Dances We Teach - page three

Jive is dance style in 4/4 rhythm that originated among African-American in early 1940's. It is lively and uninhibited variation of the Jitterbug. American soldiers brought these dances to Europe around 1940, where they swiftly found a following among the young. After the war the boogie became the dominant form of popular music. However, it was never far from criticism as a foreign, vulgar dance. The famous ballroom dancing guru, Alex Moore, said that he had "never seen anything uglier". English instructors developed the elegant and lively Jive, danced to slightly slower music. In 1968 it was adopted as the fifth Latin American dance in competitions.

Bolero is an "American Style" Dance, which was introduced to United States in the mid-1930's. At that time, it was danced in its classical form, which was performed, to a constant beat of drums. Originally a Spanish dance in 3/4 time, it was changed in Cuba initially into 2/4 time then eventually into 4/4. It is now danced as a very slow type of Rumba rhythm. The music is frequently arranged with Spanish vocals and a subtle percussion effect.

Salsa is usually a partner dance form that corresponds to salsa music. In some forms, it can also appear as a performance dance. The word is the same as the Spanish word salsa meaning sauce, or in this case flavour or style.

West Coast Swing is the 'Official State dance of California'. San Diego, San Francisco and Los Angeles all argue about what city West Coast Swing originated in, however Los Angeles California area tends to win the debate. West Coast Swing originated from an earlier dance known as the Savoy Style Lindy, which was done at the Savoy Ballroom in New York in the early 1930's.

Very similar to the discipline of figure skating, the International Style of dancing requires a thorough study of specific standardized techniques and movements that are now studied and continually improved upon by competitors of every major country in the world. The movement and style of the Modem Ballroom dances was established over 50 years ago, whereas the Latin American dances were more recently standardized to be included in major World and International dance championships. The dances of the International Style provide one of the most exciting courses of study for the contemporary dancer interested in competitive dancing. Levels include the Bronze, Silver, Gold and Open Gold in both the Modern Ballroom and Latin American sections.

Our students attend Regional or National Competitions, where they compete at appropriate levels, and teacher-student teams rival each other in spirited contests. At competitions, students meet, mingle, and compete with other student dancers. Participating in competitions gives every student the opportunity to progress more rapidly and become a better dancer sooner.