This page highlights the different dances being taught at all our locations, sharing with you, the dancer, the history and description of each dance.

HUSTLE

The hustle is similar to West Coast Swing in pattern, but danced faster to contemporary top 40's and night club style music (Disco).  It is a fast, smooth dance, done in a "slot" like West Coast, where the man draws the lady in and sends her out again, leading her into all kinds of spins and intricate swirling steps.  The "Disco" music the hustle is danced to makes it quite unique and loads of fun once you get the hang of it.  Think "Saturday Night Fever."

TANGO

The tango is a progressive dance, moving along the line of dance using a staccato movement of the feet and flexed knees.  The lady holds the man differently than other smooth dances, with her arm UNDER the man's arm. This allows for a tighter hold, and the quick, dramatic poses characteristic to tango.  The tango is the most rhythmic of the American Smooth and International Standard dances.  (This is NOT Argentine tango, although this type of tango originated in Buenos Aires, also.) 

MERENGUE

The Merengue is a popular dance of Haiti & the Dominican Republic.  In its true form it's a very lively, very erotic Latin dance.  An old tale exists about a very brave, famous military officer who was wounded in battle, returning with a limp, which was very pronounced when he danced.  A celebration was held upon his homecoming.  Rather than embarrass their great hero, whom they were honoring, all the men and women present favored a leg while they danced, thus the Merengue was born.

BOLERO

Originally a Spanish dance, the Bolero was revamped when it hit Cuba.  It is a very slow, sensuous, erotic Rumba-like dance, often called the "dance of love." The bolero is the most smooth of the American Rhythm dances.

SAMBA

The Samba is a lively Brazilian dance first introduced in 1917, & finally adopted as a bona-fide ballroom dance in the 1930's.  Carmen Miranda is attributed to introducing it to the US in 1939. Its tempo is distinguishly different: 3/4, 1/4, hold, giving the dance a controlled, bouncing action.  Unlike other Latin dances, the Samba is meant to be a TRAVELING dance (as opposed to "spot dance"). 

Above "Dance Definitions" for Hustle, Tango, Merengue, Bolero, & Samba are courtesy of "Dance Vision