Styles of Dance We Teach

We’re mainly a social/wedding dance studio, so we focus on the dances that work best for those situations. In total, our syllabus has 12 dances:

• Bachata

• Cha cha

• Country Western Two-Step

• East Coast Swing & Lindy Hop

• Foxtrot

• Hustle

• Night Club Two-Step

• Rumba

• Salsa

• Tango

• Waltz/Viennese Waltz

• West Coast Swing

Below, you’ll find short descriptions of each of the dances.

Bachata

Bachata, as a dance, originated from the musical style in the Dominican Republic in the 1960s. It was danced primarily in the bars of brothels of the countryside, which made many consider it an art form of low standing; however, in recent years, Bachata has grow and thrived all over the world, and has finally reached a place where it is widely accepted.

Originally, the basic step of the Bachata was danced forwards and back; however, the basic is now more commonly danced from side-to-side. It is counted one, two, three, four, five, six, seven eight, with an accentuated hip action (especially for the follower) on the “4” and “8.” This hip action is one of the most notable characteristics of Bachata.

Cha Cha

Cha Cha evolved in Cuba as a variation of Mambo and was used for slower version of Mambo music; shuffle steps were inserted between the forward and back breaks of the Mambo to fill the time in the slower music. Cha Cha supposedly received it’s name from the sounds of the women’s feet shuffling across the floor.

Cha Cha came to the United States in the early 1950s and promptly sparked a dance craze.

After Cha Cha arrived in the U.S., the traditional violins and flutes of the Cuban music were often exchanged for the popular big-band instruments of the era, such as trumpet and trombone.

Cha Cha is a flirtatious and lively dance. Like most other Latin dances, it is non-progressive and emphasizes Cuban motion and rhythmic body expression.

The dance is usually counted as 1-2-3-4-and, or 1-2-3-cha-cha

Country Western Two-Step

Country Two-Step is primarily danced to country music and is a variation of Foxtrot. I got its various names, like Texas Two-Step and Country Two-Step, when it separated from Foxtrot in South.

Two-Step skyrocket in popularity in the 1980s after the release of the Travolta movie, Urban Cowboy, which takes place in Texas at a bar called Gilley’s that’s famous for Two-Step.

While the choreographers for the Hollywood film integrated a few Foxtrot movements into the performances, they got rid of the usual rise, fall and brushing of the Foxtrot. This gave the Two-Step a shuffling characteristic. The flat-footed technique of the Two-Step makes it quite distinct from its “smooth” Foxtrot ancestor.

East Coast Swing and Lindy Hop

This description could be a whole book unto itself, so we’re gonna keep it short and give a little history.

Swing is a group of dances that developed with jazz music in the 20s, 30s, and 40s. Like with other styles of dance, “swing” refers to the style of music (jazz and big band in this case) that inspired the dance. During the “swing era,” countless styles of swing dancing were developed. Not many of these styles survived over the decades, with just a couple - Lindy Hop and the Charleston - still commonly danced today. The most popular swing dance, even to this day, is the Lindy Hop, which originated in Harlem in the early 1930s.

The term “swing dancing” is a late 20th Century term and includes other dances that don’t have certain characteristics shared in traditional swing dances such as the Carolina Shag, East Coast Swing, Jive, and West Coast Swing.

Foxtrot

Foxtrot, along with dozens, if not hundreds of dances (to name a few: Turkey Trot, Monkey Dance, Horse Trot, Grizzly Bear, Bunny Hug and Kangaroo Dip), popped up in the early 20th Century as a response to the syncopated ragtime music of the era. Most of these dances had a characteristically jerky motion.

In 1914, Harry Fox came up with his version of trotting and it quickly became a hot dance in New York City. When the Foxtrot finally made it to England, it was codified and smoothed out (as the brits did with many dances) and became more reminiscent of a Waltz. Foxtrot now is a characteristically smooth dance with controlled movement and a very leisurely look. Modern dancers mainly dance the Foxtrot to big band music, like Frank Sinatra’s, “The Way You Look Tonight.”

Hustle

Hustle was developed during the Disco era of the 1970s. It’s generally an upbeat, rhythmic dance similar to the swing dances. But unlike East Coast Swing and Lindy Hop, Hustle doesn’t have “bouncing” or rise and fall. It’s actually quite smooth and rotational. In fact, at Ballroom Dance Chicago and Ballroom College, we refer to Hustle as “Smooth Swing.” We also don’t listen to much Disco music, so we’re often dancing Hustle to contemporary pop songs like “Uptown Funk,” by Mark Ronson, or “Get Lucky,” by Daft Punk. Hustle is an extremely versatile dance that anyone looking to dance at events (like weddings and charity balls) should learn.

One last note: the Hustle should not be confused with it’s line dance cousin “The Hustle.” While they share names and were originally danced to the same music, the partner dance has lived on while the line dance has faded into history.

Nightclub Two-Step

Nightclub Two-Step was developed in the 1960s for slow to mid-tempo ballad music in 4/4 timing. At the basic level, Nightclub Two-Step is a perfect dance for those wanting to take their slow partner dancing beyond a simple sway.

Some songs we use for Nightclub Two-Step include:

• “Just a Kiss,” by Lady A

• “You’re Still the One,” by Shania Twain

• “Home,” by Michael Buble

• “Who You Love,” by John Mayer

• “Thinking Out Loud,” by Ed Sheeran

• “Let’s Get It On,” by Marvin Gaye

• “I’m Not the Only One,” By Sam Smith

Salsa

Whether talking about the “spicy” movement style or the blend of forms in its creation, Salsa is an incredibly fun dance. Salsa’s roots come from Cuba in the late 19th century, the dance forming in tandem with the popular music style with which it is paired. Salsa’s unique style comes from a combination of elements from Son of Cuba, troubadour music from Spain (flamenco and others), Rumbas coming from Africa through the slave trade, and Haitian immigrants.

 Salsa’s basic step moves forward and back with dancers stepping on 1, 2, 3 and 5, 6, 7 counts, with rests on the 4 and 8 count. As this form became popular in night clubs Salsa has the ability to be danced in smaller spaces with plenty of people. This style is highly improvisational allowing both the lead and follow to have both a sense of dancing with another person and being self expressive.