LEARN TO DANCE in
POPLAR BLUFF, MISSOURI

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BALLROOM CLASSES & SCHEDULES

All 6 week ballroom dance courses cost $60 per couple or $40 for singles at our ballroom.
We also teach at  TRCC.  Classes are held in the cafeteria at the Bess Activities Center.
They cost $75 per couple or $45 for singles.

Table of Contents:
East Coast Swing
West Coast Swing
Hustle
Night Club Two Step
Cha Cha Cha
Rumba
Salsa
Freestyle Foxtrot
Waltz

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EAST COAST SWING

East Coast Swing is an American Style Rhythm dance often referred to as the triple step swing. It is a rotational dance on the spot that turns right and left but is rarely progressive. Once you master the basic triple rhythm a great emphasis is placed on pattern knowledge and variety. It is fun and probably the easiest social dance to master.

This dance consists of six and eight count patterns, which require a rock step back by both men and women. It is grounded with a little bounce. The bounce requires the dancer to stay smooth and not jump around too much. East Coast Swing is the base for all swing dances.

American Style West Coast Swing, East Coast Swing, Cha Cha, Rumba, and Merengue have a greater variety of patterns than International Style and are more suited for social dancing.

East Coast Swing I (Beginner)            

East Coast Swing II (Intermediate)

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 WEST COAST SWING

West Coast Swing is the state dance of California. It's origins are definitely in Jitterbug and Lindy Hop. It's distinctive "dancing in a slot" approach derives from San Diego dancehalls as far back as 1938.  The kicking jitterbugs would frolic in the center of the floor, with the smooth dancers grooving on the periphery. Many US Navy personnel seemed to be exploring the smooth style and let the woman go back and forth. Jitterbug was banned from virtually every serious dance hall in the late '40s due to many injuries to self and others from kicks, jumps, etc. So the smooth type of swing became popular. The real push behind the development of West Coast Swing came in the '50s, in the studios of Arthur Murray! This man spent lavishly on research & development. He can be credited with the first recorded steps of West Coast Swing.

West Coast Swing is the name of the dance in its current form.  It was first used in an advertisement by Skippy Blair in 1962, but wasn't incorporated into mainstream swing circles until the late 1960s. Blair credits Jim Bannister, editor of the Herald American newspaper in Downey, for suggesting the name West Coast Swing to distinguish it from East Coast Swing.

West Coast Swing is a slotted dance: the follower travels back and forth along a shoulder-width rectangle, called the slot, with respect to the leader. The leader is more stationary but will move in and out of the slot depending on the pattern led. A general rule is that the leader leaves the slot only to give way for the follower to pass him.  Slotted moves were a common part of the step vocabulary of Lindy and/or Jitterbug dancers during the 1940s and 1950s. The optimal rhythm (cadence) is 112 - 120 beats per minute (bpm). Yet, for some, things really heat up at the slower 90 -100 bpm which lends itself to a slow and sexy dance.

West Coast Swing is the only partner dance on the face of the Earth that allows the female the freedom to stylize her movements within the framework of the male lead. This "freedom" is attractive to many female dancers from all dance disciplines including ballet, jazz, tap, and hip-hop who are looking to "partner dance" within a milieu of relative independence.

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HUSTLE

The Hustle is a catchall name for several disco dances which were extremely popular in the 1970s. Today it mostly refers to a unique partner dance done in ballrooms and nightclubs. It has some features in common with swing dance. In the 1970s there was also a line dance called the Hustle--which is regaining popularity as people throw 1970s theme parties or schools have 1970s dance performances. Modern partner hustle is sometimes referred to as New York Hustle.  As in the Latin dances, couples tend to move within a "spot" on the dance floor, as opposed to following a line of dance as in foxtrot, or as opposed to tracking within a slot as in West Coast Swing or LA Hustle.

NIGHT CLUB TWO-STEP (a romantic slow dance)

Night Club Two-Step, not to be confused with country western or Texas two-step, is one of the most practical and versatile social dances ever conceived. It is designed to be used with contemporary soft rock music or love songs. Night Club Two-Step and Waltz are the two most poplar dances chosen for a wedding dance because of the love song chosen.

This type of music is common just about everywhere, such as nightclubs, weddings, social events, etc. The rhythm of the dance is very simple and rarely changes from the 1 & 2 count. This simple, romantic dance fills a gap where no other ballroom or social dance fits. It gives the dancer, either beginning or advanced, the opportunity to express and create without a rigid technique being required. It’s attractive, romantic and a real asset to learn, as it will be used often.

CHA CHA (LATIN DANCE)

The Cha Cha is an exciting, syncopated , Latin dance which originated in the 1950's. The Cha Cha garners its personality, rhythm, energy, and basic style from two major dance sources. It is derived from a slower version of the early Cuban Mambo and also the American Style Swing. By 1959, the United States was Cha Cha crazy and still is. It has become a staple in the Latin style dances commonly referred to as Salsa.

The distinctive beat features a syncopation where 5 steps are danced to four beats. This syncopation evolved into a 1 and 2 triple step rhythm similar to the American Style Swing. Like all the Latin dances, Cha Cha emphasizes hip action and rhythm and gets its name and character from its distinct repetitive foot action.

 

D-104	Monday Nights January 25 - March 3, 2010   6:30 - 7:25	Credit Card	Check
D-104	Tuesday Nights at TRCC March 23 - May 4, 2010   7:30 - 8:25	Call TRCC at 573-840-9680 Call to make reservations
D-104	Tuesday Nights at TRCC March 23 - May 4, 2010   7:30 - 8:25	Call TRCC at 573-840-9680 Call to make reservations

CHA CHA II    This is a continuation of beginning cha cha, adding more turns, fancy footwork, and advanced techniques.

D-104A

To Be Announced

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RUMBA (ROMANTIC LATIN SLOW DANCE)

Salsa is sensual, Cha Cha is sexy, and Rumba is romantic! How many times has a DJ played music with an intoxicatingly slow tempo and you didn't know what to do? What you need is Rumba, with definite smooth hip action, partnership, and grace for both the dancers. The Rumba was originally a courtship, marriage, and street dance that was African in origin. The Rumba met some opposition from society’s upper crust because of the suggestive body and hip movements. Steps are made with a slightly bent knee which, when straightened causes the hips to sway from side to side, in what has come to be known as “Cuban Motion.”   Join us for this romantic Latin dance.

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Salsa  (Mambo)