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BallroomDance LessonBook11/13/085:27 PMPage 1
BallroomDance LessonBook11/13/085:27 PMPage 2Contents3Music CDsSong List5The Basics ofPartner Dan cing43Rumba52Cha Cha60Swing68Glossary12Fundamentals ofSmooth Dan ces14Waltz74Acknowledgments23TangoInstructor Bios3175Foxtrot76Credits40Fundamentals ofRhythm Dan ces“There are shortcutsto happiness anddancing is one ofthem.”- Vicki Baum (1888-1960)Austrian writer and musician
BallroomDance LessonBook11/13/085:27 PMPage 3Music CDsThere are six CDs included with the cour se, offering a wide variety of music styles and tempos to help y ou practice. The firstthree CDs have music broken up into individual styles starting with slower, easier songs and gradually increasing in speed. Thelast three CDs are compilations of several styles together.Music CD 1Waltz and TangoMusic CD 4Smooth Dance CompilationTrack #TempoStyle1. Stress Free Waltz2. Home on the Range3. Amazing Grace4. Gymnopedie5. Home Grown Waltz6. Grazin7. El Rosa Negra8. Lost in a Trance9. Sometimes10. Tango Azul11. Gitano En Mi Corazon12. pmWaltz92bpmWaltz112bpm Tango108bpm Tango112bpm Tango112bpm Tango120bpm T ango130bpm TangoMusic CD 2Foxtrot and Rumba1. Tuxedo Malfunction2. Slow Walk3. Cool Jazz Spot4. Tall n' Blond5. Walking6. Pleasant Things7. Latin Lover8. Monday9. This is Real10. It Was Not To Be11. You Were Meant to Be With Me12. Shade TreeMusic CDsTempoStyle1. Stress Free Waltz2. After Innocence3. Autumn Waltz4. Keep Your Chin Up5. I'm On Your Side6. Tangled Tango7. Tango De La Corazon8. Fiery Heart of Love9. Getting Sediment All Over You10. Newton's Apple11. Speak Easy12. Easy Jazz goTangoTangoFoxtrotFoxtrotFoxtrotFoxtrotMusic CD 5Rhythm Dance Compilation130bpm Foxtrot98bpmFoxtrot108bpm Foxtrot110bpm Foxtrot120bpm Foxtrot128 bpm F oxtrot110bpm Rumba104bpm Rumba112bpm Rumba118bpm Rumba124bpm Rumba128 bpm R umba1. Bossa Por El Libro2. Jolina3. Latin Mama4. Café Havana5. Mystic Fire6. All or Nothing7. Back From Tijuana8. Miami Satin Nights9. Alright Killer10. Blu Mambo11. British Invasion12. Bad JohnnyMusic CD 3Cha Cha and Swing1. Mystic Fire2. All or Nothing3. Miami Satin Nights4. Red Bandana5. Smooth as Silk6. Back From Tijuana7. Undertow8. Motown9. Filet of Soul10. Jerry in the House11. Ladies and Gentlemen12. Don’t Be BadTrack #124bpm Rumba102bpm R umba122bpm Rumba120bpm Rumba116bpm Cha Cha112bpm Cha Cha120bpm Cha Cha120bpm Cha Cha116bpm Swing124bpm Swing126bpm Swing140bpm SwingMusic CD 6Smooth and Rhythm Compilation116bpm Cha Cha112bpm Cha Cha120bpm Cha Cha120bpm Cha Cha116bpm Cha Cha120bpm Cha Cha120bpm Swing114bpm Swing116bpm Swing120bpm Swing130bpm Swing140bpm Swing1. The Dream2. Pleasant Things3. Heirloom4. Tango Romantico5. Not a Care6. All or Nothing7. Fly Away With Me8. Pinstripes9. After Innocence10. Tango Valentino11. Homemade Pie12. Mystic Fire13. You Were Meant to Be With Me14. Swing My Baby15. Lover's Waltz16. Piano Tango17. Get Up and Go18. Miami Satin Nights3118bpm Rumba128bpm Foxtrot84bpmWaltz108bpm Tango120bpm Swing112bpm Cha Cha122bpm Rumba136bpm Foxtrot92bpmWaltz100bpm Tango122bpm Swing116bpm Cha Cha124bpm Rumba144bpm F oxtrot100bpm Waltz112bpm Tango132bpm Swing120bpm Cha Cha
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BallroomDance LessonBook11/13/085:27 PMPage 5The Basics ofPartnerDancing“There is a bit of insanity in dancing that does ever ybody a greatdeal of good.”- Edwin Denby (1903–1983)American dance critic and poet
BallroomDance LessonBook11/13/085:28 PMPage 6The Basics ofPartnerDancingWelcome to Learn & Master Ballroom Dance! Ballroom dancing can be lots of fun and great exercise as well. To get started,let’s learn some very basic concepts about how ballroom dancing works. There are a variety of styles or dances inside the larger category of ballroom dance. We’ll cover six of the most popular dances in this cour se—Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, Rumba,Cha Cha, and Swing to start. Within each of these specific dances is a set of figures. For example, in Rumba you will learnnine different figures. Each figure is made up of a series of steps or footwork.Think of it like this, the individual steps are the letters. Combine these steps to form an entire figure—or a word. And on thedance floor, connect these words or figures to say what you want to say with that dance.It’s also important to know that Ballroom dancing is split into two divisions: AMERICAN STYLE and INTERNATIONALSTYLE. We are going to focus on the American style, and within it are two different categories—SMOOTH DANCES andRHYTHM DANCES. Waltz, Tango, and F oxtrot ar e American Smooth dances; and R umba, Cha Cha, and Swing ar eAmerican Rhythm dances.Dance TermsIn each dance is a fundamental figure called a Basic. A BASIC is a standardized groupof steps, w hich together with other pa tterns, constitute the f oundation of a dance .Think of it as the default figure in every style of dance.FRAME refers to the position of the arms and torso while in dance position.(Figure 1.1)Finding Your CenterTo find the center or the cor e of your body, imagine a straight line running fr omfront to back and another line from side to side through your body. Where the twolines intersect is your center or cor e. It’s not on the e xterior of your body; rather,FIGURE 1.1Dance FrameIntroduction6The Basics of Partner Dancing
BallroomDance LessonBook11/13/085:28 PMPage 7it’s found in the interior of the body. The objective when dancing is to kee p your center or core aligned in the center ofyour body.DANCE TIPBody Ali gnmentBody alignment r efers to f our blocks of weight: the head, the tor so, thehips, and the legs . Your head should be sitting dir ectly over your shoulders and ribs , w hich ar e situa ted dir ectly over your hips and legs . Useyour partner or a mirror to check your alignment and make adjustmentsaccordingly.The Five Foot PositionsMark demonstrates the Smooth f oot positions while Jaimee demonstratesthe Rhythm positions. The difference is that in Rhythm dances the toes areturned out with heels together and in Smooth dances the feet ar e parallel.It’s a person’s center that carries her from foot tofoot when walking, not the feet.KEY IDEASOne of the most impor tant elements of ballroomdancing is the awareness between you and yourpartner.If your center is not aligned in the mid dle of yourbody, you will distor t all of your blocks of weight.FIGURE 1.2FIGURE 1.3FIGURE 1.4First Position (Feet Together)Second Position (Feet Apart)Third Position (Heel to Instep)FIGURE 1.5FIGURE 1.6Fourth Position (Walking Step)Fifth Position (Heel to Toe)Introduction7The Basics of Partner Dancing
BallroomDance LessonBook11/13/085:28 PMPage 8Points of ContactThe Five Points of Contact:1) Leader’s left hand to follower’s right hand2) Leader’s right hand on follower’s shoulder blade3) Follower’s arm on top of leader’s arm4) Follower’s hand on leader’s shoulder or ar m5) Body contactDANCE TIPSFIGURE 1.7FIGURE 1.8First Point of ContactSecond Point of ContactFIGURE 1.9FIGURE 1.10FIGURE 1.11Third Point of ContactFourth Point of ContactFifth Point of ContactLadies, be careful to suppor t the weight of yourleft arm on your own. You don’t want to rest it onhis arm.Ladies, you can rest your hand slightly to the bac kor front of your partner’s shoulder or directly on it.KEY IDEAAs you’re learning, you may choose to dance infour points of contact. When you feel comfortable,try dancing in fi ve points of contact.Dance PositionsPOSITION refers to the placement of the two dancersto eac h other. T he most fundamental dance position isthe closed position. CLOSED POSITION is the normal hold w here man and lad y stand facing eac h otherwith their arms lifted together in frames. (Figure 1.12)PROMENADE POSITION is a V-shaped dance posi tion where both the man and lad y move forward in thesame direction. (Figure 1.13)FIGURE 1.12FIGURE 1.13Closed Dance PositionPromenade Dance PositionIntroduction8The Basics of Partner Dancing
BallroomDance LessonBook11/13/085:28 PMPage 9OPEN POSITION refers to any dance positionwhere the man and lad y stand apart or slightlyapart, with one or two hands in contact.(Figures 1.14–1.15)APART POSITION is when the man and lad yhave no body contact. (Figure 1.16)RIGHT and LEFT SIDE POSITION is anopen position where the lady is to the right or theleft of the gentleman. (Figures 1.17–1.18)FIGURE 1.14–1.15FIGURE 1.15Open Dance PositionFIGURE 1.16FIGURE 1.17FIGURE 1.18Apart Dance PositionRight Side Dance PositionLeft Side Dance PositionLeading and Fo llowing Prac ticeHere is a simple e xercise to help you and your partner lear n to respondto each other as y ou dance. Stand facing eac h other and touc h palm topalm. Gentlemen, slowly walk f orward toward the lad y and then walkbackward, using the center of your body to move. Ladies, you will waita fraction of a second until you feel your partner move to take the ste p.Introduction9DANCE TIPSpend some time practicing this e xercise so thatyou become comfortable dancing with a par tner.The Basics of Partner Dancing
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BallroomDance LessonBook11/13/085:28 PMPage 11AmericanSmooth Dances“Dance is the only art in which we ourselvesare the stuff of which it is made.”- Ted Shawn (1891–1972)Pioneer of modern dance
BallroomDance LessonBook11/13/085:28 PMPage 12Fundamentals ofSmoothDancingThere are many dances in the American Smooth category of ballroom dancing, but this is your opportunity to learn the threemost popular—the Waltz, the Tango, and the Foxtrot. AMERICAN SMOOTH is a division of ballroom dancing consistingof dances tha t travel progressively around the dance f loor, alter nating betw een open andclosed dance positions. All Smooth dances share several important characteristics.Your POSTURE should incor porate the following components: Your core is pulled inYour rib cage is lifted and slightly f orwardYour shoulders are relaxedYour neck is stretched nice and tallYour POSITION to each other in Smooth dances will be slightly of fset—the woman standing slightly to the right of the man. (Figure 2.1) Smooth dances can be danced in f our or fivepoints of contact.FIGURE 2.1Offset Dance PositionDANCE TIPSYour posture in Smooth dances should be positioned dir ectlyover your feet. The weight should be equall y distributedbetween the balls and heels of your feet.Practice holding your frame without connecting to y our partnerto properly develop it.Gentlemen, place your hand directly on top of the woman’sshoulder blade. You don’t want your hand on her bac k or ather waist. (Figure 2.2)Ladies, if you make a V with the thumb and f orefinger of yourleft hand and place it right on top of the gentleman’s shoulder,you will have the correct fourth point of contact. (Figure 2.3)Smooth Dances12FIGURE 2.2FIGURE 2.3Second Point of ContactFourth Point of ContactFundamentals of Smooth Dancing
BallroomDance LessonBook11/13/085:28 PMPage 13In all of our Smooth dances you will hear the terms heel leads and toe leads. HEEL LEADS and TOE LEADS refer to whichpart of my foot touches the floor first—either the heel or the toe.In Smooth dances you move forward on the heel fir st, and you will use atoe lead w hen moving backward. Ladies, when you take a toe lead andplace your right heel on the f loor, the toe of the left foot should be simultaneously r eleasing. T his is called a toe r elease. Al ways r elease the toewhen you are moving backward. (Figure 2.4)In Smooth dances , the feet, knees , and ankles should brush under thebody with eac h ste p. T his brushing action is also calledFOLLOWTHROUGH. It should feel like your feet are gliding on the floor.LINE OF DANCE, or LOD, is the counter clockwise f low of trafficaround the dance floor.FIGURE 2.4Toe ReleaseSWAY is the inclination of the body to the left or right, usually ag ainst the direction of movement. Sway helps you to: Change your weight Control your rise Change your directionRISE AND FALL is the continuous changing of body elevation through the use of the feet, ankles and legs . Rise and fall isaccomplished through the bending and straightening of the legs and through the lifting and dropping of the heels.A great way to practice rise and fall is to stand facing eac h other and ste p into a dee p knee lunge. This lowering action is consider edthe fall. From that position you will rise all the wa y to your toes, alternating moving backward and forward. That upward movementis considered the rise.Smooth Dances13Fundamentals of Smooth Dancing
BallroomDance LessonBook11/13/085:28 PMPage 14WaltzWaltz Dan ce Figures Basic BoxBox with Underarm TurnBasic ProgressiveBalance StepsFifth Position Balance StepsOpen Break with Underarm TurnLeft Turning BoxRight Turning BoxSimple TwinkleWe are beginning with a category of ballroom dance called American Smooth. AMERICAN SMOOTH is a division of ballroom dancing consisting of dances that travel progressively around the dance floor, alternating between open and closed dancepositions.We will f ocus on thr ee dances in this ca tegory: the W altz, the T ango, and the F oxtrot. T hese thr ee dances ar e consider edSmooth dances as opposed to Spot dances . SPOT DANCES remain on one part of the dance f loor, while SMOOTHDANCES travel progressively around the entire dance floor. We will talk about Spot dances in the second part of the course.Our first dance in American Smooth is the Waltz. The WALTZ is an elegant and graceful dance in 3/4 time characterized bythe rising and lowering action you see in the feet and bod y. The Waltz was first developed in Vienna and soon dominated theEuropean and American dance scene until World War I. At that point a whole new generation became enraptured by the contemporary Tango and Foxtrot. The original Waltz was fast-paced, but it evolved into the slower version we know today.Wal
The Basics of Partner Dancing Fundamentals of Smooth Dances Waltz Tango Foxtrot Fundamentals of Rhythm Dances Rumba Cha Cha Swing Glossary Acknowledgments Instructor Bios Credits Contents 3 5 12 14 23 31 40 43 52 60 68 74 75 76 “There are shortcuts to happiness and dancing is one of them.” - Vicki Baum (1888-1960) Austrian writer and musician BallroomDance_LessonBook 11/13/08 5:27 PM
