The increased popularity in dance competition shows on television has created a huge interest lately in ballroom dancing. This is a good thing! It is fun and can be easy to learn. That is easy to learn ballroom dancing, not necessarily easy to master! But it is fun learning the dances and can help you get in shape too. Most community centers offer classes and there are numerous tapes and DVD's offering instruction.
Possibly the most well known dance would be the Tango. It is usually performed with a man and a woman and is known for being very sensual. Couples must really connect with the music as well as each other. The pair is often in a close embrace, mainly at the chest or hips while the man leads the woman across the floor.
For a romantic dance, select the waltz. This is usually performed in time featuring very flowing movements. Perhaps you have heard of the 'box step.' This is the fundamental step in the waltz, which basically maps out the dance. It gets its name from the fact that a 'box' is formed with the couple's feet. Picture this: The man steps forward with his left leg, then to the left then back, then to the right. This forms the box. (The woman dancer does the opposite.) This dance can be performed to faster paced music but has recently been done more slowly.
Also a romantic dance choice is the Foxtrot. A slower dance, the steps take two beats of music followed by quick steps that take one beat. From this dance we get 'Slow, slow, quick, quick.' This dance is usually done to big band music but other genres can also be the backdrop.
One of the most fun ballroom dances is the Cha-Cha. The Cha-Cha is of Latin origin and is very high energy. This dance uses five steps per four beats, which is where we get the phrase 'one, two, cha cha cha.' The main characteristic of the Cha-Cha is the many hip movements.
There are other ballroom dances: The Mamba, the Samba and the Salsa to name a few. There are several common features to these styles, but they all have certain qualities that make them all unique. Watching seasoned dancers combine several styles into one performance can be a lot of fun.
If you want to really learn ballroom dancing, watch people in action and follow-up by viewing some DVD's or video tapes at home. But really the best way to learn is by taking classes. This gives hands-on experience that you can't get from videos alone. Take your partner and head off to a class. If you don't have anyone who is interested in going with you, that's no big deal. Classes almost always have others who are going it alone and you can hook up with one of them. Enjoy! - 31486
Possibly the most well known dance would be the Tango. It is usually performed with a man and a woman and is known for being very sensual. Couples must really connect with the music as well as each other. The pair is often in a close embrace, mainly at the chest or hips while the man leads the woman across the floor.
For a romantic dance, select the waltz. This is usually performed in time featuring very flowing movements. Perhaps you have heard of the 'box step.' This is the fundamental step in the waltz, which basically maps out the dance. It gets its name from the fact that a 'box' is formed with the couple's feet. Picture this: The man steps forward with his left leg, then to the left then back, then to the right. This forms the box. (The woman dancer does the opposite.) This dance can be performed to faster paced music but has recently been done more slowly.
Also a romantic dance choice is the Foxtrot. A slower dance, the steps take two beats of music followed by quick steps that take one beat. From this dance we get 'Slow, slow, quick, quick.' This dance is usually done to big band music but other genres can also be the backdrop.
One of the most fun ballroom dances is the Cha-Cha. The Cha-Cha is of Latin origin and is very high energy. This dance uses five steps per four beats, which is where we get the phrase 'one, two, cha cha cha.' The main characteristic of the Cha-Cha is the many hip movements.
There are other ballroom dances: The Mamba, the Samba and the Salsa to name a few. There are several common features to these styles, but they all have certain qualities that make them all unique. Watching seasoned dancers combine several styles into one performance can be a lot of fun.
If you want to really learn ballroom dancing, watch people in action and follow-up by viewing some DVD's or video tapes at home. But really the best way to learn is by taking classes. This gives hands-on experience that you can't get from videos alone. Take your partner and head off to a class. If you don't have anyone who is interested in going with you, that's no big deal. Classes almost always have others who are going it alone and you can hook up with one of them. Enjoy! - 31486
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