LATIN
Cha Cha
An offshoot of the Mambo, this flirtatious and cheeky Latin dance is characterized by its syncopated cha-cha-cha in each measure, and is probably the most popular social Latin dance in America. It originated in the 1950’s as a slowed down Mambo, but is also a stepchild of the Swing. The Cha Cha was made famous by many Latin bands such as Xavier Cugat and Perez Prado, and today the Cha Cha rhythm is found in much of today’s popular music.
Merengue
Its simple small steps and characteristic hip swing, complete with graceful arm flourishes make this dance easy to learn and perfect for fast Latin music. The merengue is a popular dance of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. There is an old tale about a famous military General Maringie who was wounded in battle and developed a limp. He got up to dance at a celebration in his honor, and danced dragging his injured leg. All the other men present, rather than embarrass him, danced in a similar way and thus was born the Merengue. Or it might simply have started as a peasant dance in the Dominican Republic by African slaves.
Rumba
The Rumba is Cuban in origin, and the music is a mixture of Latin and African rhythms. This was a street dance of courtship and marriage that met opposition from the upper classes because of the suggestive body and hip movements. Originally a lively, peppy dance, its current form is slow and sensual, giving you the chance to really express yourself, as well as to perfect technique, develop your sense of rhythm and muscle control that is also used in the faster Latin dances.
Salsa/Mambo
Salsa music is hot and so is the dance. With its tight, compact movements, Salsa is an exciting social dance and is one of the most popular club dances around today. Salsa is a more contemporary name for the same step pattern as Mambo, and came about when dancers started adding Hustle steps to Mambo.
Samba
The pulsing rhythm of the Samba and its fluid hip action make it one of the sexiest dances. When you hear the music, you’ll just have to learn this lively Brazilian dance. Known to Brazilians as their native dance, in was first introduced in 1917, but was finally adopted by Brazilian society in 1930. They say Carmen Miranda introduced the Samba in the United States in 1939. It is sometimes referred to as a Samba, Carioca, a Baion or a Batucado. The difference is mostly in the tempo played, since the steps in all these styles are very similar.
Bolero is a romantic, sophisticated smooth and sentimental dance. Originally a Spanish dance, it was changed in Cuba, and is known as the dance of love. The music and the feeling of Bolero enhance a sense of love and romance.
Cumbia is originally from Colombia. This is a fun dance that accentuates the swing of the hips in combination with a lot of arm movements.
Bachata was born in the 1960's and 1970's in the Dominican Republic. Bachata is danced to the slower, ballad-like Latin songs. Like Salsa, Bachata has an 8-count basic, but instead of moving back and forth like Salsa, Bachata moves from side to side. Additionally, partners tend to dance much closer to one another in Bachata. The basic is a side-together-side action and a hip roll and/or lift.
Paso Doble originates from Spain. It developed on the basis of movements performed by the matadors during the bullfights. The dance came into fashion around 1920. This is more of a performance/competition dance because it is based around previously agreed choreography (arranged precisely to the music) and it is far more difficult to improvise and lead. The character of the dance is arrogant and passionate.
SWING
Swing
Swing is a general term for many related kinds of dances. Single step, double step and triple step versions make Swing a dance easily adaptable to a variety of tempos of music, from moderately slow to very fast, and goes equally well to Big Band type music, contemporary pop and rhythm and blues.
East Coast Swing
This dance is frequently referred to as Triple Step swing due to the rhythm of the basic: Triple-step, triple-step, rock-step. It is a circular dance that is danced with a bounce and is very grounded and not high in the legs. East Coast swing is the base for all swing dances, and this fun upbeat dance can be done to lots of Big Band and contemporary music.
Lindy Hop
The original "swing", this street dance allows you to explore Big Band, Blues and Jazz music, with lots of room for improvisation. It is in a circular fashion, with lots of kicks, flicks, hops, lifts and drops. It is said that this dance gained its name from Charles Lindbergh and his ‘hop' across the Atlantic. It is danced to a fast tempo music
West Coast Swing
West Coast Swing is smooth and sexy and danced to rhythm & blues, contemporary and disco music. It is designed to fit in a narrow line, making it perfect for a crowded floor. Unlike most of the other swing dances, this dance has no bounce, and rarely will you see high kicks.
Jive
Jive is the International Style version of swing and it is danced competitively around the world. This dance is very bouncy, with very sharp flicks and kicks. It is danced to a faster tempo of swing music.
Hustle
Remember Disco, Hustle is the dance that emerged from the 70’s. The Hustle is a member of the Swing family and is like the West Coast Swing in pattern. What is danced today bears little resemblance to its original form. Now it is a fast, smooth dance, with the lady spinning almost constantly, while her partner draws her close and sends her away. Hustle is danced to the contemporary pop dance music of the last 20 years.
SALSA
Salsa/Mambo
Salsa music is hot and so is the dance. With its tight, compact movements, Salsa is an exciting social dance and is one of the most popular club dances around today. Salsa is a more contemporary name for the same step pattern as Mambo, and came about when dancers started adding Hustle steps to Mambo.
What are the different styles of Salsa?
Mambo (Ballroom) is danced on 2 and the count is 2,3,4,pause, 6,7,8,pause. Very sharp, dramatic movements characterize this dance. This is the style danced in ballroom competitions.
New York salsa has strong Puerto Rican influences. This style is also known as Mambo Tipico. The beat for Mambo Tipico is 1,2,3,pause, 5,6,7,pause, but the breaking step is on 2. This timing gives the dancers an extra beat to do their moves and results in a smooth style characterized by lots of spins.
Los Angeles salsa is danced on 1. LA style is characterized by very dramatic, flashy moves. Both men and women have a great deal of styling that is smoothly integrated into the dance making it even more sensual.
Cumbia is most common in the Central and South American countries. The Cumbia step (or the back-basic) is typically danced on 1. The leader steps back with his left foot on the 1st beat and back with his right foot on the 5th. Cumbia is characterized by a very bouncy style with each partner doing alternating left turns.
Casino salsa is based in Miami with strong Cuban influence. It's danced on 1 with a forward and back basic and cross-body lead. The forward and back basic is different from the other styles because the leader steps forward with the right foot while the follower steps forward with the left. Casino style can be danced by couples or in a very large group called a Rueda or wheel. In these Ruedas, a caller calls or hand signals each move and the entire wheel does the move simultaneously. Both the men and the women continually rotate around the wheel, switching partners.
TANGO
Come learn the sensual classic Tango of Argentina, with its compact hold and intricate footwork.
The dance of tango borrowed from many nations--the rhythms of the African slaves, native Indian rhythms combined with the music of early Spanish colonists and the Caribbean nations. Today, styles vary in Tango: the three that we teach at Chicago Dance are the Argentine, International and American.
In the early 19th Century, the Tango was a solo dance performed by the woman.
Although it has come to epitomize the glamour and elegance of high society, with women in sleek glittering evening gowns and men in tux and tails, the partner style of tango originated in society's underbelly--the brothels of turn-of-the-century Argentina. Originally, the tango dance developed as an acting out of the relationship between the prostitute and her pimp. The early tangos were highly improvised, and were generally regarded as obscene.
One story of Tango is that it started with the gauchos of Argentina. They wore chaps that had hardened from the foam and sweat of the horses body. Hence to gauchos walked with knees flexed. They would go to the crowded night clubs and ask the local girls to dance. Since the gaucho hadn't showered, the lady would dance in the crook of the man's right arm, holding her head back. Her right hand was held low on his left hip, close to his pocket, looking for a payment for dancing with him. The man danced in a curving fashion because the floor was small with round tables, so he danced around and between them.
As it became absorbed into the larger society, the tango lost some of it abrasiveness. The structure of the dance, however, remained intact, and soon the tango developed into a worldwide phenomenon. The dance spread throughout Europe in the 1900's, taking Paris by storm. Rudolph Valentino then made the Tango a hit in 1921 with several movies.
Argentine Tango is an intricate mixing of legs and feet, with the partners in a more intimate embrace. This dance can be danced in very small spaces.
International Style Tango is the style usually seen on televised dance competitions. It is danced with the partners always in dance position, and is characterized by quick head snaps and large movements around the dance floor.
American Style Tango is a combination of the other two styles and additionally allowing for more creative use of the arms and hands then the Argentine or International styles.
The principals involved in all three styles are the same as for any good dancing. First, the dance must fit the music. Second, it must contain the basic characteristic that sets it apart from other dances. Third, it must be comfortable and pleasing to do.
For exhibition dancing, a Tango dancer must develop a strong connection with the music, the dance and the audience. The audience can only feel this connection if the performer feels and projects this feeling. So it is when dancing for your own pleasure -- and your partner's!
BALLROOM
Foxtrot
The classic “Big Band” dance in 4/4 time, the playful and smooth Foxtrot is one of the most popular social dances, and one of the easiest to learn. The dance originated in 1913, when Harry Fox performed a little trot across a New York stage. The Foxtrot is deceiving, because it is easy and enjoyed for its ease of movement and smooth style, but can also be one of the most difficult dances to do at the higher levels.
Tango
Tango is known as the Argentine dance of love. This dance originated in the bordellos of Buenos Aires, Argentina and is done in a slightly different manner to the other dances. Tango tells the story of a flirtatious and passionate affair through smooth stalking walks, sensual close encounters, stylized poses and sharp staccato lines.
Viennese Waltz
The Viennese Waltz is a fast Waltz that originated in Austria several hundred years ago with composers such Johann Strauss and Joseph Lanner. In the middle of the 20th century the German, Paul Krebs choreographed the Viennese Waltz style in which we dance today. The exhilarating swoops and whirls make this dance feel like flying, and make it a favorite for Hollywood movies.
Waltz
The 1-2-3 of the Waltz is what most people associate with Ballroom Dancing. This dance appeared in Bohemia, Austria, Bavaria and various parts of Europe in the late 1700’s. This new style (for its day) was shockingly different, but is now known as the mother of our contemporary social dances. Its rise and fall and flowing patterns make this gentle dance very romantic.
Quickstep
The Quickstep is a very quick and lively dance, and includes many hops, skips and kicks. The dance began as a quick version of Foxtrot mixed with some Charleston influences. Because of the similarity of their music, many of the basic patterns of Quickstep are shared with Foxtrot.
