About Ballroom

Ballroom dancing encompasses a wide variety of partner dances that are danced socially and competitively around the world.  Competitive ballroom dancing has two main styles: International style and American style.  Most ballroom instructors prefer to teach one style or the other, although both styles are often danced at the same social dance.  Although we focus on international style, we also teach some American style dances as well as other styles of social dance.  We encourage students to take lessons in a variety of styles.

International Style
Commonly danced socially and competitively around the world, International style dances are divided into two categories: International Standard and International Latin. International Standard dances include Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz, Foxtrot, and Quickstep. These dances travel counter-clockwise around a rectangular floor and are danced to Western music. Competitive couples wear elaborate costumes: men are required to wear bowties and tailcoats, while ladies must wear full gowns, complete with elegant hair-dos and dramatic makeup.

International Standard Dances:
-International Waltz
International waltz, which is sometimes referred to as “slow waltz,” evolved from Austria before migrating to England in the 1800s. Once considered a scandalous dance (young debutantes were required to receive special permission from society matrons before dancing their first waltz), the waltz has evolved into one of the most easily recognizable ballroom dances. Frequently used as a couple’s first wedding dance, waltz music is in ¾ time and runs between 28-34 beats per minute. Most basic figures place 1 step per beat, i.e. 3 steps per measure. Common waltz songs include “Moon River” (Andy Williams), “Fascination” (Nat King Cole), and “Sunrise Sunset” (Perry Como).

-International Tango
Tango, with its multitude of styles, is perhaps one of the most interesting ballroom dances. Originating in Spain, it eventually made its way to the United States by way of the Argentine cowboys, called gauchos. Tango’s curving steps derive from the gauchos’ dancing around and through tables on their small dance floors. International tango focuses on telling a story. Unlike its Argentine and American counterparts, international tango music is difficult for beginners to count. The music is phrased to 16 or 32 beats of music and the timing of the figures is entirely dependent upon which figure one is dancing. Common international tangos include “Hernando’s Hideaway” (various artists) and “La Comparasita” (various artists).  

-International Viennese Waltz
Viennese Waltz is the oldest of the ballroom dances. Emerging in the late 1700s from German and Austrian roots, the traditional Viennese Waltz is twice as fast as its English offspring, the slow waltz. Danced at 180 beats per minute, couples dancing a Viennese Waltz are constantly rotating either clockwise or counter-clockwise with non-rotating change steps designed to facilitate a change in direction. International Viennese Waltz has few figures. The emphasis is on travel across the floor and endurance, especially in competitions. Common Viennese Waltzes include John Denver’s “Annie’s Song” and Johann Strauss’ famous “Blue Danube.”  

-International Foxtrot
International Foxtrot emerged in the early to mid 1900s as a reaction to a faster One or Two Step dance that was danced in the late 1800s. Popularized by Harry Fox in the US in 1913, Foxtrot split into three distinct styles as it evolved: International or Slow Foxtrot, American Foxtrot, and Quickstep. International Foxtrot is characterized by a “slow-quick-quick” beat and is often called “The Dancer’s Dance” because it is considered the most difficult of all the international standard dances. Danced to 4/4 music, often big bad music from the 40’s and 50’s, international foxtrot is characterized by smooth gliding movements. Doris Day’s “Singing in the Rain,” Jason Graae’s “One Day at a Time,” and Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon” are all commonly played Foxtrots.  

-International Quickstep
Quickstep is the newest of the international standard dances, emerging in the 1920s from a combination of Foxtrot, Charleston, Shag, Peabody, and One Step. Standardized in 1927, this dance is characterized by syncopated beats and includes hops, skips, runs, kicks, and locks. Often considered the flashiest standard dance, it is the last dance played at competitions in order to test competitors’ endurance and coordination. Quickstep is not as common a social dance as waltz or foxtrot, but can often be danced to swing music. Traditional quickstep music includes “Sing Sing Sing” by Louis Prima, “Puttin’ On the Ritz” by Liza Minelli, and “42nd Street” by (artist unknown).  

International Latin Dances
In contrast to the graceful and elegant Standard dances, International Latin dances are often danced to contemporary Latin music. These dances include Cha Cha, Rumba, Samba, Paso Doble, and Jive. With the exception of Samba and Paso Doble, competitive Latin couples do not travel around the floor. Instead, these couples perform their routines in one spot on the dance floor. Women often wear short-skirted outfits in bright colors, while their partners wear tight-fitting shirts and pants to emphasize their leg actions and body movements.

-International Cha Cha
International Cha Cha owes its creation to English dance teacher Pierre Lavelle, who visited Cuba in 1952 and realized that the Mambo and Rumba were often danced with extra triple beats. He returned to England and began teaching this new dance, naming it the “Cha-Cha-Cha.” Competitors in the 1960s formalized Lavelle’s “new dance” and shortened the name to Cha Cha. It is frequently danced to Latin rock or Latin pop music and is characterized, as are most Latin dances, by sharp leg actions and body movements. Cha Cha is also an incredibly popular social dance and can be done to a wide variety of 4/4 music. Popular Cha Cha songs include “Let’s Get Loud” by J-Lo and “Chilly Cha Cha” by Jessica Jay.  

-International Samba
Samba originated in the streets of Brazil as a lively, rhythmical dance that was, and still is, a festival dance during street festivals and celebrations. Introduced to the US in the late 1920s in a Broadway play called “Street Carnival,” modern International Samba retains the festival mood and style to this day. Although danced to 2/4 or 4/4 music, there are 3 steps per measure, giving the dance a downward bouncing feel. Beginning dancers find samba a difficult dance to count and it is not danced as often socially as Rumba or Cha Cha. Julio Eglasias’ “Bailamos” and Ricky Martin’s “Shake Your Bon Bon” are two examples of popular Sambas.  

-International Rumba
Traditionally considered to be of Cuban origin, the Rumba did not appear in the US until after 1900, and became popular in the 1920s and 1930s. International Rumba, like its faster counterpart the Cha Cha, owes its establishment to Pierre Lavelle and his partner. Together they popularized International Rumba in the 1930s in London. Their Rumba would eventually become the true “Cuban Rumba” and recognized as the official version in 1955. As the slowest of the international Latin dances, Rumba is often considered the most sensual and is frequently referred to as “the dance of love.” It is the dancers’ chance to emphasize slow hip movements and fascinating rhythms and body expressions. For this reason, it is one of the most popular dances, both socially and in competition. Common Rumba songs include “Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps” by Doris Day and “Fields of Gold” by Sting.  

-International Paso Doble
Paso Doble is the most dramatically captivating of the Latin dances. Although it originated in the south of France, it was modeled after the sound, drama, and movement of a Spanish bullfight and become popular in Europe and the US in the 1920s. The lead represents the matador, or bullfighter, while his partner represents the cape. This representation allows for unique body styling and encourages dramatic actions. Most Paso Doble music is based upon the famous “Spanish Gypsy Dance” that is phrased with fixed breaks and musical phrases. Most Paso Doble music is written with similar breaks and phrases. Due to its inherent reliance on a choreographed routine, Paso Doble is rarely danced socially.  

-International Jive
Jive is a lively and uninhibited version of the jitterbug that originated in the US among African-Americans in the 1940s. Brought to Europe by US soldiers, English instructors tamed down some of its “boogie woogie” elements, slowed down the music, and gave it a more elegant feel. Adopted in 1968 as the fifth dance in International Latin competitions, jive is the most athletically demanding of all Latin dances, requiring superior balance and coordination to execute quick turns, kicks, and syncopated rhythms. Danced to 4/4 time at 176 beats per minute, jive tempo music is not often played socially. However, swing music with slightly slower tempos is often played at social dances, and jive figures can be executed at slower speeds. Examples of jive music include “Zoot Suit Riot” by Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, “Runaround Sue” by Dion, and “In the Mood” (various artists).

American Style
Many social dancers in the United States prefer the American style dances. They are considered to be easier to execute on a social dance floor and are also easier for beginning dancers to learn. Competitively, American style is competed only in the United States. American style is divided into two categories: American Smooth and American Rhythm. American Smooth consists of Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, and Viennese Waltz. American style Cha Cha, Rumba, East Coast Swing, Bolero, and Mambo are all American Rhythm dances.

-East Coast Swing
Like most swing dances, East Coast Swing grew out of other swing dances, most notably Eastern Swing, Shag, Charleston, and Lindy Hop. Originally the term "East Coast Swing" was used to denote the ballroom variant of Eastern Swing. Despite its name, East Coast Swing (also called triple swing) is danced all over the country. Easily the most popular swing dance in the ballroom scene, it is characterized by a bouncy triple step, triple step, rock step beat. Many beginning swing dancers learn East Coast Swing before moving on to other swing dances. Typical East Coast Swing songs include "Jump, Jive, An' Wail" (The Brian Setzer Orchestra), "Route 66" (Big Joe Maher), and "Rock This Town" (The Stray Cats).  

-Bolero
Bolero began in Spain in the late 18th century as a combination to Spanish country dances. Originally danced in 3/4 time, it changed to 2/4 time when it migrated to Cuba, and then to 4/4 time when it was introduced to the US in the 1930s. Bolero is a unique dance, combining the patterns and timing of rumba with the rise and fall technique of a waltz or a foxtrot. The slowest of all ballroom dances, bolero music often gives a dreamy, fluid, romantic feel to this Latin dance. Examples of bolero music include "Falling Into You" by Celine Dion and "When We Dance" by Sting.  

-Mambo
Mambo originated in Haiti, deriving its name from the islands' voodoo priestesses. The dance itself is a fusion of Rumba and Swing, first seen in Havana in 1943 before traveling to New York in the late 1940s. One version of the Mambo, a triple version, is said to have influenced the evolution of Cha Cha into its own dance. Mambo can be counted as "quick-quick-slow" and, like international Latin dances, places the first "quick" on the "2" beat in the music, holding the "slow" over the "4,1" beats. When danced socially at ballroom dances, it is possible for an accomplished couple to mix Mambo and Salsa figures. Popular Mambo songs include "Mambo #5" (Lou Bega), "Tequila" (The Champs), and "I've Had the Time of My Life" from the Dirty Dancing soundtrack.  

Other Styles
A third category of ballroom dances are often referred to as “club” or “social” dances. Often mixed in with ballroom, many of these dances have their own dance parties devoted to a single style of dance. While these dances can also be danced competitively, their competitions are separate from traditional ballroom dance competitions. These other dances include: West Coast Swing, Merengue, Salsa, Hustle, and Nightclub Two Step.


-West Coast Swing
As its name implies, West Coast Swing was developed in California in the late 1940s. Although its origins are in Lindy Hop, it bears little resemblance to other swing styles. It is a “slotted dance,” meaning that both partners move along a single slot on the floor. West Coast Swing is most easily identified by a distinctive elastic look derived from its basic contraction-expansion technique of partner connection. West Coast Swing music can be either fast or slow. Emphasis is placed very highly on lead and follow techniques that allow both partners to improvise to the sultry beat of the music. Danced primarily on the West Coast, this dance is gaining popularity throughout the US, both at ballroom dances and in its own right. Common West Coast Swings include “Stray Cat Strut” (Stray Cats) and “Black Velvet” (Alannah Myles).  

-Salsa
There is considerable debate as to the origins of Salsa. While most historians agree that it came from Latin America, they disagree as to its Puerto Rican or Cuban roots. Salsa entered the US in the 1940s, but its influence declined after the Cuba embargo in 1959. Today Salsa clubs exist around the world. Salsa music has a strong African influence and is similar to Mambo. However, where Mambo is a back and forth dance, Salsa has more of a side to side feel and focus much more on turns. Typically done with a partner, Salsa can also be done solo or in a group.  

-Hustle
Ballroom Hustle is today’s version of disco dancing that was born in the Hispanic communities in New York and Florida in the 1970s. Popularized by Saturday Night Fever in 1977, hustle enjoyed a brief run in the popular imagination. The craze soon died down, however, and the various forms of disco and hustle combined to form what is called ballroom hustle today. There are several ways to count hustle, depending upon which style of hustle you are learning. It borrows some of its figures from swing or other Latin dances, especially turns. “Stayin’ Alive” by the BeeGees and “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor are two of the most popular ballroom Hustles.  

-Merengue
American Ballroom Merengue comes from Haiti and the Dominican Republic, where it is the official music and dance. Ballroom merengue, while not as popular in the US, is extremely popular in Latin America and other dance venues around the world. Its simple 4/4 timing with 1 step per beat makes it a very easy dance to learn, far easier than salsa or any of the Latin dances. Couples may walk sideways, turn around each other, or execute turns. Merengue choreography is incredibly versatile and often encompasses patterns from other Latin dances. “Hot Hot Hot” by Buster Poindexter and “Around the World” by ATC are two examples of Merengue music.  

-Nightclub Two Step
Buddy Schwimmer initially developed the Nightclub Two Step in the mid-1960s. It is frequently danced 4/4 timed, popular music, including “Lady in Red” (Chris Isaak), “I Hope You Dance” (LeeAnn Womack), “This Kiss” (Faith Hill), and “When a Man Loves a Woman” (Percy Sledge). Most commonly counted as “quick-quick slow,” some dancers prefer to start on the slow, usually on beat 2 of the music. Because it is exclusively a social dance, Nightclub Two Step has a great deal of variety in figures and timing. Many figures in other dances, including rumba, samba, and American waltz, can be translated into Nightclub figures. More important than timing is evoking the romantic feeling often associated with nightclub dancing.