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Introduction

Ballroom/DanceSport Dances Oct 1
Social and Nightclub Dances Oct 1
Irish Dances
Dance History Oct 1
Benefits of Dancing

Dance Descriptions

Ballroom/DanceSport Dances

There are two major styles of Ballroom Dancing or DanceSport: International and North American. Each style has two divisions.

Although the two styles may have the same dances (e.g., Rumba), the dance figures and speed of music are different.

For a description of the International style dances with a few dance figures, click on Standard and on Latin.

There are also Ballroom Line Dancing.

Toronto Dance ™ concentrates on the International style since it is standardized around the world. The North American style is mostly danced in USA. However, for Latin-Ballroom level 1, we teach the North American style of Foxtrot, Waltz, and Tango since they are easier to start with.

Social and Nightclub Dances

Social and Nightclub dances include Salsa, Bachata, Merengue, Mambo, (East-Coast) Swing, West-Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, Hustle, Nightclub 2.

These dances are very popular with the modern generation since they are adaptable to the current popular music. There are no syllabus (structured) figures so it is possible to make up the steps as you go along or "steal" steps/movements from other dances. These dances are the easiest to learn, the most fun, and does not require a minimum set of figures before you can start dancing.

Click here for a recent article about the Salsa scene in Toronto.

Salsa

Check the following site for a list of the most recent favourite West Coast Swing music:

• Salsa Stream (mp3 at 96 kbps)

East Coast Swing

East Coast Swing or Swing (as it is generally known) is the easiest of the Swing family of dances.

West Coast Swing

West Coast Swing is the hardest of the Swing family to learn since both the male and female have different steps to do at the same time; i.e., the steps are not mirror image of each other. This type of swing is the most popular in the west coast of North America.

Check the following site for a list of the most recent favourite West Coast Swing music:

• Top music list chosen by top DJs

Lindy Hop - Savoy Style

This is the grandfather of ALL swing dances. Originating back in the 1920/1930’s in the ‘Savoy Ballroom’ in Harlem, NY. This a fun, playful and high energy dance really swings, which allows you and your partner to add your own personality to the dance. Lindy Hop is one of the most popular social dances done today.

Balboa - Bal-Swing

A smooth eight-count dance done in a tightly closed position with subtle and intricate footwork. This dance originated in Southern California. Solomon Douglas teaches the Maxie Dorf style of Balboa. He was responsible for the creation of "Bal-Swing" - a combination of basic Balboa (traditionally done in a hug-like position) and sending your partner into a variety of open connections. Maxi Dorf was known for adding this whole new layer to this already fabulous variation of Swing!

The Balboa is an important part of the Swing Dance family. The original Balboa is a hybrid of the Charleston, Jig Trot, Swing and appropriated steps from the Collegiate Shag (1920's), which later Arthur Murray would try to refine in the mid 1930's thru his studio chain but his version became stale and way to boring. Later, many dancers started to add steps, twists and kicks back into the dance held at Balboa Island in Newport Beach, California (Balboa Pier). This dance is now a very popular swing dance and is done all around the world.

Irish Dances

The main styles of Irish dancing are Step, Ceili, and Set. Toronto Dance ™ is currently offering classes in Irish Step dancing.

Irish Step dance became internationally popular with the ever-popular shows called Riverdance and Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance.

Other Topics

Benefits of Dancing

There are so many benefits for learning how to dance. Here are some of the benefits:

• Have fun at social dances, weddings, cruises, and vacations
• Boost self-confidence and self-image
• A great way to meet new friends
• Good form of exercise and stress relief
• Improve posture and poise
• What else can you think of?