DANCE ORGANIZATIONS
These are the
umbrella organizations governing dancing in the USA and world-wide. Visit their web sites
for more information.
National
Dance Council of America (NDCA) - Governing body of professional dancers
organizations inside the USA. www.ndca.org .
World Dance
& Dancesport Council (WD&DSC) - Governing body for professional dancers
organizations world-wide. www.wddsc.com .
United
States Amateur Ballroom Dance Association (USABDA) - Governing body for amateur
dancers organizations inside the USA. www.usabda.org .
International
Dance Sport Federation (IDSF) - Governing body for professional dancers
organizations world-wide. www.idsf.net .
Lately, some
friction has been developing between the professional bodies and the amateur bodies, each
accusing the others on infringing on their turf. Proof that even in dancing politics
raises its ugly head. Read more at www.dancesportcomps.com.
Click Newsletter / Did You Know. |
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DANCES APPROVED BY THE NATIONAL DANCE COUNCIL OF AMERICA.
Some dances in
American style have no equivalents in International style, and vice-versa.
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CATEGORY |
DANCES |
| International
Style Standard |
Waltz,
Tango, Viennese Waltz, Slow Foxtrot, Quickstep |
| International
Style Latin |
Cha
Cha, Samba, Rumba, Paso Doble, Jive |
| American
Style Smooth |
Waltz,
Tango, Foxtrot, Viennese Waltz |
| American
Style Rhythm |
Cha
Cha, Rumba, Swing Bolero, Mambo |
| Additional
American Style Dances |
Peabody,
Merengue, Paso Doble, Samba, Polka, West Coast Swing, Hustle |
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DANCE TEMPI APPROVED BY THE NATIONAL DANCE COUNCIL OF AMERICA
Tempi are expressed in MPM (Measures per
minute). Thus, in a Waltz, a measure would contain three beats, in Foxtrot four beats, and
in Merengue two beats. If a Merengue is counted as four beats per measure, the MPM's for
social dancing would need to be doubled from 48-51 to 96-102.
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GROUP |
DANCE |
INTERNATIONAL |
AMERICAN |
TIME |
NDCA |
ICBD |
SOCIAL
DANCING |
COMPETITION |
| SMOOTH |
Waltz |
28-31 |
30 |
30-32 |
28-30 |
3/4 |
| Tango |
32-34 |
33 |
30-32 |
30-32 |
2/4 |
| Viennese Waltz |
56-60 |
60 |
54-58 |
54-56 |
3/4 |
| Foxtrott |
28-30 |
28 |
30-34 |
30-32 |
4/4 |
| Quickstep |
50-52 |
52 |
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4/4 |
| Peabody |
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60-62 |
60-62 |
4/4 |
| LATIN OR RHYTHM |
Cha Cha |
32-34 |
32 |
30-32 |
28-30 |
4/4 |
| Samba |
48-50 |
50 |
54-56 |
54-58 |
2/4 |
| Rumba |
27-29 |
27 |
32-36 |
32 |
4/4 |
| Paso Doble |
60-62 |
62 |
58-60 |
58-60 |
2/4 |
| Jive |
44-52 |
44 |
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4/4 |
| Bolero |
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24-28 |
24-26 |
4/4 |
| Mambo |
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48-51 |
47 |
2/4 |
| Merengue |
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29-32 |
29-32 |
2/4 |
| East Coast Swing |
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34-38 |
36-40 |
4/4 |
| OTHER |
West Coast Swing |
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28-32 |
28-32 |
4/4 |
| Polka |
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60-62 |
60-62 |
2/4 |
| Hustle |
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28-30 |
26-30 |
4/4 |
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CHRONOLOGY OF DANCES
(Ref: ISBN 0-87484-244-1 "This is Ballroom Dance", Ellfelds
& Morton, 1974). For more information, got to http://www-staff.it.uts.edu.au/~don/pubs/
and select Modern.html from the list of publications.
Some dances have
been around for a very long time, others are of more recent vintage. Most come and go, a
few become standards. The list below shows the year certain dances first made their
appearance. Those that are still commonly danced as ballroom dances are highlighted.
Some dances are
conspicuous by their absence in the chronicle below:
- The American Waltz or slow Waltz is
not listed, but it most certainly evolved from one or more of the Viennese Waltz, the
Hesitation Waltz and the Whirlwind Waltz and very probably was first introduced by Arthur
Murray Studios (founded in 1913) and/or Fred Astaire's Studios, founded in 1947.
- The American style Tango, clearly
evolving from the Argentine Tango, was probably also popularized by A.M. and or F.A.
- The Quick Step clearly evolved as
the Foxtrot's fast cousin. The Foxtrot was invented by the American dancers Irene and
Vernon Castle arount 1910 as the Castle Walk. It was renamed 'Foxtrot' in 1913 in honor of
Harry Fox who is credited for popularizing the dance when he showcased it in 1913 in New
York in the review "Ziegfield Follies.
- There is no mention of the Paso
Doble's conversion from a Spanish/Gypsy folk dance to a ballroom dance.
- While the Jive (or Jitterbug),
itself an evolution of the Lindy Hop, made its appearance in 1936 New York, it's modern
day descendants, the single step and triple step Swings, as well as the West Coast Swing
are not listed. Maybe their development can also be traced to dance studios attempting to
tame the wild and flamboyant Be-Bop, Jive and Lindy Hop and render it more compatible to
you and me.
- The Hustle is also a Swing type
incarnation popularized by John Travolta in the 1977 movie Saturday Night Fever but it
actually started in the early 70's in Latino discos in Florida and New York.
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Colonial
Period
| 1900 |
Minuet,
Contra-Dance, Sir Roger de Coverly (Virginia Reel), Lancer's Quadrille (Square), Viennese
Waltz, Polka, Mazurka, Gavotte, Galop, Varsouviana, Schottishe, Cakewalk, Strut,
Caledonian, Two Step |
Modern Period
| 1904 |
Three-step |
| 1910 |
Grizzly Bear,
Cubanola Slide, Argentine Tango |
| 1911 |
Gabby Glide, Turkey
Trot, Texas Tommy, One-step |
| 1912 |
Bunny Hug, Camel
Walk |
| 1913 |
Fox Trot,
Balling the Jack |
| 1914 |
Hesitation Waltz,
Castle Walk, Castle Glide, Maxixe, Boston |
| 1915 |
Kangaroo Hop, Horse
Trot, Lame Duck, Whirlwind Waltz |
| 1916 |
Walking the Dog |
| 1918 |
Toddle |
| 1919 |
Shimmy (Shimmy
Shiwobble) |
| 1921 |
Java |
| 1923 |
Charleston |
| 1925 |
Flea Hop, Sloppy
Sailor Walk |
| 1926 |
Black Bottom |
| 1927 |
Lindy Hop,
Sugar Foot Stomp |
| 1928 |
Varsity Drag |
| 1930 |
Hoosier Hop, Rumba |
| 1931 |
Siboney |
| 1932 |
Dixie Stomp |
| 1933 |
Roosevelt Hop,
Westchester |
| 1934 |
Shag,
Continental, Carioca |
| 1935 |
Trucking, Susie Q.,
Veolanda |
| 1936 |
Jitterbug
(Jive) |
| 1937 |
Big Apple, Pecking,
Boomps-a-daisy |
| 1938 |
Lambert walk,
Spreading Chestnut Tree, Palais Glide |
| 1939 |
Samba,
Conga, Polka revival |
| 1940 |
New Yorker |
| 1941 |
Hokey-Pokey |
| 1942 |
Balboa, Harlem
Shuffle, Limbo |
| 1945 |
Bebop (Bop),
Wiggle-Wobble, Fly, Duck |
| 1949 |
Mambo,
Swim, Boogaloo, Shingaling |
| 1950 |
Cha Cha,
Funky Broadway, Bristol Stomp |
| 1951 |
Merengue,
Fish, Watusi, Locomotion |
| 1952 |
Bunny Hop, Madison,
Hitch-Hiker, Popeye |
| 1953 |
Creap, The Dirty
Dog, Frug, Jerk, Surfer Stomp |
| 1955 |
La Plena, The
Stroll, Monkey, Shake, Pony, Mule |
| 1957 |
Jamaican Calypso,
Skate, Horse, Bounce, Barman |
| 1959 |
Pachanga, Cumbia,
High Life, Waddle, Dip, Funcky Chicken |
| 1960 |
Bossa Nova, Freddie,
Bug, Football, Whipped Cream |
| 1961 |
Twist, San Francisco
Stomp, Pillmore, Grapevine, Popcorn |
| 1962-70 |
Hully-Gully, Mashed
Potato |
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1975 |
Nightclub Two-Step |
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