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Dance Styles
There are many styles in the world of dance, here are some of the dance styles that I teach...
Salsa (Mambo)
Movement and patterns that originated from the Cuban Son dancing of the 1970s, more specifically through the beat of Son Montuno with strong influences from the dance of Danzon, Mambo, Guaguanco, and other Afro-Cuban folkloric dancing. Today's salsa dancing is a rich blend of Latin-American and Western influences, namely from Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Colombia. Ballroom and Western style dancing has also helped influence Salsa. Salsa traces a 90 year history with its strongest similarities that of the Mambo which was danced in the 1930's.
Salsa/Mambo went though several evolutionary paths, sometimes split due to political and social influences. As result, today, there are three major salsa styles; Cuban Salsa (Casino), New York Style (Mambo on 2), and Los Angeles Style (On 1). Other Salsa branches include Colombian Salsa (Cali Style) and Miami-Style Salsa.
Rumba
Originating from Cuba, Rumba is one of the slower of all the Latin dances. There is another type of Rumba which means Cuban event with an African styling, but in this case I teach Ballroom style Rumba which is a box-step. This dance is usually danced to slower Latin music, however it can also be danced to a slower love song and is often the dance for wedding songs because of the sensuality of the movements and how it fits well with the music. This dance developed in Ballroom Studios as early as the 1930's. Rumba is one of the slower of all the Latin dances. There is another type of Rumba which means Cuban event with an African styling, but in this case I teach Ballroom style Rumba which is a box-step. This dance is usually danced to slower Latin music, however it can also be danced to a slower love song and is often the dance for wedding songs because of the sensuality of the movements and how it fits well with the music. This dance developed in Ballroom Studios as early as the 1930's.
Merenegue
A style of Latin American music and dance with a basic two-step beat that is usually very uptempo. Partners hold each other in a closed position. The hips of the leader and follow should move together through the music. Lots of turns and twist by altering the hand positions between the couple.
Cha-Cha
A Latin American dance of Cuban origin. It's dance originated so that if would follow the music of Cuban composer and violinist Enrique Jorrnan in 1953. This rhythm was developed from the danzan by a syncopation of the fourth beat. With Cha-Cha you can here Cha-Cha-Cha in each count of the music. It was Pierre Zurcher-Margolle who visted Cuba and later created what is known as the Ballroom Cha-Cha-Cha.
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Bolero
The slowest dance of all the Latin dances originating from Spain in the late 18th century and later arose in Cuba where it then became universally recognized. The Bolero is also a box step but a different type of pattern than that of the Rumba. Because of its slow rhythms this dance can also be used for Wedding Dances if the Rumba box-step doesn't fit the flow of the music.
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Samba
A Brazilian dance with African Roots which is recognized throughout the world as a dance relating to Brazilian Carnival. In Ballroom Samba there is a bounce throughout and the partners go through their patterns in both close and open positions rotating and traveling throughout the dance floor. This Latin dance is very percussive and lively.
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East Coast Swing
Evolved from Lindy Hop in the 1940's. This dance can be danced in Single Time or in Triple Time (not so common in Double Time) depending how well it fits with the music. The dance is uptempo with a bounce and a lot of hand changes, somewhat similar to that of the Hustle and Merengue.
West Coast Swing
This dance also evolved from the Lindy but is different from East Coast because it is danced in a slotted area where both partners travel back and forward. This dance is counted differently than East Coast Swing and is usually a slower tempo. It's got a cool grounded feel to it and can be danced with a beer in hand!
Hustle
This dance emerged in the 1970's as a line dance but soon branched off as a partner dance used in nightclubs and ballrooms. This dance is based on older dances such as the Mambo and originated in Hispanic communities of New York and Florida. This dance was a line dance with similar steps to that of the Salsa but soon after it fused with Swing its step was shortened to &123. This dance is regaining popularity nightclubs because it matches well with today's Club/House music beat.
Tango
The Tango originated in an area called Rio de la Plata which is a body of water that separates Argentina from Uruguay. Both Buenos Aires and Montevideo sit along Rio de la Plata. The Tango has both Spanish and African influences originating in lower class neighborhoods of Buenos Aires and Montevideo. The sound of the accordion in our modern day Tango was added into the Tango after its popularity spread through Paris in the early 1900's.
Foxtrot
This dance premiered in 1914 to the public. It's said to have begun around 1912 by a man named Harry Fox. In the beginning it was danced to Ragtime style music but later split into 2 groups Foxtrot and Quickstep depending on the speed of the music. Even when Lindy Hop came about in the 1940's the Foxtrot wasn't effected.
Waltz
The Waltz originated in Vienna Austria as early as the 17th century. It is a dance that is danced in 3/4 time. It was a court dance that was thought to be sinful and wicked in early times because of its close frame hold. Today there are two different Waltz tempos allowing for two distinct dances the Modern Waltz and Viennese Waltz which is the faster of the two.
Ballet
Originated in the royal courts of Italy in the 15th century. It later spread to France, Russia, and England developing into a concert dance. It became a highly technical form of dance with its own vocabulary over time. In the late Romantic period women who trained in Ballet often went into exclusion from everyone else in order to master this dance focusing on pointe work, acrobatic movements, and flowing all while wearing the conventional french tutu. Today both men and women dance ballet and there are some slight variations of how men will dance certain steps than women.
Modern/Contemporary
A style of dance that made public eye in the early 1900's, although some of the founders of modern dance were already dancing this way in the 1890's. Modern/Contemporary has technique like Ballet but with less restraint to the movement. The costumes are non-traditional and is often danced barefoot however not a requirement. Modern uses freedom of expression through movement unlike Ballet were all the movement is structured and layed out a certain way.
Jazz
Jazz dance before the 1950's began as African American vernacular dance and after the 1950's emerged a new style of jazz dance Modern Jazz Dance thanks to pioneers such as Katherine Dunham who began dancing this style of traditional Caribbean dance on stage and early TV recordings. It was Bob Fosse who made jazz dance popular by putting choreography together for Broadway shows and musicals on stage. Jazz dance also uses Ballet training as well as other forms of dance for enhanced technique. Today Jazz dance it seen in competitive dance, Las Vegas shows, Broadway shows, and has emerged with Hip-Hop dance and Pop Culture and can be seen in many music videos and by performing artist dancing on stage. Tap had also emerged from Jazz dance and is its own style of danci
Hip-Hop
A style of dance that can be both freestyle or choreographed. Hip-Hop dance emerged from Break Dancing crews. These crews (often referred to as B-Boys) would Pop, Lock, Tick, Break, and Freestyle by battling each other in the streets of NY. This style has also became very popular in other countries such as France and Korea where they hold battles yearly. Hip-Hop is most widely seen today in music videos and by performing artists. It is also danced in clubs as a form of free style expression (with no choreography). Other dance styles associated with Hip-Hop are Freestyle, House, Break dancing (Breakin') , Poppin', Lockin', Krumpin', Tecktonik, Grindin', Twerkin', Jerkin', Animation, Uprockin', Shufflin' and Jump Style.
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Benefits of dancing:
*Great exercise
*Builds confidence
*Relieves stress
*Improves posture, balance, flexibility, and endurance
*Enhances hand/eye coordination
*Improves memory
*Can be a great way to spend time with that special someone
*Can be a great way to meet others (social outlet)
*It's fun and entertaining!
Dance Styles