Presently the most popular form of tango, this is a dance filled with passion and dramatic styling. It involves wonderful interpretation and interplay between partners, and it has elegant footwork.
You might enjoy watching this video clip showing non-professional dancers demonstrating Argentine Tango:
For more information, see the Wikipedia article on Argentine Tango.
From the Dominican Republic, Bachata is a romantic Latin dance comparable to American slow dance/blues. The basic footwork is a series of simple steps that produce a back and forth or sideways motion with sensual hip and body movements.
Balboa is a form of Swing that evolved as a way of dealing with crowded dance floors. It is led in close embrace and is danced with small, two-step shuffling movements. It is probably the easiest way to dance to fast Swing music, enjoy it, and look good!
This video clip from a dance competition might give you an idea what Balboa is like:
For more information, see the Wikipedia article on Balboa.
With smooth styling and fancy footwork, Boogie Woogie Swing is a jazzy dance originating in the 20’s, popular during WWII, jumping in the 50’s, and still swinging today! A single, double & triple time Lindy danced to various tempos.
Cha Cha (aka Cha Cha Cha) began in Cuba in 1953, was introduced to the U.S. in 1954, rapidly gained popularity and is still one of our most popular dances. It has a relaxed style, combining the romanticism of Rumba with the triple Lindy steps of East Coast Swing.
You might enjoy watching the young Cha Cha dancers in this short video:
A favorite jazzy dance originating in the 20’s, popular during WWII, jumping in the 50’s and still swinging today, East Coast Swing is a single-time Lindy danced to medium and fast tempos. This is an excellent place to begin to learn partner dancing.
This video might give you an idea what East Coast Swing is like:
For more information, see the Wikipedia article on East Coast Swing.
This is the simplest form of Swing, and it's a good place for the novice to begin. Using easy walking steps, Four Count Swing mixes well with Foxtrot.
The Foxtrot is one of the most common social dances, and it is easy-to-learn—very smooth and flowing with a slow-slow-quick-quick step pattern. Danced to tunes by Frank Sinatra and other famous crooners, the Foxtrot goes hand-in-hand with Swing. Both are often danced to the same music.
You can get an idea what basic Foxtrot is like from this video clip:
For more information, see the Wikipedia article on Foxtrot.
Beginning with Disco in the 70's, the Hustle is now danced to popular hits from the last three decades. This fun dance has a slot similar to West Coast Swing, but timing is simpler and easier to learn.
If you missed John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever, you can get an idea what the Hustle is like from this video:
For more information, see the Wikipedia article on Hustle.
A fun and easy one-step Latin dance popular in clubs, Merengue has patterns that are flashy and improvisational. Figures include wraps, pretzels and tunnels!
You can get an idea what Merengue is like from this short video:
For more information, see the Wikipedia article on Nightclub Two Step.
This dance is romantic and very smooth with a mixture of quicks and slows danced to contemporary music.
You can get an idea what the Nightclub Two Step is like from this short video:
For more information, see the Wikipedia article on Nightclub Two Step.
Of African origin, the Rumba was brought to us from Cuba. It's a slow, romantic dance done to Latin American and contemporary music. The Rumba is a good place to begin Latin Ballroom.
You can get an idea what Rumba is like from this video showing dancers at a competition:
For more information, see the Wikipedia article on Rumba.
Salsa is a spicy mixture of dance ingredients, most of them having roots in the Caribbean—especially Cuba and Puerto Rico. Danced to rhythmic Afro-Caribbean and Latin American beats, it evokes an irrepressible zest for life!
Salsa I is the first level in a progressive series of classes that introduce you to an energetic and passionate club style of Salsa dancing. Students normally take the Salsa I class at least twice before moving on to the intermediate level, Salsa II.
To get an idea what Salsa dancing at this level is like, watch some of this video clip:
Comfortable with the basics? Take your Salsa dancing to the next level, where you will learn how to make simple Salsa moves more exciting with spins, drapes, hair combs and styling. The combinations and possibilities are endless! As with Salsa I, this is club style Salsa, energetic and passionate!
A prerequisite for Salsa II is that you must have completed at least two series of Salsa I.
You might enjoy watching this couple dancing Salsa at home. (The second half of the clip shows them dancing Bachata.)
Savoy Swing, sometimes referred to as Savoy-style Lindy Hop, is a jazzy dance form that originated with dancers at the Savoy Ballroom in New York City in the 1930s and 40s. (For more about the history of this dance form, see the Wikipedia article on it.) It is a fun, high-energy, circular, rotating style of Swing dancing that is still very popular with the young at heart!
Savoy Swing I is the first level in a progressive series of classes in which you will learn a variety of beginning level Lindy and Charleston patterns. Students normally take the Savoy Swing I class at least twice before moving on to the intermediate level, Savoy Swing II.
You can get an idea how playful and fun Savoy Swing can be by watching this video clip of a performance by Rebecca Phillips and Morgan Taggart, who placed 4th in national competition with this routine:
Now that you’ve learned the basics in this lively, athletic, entertaining style of Swing, step up to the next level! Learn more fun Lindy and Charleston moves and weave playful steps and styling into your dance.
A prerequisite for Savoy Swing II is that you must have completed at least two series of Savoy Swing I.
You might enjoy this performance by accomplished Swing dancers Keith Phillips and Stacy Yokoyama, who placed 2nd in national competition with this routine:
Danced to anything from slow romantic ballads to swinging "bluesy" tunes, this one-step dance style uses easy walking footwork. A class on Slow Dance/Blues will provide you with the basics and variations for slow dancing with a partner. It's a good place for the novice to begin.
Swing and Foxtrot go hand-in-hand, having smooth and elegant patterns. When we teach this dance style, we take Foxtrot, one of the most common and easy to learn social dances, and mix it with our favorite Swing patterns. It's danced to a variety of slow-to-medium tempos.
Originating in Argentina, tango was at first considered a flirtatious and disreputable dance. Over time, it was simplified and standardized in the U.S. to make it more acceptable in society. This is the ballroom version of tango and simpler than Argentine style.
This video clip shows a couple demonstrating ballroom tango:
A good discussion of the differences between ballroom and Argentine styles of tango can be found in the Wikipedia article on Argentine Tango. For the history of tango itself, consult the Wikipedia article on Tango.
This class is a progression from introductory East Coast Swing and is designed for those who feel comfortable with the basics. Instruction includes six and eight count patterns while dancing to slower tempos with triple steps (three steps on two beats of music).
A prerequisite for this class is that you must have completed at least one series of East Coast Swing.
Ballroom dancing as we know it began with the Waltz. We teach the most popular form today, a slow Waltz with long gliding steps to music in 3/4 time.
The couples in this video are performing the Waltz at a dance competition:
West Coast Swing is a sophisticated and smooth variation of Lindy Hop that is danced in a slotted area of the floor. Typically, the follow walks forward on counts 1 and 2 rather than rocking back as in East Coast Swing. It is often danced to slower rhythm and blues and contemporary music. Flirtatious and playful, this dance is both creative and versatile.
The couple in this video are demonstrating basic West Coast Swing patterns:
More cool variations in this smooth, sensual Swing with whips, hammerlocks, and neck wraps.
A prerequisite for this class is that you must have completed at least one series of West Coast Swing I.
The first part of this video shows competitive dancers performing West Coast Swing: