Dances We Teach - first page

This dance remains the most popular in the world of social dancing. Created by Harry Fox in 1913, the foxtrot instantly became a success. Though Fox created the steps, the Fox Trot is often associated with the style of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. It is the standard of social dances today, and is often called the "get-aquatinted" dance. The Fox Trot is considered to be a great dance for beginners because it teaches variety and maneuverability. The music for the dance is in four/four timing: slow, slow, quick, quick. The Fox Trot is usually danced to moderately slow Big Band music, but since most popular music is written with the same timing, it can be danced to today's tunes. In the early years of the Fox Trot, the steps were quite fast. It wasn't until the 1930' when the Latin dances hit the ballroom scene that the Fox Trot slowed down to take on a smoother flowing quality. A classic dance for wedding receptions, the Fox Trot is a true American favorite.

The waltz began in 17th century southern Germany. It might be the most popular and well-known dance of all time. The waltz gained its popularity as a social dance through the music of Johann Strauss. It is a common dance at weddings and other social events, but at its birth was considered only a dance for the lower class. The proper people of society thought it was improper to hold each other so close while dancing. Soon the taboos faded, and the waltz became the dance of kings and queens as well as the common people.

A romantic rage in the '20's, the tango originated in the lower class city brothels outside of Buenos Aires. It was stylized by the Gauchos in Argentina before making it to the United States. The "golden age" of the tango occurred in the 1940's. During this time, the tango was "all the craze" in Buenos Aires with tango clubs open in every neighborhood every night. Today it is considered the "dancer's dance" and has become even more popular due to its presence on the silver screen. It first appeared on film in the 1920's danced by Rudolph Valentino, who is credited with introducing it to Americans. Recently AI Pacino danced the tango as a blind man in "Scent of a Woman." Madonna's film "Evita" also featured tango dancing. There is the sensual take on tango which is the "check to check" Argentina Style, as well as, less dramatic smooth American style.

The Viennese waltz is the oldest and most elegant of the ballroom dances and, like slow Waltz, is unique due to its 3/4 timing. It was first developed in Vienna as a fast paced dance to the music of Johann Strauss, from which a slower version was later developed. The Viennese waltz is characterized with quick circular motion as couples spin across the floor. Experience with the slow waltz is highly recommended before beginning the Viennese Waltz.

Quickstep evolved out of the foxtrot. It has a very quick tempo and the dance moves around the room like waltz and foxtrot. This dance is only an International Style dance, with no counterpart in the American style dances. In the advanced levels of quickstep are the characteristic hops, skips, and slides that are seen on the PB5 show, Championship Ballroom Dancing. The Quickstep was also featured in the Japanese film, "Shall We Dance."

The Hustle marked a return to popular dances where couples danced touching each other. In the early 1970's a modified Lindy Hop or Jitterbug became popular on the crowded dance floors of New York. It was called The Hustle, it is still popular today, and is danced to modern "disco" music based on Rhythm & Blues.

There are two schools of thought as to how this captivating dance began. One says it started as a peasant dance in the Dominican Republic by African slaves. The dragging of one leg relieved chafing of leg irons. Another says a returning war hero, General Maringie, danced dragging an injured leg. Today the exciting rhythms of the Merengue inspire dancers all over the world to move with intoxicating beat.