Dances
Cha Cha
Originally known as the Cha-Cha-Cha. Became popular about 1954.
Cha Cha is an offshoot of the Mambo. In the slow Mambo tempo,
there was a distinct sound in the music that people began dancing to,
calling the step the "Triple" Mambo. Eventually it evolved into a
separate dance, known today as the Cha Cha.
The dance consists of three quick steps (triple step or cha cha cha)
and two slower steps on the one beat and two beat.
Hustle
In the mid 1970s a dance phenomenon took the country by surprise!
The dance went by many names, but in New York City, the dancing
enthusiasts ended up simply calling it the Hustle.
While essentially Latin, Hustle incorporates elements from many dance
forms, yet its genesis was no doubt more improvisational discovery
than premeditation and appeared in much of the country as an
overnight sensation. Soon people from all ethnic backgrounds were
enjoying a new partner dance style. Its evolution was also influenced
by the changing fashions in music.
Mambo
The fusion of Swing and Cuban music produced this fascinating rhythm
and in turn created a new sensational dance. The Mambo could not
have been conceived earlier since up to that time, the Cuban and
American Jazz were still not wedded. The "Mambo" dance is attributed
to Perez Prado who introduced it at La Tropicana nightclub in Havana in
1943.
Rumba
There are two sources of the dances: one Spanish and the other
African. Although the main growth was in Cuba, there were similar
dance developments, which took place in other Caribbean islands and
in Latin America generally.
The "rumba influence" came in the 16th century with the black slaves
imported from Africa. The native Rumba folk dance is essentially a sex
pantomime danced extremely fast with exaggerated hip movements
and with a sensually aggressive attitude on the part of the man and a
defensive attitude on the part of the woman. The music is played with
a staccato beat in keeping with the vigorous expressive movements of
the dancers. Accompanying instruments include the maracas, the
claves, the marimbola, and the drums.
Salsa
Salsa- is the blend of essentially Cuban and Puerto Rican dance music,
which emerged in 1960s from immigrants in New York.
There are at least Six different styles.
The basic foot (and hips!) pattern is fairly standardized, but skilful salsa
dancers, with the man leading, combine it with such varied, dazzling,
turns, twists, and spins that it it's a wonder to behold.
Samba
The Samba originated in Brazil. It was and is danced as a festival dance
during the street festivals and celebrations. First introduced in the U.S.
in a Broadway play called "Street Carnival" in the late twenties. The
festive style and mood of the dance has kept it alive and popular to
this day. Samba is a fun dance that fits most of today's popular music.
Swing
The history of swing dates back to the 1920's, where the black
community, while dancing to contemporary Jazz music, discovered the
Charleston and the Lindy Hop.
Waltz
Waltz: a dance born in the suburbs of Vienna and in the alpine region of
Austria. As early as the seventeenth century, waltzes were played in
the ballrooms of the Hapsburg court. The weller, or turning dances,
were danced by peasants in Austria and Bavaria even before that time.
Many of the familiar waltz tunes can be traced back to simple peasant
yodeling melodies.
Cha Cha
Originally known as the Cha-Cha-Cha. Became popular about 1954.
Cha Cha is an offshoot of the Mambo. In the slow Mambo tempo,
there was a distinct sound in the music that people began dancing to,
calling the step the "Triple" Mambo. Eventually it evolved into a
separate dance, known today as the Cha Cha.
The dance consists of three quick steps (triple step or cha cha cha)
and two slower steps on the one beat and two beat.
Hustle
In the mid 1970s a dance phenomenon took the country by surprise!
The dance went by many names, but in New York City, the dancing
enthusiasts ended up simply calling it the Hustle.
While essentially Latin, Hustle incorporates elements from many dance
forms, yet its genesis was no doubt more improvisational discovery
than premeditation and appeared in much of the country as an
overnight sensation. Soon people from all ethnic backgrounds were
enjoying a new partner dance style. Its evolution was also influenced
by the changing fashions in music.
Mambo
The fusion of Swing and Cuban music produced this fascinating rhythm
and in turn created a new sensational dance. The Mambo could not
have been conceived earlier since up to that time, the Cuban and
American Jazz were still not wedded. The "Mambo" dance is attributed
to Perez Prado who introduced it at La Tropicana nightclub in Havana in
1943.
Rumba
There are two sources of the dances: one Spanish and the other
African. Although the main growth was in Cuba, there were similar
dance developments, which took place in other Caribbean islands and
in Latin America generally.
The "rumba influence" came in the 16th century with the black slaves
imported from Africa. The native Rumba folk dance is essentially a sex
pantomime danced extremely fast with exaggerated hip movements
and with a sensually aggressive attitude on the part of the man and a
defensive attitude on the part of the woman. The music is played with
a staccato beat in keeping with the vigorous expressive movements of
the dancers. Accompanying instruments include the maracas, the
claves, the marimbola, and the drums.
Salsa
Salsa- is the blend of essentially Cuban and Puerto Rican dance music,
which emerged in 1960s from immigrants in New York.
There are at least Six different styles.
The basic foot (and hips!) pattern is fairly standardized, but skilful salsa
dancers, with the man leading, combine it with such varied, dazzling,
turns, twists, and spins that it it's a wonder to behold.
Samba
The Samba originated in Brazil. It was and is danced as a festival dance
during the street festivals and celebrations. First introduced in the U.S.
in a Broadway play called "Street Carnival" in the late twenties. The
festive style and mood of the dance has kept it alive and popular to
this day. Samba is a fun dance that fits most of today's popular music.
Swing
The history of swing dates back to the 1920's, where the black
community, while dancing to contemporary Jazz music, discovered the
Charleston and the Lindy Hop.
Waltz
Waltz: a dance born in the suburbs of Vienna and in the alpine region of
Austria. As early as the seventeenth century, waltzes were played in
the ballrooms of the Hapsburg court. The weller, or turning dances,
were danced by peasants in Austria and Bavaria even before that time.
Many of the familiar waltz tunes can be traced back to simple peasant
yodeling melodies.
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