Jake Martin O.

Mallorca
BSA 2M1

“DIFFERENT TYPES OF BALLROOM DANCES”

1. Waltz- highly popular ballroom dance evolved

from the Ländler in the 18th
century. Characterized by a step, slide, and step
in  /  time, the waltz, with its turning, embracing
3
4

couples, at first shocked polite society. It became

the ballroom dance par excellence of the 19th
century, however, and tenaciously maintained its
popularity in the 20th. Its variations include the
rapid, whirling Viennese waltz and the gliding,
dipping Boston. 

2. Foxtrot- a smooth, progressive dance characterized by

long, continuous flowing movements across the dance
floor. It is danced to big band (usually vocal) music. The
dance is similar in its look to waltz, although
the rhythm is in a 4/4 time signature instead of 3/4.

3. Tango- a partner dance and social dance that originated

in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural
border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was
born in the impoverished port areas of these countries
as the result of a combination of
Rioplatense Candombe celebrations, Spanish-
Cuban Habanera, and Argentinean Milonga. The tango
was frequently practiced in the brothels and bars of
ports, where business owners employed bands to
entertain their patrons with music. The tango then
spread to the rest of the world.
4. Quickstep-  a light-hearted dance of the
standard ballroom dances. The movement of the dance
is fast and powerfully flowing and sprinkled
with syncopations. The upbeat melodies that quickstep
is danced to make it suitable for both formal and
informal events. Quickstep was developed in the 1927s
in New York City and was first danced by Black
Americans. Its origins are in combination of
slow foxtrot combined with the Charleston, a dance
which was one of the precursors to what today is
called swing dancing.

5. Viennese Waltz- a genre of ballroom dance. At least

four different meanings are recognized. In the historically
first sense, the name may refer to several versions of the
waltz, including the earliest waltzes done in ballroom
dancing, danced to the music of Viennese waltz.

6. Rumba-  a secular genre of Cuban music involving

dance, percussion, and song. It originated in the northern
regions of Cuba, mainly in urban Havana and Matanzas,
during the late 19th century. It is based on African music
and dance traditions, namely Abakuá and yuka, as well
as the Spanish-based coros de clave.

7. Cha cha- characterized by intricate foot movement,

quick spins, strong hip movement, sharp action and
staccato, all this done to Latin American Cha Cha music.
The Cha-Cha-Cha is a lively, playful and groovy social
dance.

8. Swing-  a popular social dance that is often

characterized by lifts, spins and flips. It's generally
upbeat, lively and a lot of fun to watch—and to dance!
 Like most dance styles, there are variations of the dance. It includes some basic steps and
then dancers have creative freedom to make it their own.
9. Jive- 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.

10. Samba-  ballroom dance of Brazilian origin, popularized

in western Europe and the United States in the early
1940s. Characterized by simple forward and backward
steps and tilting, rocking body movements, it is danced to
music in 4/4 time with syncopated rhythm. Couples in
ballroom position dance in place or around the floor, but
partners may separate to execute variant steps. The
dance derives mainly from the maxixe, a dance
fashionable in about 1870–1914.

11. Mambo- is the distinctive hip movement, hence the

unofficial meaning of the word “mambo” means to “shake
it.” Some say the mambo is a flirtatious, sensual dance,
sometimes almost raunchy. Mambo dancers appear quite
passionate and seem to express that passion with the
movements of their hips. Exaggerated hip movements
combined with long, flowing movements and sharp, quick
steps contribute to the sensuous feel of the mambo.

12. Bolero-  a slow, sensuous rhythm dance coming from

the Spanish tradition. The lead in the dance literally
mimics the movements of the toreador in a bullfight, while
the follow alternates between movements suggesting the
bull or the matador's cape.

13. Paso Doble- a Latin ballroom dance. “Paso doble” may

have originated in either France or Spain—the term “paso
doble” means “double step” or “two-step” in Spanish—as
the briskly paced paso doble music accompanied the fast steps of a military march in both
countries.