Bolero...

History

The bolero, originally a Spanish dance with Moroccan roots, dates back to the early 19th century. It was danced singly or in couples with the dancers exhibiting complex and intricate movements while maintaining a steady rattle with their castanets.

With the colonization of the New World and a mixture of cultures coming together, a blend of rhythms and music began to occur. In Cuba, the Spanish dances, music, and culture converged with the African slave rhythms to create new styles and rhythms. Bolero was one of the dances to emerge in the late 1800s from this convergence. Because of its slow, gliding, romantic quality, Bolero is often called the Cuban Dance of Love. From Cuba, Bolero migrated to the U.S. in the mid-1930s.

The modern bolero is danced to a slow-quick-quick rhythm with long, gliding steps to the side on the slow beat and a rock-step, either forward or backward, on the quick-quick beats. Many of the patterns done in the Rumba have slower, measured counterparts in the Bolero. The dance often has a theme of approach and turning away—the tensions of a couple falling in love.

Dance Characteristics

• Bolero is a slow dance characterized by smooth, gliding movement, dramatic arm styling, and a romantic feel.
• Bolero is a mixture of three dances: Tango (use of contra-body movement); Waltz (use of rise and fall); and Rumba (use of Cuban Motion and slow Latin music).

The footwork is generally “Ball Flat” throughout the dance. Ball Flat is a term indicating that the ball of the foot is the first part of the foot to come in contact with the floor and will receive the pressure from the weight change before the rest of the foot. The weight is then transferred to the Flat of the foot as the weight change is completed.

Cha Cha...

History

Cha Cha evolved from a version of Mambo called Triple Mambo or “chatch” step.  When a slower version of Mambo music was played, it allowed time for triple steps to be inserted between the forward and backward breaks.  These triple steps were 3 quick changes of weight preceded by 2 slow steps.  By the early 1950’s, this figure had developed into a new dance all its own.

The name of this new dance reportedly was derived onomatopoetically from the “ch-ch-ch” sound the ladies’ shoes made during the triple steps.  Much of the styling of Cha Cha was inherited from its parent dances: the Rumba and the Mambo.

Cha Cha was introduced to the United States in the early 1950’s and promptly sparked a dance craze.  After arriving in the U.S., the traditional violins and flutes were often replaced by Big Band instruments such as trumpets, trombones, and saxophones.

Dance Characteristics

• Cha Cha is lively and fun.

• It is a nonprogressive dance—it stays in one area of the dance floor and does not progress around line-of-dance (the counter-clockwise direction dances move around the room).

• It emphasizes Cuban Motion and rhythm expressed throughout the body.

• The footwork is generally “Ball Flat” throughout the dance.  Ball Flat is a term indicating that the ball of the foot is the first part of the foot to come in contact with the floor and will receive the pressure from the weight change before the rest of the foot.  The weight is then transferred to the Flat of the foot as the weight change is completed.

Foxtrot...

History

The Foxtrot originated in the summer of 1914 by Vaudeville actor Harry Fox. Born Arthur Carringford in Pomona, California, in 1882, he adopted the stage name of "Fox" after his grandfather.

In early 1914, Fox was appearing in various vaudeville shows in the New York area.  One such show was the Ziegfeld Follies of 1914, in which Fox danced some trotting steps to ragtime music as part of his act.  It delighted audiences and quickly caught on, and people referred to his dance as Fox's Trot.  Though the original version exhibited by Mr. Fox was very jerky and athletic, dance teachers tamed it and proved it to be a perfect dance for ragtime music.

Vernon and Irene Castle, a British and American husband and wife dance team, were exhibition dancers of outstanding talent and charm.  Their rendition of the Foxtrot was the most original and exciting of their various dances.

As a result of the rising popularity of ballroom dance, evolving a form of dance that could express the music of the time and still be contained in a small area became necessary.  This did not mean that the "traveling" Foxtrot was dropped, but the "on the spot" dance did provide a means where large numbers of people could dance and enjoy the new sounds and beats of America.

In England, the “hops, kicks, and capers” of the American Foxtrot were removed; and figures such as “butterfly, twinkle, and chasse” laid the foundation of the smoother English version.  Today, this smoother version remains and bears little resemblance to the original.

Up to that time, the Foxtrot was the most significant development in all of ballroom dancing. The combination of quick and slow steps permitted more flexibility and greater dancing pleasure than its forbearers, the one-step and two-step. There is more variety in the Foxtrot than in any other dance.

Variations of the Foxtrot include the Peabody and Quickstep. Even dances such as the Lindy and the Hustle are derived to some extent from the Foxtrot.

Dance Characteristics

• Foxtrot has two timings:

• Slow-quick-quick of the Box Step basic

• Slow-slow-quick-quick of the Progressive basic

• Foxtrot progresses counter-clockwise (line of dance) around the dance floor.

• Foxtrot is characterized by rise and fall through the knees and feet, as well as sway in the upper body.

• There is no foot rise on backward steps; only body rise.

• Footwork contains a brushing action, collecting the feet under the body, before taking the next step.

• Foxtrot is a “heel leads” dance where the heel of the foot “leads” or comes in contact with the floor first on forward steps.

• Alignment in relationship to the room is important so as not to “dance against traffic.”

Mambo...

History

Mambo originated in Cuba where there were substantial settlements of Haitians.  In the back country of Haiti, the “Mambo” is a voodoo priestess who serves the villagers as counselor, healer, exorcist, soothsayer, spiritual advisor, and organizer of public entertainment.  However, there is no folk dance in Haiti called the “Mambo”.

Mambo is a fusion of Swing (American jazz) and Cuban music.  The actual dance is attributed to Perez Prado who introduced it at La Tropicana nightclub in Havana in 1943.  The original dance had to be toned down (too athletic and acrobatic) in order for the general public to be able to do it.   A modified version was presented at dance studios, resort hotels, and night clubs in New York and Miami.  The Mambo craze of the 1950s did not last long; and today, Mambo’s appeal is limited to advanced dancers.  However, Mambo did give rise to two other dances:  Cha Cha (in the 1950s) and Salsa (in the 1980s).

Dance Characteristics

• Mambo is generally a fast and spicy dance.  The steps are small, precise, and largely in place to avoid becoming wild and frantic.

• Steps should be staccato and striking.

• The “basic” step generally consists of 6 steps done in a “quick-quick slow; quick-quick slow” rhythm.

• Strong Cuban Motion is used with expression of rhythm throughout the body.

• The dancer’s feet “hold” (no movement) on count 1 and then “break” (move) on count 2.

• The footwork is generally “Ball Flat” throughout the dance.  Ball Flat is a term indicating that the ball of the foot is the first part of the foot to come in contact with the floor and will receive the pressure from the weight change before the rest of the foot.  The weight is then transferred to the Flat of the foot as the weight change is completed.

• Since count 1 is the downbeat of the bar, the body should express this beat through strong hip and rib cage action, even though there is no weight change on count 1.

• Mambo features many swivels and spins.

Merengue...

History

The Merengue is the national dance of the Dominican Republic (and to some extent, of Haiti, the neighbor sharing the island).  It became popular in the early-to-mid 1800s when the African slaves combined their rhythms with the staid and boring dances they saw their European masters doing.

There are two stories as to the origin of the Merengue’s characteristic limp.  One story alleges the dance originated with slaves who were chained together and, out of necessity, were forced to drag one leg as they cut sugar cane to the beat of drums.  Another story reports that when a popular returning war hero, wounded in the leg during one of the many revolutions in the Dominican Republic, tried to dance at a victory celebration given in his honor, he could only do so with a limp.  Out of respect for him, the villagers also began dancing with a limp.

Whatever the origin, Merengue arrived in New York in the 1940s, but was not immediately popular.

Dance Characteristics

• It is a fun and easy dance, made up of simple steps.

• Merengue is characterized by a marching feeling in the steps as well as a “limp” or drag of one foot.

• The footwork is generally “Ball Flat” throughout the dance.  (Ball Flat is a term indicating that the ball of the foot is the first part of the foot to come in contact with the floor and will receive the pressure from the weight change before the rest of the foot.  As the weight change is completed, the weight is then transferred to the Flat of the foot.)

• It is primarily a nonprogressive dance, ideally suited to the small, crowded dance floor; but if given the space, Merengue can also travel counter-clockwise around the floor.

Night Club Two Step ...

History

The Night Club Two-Step was developed in 1965 by a 15-year-old teen from Whitaker, Illinois, named Buddy Schwimmer who was looking for a dance to do to medium- and slow-tempo songs.  There are now two distinct “basic” steps:  The original footwork was a rocking step (Rock, Replace, Side) and the second footwork is a crossing step (Side, Cross Front, Side).  Both use the same timing of quick-quick-slow.  The feel and look of the rocking basic is a bit choppy, rather compact, and stays generally in place while the feel and look of the crossing basic is very smooth, sweeping, and glides from side to side.

Dance Characteristics

• Night Club Two-Step is a very versatile dance in that it can be danced on small night club floors or big, expansive ballrooms.

• Night Club Two-Step is great for medium and slow music, i.e., love ballads.

• Night Club Two-Step has a relaxed, casual, natural feeling.

• It is a fairly easy dance to do and fun for beginner and advanced alike.

Rumba...

History

Though Cuba is considered the birthplace of the Rumba, there were similar dance developments which took place in other Caribbean islands and in Latin America generally.  The word “rumba” is a broad term used to apply to multiple music and dance forms.  Rumba is a blend of African slave rhythms and Spanish colonial culture and music.

With the colonization of the New World and a mixture of cultures coming together, a blend of rhythms and music began to occur.  In Cuba, the Spanish dances, music, and culture converged with the African slave rhythms to create new styles and rhythms.  Rumba was one of the dances to emerge in the 1800s from this convergence. 

The native Rumba folk dance is essentially a sexual pantomime danced extremely fast with exaggerated hip movements and with a sensually aggressive attitude on the part of the man and a defensive attitude on the part of the woman.  The music is played with a staccato beat and the accompanying instruments include the maracas, the claves, marimbola, and the drums.

The Son, was the popular dance of middle class Cuba.  It is a modified, slower, and more refined version of the native Rumba.  Still slower is the Danzon, the dance of wealthy Cuban society.  Very small steps are taken, with the women producing a very subtle tilting of the hips by alternately bending and straightening the knees.

The American Rumba is a modified version of the Son.  The Rumba was first introduced to the U.S. in 1913; but it wasn’t until the late 1920s when Latin American music became popular in the States that interest in Rumba finally grew and continued in the 1930s and 1940s.

Dance Characteristics

• Sometimes called the “dance of love”, Rumba is distinguished by its romantic feel.

• It is a nonprogressive dance (remaining in one part of the floor) and does not proceed around the room in line-of-dance.

• Perhaps its most important characteristic is the continuous, flowing Cuban Motion, which gives Rumba its sensual look.

• The footwork is generally “Ball Flat” throughout the dance.  Ball Flat is a term indicating that the ball of the foot is the first part of the foot to come in contact with the floor and will receive the pressure from the weight change before the rest of the foot.  The weight is then transferred to the Flat of the foot as the weight change is completed.

• Rumba is one of 4 dances whose basic step is based on the “box”.  (The other 3 are:  Waltz, Foxtrot, and Samba.)

Salsa...

History

Salsa is not easily defined.  No one really knows who even “invented” Salsa. Was it the Cubans or the Puerto Ricans? Salsa is a term which encompasses many Latin and Afro-Caribbean dances; and each played a large part in its evolution.

Salsa is similar to Mambo in that both have a pattern of six steps danced over eight counts of music. The dances share many of the same figures. In Salsa, turns have become an important feature, so the overall look and feel of the dance is quite different from Mambo. Mambo moves generally forward and backward, whereas, Salsa has more of a side to side feel.
 
Though Salsa is not wholely Cuban, Cuba is generally given credit for its origin. It was in Cuba where the Contra-Danze (Country Dance—later called Danzón) of England/France, brought by the French who fled from Haiti, was mixed with Rumbas of African origin.  Add the Són (a mixture of Spanish colonial dance and African rhythms), and a new partner dance emerged to the beat of the clave.

This blending of rhythms and music from several cultures also occurred to smaller degrees and with different variations in other countries like the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Puerto Rico, and Central America.  New York created the term "Salsa", but it did not create the dance. The term became popular as a nickname to refer to a variety of different music from several countries of Hispanic influence.

Dance Characteristics

• The “basic” step generally consists of 6 steps done in a “quick-quick slow; quick-quick slow” rhythm.

• Depending on location, the Salsa “basic” varies.  Three common basics are: 

• Cumbia (side, close, side) (3 steps to the right; and 3 steps to the left)

• Rock-step, side; Rock-step side

• Forward and backward

• The footwork is generally “Ball Flat” throughout the dance.  Ball Flat is a term indicating that the ball of the foot is the first part of the foot to come in contact with the floor and will receive the pressure from the weight change before the rest of the foot.  The weight is then transferred to the Flat of the foot as the weight change is completed.

• Though Salsa music ranges in speed, it is generally a lively, quicker-paced dance than its Latin counterparts of Cha Cha, Rumba, Bolero.

• While Cuban Motion is still used in Salsa, it is not as pronounced as in slower dances.

• Generally speaking, Salsa dancers “break” on count 1 of the measure.  However, like its cousin, the Mambo, breaking on count 2 is also acceptable

Samba...

History

Samba originated on Brazilian plantations, where the African rhythms of slaves mixed with European music.  The new Samba music served as a kind of oral history; and the dance was a solo art form with rapidly moving hips and quick transfers of weight.

In Brazil, prejudice against blacks and their music was open and extreme; and the Samba was considered a thing of bums and bandits.  Amid outrage, in 1921, black musicians were surprisingly chosen to go to Paris.  Brazilians did not want such “barbarian and primitive music” representing the country.  However, the French loved the novel music and the band received rave reviews.  In fact, the impact was so great that the intended one month tour was extended to six!

The band brought back different instruments from its tour:  trumpet, trombone, sax, and banjo—all jazz instrumentation—and combined these with Brazilian percussion instruments already used.  Thus Samba was given a new sound.

This new Samba, with a characteristic syncopated rhythm, came to dominate much of Rio’s Carnival music.

Samba was introduced to the U.S. in the late 1920s via the Broadway play, Street Carnival, and more widely exposed through films.  However, its popularity and the popularity of Latin music in America in general grew in the 1940s because of the greed of ASCAP. ASCAP kept raising its fees to broadcasters who played music on the air.  Broadcasters refused to pay and began playing non-ASCAP material, i.e., Latin American music.

In the U.S., Samba evolved into a couples’ dance that was standardized as a ballroom dance in 1956.  In Brazil, however, Samba remains a solo form, danced at street festivals and other celebrations with nationalistic pride.

Dance Characteristics

• Samba is an upbeat and lively dance that progresses counter-clockwise around the floor.

• Samba is characterized by its bounce and rolling hip action.

• Samba is one of 4 dances whose basic step is based on the “box”.  (The other 3 are:  Waltz, Foxtrot, and Rumba.)

Swing...

History

The history of swing dates back to the 1920’s, where the Afro-American community, while dancing to contemporary jazz music, developed the Charleston and the Lindy Hop.

On March 26, 1926, the Savoy Ballroom opened in New York’s Harlem district.  It was an immediate success with its block-long dance floor and raised double bandstand.  Nightly dancing attracted most of the best dancers in the New York area.  The music at the Savoy was largely Swinging Jazz.

One evening in 1927, a local dance enthusiast named “Shorty George” Snowden had just walked off the dance floor and was watching some of the other dancing couples.  A newspaper reporter, on assignment to do a story on the new nightclub, asked George what dance those on the dance floor were doing.  The dance had not been named as yet, but George happened to glance down on the bench beside him where a newspaper caption read, “Lindy Hops the Atlantic”.   Reading that, George quipped, “Lindy Hop” and the name stuck.

In the mid1930s, a bouncy six-beat variant was named the jitterbug by band leader Cab Calloway when he introduced a tune in 1934 entitled “Jitterbug”.  Contemporary jazz and swing music were evolving with Benny Goodman leading the way.  Dancers soon incorporated tap and jazz steps into their dancing.

Swing was a very dynamic and athletic dance and became popular among the young in the 1930s.  During World War II, American soldiers carried it to Europe.

In the early 1940s, Lindy Hop was tamed and simplified by dance schools to become a ballroom dance called Eastern Swing.  In the late 1970s, the name was changed to East Coast Swing to match another variation of Swing, the West Coast Swing.

Presently, the Lindy Hop is enjoying a resurgence in popularity.  It is a smooth Swing (not a lot of bounce) and patterns are usually 8 counts instead of the 6 used in East and West Coast Swing basic steps.

Today, there are many different styles of Swing, depending on what part of the country you visit.  Each geographic area has put its own particular mark or twist on swing to come up with a wide variety of ways to dance this dance; and it’s all good!

Dance Characteristics

• Swing is a very fun, upbeat dance.

• Swing is distinguished by its bounce, back break (also called “rock step”), and Swing-hip Motion.

• Swing also uses Cuban Motion on the back breaks.

• Bounce is created by flexing and straightening the knees.

• It is a nonprogressive dance, staying in one area of the dance floor and not moving around the room in a counter-clockwise direction (line-of-dance).

• East Coast Swing can be danced in a slot or in a circular direction.  West Coast Swing is primarily danced in a slot.

• Swing is a very versatile dance with lots of patterns and room for variations.

• The footwork is generally “Ball Flat” throughout the dance.  (Ball Flat is a term indicating that the ball of the foot is the first part of the foot to come in contact with the floor and will receive the pressure from the weight change before the rest of the foot.  As the weight change is completed, the weight is then transferred to the Flat of the foot.)

Tango...

History

The Tango--the dance with the scandalous past!--that eventually would evolve into the “ballroom” Tango originated in the lower classes of Buenos Aires, particularly in the “Red Light District”.  Around the turn of the 20th century, Buenos Aires was teaming with immigrants from Europe, Africa, and ports unknown who had come to Argentina to help build the railroad and the nation as well as seek their fortunes.  They were lonely and sought solace and companionship in the saloons. 

Out of this cultural mixture emerged a new music which epitomized these people—lonely, sorrowful, frustrated strangers in a strange land—Tango.  The music borrowed from many nations—the rhythms of the African slaves and the popular music of the pampas (flatlands) known as the milonga which combined Indian rhythms with the music of early Spanish colonists.  Often, the Tango was danced as a pantomime of the relationship between the prostitute and her pimp or as a duel between two men for the favors of a particular woman, which usually ended in the symbolic death of one of the suitors.  Sexual and evil forces were equally celebrated in this ritual.  Accompaniment of the melancholy, wailing sound of the bandoneon (an accordion-like instrument imported to Argentina from Germany in 1886) added to the emotional tension of the music and dance.
 
Another important element influencing the hold and dance style of the Tango was the gaucho (Argentine cowboy).  After being out on the pampas (range) for long periods, the gauchos would come into town and go to the crowded nightclubs seeking girls with whom to dance.  Because they wore chaps that had hardened from the foam and sweat from their horses’ bodies, the gauchos walked with flexed knees.  Since the gaucho hadn't showered, the lady would dance in the crook of the man's right arm, holding her head back.  Her right hand was held low on his left hip, close to his pocket, waiting for payment for dancing with him. The man danced in a curving fashion because the floor was small with round tables, so he danced around and between them.

Though the Tango was initially considered obscene, the music was captivating.  Gradually, the Tango became absorbed into the larger society, losing some of its abrasiveness; and eventually, it developed into a worldwide phenomenon.  Even the Americans were doing it, although some ladies wore “bumpers” to protect themselves from getting to close to their male partners.

The dance spread throughout Europe in the 1900's. Originally popularized in New York in the winter of 1910-1911, Rudolph Valentino then made the Tango a hit in 1921.  As time elapsed and the music became more subdued, the dance was finally considered respectable even in Argentina.  The American Tango was standardized into the slow-slow-quick-quick-slow pattern which captured the “quick stop” dramatic feel of the dance.

In Argentina, Tango waxed and waned in popularity, depending upon what was going on politically.  It reached its pinnacle of popularity when Juan Peron and his wife Evita embraced it in 1946, but then receded in 1952 with the invasion of rock and roll.

There have been several styles of Tango, but the three most prominent today are American, International, and Argentine.  What are the differences of these three tangos?

In American Tango, the defining figure is the “Tango Close” which has a quick-quick-slow rhythm and usually completes each pattern.  In the Tango Close, the leader steps forward with the left foot on the first quick; sideways with the right foot on the second quick; and then drags or draws his left foot in towards the right without a weight change on the slow.  In addition, American Tango patterns are performed in counts of 8 or multiples of 8 (i.e., 8, 16, 24, 32) so that the steps are phrased with the music.

In International Tango, the defining figure is the “link” which has a quick-quick-slow rhythm just like the Tango Close in American Tango.  However, the Follower is led into promenade position on the second quick.  There is no dragging or drawing of the feet to close on the slow.  Instead, the slow in the link is a step in promenade position.  Therefore, the link goes from closed position to promenade position and is not a repeatable step.

In Argentine Tango, partners are almost completely in a close, closed position or embrace, very inward in attitude, trading footsteps and decorations.  The basic steps are built out of grapevines, figure eights, turns, and walking.  To these steps, dramatic pauses, quick steps, syncopations, foot decorations, and leg hooks are added.  Another characteristic is that the dancers may walk in “same” feet (leader’s left to follower’s left; aka “crossed” feet) rather than the “mirrored” feet (leader’s left to follower’s right) normally seen in American and International Tangos.  While the leader “walks” the follower around, the leader’s feet may pause, switch to same or crossed feet, step into the stride of the follower, or appear to displace the follower’s footsteps.

Dance Characteristics

• American Tango patterns or figures are phrased in multiples of 8 which means that the figures are danced to 8, 16, 24, 32, etc. beats of music.

• Tango progresses counter-clockwise (line of dance) around the dance floor.

• Knees are softly flexed.

• Bodies are offset and parallel with a “winding down” into the legs and a slight turn to the left.  (This creates a curving action on walks.)

• Head position is slightly to the left to counterbalance the Lady’s position which is a little more to the Man’s right side than in other smooth dances.

• Lady maintains a fully stretched spine, angled slightly left so that she can keep her head over to her left and stay in the Man’s right arm.

• Lady’s left had is placed behind and below Man’s right arm with fingers extended toward his back.

• There is no rise and fall in Tango; feet should be released from the floor.

• Tango is a “heel leads” dance where the heel of the foot “leads” or comes in contact with the floor first on forward steps.

• Alignment in relationship to the room is important so as not to “dance against traffic.”

 

Waltz...

History

The word Waltz comes from the old German word walzen to roll, turn, or to glide.  It is the only ballroom dance danced to music in three-quarter time which has a strong accent on the first beat of the measure.

The oldest of the modern ballroom dances, the Waltz was danced first by the country folk; but gradually, the infectious rhythm captivated the whole of German society.  The music had a swing that demanded a new style of dancing and the speed of the music required a close hold to maintain balance in the breathless, speedy turns.  The closeness of the couple, the tight embrace, and the body parts touching caused considerable criticism on moral grounds.   Religious leaders almost unanimously regarded it as vulgar and sinful.  In parts of Germany and Switzerland, the Waltz was banned all together.

Dancing masters also criticized it, seeing the Waltz as a threat to their profession. (The basic steps of the Waltz could be learned in relatively short time, whereas, the minuet and other court dances required considerable practice, not only to learn the many complex figures, but also to develop suitable postures and deportment.)

But the criticism only served to increase the popularity of the Waltz.  The bourgeoisie took it up enthusiastically immediately after the French revolution. Reportedly, the first time the Waltz was danced in the United States was in Boston in 1834.  Although some were aghast at first, gradually, by the middle of the nineteenth century, the Waltz was firmly established in United States’ society.

Music plays an important role in dance, and every dance is dependent upon the availability of the appropriate music. The Waltz was given a tremendous boost around 1830 by two great Austrian composers -- Franz Lanner and Johann Strauss. These two composers were by far the most popular during the nineteenth century; and they set the standard for the Viennese Waltz (a very fast version of the waltz).  By 1900, a typical dance program was three quarter Waltzes and one quarter all other dances combined.

Around the close of the nineteenth century, two modifications of the Waltz were developed. The first was the Boston, a slower Waltz with long gliding steps.  Although the Boston disappeared with the first world war, it did stimulate development of the English or International style which continues today.  The second was the hesitation, which involves taking one step to three beats of the measure.  Hesitation steps are still widely used in today's Waltz.

Fortunately, the violent opposition faded out and the Waltz weathered an exciting and varied career, emerging today in two accepted forms, both reflecting the main characteristics of the dance. They are known as the Modern Waltz and the Viennese (Quick) Waltz.

Dance Characteristics

• Waltz is one of 4 dances whose basic step is the box step. (The other 3 are Foxtrot, Rumba, and Samba.)

• Waltz is the only dance done to music that has ¾ timing.

• Each step has the same beat value -- 1

• Waltz progresses counter-clockwise (line of dance) around the dance floor.

• Waltz is characterized by rise and fall through the knees and feet, as well as sway in the upper body.

• There is no foot rise on backward steps; only body rise.

• Waltz is a “heel leads” dance where the heel of the foot “leads” or comes in contact with the floor first on forward steps.

• Alignment in relationship to the room is important so as not to “dance against traffic.”