History of the Cha Cha

Dance
The cha-cha dance originated from Cubaand was originally known
as the cha-cha-cha. The dance gained popularity around the 1950's
and was created from two other dances – the 'mambo' and the 'danzon'. While working with the charanga
group 'Orquesta America' in Cuba performed at dance halls in Havana. Enrique Jorrin, a violinist and
composer, realized that most of the crowds related the danzon-mambo rhythm to a much slower mambo
dance and thus had hardship adopting the syncopated rhythms. He decided to compose music that
strongly focused on the first downbeat such that the rhythm became less syncopated. This caused the
crowd dancers to develop a triple step, creating the sound 'cha-cha-cha' with their shoes, thus the cha-
cha-cha was born.

Some, however, maintain that the footwork pattern "one-two-cha-cha-cha" has its roots in the vocal
imitation of the sound produced by the shoes. The name of the dance is basically an onomatopoeia that
comes out of the sound of the dancers shoes. This explains why many call it the 'cha-cha-cha' and others
'cha-cha'. Other's have speculated that the name and dance originate from the ritual dances and religious
music of the West Indians who used some plants which had seedpods they called cha-cha to build a
musical rattle for use in religious singing and thus dancing.

The dance was introduced in the United States around 1954 and had apparently gained so much
popularity among American's by 1959 that it was reported to be the most popular dance in the country. It
remains as one of the most popular Latin dances in the U.S. today. Enrique and his team in Orquesta
America released two of his new compositions in the year 1953, the 'La Enganadora' and the 'Silver Star'.
These two hit-songs became the very first cha-cha-cha compositions to be recorded in Cuba. The music
became quite popular in Havana dance halls and so did the dance, a craze that spread through to Mexico
City and finally worldwide with popularity spreading up to Latin America, Western Europe and the United
States by 1955. The basis of the modern cha-cha dance was originally taught internationally by an
English dance teacher, Pierre Margolie, in the 1950's and today's learning is based on their accounts.

The dance is danced in a steady yet energetic rhythm to authentic Cuban music, Latin Rock or Latin Pop
and is made up of two slower steps followed by three quick steps i.e. cha-cha-cha in a 'one-two-cha-cha-
cha' dance rhythm. Even though the modern ballroom version of dancing 'cha-cha' gradually continues to
evolve with every dance competition; it remains strongly based on its Cuban roots from the 1950's.
Basic Side Step for Men

1. Sidestep to the left with your left foot

2. Step backward & left with your right
foot
3. Left foot in place, weight shifts to it
4. Sidestep to the right with your right
foot
5. Move your left foot to your right foot
6. Sidestep to the right with your right
foot
7. Step forward & right with your left foot
8. Right foot in place, weight shifts to it
9. Sidestep to the left with your left foot
10. Move your right foot to your left foot

Basic Side Step for Women

1. Sidestep to the right with your right

foot
2. Step forward & right with your left foot
3. Right foot in place, weight shifts to it
4. Sidestep to the left with your left foot
5. Move your right foot to your left foot
6. Sidestep to the right with your left foot
7. Step backward & left with your right
foot
8. Left foot in place, weight shifts to it
9. Sidestep to the right with your right
foot
10. Move your left foot to your right foot
 History of Rumba
The word Rumba is a generic term, covering a variety of names (i.e.,
Son, Danzon, Guagira, Guaracha, Naningo), for a type of West Indian
music or dancing. The exact meaning varies from island to island. The
word "rumba" comes from the verb "rumbear" which means going to
parties, dancing, and having a good time.

There are two sources of the dances: one Spanish and the other African.
Although the main growth was in Cuba, there were similar dance
developments which took place in other Caribbean islands and in Latin America generally.

The "rumba influence" came in the 16th century with the black slaves imported from Africa. The native Rumba
folk dance is essentially a sex pantomime danced extremely fast with exaggerated hip movements and with a
sensually aggressive attitude on the part of the man and a defensive attitude on the part of the woman. The
music is played with a staccato beat in keeping with the vigorous expressive movements of the dancers.
Accompanying instruments include the maracas, the claves, the marimbola, and the drums.

As recently as the second world war, the "Son" was the popular dance of middle class Cuba. It is a modified
slower and more refined version of the native Rumba. Still slower is the "Danzon", the dance of wealthy Cuban
society. Very small steps are taken, with the women producing a very subtle tilting of the hips by alternately
bending and straightening the knees.

The American Rumba is a modified version of the "Son". The first serious attempt to introduce the rumba to the
United States was by Lew Quinn and Joan Sawyer in 1913. Ten years later band leader Emil Coleman imported
some rumba musicians and a pair of rumba dancers to New York. In 1925 Benito Collada opened the Club El
Chico in Greenwich Village and found that New Yorkers did not know what Rumba was all about.

Real interest in Latin music began about 1929. In the late 1920's, Xavier Cugat formed an orchestra that
specialized in Latin American music. He opened at the Coconut Grove in Los Angeles and appeared in early
sound movies such as "In Gay Madrid". Later in the 1930's, Cugat played at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New
York. By the end of the decade he was recognized as having the outstanding Latin orchestra of the day.

In 1935, George Raft played the part of a suave dancer in the movie "Rumba", a rather superficial musical in
which the hero finally won the heiress (Carol Lombard) through the mutual love of dancing.

In Europe, the introduction of Latin American dancing (Rumba in particular) owed much to the enthusiasm and
interpretive ability of Monsieur Pierre (London's leading teacher in this dance form). In the 1930's with his
partner, Doris Lavelle, he demonstrated and popularized Latin American dancing in London.

Pierre and Lavelle introduced the true "Cuban Rumba" which was finally established after much argument, as the
official recognized version in 1955.

Rumba is the spirit and soul of Latin American music and dance. The fascinating rhythms and bodily expressions
make the Rumba one of the most popular ballroom dances.
Basic Steps for Men

1. Step forward with your left foot

2. Sidestep to the right with your right foot
3. Move your left foot to your right foot
4. Step back with your right foot
5. Sidestep to the left with your left foot

Basic Steps for Women

1. Step back with your right foot

2. Sidestep to the left with your left foot
3. Move your right foot to your left foot
4. Step forward with your left foot
5. Sidestep to the right with your right foot
6. Move your left foot to your right foot
 Samba Dance History
It's a carnival street dance, a ballroom competition dance,
a 1930s classic movie number, and a powerful workout for
your pelvis. Samba is a Brazilian dance with African roots
and a global fandom, often performed in little more than
sequins and feathers, but always with a mix of attitude and
abandon.

Origins of the Samba

Samba dance is a little bit of this and a lot of that. Originating in Brazil in the 19th century,
samba owes its rhythm and moves to the African slave dances on the Brazilian sugarcane
plantations. The traditional African circle dance with a lone central performer relied on
weight shifts, rapid steps, and slides to a 2/4 percussive beat, and a fairly still upper body
with arms and hands responding to the hip and leg movements. Once slavery ended, the
dancers migrated to the favelas or shantytowns outside of cities, where freed slaves put
together dance troupes for carnival. The performances were boisterous and uninhibited,
generally frowned upon by Brazil's Portuguese upper crust. But samba proved irresistible,
its popularity spilling across classes and borders, its gyrations richly colored by regional and
intern The Samba National Day is celebrated on December 2. The date was established at
the initiative of Luis Monteiro da Costa, an Alderman of Salvador, in honor of Ary Barroso.
He composed "Na Baixa do Sapateiro" even though he had never been in Bahia. Thus 2
December marked the first visit of Ary Barroso to Salvador. Initially, this day was celebrated
only in Salvador, but eventually it turned into a national holiday.
Samba is a local style in Southeastern Brazil and Northeast Brazil, especially in Rio de
Janeiro, São Paulo, Salvador and Recife. Its importance as Brazil's national music
transcends region, however; samba schools, samba musicians and carnival organizations
centered on the performance of samba exist in every region of the country, even though
other musical styles prevail in various regions (for instance, in Southern Brazil, Center-West
Brazil, and all of the Brazilian countryside, Sertanejo, or Brazilian country music, is the most
popular style
ational influences. Today, it would be impossible to imagine carnival without samba.

Basic Steps for Men Basic Steps for Ladies

1. Step forward with your left foot (count 1. Step backward with your right foot
1) (count 1)
2. Move your right foot to your left foot 2. Move your left foot to your right foot
(uh) (uh)
3. Left foot in place, weight shifts to it 3. Right foot in place, weight shifts to it
(count 2) (count 2)
4. Step backward with your right foot 4. Step forward with your left foot (count
(count 3) 3)
5. Move your left foot to your right foot 5. Move your right foot to your left foot
(uh) (uh)
6. Right foot in place, weight shifts to it 6. Left foot in place, weight shifts to it
(count 4) (count 4)
 History of Waltz Dance
History of ballroom dance is filled with important dances
and moments when new styles totally transformed
dancing fashion and enabled total transformation of the
popular dance culture. One of the most influential dances
that managed to do just that is waltz, that was first danced
in location of modern Germany and Austria between 13th and 18th century, before
managing to reach modern ballrooms where it revolutionized dance fashion and becoming
one of the most popular dances on planet Earth.

The original form of Waltz was first used by 13th century peasants in Germany, who devised
rolling folk dance that was quite different from all court dances that were popular in that
time. Their folk dance filled with rolls, glides and turns was received well, and by 1500s it
reached Volta where it was adapted with styles of other local dances. By the end of 16th
century people of Vienna embraced Waltz and morphed it into dance called Weller, and
France used form called Nizzarda.

Modern form of Waltz was born in suburbs of Vienna and mountain regions of Austria,
and was created not for use by folk dancers, but for court. Before that time, all court
dances were rigid, stately, solemn, procession-based, very tightly controlled, with
complicated moves and timings. Waltz changed that with the introduction of free
form dance with close position of dances, which immediately sparked revolt and
scandals from traditional lovers of old ballroom dance. After 18th century came,
France become in love with the Waltz form called allemande, dance in which dances
were separated one from another. However, this soon changed when popularity of ¾
timed Waltz became overwhelming, setting it as a standard and spreading its
influence all over the Europe. One of the major causes for the popularity rise of ¾
time waltz was phenomenal music creations of Johann Strauss and Franz Lanner.
Their waltz music echoed through the halls of Vienna, Austria and Germany,
spreading all across Europe and destroying the sentiment that this dance was
immoral and scandalous. United States accepted waltz during mid-19th century, and
by early 20th century it became dances everywhere.

During the time of First World War, waltz dance routines become much more relaxed,
with dancers dancing much closer to each other than before. Sadly, newborn craze
of Foxtrot almost completely destroyed the popularity of Waltz after the end of WW1,
especially in United States where it was completely overshadowed by other dances
after 1921.

During its long history, waltz was danced in many styles and variations. Here are
some of the most popular:

 Contemporary ballroom dance, aka Viennese Waltz

 International Standard Waltz

  American Style Waltz

 The Scandinavian Waltz

 The Mexican Waltz

 The Valse Musette

 The cross-step waltz (French Valse Boston)

 The Cajun Waltz

Men's Steps:

1. Step forward with the left foot

2. Right foot step sideways to the right
3. Bring your left foot next to your right foot
4. Step back with the right foot
5. Step back sideways with the left foot
6. Bring your right foot next to your left foot

Lady's Steps:

1. Step back with the right foot

2. Left foot step sideways to the left
3. Bring your right foot next to your left foot
4. Step forward with the left foot
5. Step forward sideways with the right foot
6. Bring your left foot next to your right foot
 History of Boogie Woogie / Jive
Boogie Woogie was the first and to date the only exclusively piano
music to issue from the blues. Boogie Woogie, a term used to
describe the blues piano playing that thrived roughly between the
years 1920 and 1945, was a highly popular music in tenements. The
very name Boogie was another name for the "house rent party." Both
terms describe a phenomenon that took place in the crowded tenements of Chicago, Detroit, New York,
and virtually every city with a large black population. Because poverty was a way of life, black people
learned quickly to depend on each other to band together and to work toward common goals. One such
goal was that of simply being able to pay the rent. With unemployment at a normally high level (at least
for blacks), men long accustomed to surviving under the most adverse conditions ingeniously devised a
technique that served the combined purposes of raising the rent and providing a means of social
intercourse.

The "House Rent Party" ("The Parlor Social," "The Boogie") was a party given by a tenant as a means of
raising his rent. For the nominal sum of "two bits" or "four bits," the tenant's neighbors were treated to an
evening of boogie woogie piano by some local hero, some southern culinary treat such as catfish and
Kentucky oysters (bring your own drinks), as well as some "hangin' out." Of course, such parties were
reciprocal - "you come help me pay my rent and I'll come help you pay yours."

The blues pianist, unlike most other instrumentalists, had a great deal of mobility mainly because he didn't
have to carry his instrument with him. For this reason, the blues pianist was somewhat of a cosmopolite,
traveling when the mood, or the local Sheriff, struck him.

Some of the more famous boogie woogie players were Meade Lux Lewis, Albert Ammons, Cripple
Clarence Lofton, Jimmy Yancey, and Sugar Chile Robinson.

Logically enough, the first generation of blues pianists who were born in the 1890's were influenced by
ragtime, but the second generation were exclusively blues players.

Some of the characteristics of boogie woogie are:

 It was born in gin mills, lumber camps and rent parties.
 There was not much subtlety to the music - poor to bad instruments and unschooled
instrumentalists.
 Volume was produced by physical strength.
 Form was always a blues; songs had no real beginning or ending, much like African music.
 Emphasis on rhythm rather than melody.
 Return to breaks to create tension and to rest the left hand.
 The left hand, which never varied, could have been an outgrowth of "stride" piano.
 Boogie Woogie patterns were personalized much like the field hollers and hawking cries.
 The left hand ostinato (a repeated figure) served as a forerunner of rhythm and blues.
  Unpianistic music.
 Percussive and rugged.
 Uneven and unpredictable.

In recent years, there has appeared a lot of pretentious nonsense about the unconventional length of the
"conventional 12 bar blues." Those who rave about this unusual folk pattern would have a tough time
explaining Clarence's peculiar phrase and period lengths. In his version of "Pinetop's Boogie," his first
three choruses are respectively eleven, ten, and twelve measures in length. In the latter part of the piece,
Clarence favors a fourteen bar construction, with a final chorus of 14 1/2 for good measure! Odd phrase
lengths were likewise in his previous solo art recording of "Streamline Train" and "Had A Dream," as well
as "I Don't Know" (in which pairs of 19 and 20 bar choruses are followed by one of 19 1/2). Quite
evidently, Clarence did not set out either to make his music screwy, or mathematically complicated; he
just played the notes to express what he felt, and couldn't be bothered to count out the number of beats.
After all, Clarence did not even regard himself as a pianist, but simply as a singing entertainer who made
good money in his day. "Man I've made as much as $3.00 a night," he has said.
 Eight-eighth notes to the bar or at least an eighth note feeling.
 Use of octaves, trills, etc.
 A two voiced music.
 Rhythm and color were more important than chords.
 Right hand embroidered and supplied filigree
 Blues scale with chromaticism.
 Many other melodies transformed to boogies. (i.e., "Bumble Bee Boogie," "Begin the Beguine
Boogie," "Chopstick Boogie").
"The piano was one of the last instruments to be mastered by the Negro performers, and it was not until
the advent of boogie woogie that Negro musicians succeeded in creating a piano music that was within
the emotional tradition of Negro music." (LeRoi Jones, Blues People, p. 90)

The music declined because of commercial limitations and refinements on the one hand, and on the
other, when it got too far from the environment that spawned it. It is axiomatic that refinement and
elaboration in any art are accompanied by a corresponding decline in vitality, ruggedness, spirited
abandon, ingeniousness and intensity of expression.

Jive
Jive is a lively, and uninhibited variation of the jitterbug. Many of
its basic patterns are similar to those of the East Coast
swing. Jive is one of the five International Latin dances, although it has an African-American
origin.

Characteristics of Jive Dancing

Jive and East Coast swing share many figures, as well as the same music style and tempo.
The basic look and feel of jive are that it is performed with lots and lots of energy, with the
legs portraying a pumping action. Both the East Coast swing and basic jive consist of two
triple steps and a rock step. The jive differs in that the count begins with the rock step,
which is counted "1, 2." The two triple steps are counted "3 and 4" and "5 and 6." In
competition, it is danced at 176 beats per minute.

History of Jive

Jive was first demonstrated by Cab Calloway in 1934. It caught on in the United States in
the 1940s and was influenced by the Boogie, Rock & Roll, African/American Swing, and
Lindyhop. The name either comes from jive being a form of glib talk or from African dance
terms. Jive became a generic term for swing in the United Kingdom.

In International Style ballroom dancing competition, jive is grouped with the Latin dances
but it is danced to Western music, with 42 bars per minute in 4/4 time.

Jive Action

Jive is a very happy, boppy, energetic dance, with plenty of knee-lifting, bending, and
rocking of the hips. The fastest of the Latin dances, jive incorporates lots of kicks and flicks,
even twirling of the woman, and doesn't move around the dance floor like other dances.
Although jive dancers may appear to be moving their feet haphazardly in every direction,
the feet are actually well-controlled under the body with the knees close together.

Distinctive Jive Dance Steps

The basic jive step (jive basic) is a 6-beat pattern:

 The man and woman face each other with arms in the closed position and the man
leads.
 Rock step (counts 1 and 2): Step one foot behind the other and lift the front foot up.
The man steps back with his left foot while the woman steps backward with her right
foot.
 Chasse to the left (counts 3 and 4) The man goes left, the woman goes right.
 Chasse to the right (counts 5 and 6) The man goes right, the woman goes left.

A few distinctive Jive steps:

 American Spin
 Throwaway
 Comb
 Chicken Walks
 Arm Breaker
 Jig Walks
 History of Bachata

 The word ‘bachata’ has gone through many transitions,

meaning different things at different periods of Dominican history.
It started out as just a word designating traditional guitar music,
although in the 1960s it was used to label romantic guitar music. A
‘bachata’ was also a generic label for gatherings that took place at informal Sunday
afternoon parties where guitar-based groups would play for casual recreation. It was
also music that played a large role in entertainment in cabarets (which were actually
brothels) and it is only recently that the stigma attached to word has been lessened.

 Music of Bitterness:

 With the death of Rafael Trujillo in 1961, the music – then often called ‘bolero
compensino,’ made its way to the capital of Santo Domingo along with a multitude of
countryside compensinos that had been living in squalor during the dictator’s reign.

 There the music changed from romantic boleros to stories about jealousy, rivalry,
fights, poverty and life led in the barrios. It’s not surprising that bachata is equated
to the Dominican version of the blues; with lyrics that reflected such dire and
troubled lives, bachata became known as the music of bitterness or sorrow.

 Jose Manuel Calderon:

 The first recognized bachata singles (“Barracho de Amor” and “Que Sera De Mi”)
were recorded by Jose Calderon in 1961 although it was a decade before the word
became commonly attached to a musical genre. In the 1960s, merengue continued
to reign supreme in the Dominican Republic and ‘bachateros’ had no reliable outlet in
higher social circles nor in the media. It was still embarrassing to be caught listening
to bachata and musicians attracted to the genre would often sneak out at night to
perform in clubs and bars where bachata was popular.
 Modern Bachata:

 Modern bachata can be dated to sometime in the 1980s. At the time, bachateros
were singing lyrics full of sexual innuendo and double entendre. In fact, bachata’s
first superstar, Blas Duran, was king of this type of lyric. Duran simplified the music,
making it easier for dancers and added electric guitar to his song “Consejo A Las
Mujeres” in 1987. The tune became a huge hit, paving the road to bachata’s
acceptance by a much wider segment of the population.

 Bachata Turns To Romance:

 By the 1990s, bachata evolved the way music is prone to evolve, mutating and
fusing with other genres. In the case of bachata, fusion occurred most often with the
country’s dominant genre, merengue.

 It was artists like Anthony Santos and Luis Vargas that, during this decade, focused
bachata’s themes to the romantic, so much so that by the 1990s the genre dealt
almost exclusively with love, most often unrequited or disappointed love.

 Monchy & Alexandra:

 Even with the gradual gentrification of bachata, no one outside of a Dominican
population was listening to the music. It took the duo of Monchy & Alexandra to raise
international awareness of the music.

 Monchy (Ramon Rijo) and Alexandra (Alexandra Cabrera de la Cruz) started singing
together in 1998 and their complimentary voices together with some clever pop-style
arrangements made ther albums and international tours huge hits. In the process, it
opened the door to an appreciation of bachata by non-Donimican Latinos.(It's just
been announced that the duo is breaking up -9/08).

 Bachata in New York:

 Bachata originally reached the level of popularity that it enjoys today in New York
rather than in the Dominican Republic, embraced by a Dominica migrant population
that was less class conscious and eager to embrace the music of home. Influenced
by rock, R&B and modern popular genres, bachata remains a dominantly romantic
music.
Steps:
Step 1: Basic Overview

-Before breaking down the steps, the above video provides you with an idea of
what the basic step will look like overall. This step should be first mastered alone.
Later on, we will cover dancing with a partner.

Step 2: Starting Position

-Stand feet together. Place your arms at a ninety degree angle with your hands in front of your torso,
slightly above your waist. Or, loosely rest your arms down at your sides. Slightly bend your knees.

Step 3: Basic to the Side

- As previously stated, there are eight counts in this dance. Step 3 will cover four of these eight beats.
Each beat has its own step:

Beat 1: Extend your left leg directly out to the side. Shift weight onto the left leg.

Beat 2: Move your right leg toward the left leg to close the gap between your feet. Place your feet
together while simultaneously shifting your weight onto the right leg.

Beat 3: Extend your left leg directly out to the side. Shift your weight onto the left leg.

Beat 4: Move your right leg toward your left leg to close the gap between your feet. Keep your
weight on your left leg while lifting your right hip. This causes the right foot to slightly lift off of the
floor so that only the padding touches.

Step 4: Return Step

-he return step is the exact same process in the opposite direction. Therefore, this step also contains
four beats and proceeds as follows:

Transition: Drop your right hip without putting weight on your right leg.

Beat 1: Extend your right leg directly out to the side. Shift weight onto the right leg.

Beat 2: Move your left leg toward right leg to close the gap between your feet. Place your feet
together while simultaneously shifting your weight onto the left leg.

Beat 3: Extend your right leg directly out to the side. Shift your weight onto the right leg.

Beat 4: Move your left leg toward the right leg to close the gap between your feet. Keep your
weight on the right leg while lifting the left hip. This causes the left foot to slightly lift off of the floor
so that only the padding touches.
Step 5: Paring Up: Partner Embrace
- There are two types of partner embraces: open embrace and closed embrace.

Open Embrace: This embrace is best for those just starting to learn the bachata. As seen in the
below picture, both dancers stand directly across from and facing one another with their elbows
bent. The lead, in this case the male, faces his palms up to grasp the follow’s hands. The follow
places her hands palm down in the lead’s corresponding hands.

Closed Embrace: Standing facing one another, the lead extends his arm out to the side about
shoulder height to grab the follow’s corresponding extended arm. The lead places his other arm
under the follow’s armpit and places his hand on the follow’s upper-back. The follow rests her
corresponding arm over the arm of the lead that is wrapped around her side. Their arms make
what is called a frame.

Step 6: Basic With a Partner

-Facing each other, the dancers parallel one anothers' movement. Thus, when the lead, the man, moves
to his right, the follow, the women, simultaneously moves to her left and vice versa.

The lead signals the beginning of the first step by shifting the pair’s weight to one side and extending the
opposite leg. Then, they start Steps 3 and 4 together

Step 7: The End Result With a Partner

After putting together all of these steps, the above demonstration will result.

*Notice we are not strictly moving from side to side. This is because the lead, keeping the frame (See
Step 5: Closed Embrace), is stepping out at a slight angle. After getting comfortable with the basic side-
to-side step, your partner and you may want to try moving around at small angles.
 Tango History
Tango, the dance with the stop "Baille Con Carte", is one of the most
fascinating of all dances. Originating in Spain or Morocco, the Tango was
introduced to the New World by the Spanish settlers, eventually coming
back to Spain with Black and Creole influences.

In the early 19th Century, the Tango was a solo dance performed by the
woman. The Andalusian Tango was later done by one or two couples walking
together using castanets. The dance was soon considered immoral with its flirting music!

Ballroom Tango originated in the lower class of Buenos Aires, especially in the "Bario de las Ranas". Clothing was
dictated by full skirts for the woman and gauchos with high boots and spurs for the man.

The story of Tango as told is that it started with the gauchos of Argentina. They wore chaps that had hardened
from the foam and sweat of the horses body. Hence to gauchos walked with knees flexed. 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 a payment for dancing with
him.

The man danced in a curving fashion because the floor was small with round tables, so he danced around and
between them.

The dance spread throughout Europe in the 1900's. Originally popularized in New York in the winter of 1910 -
1911, Rudolph Valentino then made the Tango a hit in 1921.

As time elapsed and the music became more subdued, the dance was finally considered respectable even in
Argentina.

Styles vary in Tango: Argentine, French, Gaucho and International. Still, Tango has become one of our American
'Standards' regardless of its origin. The Americanized version is a combination of the best parts of each.

The principals involved are the same for any good dancing. First, the dance must fit the music. Second, it must
contain the basic characteristic that sets it apart from other dances. Third, it must be comfortable and pleasing
to do.

Phrasing is an important part of Tango. Most Tango music phrased to 16 or 32 beats of music. Tango music is
like a story. It contains paragraphs (Major phrases); sentences (Minor phrases); and the period at the end of the
sentence is the Tango close.

For exhibition dancing, a Tango dancer must develop a strong connection with the music, the dance and the
audience. The audience can only feel this connection if the performer feels and projects this feeling. So it is when
dancing for your own pleasure -- and your partner's!
"The Tango is the easiest dance. If you make a mistake and get tangled up, you just Tango on." (Al Pacino in
"The Scent of a Woman.")

Movies that featured Tango dancing include "The Scent of a Woman", Madonna's "Evita" and "True Lies"
starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis.

Basic Steps for Men

1. Step forward with your left foot

2. Step forward with your right foot passing the left foot
3. Step forward again with your left foot this time passing the right foot
4. Step forward and to the right with your right foot
5. Left foot close to right foot

Basic Steps for Women

1. Step back with your right foot

2. Step back with your left foot passing the right foot
3. Step back again with your right foot this time passing the left foot
4. Step back and to the left with your left foot
5. Right foot close to left foot
Partner Positions Used in Ballroom Dancing
A good way to speed up your dance training is by understanding definitions and terms used by dance
teachers. This way, you can spend valuable lesson time learning dance techniques rather than spending
the time learning the language of dance. If you understand the language well, you’ll know exactly what to
do if the teacher says, “Begin in promenade position,” and you’ll know exactly what to do if the teacher
says, “End the pattern in reverse open promenade.” Below are some illustrations of popular partner
positions.

Partner Positions
Left Outside Partner
Position
Closed Dance Hold
Promenade Position

Fallaway Position
Right Outside
Partner Position
Right Side Wrap
 Cape (Shadow)
Position
Lower Cape Position
Challenge Position

Reverse Open Promenade

Hammerlock
Position

Forward Open Promenade

 Skater's Position
Two Hand Hold Open Facing Position
One Hand Hold Open
Facing Position