What Will You Get Out Of Taking Dance Classes?

Probably the immediate benefit would be to having fun and meeting new people. Dancing seems to put people at ease with each other and gives them a chance to talk and get to know one another.

Another advantage would be the seemingly effortless low impact aerobic exercise and there are real benifits. Dancing helps the heart work better and brings stress levels down. It helps in building endurance and muscles Dancing also sharpens reflexes, exercises the lumbar joints and helps to strengthen your back which lessens back aches and reduces leg cramping .

Dancing sharpen your mind by memorizing & recalling dance patterns. Social dancing strengthens memory response and hand eye coordination, Also notable articles links ballroom dance to helping those who suffer from Parkinson, Alszheimers and Dementia.

Ballroom dancing also helps you to gain confidence even when dancing for the first time. This knowledge of not feeling out of place dancing, can expand far beyond the dance floor and spill into your life.
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Syllabus

I teach from the well known professional dance syllabus produced by DVIDA
Novice, Bronze, Silver and Gold Levels are Taught
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EtiquetteReturn to Top

introductory special to get started!

Dance History
(A Brief History) compiled and written by Jeri Smith (used by permission) © Jeri Smith 2006

Argentine Tango, Bachata, Bolero, Cabaret, Cha Cha, East Coast Swing, Foxtrot, Hustle, Jitterbug, Jive, Lindy Hop, Mambo, Merengue, Night Club 2 Step, Paso Doble, Polka, Quickstep, Rumba, Salsa, Samba, Swing, Society, Tango, Theatre Arts, Two Step, Viennese Waltz, Waltz, West Coast Swing

Cultural Dances and Folk Dances exists world wide and spans all social spectrums. It expressed everything from emotions to events, animal dance to pantomime and from rituals to theatrical and just the simple expressions of joy. Societies have held dance in both high and low esteem and dance has been present through out history.

Social Dance or Couple Dance, from existing evidence indicates it originally evolved in Europe as early as 1350-1550. With the Basse and later the Pavanes 1450-1650 as a formal dances with gliding stately steps done by nobles. Also Round dances was also present during 1300's where couples created long chains by holding hands. In 1500's country dances were popular through England which were later translated in to Court Dances or "Ballroom" Dances in the 1600's on to 1820's. France also had it's dances in 1600's the Minuet, Cotillion popularized by peasants, also the Quadrille ("Square Dance") in 1740 and by 1812 High Society was dancing it.
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Musical Influences drive much of the dances evolution and dances themselves inspired musicians into new styles of music. In Europe the Waltz, Polka and Tango have there roots in the countries musical style which spread through out europe. As explorers embarked into the New World, the Spaniards introducing in Middle and Southern Americas its musical rhythms and styles which blended with Indian, Portuguese, African and French (creole) styles. These seeds of music would produce many of the modern ballroom latin and rhythm dances. While in Northern America the blend of European folk music, African and Irish music and folk dance all was destined to produce other ballroom dances of 18th, 19th, 20th century.

Ballroom Dance is a style of partner dance which originated in the western world. Ballroom Dance got its name because it was danced in a "Ballroom" a large room set aside for dance parties. Some of the dances still being danced across america today have been around in a form as early 1700's.

The Waltz was the first which derived it's name from "walzen" an old German word meaning to turn, roll or glide. The 3/4 time music from Vienna inspired the peasants folk dances as early as the 1700's but the ballroom dance, that's now referred to as the Viennese Waltz didn't develop into the dance we see today until the 1800's in France. It was combined with a court dance the Allemande that became an independent couple dance and the arms moved from being entwine at the shoulder to what is now called the "closed position hold". By 1825 it was firmly part of high society dances but it really took off, when the great composers Franz Lanner & Johann Strauss came on the scene.
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The Waltz we dance today evolved in America. Reportedly, first danced in Boston in 1834. The changes in the dance evolved because of the difficulty and speed of the Viennese Waltz style.To make it easier the dance was being transformed and by the late 1800's long gliding steps, hesitation and forward & backward movement were added. These two major changes along with the slowing of the of the music tempo, a new slower waltz developed. This version was called the "Boston". Later the name was changed to the "Slow Waltz" in International circles and simply the Waltz in the United States.
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The Polka from Bohemia (which became part of Czechoslovakia) was a peasant dance. In Czech "pulka" meaning is "half-step" referring to the rapid shift from one foot to another. Introduced in Prague 1833 however popularity and acclaim took hold as a Ballroom Dance when it came on the scene in Paris in 1840 and though over time it fell into disrepute in europe, in America it maintained it's popularity up till the early 1900's and still maintains it's popularity in many regions of the United States even today.
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Another Early Dance Is the Tango. In the early 1800's it was Originally a folk dance from Spain, danced by individual women. It was transformed in Buenos Aires, Argentina into the Tango that we know today as the Argentine Tango. This ballroom style achieved popularity in the mid 1800's. The dance was called the baile con corte, "the dance with a stop", It's believed the cumbersome clothes worn by the gauchos and women's full dresses brought about many of the movements that are characteristic to the dance even today. Later the Tango was introduced back into Spain and France, in the late 1800's and to England and America in the early 1900's. As happens to so many dances it evolves and in the early 1900's it was being transformed first into the Apache Tango. and continued changing up until the end of the first world war, but by 1930 it was simplified and standardized into the dance we know today as the Tango and has taken its place in history as the first Latin ballroom dance.
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The Foxtrot is the most popular dance of the 1900's is also the best documented as to it's origins. The Foxtrot appeared on the scene in the early summer of 1914. Articles and Advertisements are found in Variety Magazine - May 29, 1914, New York Times - May 24, 1914 - June 21, 1914 - July 26, 1914 and in November 1914 in a British periodical Dancing Times in an article by F. Leslie Clendennen a St Louis Dance instructor who describes the "Fox Trot" as ..."a nerve-wracking movement arranged by vaudeville actor named (Harry) Fox ... Only a few weeks ago Mr. Fox was showing his original trot." ** The foxtrot was a significant change in Ballroom Dancing, "Mr Fox's Trot" was a combination of quicks and slows trotting steps, danced to ragtime music.

The Foxtrot remains popular even today and spawned the Quickstep/Peabody (the fast foxtrot). In England the Imperial Society of Teachers recognized the fast foxtrot as the Quickstep in 1924 while in the US the fast foxtrot was called the Peabody named after then Lieutenant William Frank Peabody of the New York Police Force who popularized the dance. America has since recognised the Quickstep as it's official name in dance circles.

Another off-spring in social circles is the Society Step / Society Tempo is popular to accommodate very slow or fast music. All the Foxtrot or Quickstep patterns can be used. The Difference is all steps are done with the same count either all slows (stepping on every other beat in music) or all quicks (stepping on every beat in the music).
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The Bolero during the 1700s, was a Spanish dance and it was originally performed by a soloist but also couples. The music tempo was slow and in 3/4 time. The Cuban Bolero is a modified version of the spanish bolero. The music and rhythms changed to 2/4 and 4/4 is danced in a style that has some similarities to the Rumba. José Pepe Sánchez composition 'Tristezas' in 1883. is credited with this dances variations genesis and popularity. In the 1930s the Bolero became popular in the United States. The American Bolero's basic step is a modified angled steps which rotates the couples position. It's usually danced in close closed position, the Leader doing a backward-side left step with the right foot stepping and rocking-step behind the left foot, to a forward-side right step then stepping left foot rocking-step in front of the right foot, the "follower" doing the same step at opposite times, Most notable about this dance is the long elegant steps with rise and fall with subdued to non existent hip action and with long graceful and expressive body and arm movements.
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Paso Doble in Spanish means 'Two Step' and refers to the marching nature of the dance, which may be counted '1,2' or 1,2,3,4 for 'Left, Right' (Man's point of view). this Spanish folk dances is associated with the Bullfight. The male dancer portrays the "Torero" and the female partner the "cape" , it is danced to "March" music played for processions. Bullfights appeared in Spain as early as 1700s . The dance itself became popular amongst the upper classes of Paris in the 1930's, and acquired a set of French names for many of the steps. Surprisingly this simple dance has limited popularity as a "Social Dance" amongst English speaking societies, likely because the strong characterization of the dance makes it seem complex. It is kept alive in the USA by Dance Studio's as well as Americans of Columbian lineage who still dance this popular "social dance" of there country of origin. The competitive version of the Paso Doble is danced with the head kept back and yet inclined forward and slightly down tucking the chin inward. The chest held high, the shoulders wide and down, a aggressive and intimidating stance , eyes steely as staring down the Bull. The weight is forward, yet forward steps (in most cases) have heel leads. 'Espana Cani' (the Spanish Gypsy Dance), is often the familiar music of the dance. It Is choreographed to emphasis the crescendos in the music. with dramatic poses, creating the spectacular nature of the Paso Doble.
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The Merengue Origins are still disputed but traced to the last half of 1700's. It's the Dominican Republics National Dance, and there has several tales and speculations of its origin. These are based on its 2 major characteristics. The first is based on the dominant limp step about which there are two stories: The dance being a tribute, that imitates a great warrior with a wounded leg. The other references the motion of slaves working in the sugar can fields, wearing leg irons and having to move in time to a drum beat. The other characteristic that promotes the third speculation and origin, is that its a bubbly happy dance and that at the same time the Merengue was also danced in Haiti, There it is called "Meringue". It's believed that it derived its named from the sugar confection of the same name "meringue". Both the dance and the confection share a light and frothy characteristic. The Merengue was introduced in the United States in 1950's.
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The Lindy Hop came out of The Savoy Ballroom in 1927, and was popularized in Harlem. The Story goes that the name was a reference to the dancers, "flying like Charles Lindbergh". The Basic foundation of the dance is a syncopated two step with back-break or rock-step and basics are almost exclusively 8 beat patterns,. These steps were actually a combination of Vaudeville dances the Texas tommy and the shag but it popularity was slow in growing across the US. But by 1936 it' popularity had grown nation wide and was also referred to as the Jitterbug, Jive, Swing. The USA service men during the World War II popularized the dance through out Europe. The Lindy, Jitterbug, Jive, and Swing are today considered uniquely different dance styles because over time have taken on unique characteristics of there own. The Jive is Recognized as one of the International Ballroom competitive dances and it's unique characteristic is it's very quick sharp kicks and steps and also incorporates slot patterns from WCS, while the Swing/East Coast Swing is the American Ballroom Competitive Dance characterized with more side sway and spring action in the steps. While Lindy Hop is true to it's roots of defying gravity and Jitterbug became well known during WW2, and it is more grounded then lindy it is also characterize with stunts and kicks. Both Jitterbug and Lindy are alive and thriving across the US with a large following of dancer.
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The West Coast Swing was popularized in California in 1930s by New York Dancer Dean Collins and though it has It's origins from Savoy style Lindy, this dance evolved into a unique style of it's own. Various ballroom studios "step sheets" indicate that this style of swing went by many names until "West Coast Swing." stuck. What's unique about this dance is that it's unlike other swings dances of it's time, the dancers perform in limited space on floor called a Slot. The dancers moves back and forth or they makes half or full turn moves, which returns them to there back and forth positions within the slot. As a general rule the dance leader is more stationary, with the exception of the leader stepping aside to allow his partner to pass within the slot. There are various speculations as to the origins of the slot itself. One reason was dancing in lines, allows club owners to pack more dancers onto the floor. Another was that in Hollywood films it's important to keep dancers on the same visual plane, so they don't go in and out of focus. In 1988, West Coast Swing became the Official State Dance of California and has evolved into into a very tight and quick dance though it's also enjoyed by many as a "layed back" style.
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Rumba musics tempo is set by the claves, has been in cuba for over hundred years. The dances were the Son (the Upper Class) and the Rumba (the Lower Class) which were popular in cuba by 1900's. Rumba was first introduced in USA in 1913 but didn't catch on until it was popularized in 1935 by George Raft in the Movie "Rumba". The American Rumba is a modified version of the Son that is comprised of a small box step similar to waltz. It emphasises hip motion and includes some of the original Rumbas rigorous and sensual characteristics . The International Rumba characteristics style is simular to the American style however it is danced with more quick movements to stops, it's basic pattern steps are performed in a forward-backward motion. .
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The Samba originated in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, The Dance is the "Carioca Samba" which has its roots in African dances. In 1917 the ballroom version of Samba reached american dance floors and by 1923 it was dance instructors who recognized Sambas popularity and began writing instruction. The dance became widely known by movie audience when Delores Del Rio and Fred Astaire Danced the "Carioca" in the movie "Flying Down to Rio" in 1933. The Samba's notable characteristics are fast steps taken on quarter beats in closed steps and passing steps,with a obvious boucing action, also accentuated body sway with circular motion as well as a rocking pendulum motion of the couple lower body, this is also combined with very quick the running and passing steps.
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The Mambo originated in Cuba, The music, Mambo, was first composed in 1938 by Oresta Lopez this danzon he called the "Mambo". It combined African rhythms with danzon style music. But the Dance as we know it was attributed to Perez Prado who introduced it at La Tropicana nightclub in Havana in 1943 The dancing itself came out of rehearsals where couples improvised steps to the new beat which emphasized the second beat in the measure and though the step resembles the Rumba foot pattern thats where the resemblances ends the action starts fast with 2nd beat in a measure emphasizing slight pauses in the action between the 4 and 1 of the next measure. The Mambo arrived in New York via Mexico in the 1950s, It's Americanized version was popularized by Prado. This version of Mambo music contains american music influences and varies from the Cuban Mambo. The Mambo had a resurgence with the release of the Movie "Dirty Dancing" and though it's an American Standard Competitive Dance it has only given up ground Nationally, to it's Offspring Salsa in the last five years.
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Cha Cha is a rhythmical Latin dance which originated in the 1940's as a modified form of Mambo. Cha Cha dance and music emerged out of the natural evolution of music. Its parent is Mambo music, that developed it and the Mambo Dance that inspired it. During slower mambos' dancers started adding syncopated steps to the dances, these fast steps made a cha cha cha scraping sound with there feet. This new dance used Cuban side steps. Musicians aware of the dancers, experimented with new beats and tempos they heard from the dancers. The Mambo underwent subtle changes and Cha Cha or Triple Mambo was created. The syncopated steps produce a sound like "Cha Cha Cha". and the legendary Arthur Murray, simplified the dance by eliminating a "Cha" and invented the 1, 2, 3, Cha Cha - this modification made the dance easier to teach and learn. The dance became popular about 1954. This is the Dance now danced in the USA and International circles, as a Social Dance and in Dancesport.
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The Bachata originated in the contryside of the Dominican Republic.  The dance is a direct reflection of the music being played in the night clubs during the 1960s.  The Bachata has close ties to the Cuban Bolero. History of it’s Styles of Dance • Dominican Style: The original Bachata style comes from the Dominican Republic where the music also was born was danced only closed like a Bolero. This style is danced with soft hip movements and a small pop on the 4th beat (1, 2, 3, hip). • Traditional Style: The first Non-Caribbean style developed in US and Europe around year 2000, based on the earlier Dominican bachata (4 steps) but not quite the same. Currently (2009) the most common style of bachata danced all over the world as it was promoted with music from big Bachata stars such as Aventura, Xtreme, Monchy y Alexandra, to name a few. The main characteristic of this style is the close connection with your partner and dancing also with soft hip movements and a small pop on the 4th beat (1, 2, 3, hip) - A very romantic style of Bachata like the early Dominican Bachata. • Modern Style: also known as Bachata Moderna. A style that originated in Europe (Spain around 2005) and popularized in Australia around 2007. Basic Steps in a side to side motion, moving not only left-to-right as the Traditional style, but also moving to different directions and adding basic Tango steps (steps with many crosses, where on each count the male leads to a cross (cross on1, cross on2, cross on3), but on the 4th count keeping the pop or hip movement.
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Night Club Two Step has been credited to one man, who directly participated in the creation of this dance. In an Interview, Buddy Schwimmer said; that at age 15 he and his friends were dancing the popular line dance of the time the... "Surfer Stomp". ... "where the guys stand on one side and the girls on the other. You do Side, Cross, Side, Stomp. Side, Cross, Side, Stomp. We'd join hands and push 'em" (The Girls) "up in the air on the stomp". He explains "the count was: one, two, three, touch four"... and back the direction you came ... one, two, three, touch four"... . What he explains is that the dance became too slow to dance with slower music .... "So we double timed it and the count became "One & Two" ... "Three & Four". We thought of taking two steps with the left foot and then two steps with the right foot" (leader's part)" ... "That's where the name Two Step came from". "So if you were in Whitaker, Illinois in 1965, the night club 2 step was popular then". Today it's popularity is regional but it's growing both in the USA and abroad. The leader's pattern is; step left, 5th position break and step right, 5th position break and Repeat" . It's also has body sway and uses simple variations that cause the dancers to turn corners and travel. Excerpts from "An Interview with the creator of this beautiful "new" dance." by Philip Seyer.
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The Hustle is the definitive disco partner dance. It's earliest version the "NY Hustle" originated in the black and puerto rican areas of Manhattan and Queens New York, in 1970. It then migrated from there to the discotheques of New York and onto the big screen with "Saturday Night Fever" which truly popularized it in the USA and around the world. Over the years the dance has developed a Hybrid version which is a standardized slot dance, that is more demanding of the dancers. This version has eliminated the back-rock, in favor of the step together, creating a much tighter circle of half turns. The original dances count was &1 2 3 & 4 5 6 but it is now counted only as &1 2 3 and also counted 1,2,&,3. The simplest version of the Hustle from it's glory-years lives on today as well. This version allows couples to rotate their position on the floor. This version is still taught to beginners, because it's foot work and floor craft is less demanding making it the quickest way from dance lesson to dance party.
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There have been dances named Two Step in the United States since the mid 1800's. and from the early 1900's the two-step was considered a "Cowboy" dance. The difference between todays Two-Step and earlier Two-Steps is the rhythm. the older ''two-step" dances would today be called "triple-step, triple-step", the current Country Two-step or Texas Two-step has developed in recent years. This particular style of two-step emerged in the late 1970's and was popularized by the movie "Urban Cowboy". This two-step is now the main dance in country western circles today and though Its exact history is unclear, evidence indicates that It emerged out of Houston, Texas and was influenced by American Foxtrot. Both Foxtrot and Two-Step use the same 6-count basic rhythm and the very popular Foxtrot predates Two Step emergence by 40 years plus. Though it does share some of the characteristics of Foxtrot, when it grew up in Texas it took on a life of it's own. The two step like foxtrot is danced with two slow steps and two quick steps or two quick and two slow steps (depending on which part of the country you're dancing in) and is a smooth, fast traveling dance with many turns.
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Salsa comes with some controversy. Some people say Salsa is the "street" version of Mambo , because dancers start "Break" on beat one instead of beat two (The Break Is the forward-step and the backward-step in the basic pattern). Others believe it's about the subtle changes in the music from Mambo (which has strong two beat), into Salsa music. What is known about Salsa music, is that Musicians began changing and transforming mambo rhythms after 1960. They incorporating jazz rhythms with latin rhythms. There are several different salsa music styles, that developed in different regions: New York style, Puerto Rican style, Cuban style, California style. These Musicians began to create a new nuance to the rhythm, this is how many explain mambo becoming salsa. The subtler clave rhythm is still present as in Mambo but Salsa has a strong first beat as well and has intricate syncopations of American Jazz. To many this explains dancers desire the break on the one, to tap a toe or flick a foot because they hear it in the music. Salsa is now a unique musical style of it's own and as far as the dance goes the debate will surely continue; Is it mambo danced wrong or is it a unique dance itself. It really shouldn't matter because what counts is it's fun to dance.
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Theatre Arts/Cabaret are partner show dances combining the ballroom dances with acrobats, pantomime and other dance forms. Telling a story, creating drama and spectacle. Theatre arts usually is considered the spectacle dance with many grace-full but also gravity defying feats Cabaret includes some spectacle but tends to tell a story quite often in an tongue in cheek manner where humor at it's heart. This genre has it's roots in Vaudeville, Theatre and Vegas. Both dance styles are recognized competitive dance forms.
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