when they danced.
Characteristics - Danced to four beats using only three steps, each step being a beat long, the remaining beat is used as a tag to the last step or perhaps an adorning(tap, kick or pause) movement called a highlight. Steps can be traveling or on the spot.
Salsa artists include:
ARGENTINE TANGO
History - Argentine Tango stylized by gauchos and used as a political statement in the early 1900's has transformed into a largely interpretive style of dance. There are two styles of tango, salon style and close embrace.
Music - Argentine Tango is danced to 2/4,4/4 and 6/8 time and a variety of tempos and styles.
Characteristics - Ganchos, Secadas, Sandwiches and foot pushes characterize some of the movements in the Argentine Tango.
Argentine Tango songs and artists:
MAMBO
History - In the 1940's Americans became fascinated by Latin American rhythms. The original mambo music, El Guardia Con El Tolete, had its beginning in 1944 as a Rumba with a riff improvisation. The Mambo combined American Jazz with Afro-Cuban beat. Arthur Murray Studios became famous for turning out some of the best Mambo dancers of the era. As parent of Cha Cha and Salsa, mambo s an exciting challenge for all dancers.
Music - Mambo music is written in 4/4 time with each measure divided into four beats with important musical accents occurring on the first and third beats. This dance can be done over a wide range of tempos.
LINDY HOP
History - Originally named by Roy Bolger, after Colonel Lindbergh's flight across the Atlantic, this swing style has as much “getting into the air" as possible. The more acrobatic versions were limited to ballrooms, of which the most famous was New York's Savoy Harlem.
Music - Lindy is danced to 2/4 or 4/4 time. The Rhythmic patterns take place over two or more measures of music and can be danced to a variety of musical interpretations.
Characteristics - the violently acrobatic used for exhibitions is not necessary for today's good dancers to enjoy this perennial favorite.
Lindy Hop Songs and artists:
FOX TROT
History - In 1913, Harry Fox a vaudeville comedian, introduced a trot to a ragtime song in the 1913 Ziegfeld Follies that pushed other trots into the background. It became America's most popular dance and remains so to this day as the standard of social dances.
Music - Fox Trot music is written in 4/4 time. The first and third beats are accented in 4/4 time. The range of Fox Trot tempos makes it possible to consider Foxtrot as though it were three dances: Slow Foxtrot; Medium Fox Trot; and Fast Fox Trot, also called Society Tempo. Fox Trot has two major teaching rhythms: Magic Rhythm - Slow, Slow, Quick, Quick (SSQQ) and Box Rhythm(SQQ).
Characteristics - The basic components of Fox Trot are walking steps and side steps. Crowded dance floors or nightclub conditions require that all three tempos be expressed with short steps. In Larger ballrooms the slow Fox Trot is characterized by longer smooth, gliding steps, demanding ease of movement and control in order to give this dance an unhurried appearance.
Fox Trot songs and artists:
HUSTLE
History - Discotheques (disco) with high quality sound systems, and flashing lights became a popular form of entertainment in Europe and America in the late 1960's and throughout the 70's. In early 1970's a new dance craze became popular on the crowded dance floors of New York. This “Touch Disco" was called Hustle. The hustle marked a return to popular dances where couples danced touching each other. The popularity of modern and “retro" music with “disco" beat keeps this dance fresh, exciting and full of energy for today.
Music - Disco music is normally written in 2/4 or 4/4 time with a strong bass beat. The melody and beat are based on rhythm and blues and the accent on each of the bass beats makes the music hard to resist.
Characteristics - Turns, spins and wraps are primary components of the Hustle. The more accomplished dancers will use syncopated timing and fakes along with elaborate arm styling.
Hustle songs and artists:
SAMBA
History - This national dance of Brazil became the rage of its society in the 1930's but began as an exhibition dance in Paris in 1905. Movie star & singer Carmen Miranda, is credited with making the dance popular in the U.S. in the early 1940's
Music - Today's Samba music is influenced by jazz and Latin rhythms. It is written in 2/4 or 4/4 time. The music is festive fast paced with a sound associated with Rio's Carnival. The basic count is “Slow a Slow" or “1 & 2".
Characteristics - Walking Steps and side steps are the basic components of Samba. The major characteristic of samba is the vertical bounce action. Steps are taken using the ball of the foot. Knee action along with body sway and “pendulum motion", in the accomplished dancer, is made to look effortless and carefree.
Samba songs and artists:
COUNTRY WESTERN
History - Today's country and Western sounds encompass a wide variety of tempos and feelings. Country, which was once only enjoyed in small "honky tonks" has developed into a mainstream musical favorites. Styles of country and western include Swing, Texas Two-Step, Three step, Triple and the Waltz.
Music - Country and Western music is danced to 2/4, 4/4 and 6/8 time.
Characteristics - Turns, spins, and shuffles are all elements used in the various styles of Country and Western.
BOLERO
History - The Bolero has the same Afro-Cuban roots as the Rumba and is thought to have originated from Cuban or Spanish folk dances such as Danzon and Beguine.
Music - The Bolero is usually played in 4/4 time and its tempo is slower than that of the Rumba. While Rumba music is very rhythmical, the lyrical Bolero sounds more like a Latin Ballad.
Characteristics - The Bolero has some different characteristics from its Cuban relative the Rumba. Its long sweeping side steps and use of rise and fall create a softness that makes this dance unique among the Rhythm dances. The expanding and contracting dance position makes a very dramatic and romantic statement.
Bolero songs and artists:
MERENGUE
History - There are two schools of thought as to how this captivating dance began. One says it started as a peasant dance in the Dominican Republic by African Slaves. Another says a returning war hero, a General Maringie, danced dragging an injured leg. Whatever it's origin, today's exciting rhythm of the Merengue inspires dancers all over the world to move to its intoxicating beat.
Music - Merengue music is written in 2/4, 4/4 or 6/8 time. The rhythmical accent will occur on the first beat of every measure.
Characteristics - walking steps and side steps(chasse) are the basic components of the Merengue. This dance is introduced as a marching dance but can be developed into a very rhythmical dance. With “Cuban Motion" and animated body movement, the Merengue gives a festive party appeal.
Merengue songs and artists:
