What do I wear?
Just wear something comfortable. Most guys wear jeans, chinos, t-shirts and polo shirts whereas the ladies wear leggings, skirts, casual dresses, t shirts, blouses; basically just regular clothes! Many of the dances require pivoting actions, especially for the lady, so super grippy shoes aren't helpful. If you plan to join us on a regular basis, please consider buying some ballroom specific shoes which have suede soles, allowing your foot to slip just enough for those pivots!
Do I need a partner?
This is a common question normally asked by the ladies, because let's face it, ladies generally have a hard time convincing their boyfriends or husbands to go dancing with them. Many of the guys who have initially been coerced, however, have gone on to love it! We do have some all female couples, so going with a female friend or relative is an option, you just need to decide who's leading and who's following! If you're a beginner and want to attend one of our novice courses, we may have some available partners from our more experienced classes. Even if there aren't enough partners for everybody, you can practise leader or follower steps solo and either Carole or a helper will take turns to dance with you.
Tell me more about the dances!
The Latin and ballroom dance disciplines are very different; it's a wonder why Latin and ballroom were paired! The Latin dances are generally easier for beginners to pick up and have more 'real-world' application, as they can be danced in smaller spaces and generally work better with contemporary pop music. Ballroom is generally more challenging because you are in a close hold with your partner and you must therefore learn how to give them freedom to move while maintaining that connection, all the while looking elegant and graceful!
In Latin, there is space between you and some steps have you separated completely, which makes things easier, especially for the novice dancer. Yes, there are the hips and leg action to think about, but these do not prevent you from dancing the basic steps. For the beginner, correct technique in Latin is a progression.
Slow Foxtrot
A completely different dance to the social foxtrot, the slow foxtrot is reserved for intermediate and above classes. Unlike the other ballroom styles, there is no one basic movement that will take you around the floor; you must string several figures together in order to progress. This makes it the most challenging of all the ballroom dances. However it works perfectly with mid tempo Michael Bublé and will surely impress if you have the space to dance it!
Jive
A faster version of swing, the jive is a fun and energetic dance. It was first demonstrated by Cab Calloway in 1934 and caught on the the USA in the 1940s and was influenced by the boogie, rock & roll and lindy hop. At a party it works perfectly to popular oldies like Rock Around The Clock, or if you're an 80s fan - Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go by Wham!
Tango
Not to be confused with the Argentine Tango (although they both have the same origins), the ballroom style tango is less sensual and more dramatic. It's characterised by contrasting legato and staccato movement and when done well is very cool! Admittedly it doesn't have much application outside of ballroom specific dance events, but that doesn't stop it from being fun to learn and perform.
Rumba
Often referred to as the 'dance of love' the name rumba actually means 'party' and it's likely that it developed into a sensual dance through the influence of choreographers and slower tempo music. It shares many figures with the cha-cha-chá but without its signature chassé. In the real world, couples can use the rumba in small dance spaces to slower tempo songs. Something like 'Sexual Healing' by Marvin Gaye!
Quickstep
The quickstep is a fast and joyful ballroom dance and while the footwork can be light and energetic, it should nevertheless be an elegant dance. The basic steps are easy for the beginner to learn and the floor can be navigated easily with just a basic pattern, but there is a wide repertoire of figures and variations for more advanced couples. Does it have real world use? Absolutely. Try Hit Me UP by Gia Farrell, or Pon de Replay by Rihanna, or any number of modern electro swing tracks by artists such as Caro Emerald.
Samba
We generally reserve samba for intermediate and above classes since it is one of the more challenging Latin dances. It is happy, exuberant and somewhat flirtatious. If you're at a party and something like Ain't it Funny by Jennifer Lopez starts playing, you can bust out the samba!
Swing
Another dance that fits well with modern pop/ rock music and small dance floors. Swing is easy for beginners to pick up and easily adaptable for any situation where you might want to show off some moves (with a partner) in the real world, such as night clubs and parties.
Waltz
The waltz is a ballroom dance performed to 3/4 time, slow tempo music; think 'Moon River' or 'Come Away With Me (Norah Jones)'. It is an elegant, graceful and gliding dance, best suited to larger spaces. The waltz is easy to pick up for beginners who can navigate the dance floor with just one basic pattern, but the waltz has an extensive syllabus for more advanced students.
Cha Cha Chá
An energetic dance of Cuban origin, traditionally danced to Cuban or Latin music. However, it is a perfect dance for modern 4/4 time pop music and adapts well to small or crowded dance floors. The basic pattern is easy for beginners while more advanced dancers will appreciate figures such as the Turkish Towel or Hip Twist Spiral.
Social Foxtrot
The social foxtrot is an easy ballroom dance and is often the first one to be taught to those who are just starting out. It's danced in a relaxed ballroom hold and is easy to learn, easy to dance and works well with many kinds of music. It's useful for small dance spaces at parties, clubs and cruises.