Dance Descriptions
Cha-Cha - Bongos and maracas, sensuous rhythms and a strong beat - all in that Latin style. No matter how cold it is outside, on the dance floor, it’s hot Latin music. The distinctive and the soulful rhythm of Carlos Santana’s legendary guitar will get your hips moving with that classic “cha-cha-cha”. Don't be surprised to hear the cha cha rhythm in a ton of American rock and roll music, including songs like Mustang Sally, Billie Jean, and even Get The Party Started by Pink!
Foxtrot - That Big Band sound. Cool, finger snapping, toe tapping sounds. The Foxtrot is all about American cool. If you’d enjoy gliding around the dance floor to the legendary sounds of Dean Martin and Bobby Darin then this is your dance. But what's old is new again as this dance works so well with contemporary hits from artists like Michael Bublé with Everything, Bubbly by Colbie Caillat, and I'm Yours by Jason Mraz.
Jitterbug - This dance can mean a lot of things to a lot of people as it can be very regional in nature. Most of us associate the dance with the World War II era as we think about the old movies featuring dances at the USO clubs. Wild. Crazy. Freestyle. It’s all that. This dance is more about turns than the turns than the step. Songs like Sing Sing Sing, Chuck Berry's Maybelline, and even Wipeout by the Safaris will get your bug jitterin'.
Nightclub Two-Step - Remember the days when you hoped and prayed for that perfect slow song when you were with that special person? Yes? This is the dance you should have known! It's not too late. There are so many modern pop ballads that are great Night Club Two-Step songs. Do not confuse the name of this dance with a Country Two-Step. This is a slow dance that moves gently and slowly in place. This dance is perfectly suited for romantic songs like Feel the Love Tonight by Elton John, Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flats, Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers, and You Give Your Hand to Me by Michael Buble'.
Rumba - When the Latin rhythm slows down, the chemistry heats up with the Rumba. With it’s origin in Cuba, this is a slow dance with a distinct and unique "slow-quick-quick" rhythm to sensuous Latin music. This is such a versatile dance because it also works with popular American songs like Fields of Gold by Sting, Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffet, and the Drifter's Stand By Me.
Salsa - Is there anything hotter than Salsa?!!! Especially when it’s on the dance floor. Salsa is essentially Cuban in stylistic origin with plenty of hips and a ton of style. In addition to great Latin hits like Livn' La Vida Loca by Ricky Martin and La Bamba by Richie Valens or Los Lobos, there are so many great American songs that you can Salsa to like Hey Soul Sister by Train, Walk This Way by Aerosmith, Tequila by The Champs, and Billy Joe's River of Dreams.
Single Swing - American music man, that’s what we’re talkin’ about! From Big Band sounds to the birth of Rock n Roll. This is pure America on the dance floor. Just throw in turns and spins and you will be swingn’ to the hits of the 40's like King of Swing and Go Daddy-O; the 50’s like Johnny B. Goode by Chuck Berry, Don't be Cruel by Elvis, and Great Balls of Fire by Jerry Lee Lewis; and more contemporary hits like Footloose by Kenny Loggins, and Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves.
Triple Swing - This is really East Coast Swing! But it's easy to remember this by it's distinct triple step that you will throw into your basic Swing step. This song works great for a Swing song that is too slow for a Single Swing. Great songs for this dance include Sugar Sugar by the Archies, Old Time Rock and Roll by Bob Seger, Splish Splash by Bobby Darin, I Love a Rainy Night by Eddie Rabbitt, and Mony Mony by Billy idol.
Tango - Passion, sophistication, and strength characterize this dance. All of these elements combine to make this one of the most recognized dances in the world. In addition to classic Tango songs like Por Una Cabeza featured in movies like True Lies and Scent of a Woman, songs that will surprise you with a Tango include the Theme from Peter Gunn, I Gotta Feelin' by the Black Eyed Peas, and Sway by The Pussycat Dolls.
Two-Step - If you’ve ever been to a country western dance then you’ve seen couples flying around the dance floor doing the Two-Step - spinning and cuddling and doing all kinds of crazy turns. Whether you like old country or new, you'll have a lot of songs to choose from. The versatility of this dance is the speed that you can dance - ranging from great slow Two-Steps like Home by Blake Shelton and We Danced by Brad Paisley to the faster paced sounds of I Run to You by Lady Antebellum and the lightning fast Cotton Eye Joe by Sex and Violins.
Waltz - One dance is synonymous with grace, elegance and romance. What other dance epitomizes Ballroom Dance more than the Waltz? If you learn no other dance in your life, learn to Waltz. Whether it’s the timeless Moon River by Andy Williams, the surprising Eagles' Waltz Take it to the Limit, or a contemporary love song like Come Away With Me by Norah Jones, you will gracefully circle the Ballroom in an easy rising and falling fashion, moving in unison with your partner.
Music and Dances; How do I Know?
People often wonder and ask what kind of dance goes with a particular song. Other than a Waltz, there is often times more than one answer. The count and speed of the music and the overall style and feel of the song will lead you to the dance YOU want to select. Some dances can "share" music. For instance, you may choose to Foxtrot to a song while another couple does a Triple Swing. You may do a Tango while others are instead doing a Cha Cha.
As you become more familiar with the dances you will be able to distinguish between styles and speeds of music to pick your favorite dances for your favorite music. You'll find yourself listening to a song on the radio, and a little voice inside your head reciting the 1-2-3 count of a Waltz, the slow-quick-quick of a Rumba, the distinct 1-2-3 5-6-7 of a Salsa, or the T-A-N-G-O of, well, yes, the Tango.
If you are a beginning dancer and you aren't sure what kind of dance you'd like to learn you might start with the music you like to listen to or the music that makes you want to dance. Below we have listed the dances we teach at Date Night Dance Company. Each dance has a bit of a description of the styling of the dance and/or some of the typical music you might dance it to. This might help you to decide which kind of dance you'd like to learn first.
