| Like anything in life, Ballroom dancing has two sides. | | | | Foxtrot is light and playful. It is a happy dance you do |
| One is sassy, hot, loud and Latin; the other is elegant | | | | when you are simply happy to be alive. |
| and graceful, yet no less dramatic, Smooth. I would | | | | QUICKSTEP |
| encourage you to try Smooth, even if you think you | | | | Quickstep came out of the Foxtrot in the 1920s. It is |
| are an expressive, Latin type to the core. It may | | | | characterized by hops, skips, syncopations, rotations |
| bring out a different side of you - I know it does for | | | | and quick playful action. It is closely related to the |
| me. And to help you decide which dances you may | | | | Foxtrot in music and feeling, but utilizes mostly Waltz |
| want to try, here are some of the most common | | | | patterns. |
| Ballroom dances, a little of their history history, and | | | | Quickstep is quick, (duh!) full of life and energy. |
| some of their essence. | | | | Though it is a Ballroom dance, Quickstep make no |
| WALTZ | | | | claim to grace or elegance. It is all about speed and |
| Waltz is often referred to as "the mother of all | | | | having a good time! |
| dances" and with good reason! Waltz has been | | | | TANGO |
| around since 16th century, when it was considered | | | | Ballroom version of the Tango is a passionate, |
| daring and scandalous by the mainstream society. | | | | moody dance that is all about the relationship |
| Dancing together in an embrace was simply | | | | between lovers. International Standard style Tango is |
| unacceptable! And young ladies were made to put a | | | | mostly a fight where jealousy and ego take over. |
| pillow between themselves and their dance partners | | | | American style Tango is more of a love story, but as |
| in order to protect their virtue. But the elegant, gliding | | | | with any love story, a fight here and there is a must! |
| steps of the Waltz, which made it very distinct and | | | | Tango is for the passionate! And if you don't feel it, |
| aristocratic, so unlike the foot-stamping, loud stepping | | | | you fake it! There is no way around it - you have |
| peasant dances of the time, made the Waltz popular | | | | got to show the drama, or your Tango will make no |
| soon enough. | | | | sense. This is not the dance to simply do steps - you |
| Vienna was the city responsible for Waltz's | | | | have to show the feeling! |
| popularity, so it is only fair that a separate style of | | | | ARGENTINE TANGO |
| Waltz - Viennese Waltz - is its own separate dance | | | | Argentine Tango is more a life-style than a dance. |
| at dance competitions around the world. | | | | Learning the steps in this dance is about as useful as |
| Waltz, if done right, gives you a feeling of | | | | learning how to swim from a book! Tango must be |
| continuously spinning around the floor to a point | | | | lived and breathed! You must listen for the music, let |
| where you feel you are floating just above the floor | | | | it speak to you. The music, your heart, and your |
| boards. It is classy and elegant. It makes you stand | | | | partner tell you want to do, not your teacher. There |
| up straighter, look up, and feel like a member of the | | | | are no steps in Tango - it is pure improvisation. Even |
| upper class, regardless of where you come from. | | | | when Argentine Tango is danced on stage in a |
| FOXTROTit is said that Foxtrot came to be when a | | | | performance, it is often improvised. |
| vaudeville actor by the name of Henry Fox sauntered | | | | As with most dances, Argentine Tango has many |
| across the stage to ragtime music in the early 20th | | | | styles and techniques, but they are all of no use to |
| century. There are also plenty of other theories | | | | you, if you feel nothing when you dance. Argentine |
| about how Foxtrot was created, but everyone | | | | Tango is the only dance in the world where you can |
| seems to agree that Foxtrot is related to the Blues | | | | just walk in circles the entire night, simply holding your |
| and ragtime styles of music. It gained popularity in | | | | partner in an embrace, without ever changing your |
| the 1940s and remained a crowd favorite until | | | | step or your rhythm, and still have a wonderful time! |
| rock-n-roll took over in the 1950s. | | | | But you can't do that thoughtlessly! In order for your |
| Until today, however, Foxtrot is a favorite for many | | | | Tango to work, you must attach a feeling to it. How |
| people. The smooth, but jazzy feel feel of the music | | | | do you feel at the moment - happy? sad? jealous? |
| and the dance brings to mind the images of Fred | | | | angry? content? quiet? thoughtful? If you feel |
| Astaire and Ginger Rogers, Frank Sinatra, and old | | | | anything at all, go ahead and express it with this |
| Hollywood movies, where everybody always ends up | | | | amazing dance! |
| living happily ever after. | | | | |