14 Types of Dances

Cha Cha Cha
Originally derived from the Mambo and Rumba, the Cha Cha Cha was the rage in the 1950's and is probably the most popular social Latin dance. The term cha-cha comes from Haiti, referring to a part of a bell which made a "cha cha" noise while it was rubbed. It was kept and used as an instrument. Some people also say that the name comes from the scraping and shuffling sounds made on the floor whilst dancing the triple mambo. The dance consists of three quick steps (triple step) and two slower steps on the one and two beat. In the 1940s mambo was huge in the US, but was fast and quite difficult to dance to. Musicians slowed down the mambo, and Cha Cha Cha was born. In 1951 Cuban violinst and composer Enrique Jorrin brought the cha cha cha rhythms to Cuban dance floors - possibly developed as a result of the peculier scraping and shuffling sounds made on the floor whilst dancing the triple mambo, the Cha Cha Cha was formed and is now danced to a wide variety of music from authentic Latin sounds to todays pop music. The infectious rhythms and steps are a wonderful base to get down and groove to.

Samba
Say "Samba" and who doesn't think of the Rio carnival parade? Samba is the most famous of all the music born from African and Portuguese music in Rio de Janeiro. Brazil has many types of Samba; more elegant salon dancing, and the wild, uninhibited popular dancing associated with Carnival. The name samba comes from the Angolan word sembe, or religious rhythm. Samba evolved as a distinct form in the early 20th century in Rio de Janeiro, influenced by the immigrant black dancers from Bahia. No one really knows who first created samba, but it was likely to be the group around Tia Ciata, including Pixinguinha and Joao de Bahiana. Then Pelo Telefone was recorded Donga and Mauro Almeida back in 1917. Earlier recordings had been registered as samba but this song is considered the first true samba recording. It broke samba out of the ghettos and into a more more mainstream audience. In the 1928 Ismael Silva and a group of gangsters/samba composers formed Deixa Falar, the first samba school. They evolved the musical genre to make it fit better with the carnival parade. During this time, radio become hugely popular and increased samba's popularity all over Brazil. Samba became Brazil's official music. Carmen Miranda popularised Samba outside of Brazil through her movies and introduced Brazilian rhythms to the United States and Europe. Since then the Samba has undergone a metamorphosis, the steps becoming more stylised and standardised. Artists like the sophisticated Dorival Caymmi, Custódio Mesquita and his elaborate harmonies, Pedro Caetano’s swing, Assis Valente and his tropicalist costumes and Herivelto Martins and his luxurious populism led the samba, already driven by the music industry, through different paths. Ary Barroso’s Aquarela do Brasil became the first Brazilian anthem abroad. In time samba metamorphosised in different directions, from the gentle samba-cancao to the drum orchestras so popular in the carnival parade. One style was created by middle class white people ... the bossa nova. HIghly urbanised areas led to the creation of the first popular nightclubs (gafieiras), which produced their own syncopated style - the samba-choro or gafieira samba. Still in the 30s, the samba de breque evolved ?using pauses in the music filled in with rap-like speeches. So the gangster persona created by Moreira da Silva was crystallised, as well as the sub-genre samba-canção, or samba-tune. In São Paulo and Bahia, samba would receive tints of the local cultures. The 60s were samba's golden years. Brazil had political problems and the leftist bossa nova musicians brought samba a lot of attention. Aldir Blanc revolutionised samba in the 60s is still around today. Ten years later samba was back on the radio. Usurped by disco and Brazilian rock, samba reappeared in the 1980s in suburban Rio de Janeiro as the pagode, a new samba, using instruments like tamtams and banjos. It used common language, more like everyday slang. Samba has very distinctive and varied rhythms occurring within every song, which builds richness in the music and excitement in the listening. It is often called the "South American Waltz", as it features a "rise and fall" type of motion which is associated with waltz .

Rumba
Rumba is an entire family of rhythms, as well as the dance style. Son, Danzon, Guagira, Guaracha and Naningo are all rumba dances. Rumba is a combination of African rhythms and Spanish melodies - it originated in Africa and came to Cuba and the New World in the 16th Century with the import of slaves. The Rumba is a pre-requisite for good Latin dancing, and helps sharpen your sense of rhythm, timing and muscle control. The dance mainly developed in Cuba, although similar movements started in a few other Caribbean islands.The exact meaning or style is slightly different on each island. Cuban Rumba is the basis for the Mambo and Cha Cha. The native rumba folk dance is a sex pantomime between a man and woman. It uses a staccato beat with maracas, claves, marimbola and drums which represent the vigorous movements of the dancers. True rumba is a sexually charged dance, performed very fast with exaggerated hip movements. The man pursues his woman aggressively and the woman's role is sexually defensive.Rumba first became popular in Havana in the 1890s. With such strong sexual overtones rumba was often suppressed and restricted because it was seen as lewd and potentially dangerous. During the Prohibition years cabaret rumba became popular and was more socially accepted. American tourists watched short plays (sainetes) which often featured rumba dancing. Son and Danzon are much slower versions of the rumba - some dancers say these are the most erotic Latin dances because of the slow hip movements. Son Montuno, a progression from Son with more trumpets and piano, became the ultimate expression of Cubamisimo. So the rumba mixed itself in and by the 1940s had earned respectability. Rumba first came to the the United States in 1913, brought by Lew Quinn and Joan Sawyer. During the twenties interest was low until 1989. Xavier Cugat formed an Latin American style orchestra. He and his orchestra played around the country and appeared in some of the first fims to include sound. By the end f the 30s he had the bet Latin orchestra of the day. In 1935 George Raft played the part of a suave dancer in the movie "Rumba", a musical in which the hero finally won the love of the heiress (Carol Lombard) through their mutual passion of dancing. As recently as 1940, the "Son" was the popular dance of middle class Cuba - a slower and more refined version of the native Rumba. Slower still is the "Danzon", the dance of wealthy Cuban society, where very small steps are taken. The woman produces a very subtle tilting of her hips by alternately bending and straightening her knees - very sexy! A Big Band variant of the rumba is almost twice as fast and was first popular in the US in the 1930s. This type of dance is sometimes called Rhumba, with an h. In the 1990s the Gypsy Kings (from France, surprisingly) merged rumba with flamenco.

Paso Doble
Paso Doble is a lively, theatrical Spanish dance, developed in France. so doble literally means “two step?so is always in duple time (eg 4/4 time). The dance is based around the concept of the bullfight ?it acts out scenes from a bullfight and uses music played at bullfights during the matador’s entrance (paseo) or during the passes (faena) just before the kill. The man plays the matador, the woman is sometimes his cape (cappa) and sometimes the bull itself. The dance culminates in the man killing the bull ?it is one of the most dramatic dances you will see. This really is a man’s showpiece dance - the man is the focus for most of the dance. He dances proud, back arched, shoulders back and head up. His movements are deliberate and run heel-flat like a march. Unlike most Latin dances there is little or no hip movement. The woman plays a lesser role ?usually as his cape. She will sway her body and flow lightly about the floor. Paso doble is a progressive International Latin dance. It is most like the Standard International style ?forward steps are taking with a heel lead, the frame is wider and more strictly kept up, and there is very little hip movement. The music is developed from Espana Cani (Spanish Gypsy dance), which has breaks in fixed positions throughout the song. Paso doble is a very choreographed routine, mostly danced competitively rather than socially. You would only learn the paso doble after quite some time with simpler dances.

Jive
On March 26th, 1926, the Savoy Ballroom opened its doors in New York. The Savoy was an immediate success with its massive dance floor and raised double bandstand. Nightly dancing attracted most of the best dancers in the New York area. Stimulated by the presence of great dancers and the best bands, music at the Savoy was largly Swinging Jazz. One evening in 1927, following Lindbergh's flight to Paris, a local dance enthusiast named "Shorty George" Snowden was watching some of the couples dancing. When a newspaper reporter asked him what dance they were doing, it just so happened that there was a newspaper with an article titled "Lindy Hops The Atlantic" next to him, to which he replied Lindy Hop. The Jive is an accumalation of, Lindy Hop, Jitterbug, Lindy, Swing and Rock n Roll and was brought to England from the United States during the Second World War. It significantly changed the image of dancing, making it more exciting and carefree.

English Waltz
The Waltz, a dance born in the suburbs of Vienna and in the Alpine region of Austria. As early as the 17th century, waltzes were being 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. By the end of the 18th century, this old peasant dance had been accepted by high society, and three-quarter rhythm was here to stay. However popular, the opposition was not lacking, the Waltz was criticised on moral grounds by those opposed to its close hold and rapid turning movements. A lot of the disapproval was voiced by the older generation, but seldom mentioned is the fact that Queen Victoria was a keen and expert ballroom dancer with a very special love of the Waltz. Fortunately, the violent opposition faded out and the Waltz weathered an exciting and varied career, emerging today in two accepted forms, both reflecting the main characteristics of the dance. They are known as the English Waltz and the Viennese Waltz.

Tango
 Tango is one of the most fascinating of all dances. Originating in the West Indies, the Tango was introduced to the New World by the Spanish settlers, eventually coming back to Spain with Black and Creole influences. The story of ballroom Tango originated with the gauchos in the lower classes of Buenos Aires. Wearing chaps with high boots they would go to the crowded night clubs and ask the local girls to dance. Since the gaucho hadn't showered, the lady would dance in the crook of the man's right arm, holding her head back. Her right hand was held low on his left hip, close to his pocket, looking for payment for dancing with him. The man danced in a curving fashion because the floor was small with round tables, to which he danced between and around. The dance spread throughout Europe in the 1900's and was the romantic rage, introduced to millions by the silent screen idol Rudolph Valentino in "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse". Tango is not as intensely intimate as Argentine Tango, as the dancers maintain a regular social dance hold. Although it's origins lay somewhat in Latin countries, Tango is not considered a Latin dance as it does not feature Cuban Motion.

Foxtrot
The Foxtrot originated in the summer of 1914 by Vaudevillian Harry Fox. As part of his act he would do trotting steps to ragtime music, and so people referred to his dance as "Fox's Trot". In the rise to fame of the exquisite exhibition dancers Vernon & Irene Castles a phenominon was ablaze in copying their every move after returning from Paris in 1912. Together with new trends, the next few years would be a turning point for the Castles, leading them on to embellish the Foxtrot which in turn became their most original and exciting of all dances. The elite of the dancing World were soon trying to capture the unusual style of movement created when a very talented American, G.K. Anderson came to London, and with the legendery Josephine Bradley won many competitions. The seal was set, so to speak on the style we know today as the Foxtrot. The Foxtrot was the most significant development in all of ballroom dancing. The combination of quick and slow steps permits more flexibility and gives much greater dancing pleasure than the one-step or two-step, which it has replaced. There is more variety in the Foxtrot than any other dance, and in some ways is the hardest dance to learn.

Quickstep
Although the music for Quickstep sounds like a fast Foxtrot, it is actually considered to be a marriage between the Waltz and the Charleston! The dance features both the light, airy foot movements of the Charleston and the "floating through space" of the Waltz. We teach Social Quickstep and Foxtrot together in the same class due to the similarity of the music, and on a social level, many people dance Quickstep as a fast Foxtrot. Quickstep is a ballroom style competitive dance.

Viennese Waltz
The Viennese Waltz finds its origins in the very ancient move of the primitive folk dances of Austria. For several centuries pairs have danced, spinning around on the same spot while holding each other very closely. At the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century these dances shifted to towns and cities. Instead of being performed in country yards and taverns they were now being danced in the great ballrooms of Vienna. Hopping and stamping was transformed into smooth gliding movements over spacious polished floors. The music of the Viennese Waltz is elegant, grand and full of passion. The dance is beautiful and is a pleasure to watch. The creators of these fascinating melodies were Strauss, Schubert, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Sibelius and Ravel, to name but a few.

Swing
The Swing swept across the USA in the early 1930's and was very popular through the 1940's. Characterised by a carefree, relaxed style, the swing represents the Big Band era, where musicians were judged on how their music would swing. Single step, double step and triple step versions make swing adaptable to a variety of tempos of music, from moderately slow to very fast. East Coast, West Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, Jitterbug and Jive are all forms of Swing.

Mambo
Mambo originated in Cuba in the settlements of Haitians. The word Mambo means voodoo priestess in Haiti. She serves as a healer, counselor, exorcist, spiritual advisor and soothsayer. Mambo is the dance that came to popular attention in the 1940s. The fusion of Swing and Cuban music produced this fascinating rhythm and in turn created a sensational new dance called MAMBO. Mambo is attributed to Perez Prado who introduced it at the La Tropicana night club in Havana around 1943, and has since been furthered by other Latin American band leaders like Tito Puente, Xavier Cugat and Tito Rodriquez. It is a dance with many influences African, Cuban, Jazz, Hip-Hop and even ballet. A modified version of the Mambo (the original dance had to be toned down due to the violent acrobatics) was presented to the public at dance studio's, resort hotel's and at night clubs in New York and Miami. Mambo dancers were affectionately known as MAMBONICKS. 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 night-club in Havana in 1943. Since then other Latin American band leaders such as Tito Rodriquez, Pupi Campo, Tito Puente, Machito and Xavier Cugat have achieved styles of their own and furthered the Mambo craze. The Mambo was originally played as any Rumba with a riff ending. It may be described as a riff or a Rumba with a break or emphasis on 2 and 4 in 4/4 time. Native Cubans or musicians without any training would break on any beat. The Mambo gained its excitement in 1947 at the Palladium and other renowned places such as The China Doll, Havana Madrid and Birdland. A modified version of the "Mambo" (the original dance had to be toned down due to the violent acrobatics) was presented to the public at dance studios, resort hotels, and at night-clubs in New York and Miami. Success was on the agenda. Mambo happy dancers soon became known affectionately as "Mambonicks". The Mambo craze did not last long and today the Mambo is much limited to advanced dancers. Teachers agreed that this is one of the most difficult of dances. One of the greatest contributions of the Mambo is that it led to the development of the Cha-Cha. The Mambo is enjoying a renewed popularity due to a number of films featuring the dance as well as a man named Eddie Torres. Eddie is a New York dance pro and Mambo fanatic who has launched a crusade to make sure the dance reigns in the ballroom once again. Torres has become the leading exponent of the style, steadily building a reputation as a dancer, instructor, and choreographer. He has become known as the "Mambo King of Latin Dance". Torres is determined to reintroduce dancers to what he believes is the authentic night-club style of mambo dancing, which in the 1990's is increasingly known as Salsa. "It's a great time for Latin American dances," says Torres. "The Mambo is hot now, like it was in the '50's. It is a dance with many influences -- African, Cuban, Jazz, Hip-Hop, even some ballet. You'll never run out of steps." Popular Mambo songs include "Mambo Italiano", "Papa Loves Mambo", "Mambo #5", "I Saw Mommy Do The Mambo", and "They Were Doin' The Mambo". 'Dance City', the superb CD album featuring Hernandez and the Mambo Kings Orchestra, stands on its own as one of the best recordings of its kind in years, an energetic big band-style session that recalls the glory days of Tito Puente and Tito Rodriguez. Most people treat Mambo as a very fast dance. In essence, it is a slow and precise dance that doesn't move very much.

Merengue
The Merengue is the national dance of the Dominican Republic. The origins come from a story that slaves were chained together and, of necessity, were forced to drag one leg as they cut sugar to the beat of the drum. It is possible that the dance took its name and characature from the light and frothy confection made from sugar and egg whites. The Merengue is not only used on every dancing occasion in the Dominican Republic, but also throughout the Caribbean and South America as it is an easy playful and essentially fun dance. The music is charming and happy, and often contains clever jokes or puns in Spanish. Merengue is a good way to start familiarizing yourself with Cuban Motion, which is the way your body moves in all Latin dances.

Argentine Tango
The Golden Age of Argentine Tango took place in the late 1940's and early 1950's, simmering in the brothels of Buenos Aires and brought to a boil in the elegant salons of Paris. Considered the "dancer's dance", it's unique rhythms offer fabulous training for timing and footwork, together with building a foundation useful in any dance. It has recently become an amazingly popular dance, due in part to Al Pacino and his sensitive rendition of a blind dancer in "Scent of a Woman" and then to the many Musical Shows featuring Tango, "Tango Argentine", "Tango x 2" and "Forever Tango". Argentine Tango is intensely intimate as the dancers often dance cheek to cheek, interwining their legs in very intricate patterns, giving a very sensual effect.