Dances We Teach

One of the most popular Latin dances in the U.S., the Cha Cha began as a variation of the Mambo called triple Mambo. It was so easy, fun to learn, and the rage of the 1950s. Its infectious one-two, one-two-three rhythm demands that sitters become dancers. Everyone can learn the Cha Cha.

The Rumba was at the beginning of the Cuban and Latin American crazes. Danced to music inspired by African rhythms and Spanish melodies, the Americanized Rumba was the basis for the Mambo and Cha Cha in the US. Rumba rhythms have found their way into Country Western, Blues, Rock & Roll and many other popular forms of music.

In the 1940’s, America 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 the Afro-Cuban beat. Both the Salsa and Mambo are exciting and challenging dances for all dancers.

Perhaps the most uniquely American of all dances, the Swing brings forth a buoyant carefree movement. It’s one of the dances that become contagious. The Lindy (Swing) picked up where the Charleston left off. 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, band leader Benny Goodman played a Fletcher Henderson arrangement of “Stompin’ at the Savoy”. The rest is history. The dance craze swept the nation and, depending on where you lived, it was the Jitterbug, the Lindy Hop or the Swing. Today, this uniquely American dance is enjoyed all over the world.

The Bolero is the slowest of the Latin dances. It combines controlled movement with dramatic expressions of the music. The Bolero has the same Afro-Cuban feel as Danzon and Beguine and is thought to have originated from Cuban or Spanish Folk Dances.

There are two schools of thought as to how this captivating dance began. Some say it started as a peasant dance in the Dominican Republic by African Slaves. Others say a returning war hero, General Maringie, danced it, dragging an injured leg. Whatever its origin, today’s exciting rhythm of the Merengue inspires dancers all over the world to move to its intoxicating beat.

Discotheques (Discos), 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 City. This “Touch Disco,” called The Hustle, marked a return to popular dances where couples danced touching each other. The popularity of modern and “retro” music with “disco” beats keeps this dance fresh, exciting and full of energy.

It is believed that the origins of the West Coast Swing are in Lindy Hop. In a 1947 book, Arthur Murray recognized that, “There are hundreds of regional dances of a Jitterbug type.” Each section of the country seems to have a variation of its own. In 1988, West Coast Swing was pronounced the Official State Dance of California. In writing about West Coast Swing, Skippy Blair advises, “The only problem that exists in SWING is when someone decides there is only ‘one way’ to dance it. There is never only ‘one way’ to do anything. ‘Try on’ different styles that you admire in other people…until you find the comfortable one that best ‘fits you’.”

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.

Bachata is a style of social dance from the Dominican Republic which is now danced all over the world. It is connected with bachata music.

In partnering, the lead can decide to dance in open, semi-closed or closed position. Dance moves or step variety strongly depend on the music (such as the rhythms played by the different instruments), setting, mood, and interpretation. Unlike salsa, bachata dance does not usually include many turn patterns but makes for a great night out on the town!

The elegant sweeping movement of the Waltz gives dancers a chance to practice balance and to move lightly with ease. 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 basis for many dances and is popular worldwide.

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 danced in movies such as “True Lies” and “Scent of a Woman.” Today, the Tango is considered the “dancers’ dance” and becomes a favorite of all who learn it.

The Foxtrot provides a solid foundation for all ballroom dances and is often called the “get-acquainted” or “first impression” dance. 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 to this day, remains the standard of all ballroom social dances.

The Waltz was developed in Central Europe from the Austrian dance known as the “Landler.” The music of Johann Strauss and the famous ballrooms of Vienna popularized the faster version known as the Viennese Waltz.