Instruction: The Dances

Bolero	A slow Latin dance which originated as a form of Rumba, and shares many of the same figures. Bolero differs from Rumba in its tempo and style of music and movement.
Cha Cha	The Cha-cha is the dance of flirtation. A staccato, syncopated Latin dance which originated in the 1950's as a slowed-down Mambo. It gets its name and character from its distinct repetitive foot rhythm.
Foxtrot	A smooth dance introduced to the public in 1913 by Harry Fox, noted for being the first dance to incorporate into the rhythm a combination of 'slows' and 'quicks.' Foxtrot is characterized by smooth, walking-style movements, but can be adapted to fit onto small, crowded nightclub dance floors.
Mambo	A fast Latin dance, similar to Salsa, which comes from Cuba, and was brought to America in the 1940's and 50's. Most of the movements emphasize the second beat in the measure, suggestive of the Clave rhythm which is fundamental to Mambo music.
Merengue	An energetic Latin-style march which originated in the Dominican Republic. It emphasizes a straight-ahead 8-count rhythm taken with Cuban Motion.
Rumba	A slow- to medium-tempo Latin American dance in 4/4 time, which is characterized by sensual, provocative movements and gestures, Latin-style hip motion, and playful and flirtatious interplay between man and lady. It is the dance of romance. It is a very versatile dance because it can be dance to virtually any slow-tempo music.
Salsa	A popular Latin nightclub dance which evolved as a modified form of Mambo. See our salsa schedule for current offerings.
Samba	A rhythmical Brazilian dance in 2/4 time which has been adapted for modern ballroom dancing and incorporated into the repertoire of the International Standard syllabus. Samba is noted for it's distinct style of movement, which incorporates both Latin hip motion and the signature "Samba Bounce".
Swing	A group of dances that includes Eastern Swing, West Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, Jitterbug, Jive, Balboa, Shag, and Charleston.
Tango	This dance originated in Argentina and is characterized by catlike walking action and staccato head movements.
Waltz	A ballroom-style dance characterized by 3 beats to the measure. It was first developed in Vienna as a fast paced dance to the Strauss music of the time, and remains popular today in a slower style. It is often incorporated in country dances.