Latin
(Please click on the dance name for description of steps and variations)
The Rumba requires a good sense of
rhythm and also persistence to master the technical niceties which tend to be
skipped by less skilled dancers. These niceties come as a result of good
balance and coordinated movement of the ankles, knees and hips. Continual
training will enable dancers to perform the Rumba in unison.
The Cha Cha Cha is a fairly recent
dance that is a combination of the Rumba and the Mambo. It gained rapid
popularity because of its simplicity. As a competition dance it appeared later
than other Latin-American dances. Since its introduction it has been subjected
to various modifications enabling dancers to perform it in several ways. It can
be danced in pairs or at a distance.
Samba - this dance is of Brazilian
origin. It enjoyed popularity in its simplified variant - two even lobes - but
skilled dancers prefer its typical rhythm - uneven and interrupted.
The Jive was brought to England from
the United States during the Second World War. It significantly changed the
image of dancing, making it more exciting and carefree. The dance was
considered obscene and consequently banned in ballrooms. As a competition dance
it went through several stages and acquired different names such as the Lindy,
West Coast Swing, American Swing and Rock and Roll. The most distinctive
feature of the dance is that the man leads the lady in dancing the turning and
spinning figures. Rock and Roll bares some resemblance to the Jive but it is
less energetic. The dance does not require much space and can be danced in
small, crowded rooms.
This dance is a stylisation of the
main movements performed by a toreador in the bull-fighting arena. Every move
has a name: veronica, cloak, ronda, cross turn. The character of the Paso Doble
requires brisk but clear movements and slowness and lifelessness do not bring
out the essence of the dance.
