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Foxtrot
The Foxtrot provides a good 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 background. I t became America’s most popular dance and remains so to this day as the standard of all social dances.
Waltz
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 today all over the world.
Tango
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.
Viennese Waltz
The Waltz developed in Central Europe from the Austrian dance known as the Landler. The first 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.
Quickstep
Coming Soon.
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Hustle
Discotheques (Disco) with high quality sound systems, and flashing lights became a popular form of entertainment in Europe and America in the late 1960s and throughout the70s. In early 1970s a new dance craze became popular on the crowded dance floors of New York. This “Touch Disco” was 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 keep this dance fresh, existing and full of energy for today.
Swing
Perhaps the most uniquely American of all dances, the Swing brings forth a buoyant carefree movement. It’s one of the dances that becomes contagious. The Lindy (Swing) picked up where the Charleston left off. With the birth or “Swing” music in the mid 1930s, the lindy climbed the social ladder. In August of 1935, at the Palomar Ballroom, band leader Benny Goodman played a fetcher 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. This most uniquely American dance is enjoyed all over the world.
West Coast Swing
Coming Soon
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