Above are some of the dances featured on this page. You can listen to them here or download them in mid format.
Almost all entries are taken from the website. http://www.midi.ru You can look at this site, there you can download a lot of songs and dances in this format.
Middle Ages
Allemande - means German, - a smooth dance in moderate movement. Known since the 16th century. It became popular at court balls.
Branle - translated from French means rocking, round dance. Dance of folk origin. In the XV - XVI centuries became aristocratic, courtier.
Bourre is a French round dance of a lively quadruple movement. The name refers to how a bundle of brushwood is trampled underfoot. Mobile court dance, which was folk.
Renaissance
Pavane is a solemn ballroom dance, widespread in Europe in the 16th century. time signature 4/4, 4/2, slow pace.
The galliard is a fast-moving dance that was danced immediately after the slow pavane.
Courant (French courante) - translated from French current, running. French court flowing procession dance. Spread across Europe. First, the musical time signature is 2/4, then - triple.
Menuet (French menuet, from menu - small) is an old French folk dance, from the middle of the 17th century. ballroom. Spread across Europe. Musical size 3/4. Before the advent of the waltz, he was considered the king of ballroom dancing. He danced with gallant bows and curtsies.
Sarabande (Spanish: zarabanda) is an old Spanish folk dance. In the XVII - XVIII centuries. spread to Western Europe like a ballroom dance. Musical size 3/4, 3/2.
Ecossaise means "Scottish" in French. Appeared at balls at the end of the 17th century.
18th century
Gavotte (French gavotte) is an old French dance, originally folk, round dance, bipartite size.
Gigue means "ham". Once it was a sailor's dance, fast and impetuous. It appeared at balls in the 17th-18th centuries.
Polonaise (from French danse polonaise - Polish dance) - ballroom dance procession. Origins in Polish folk dance. He was a courtier in France and in other countries. Musical size 3/4. One of the biggest long-livers among dances. It has been known as a court dance procession since the 15th century.
Country dance. This dance at balls was often called English, since it is an English rural dance by origin.
Bolero - spanish dance proud character. Musical size 3/4.
19th century
Mazurka (Polish mazurek, from the name of the inhabitants of Mazovia - Mazury) is a Polish folk dance. Shone at balls in the 19th century. and even in the 20th century. A fast paced and incendiary dance. Musical time signature 3/4 and 3/8.
Quadrille (French quadrille) is translated as "four". The dancers are arranged in a square. Folk and ballroom mobile pair dance. The musical time signature is usually 2/4.
The gallop is a joyful jumping dance. Appeared at the Parisian balls.
Waltz (French valse, from German Walzer) is a ballroom dance in triple meter. Gained popularity in all sectors of European society (especially the so-called Viennese waltz, associated with the names of the composers I. Strauss-father and I. Strauss-son). Genre and genre features waltz penetrated into many types of instrumental and vocal music of various composer schools.
Cotillion is a ballroom dance similar to a country dance.
Polka (Czech polka), folk and ballroom dance of Czech origin. Musical size 2/4.
19th - early 20th century
Krakowiak (krakowiak) - Polish folk, then ballroom dance. Musical size 2/4. A lively, proud dance originated from the Polish city of Krakow.
Two-step (English two-step, from two - two and step - step) - American ballroom dance. It spread to many countries in the 1920s. Musical size 2/4.
Tango (Spanish: tango) is a modern ballroom dance. known
"gypsy tango", "Andalusian tango", "Creole tango" and the popular "Argentine tango", which spread in the 1910s. all over the world as a salon and pop dance. Size 2/4, moderate tempo.
XX - XXI century
Agatha Christie
Waltz Boston. The name refers to the American city of Boston. But the fashion for this dance has established itself in England and therefore it is called the English waltz. Musical size 3/4.
Foxtrot (English foxtrot, literally - fox step) - American ballroom dance. Distributed in many countries. Musical size 4/4. It has nothing to do with the fox, but is named after Harry Fox, who invented it. A fast foxtrot is called a quickstep, a slow foxtrot is called a slowfox.
Shimmy is a favorite dance of the 20s.
Charleston (English charleston), American ballroom dance. Spread in many countries since the early 20's. XX century. Musical size 4/4.
Be-pop - dance and jazz music.
Blues - the name comes from the songs of American blacks, slow and melancholy, like this dance.
Boogie-woogie is a jazz freestyle sports dance.
Rock and roll - in translation means "roll" and "swing". Popular since the 50s. Dance with elements of acrobatics.
Rumba is a rhythmic dance of Cuban origin. I got into the dance halls in the 30s.
Samba is an energetic dance from Brazil.
Lambada is a variant of samba popular in the 90s of the twentieth century.
paso doble - dance came from Latin America. The movements imitate the behavior of a proud bullfighter.
Twist - translated from English means "twisting". Dance of the 60s The dancers diligently work with their feet, as if crushing cigarette butts.
Shake - fashionable dance of the 60s. Translated from English means "shake". Size 4/4.
Breakdance - Fashionable dance of the 80s. with jerky movements. Translated from English means "break".
Meringue is a popular in the 21st century, easy-to-perform Latin American dance with a two-quarter rhythm. It conveys the atmosphere of a cheerful tropical holiday.
Salsa is a Latin American four-quarter dance. Dancing since the 60s, popular in the XXI century.
Mambo - the name is attributed to voodoo sorcerers who immersed a person in a hypnotic trance. Dance appeared in 1945.
Types of dances taught in the club and in general
Samba
Brazilian dance in double meter; in an expanded sense, the word "samba" is applied to all dances of Brazilian origin. There are two different types of samba: the rural samba, which typically has sharp syncopation, and the urban samba, which has a smoother rhythm. Samba Carioca ( carioca- one of the names of a resident of Rio de Janeiro) is a stylized urban dance. IN professional music samba was introduced by E. Vila-Lobos and Camargo Guarniero.
Cha-cha-cha (Cha-cha-cha)
A dance using the mambo or rumba rhythmic structure was first performed by the Cuban América Orchestra in 1953. The main clock scheme is slow, slow, fast, fast, slow and the last three rhythmic beats corresponding to the syllables "Cha-cha-cha". In the first recordings of the dance on records, it was called mamba. The rhythmic section gradually grew larger and the dancers adjusted to the new slow rhythm, doubling the time signature on counts of 4 and 1 and replacing light hip movements with three pas; after four years, the initial rigidity of the model was overcome, and three pas began to be performed with a typical Cuban swing in the hips.
As in most Latin American dances, the charm of Cha-cha-cha is not in the intricacy of the movements, but in their grace and naturalness.
Rumba
Contemporary Cuban dance of African American origin. Rumba is performed in four beats, and the rhythmic pattern changes almost every measure; in general, the rumba rhythm is characterized by syncopation and repetition.
In the pubs of Havana, Rumba is often performed to the accompaniment of ensembles using improvised materials - for example, bottles, spoons, pots. The main theme of Rumba is usually eight bars, it is dominated by the rhythmic beginning, while the text and melody are in the background. Rumba entered popular American music in the 1930s.
Jive (Jive)
Jive originated in the 19th century in the southeastern United States, and some believe that it was Negro, others that it is a war dance of the Seminole Indians. The fate of the reincarnations of this dance is endless: from Ragtime to Swing in the 1910s, to Lindy Hope already in the 1920s, to Jegberg in the 1930s and 40s, to rock, boogie in the 1950s, and finally from B- Bop is already a modern version of Jive. One of the eternally fashionable dances that does not leave anyone indifferent.
A very strong influence on Jive is provided by such dances as Rock'n'Roll and Jaterbug. Jive is sometimes referred to as Six Step Rock and Roll. Jive - very fast, consuming a lot of energy. This is the last dance that is danced in competition and the dancers must show that they are not tired and are ready to perform it with more dedication. The fastest of all ballroom dances.
Paso doble
"Paso Doble" means "double step". Although Paso Doble is closely associated with Spain, there are many French terms in it, and this, as some experts note, is reminiscent of the fact that Paso Doble was originally French dance. The militant, restrained rhythm of Paso Doble, undoubtedly related to flamenco, conquered all of Spain, a country in which bullfighting is considered the most ancient and true tradition of the people.
Spanish culture has always preferred the taste of death, challenge and risk. Paso Doble is based in part on a bullfight. The partner represents the bullfighter, and the partner represents his cape or muletu(a piece of bright red cloth in the hands of a matador), sometimes a second bullfighter, and very rarely a bull, usually defeated by the final blow. The nature of the music corresponds to the procession before the bullfight (el paseillo), which usually takes place to the accompaniment of Paso Doble.
Competitive Paso Doble is technically very difficult to perform. Music consists of three main accents (themes). The first accent is divided into the introduction (false accent) and the main part. Most often, the third theme is a repetition of the first. At competitions in sports ballroom dancing, the first two themes are most often performed. However, in addition to the competition, there is also a public form of this dance, widespread in Spain, France and Latin America. It is this Paso Doble that is danced in numerous clubs and dance centers around the world.
Slow Waltz (Slow Waltz)
It originated in the old folk dances of Austria and Southern Germany. The name comes from the German word walzen- “rotate”, “circle”. The closest predecessors of the waltz can be considered a fast "German dance" and slow waltzes - landlers which came into vogue ca. 1800. German dances are found in J. Haydn, W. A. Mozart and L. van Beethoven.
The first mention of, in fact, the waltz dates back to about 1770. At first, this dance aroused strong resistance from both guardians of morality and dance masters. For some time, the waltz existed within the framework of the English Country Dance (country dance), but soon gained independence and came out on top among ballroom dances popular in Vienna, Paris, and New York.
Viennese Waltz
Although the Waltz was a huge success and made a splash in many courts of Europe, at the very beginning of the 19th century, the official attitude towards the Waltz was very cautious - at balls in Vienna itself, the waltz was allowed to dance no more than 10 minutes: the hugs of a gentleman and a lady in a dance were considered not quite appropriate . But it was no longer possible to stop the waltz, and when in 1815, after the victory over Napoleon, the congress of the victorious allies was held in Vienna, the waltz was selflessly danced at all the balls - charming, magical, brilliant. It was then that the waltz acquired its specific feature - an accentuated rhythm, which made this dance more elegant and more romantic.
Tango
Tango is a unique fusion of traditions, folklore, feelings and experiences of many peoples, which has a long history. With the creation of the first sociedades de negros in the early 19th century in Buenos Aires and Montevideo, the word "tango" began to refer to both these societies themselves and their dance parties. What was played at these parties had little in common with the music that had spread in émigré circles on the Río de la Plata since the mid-19th century. In the ports of Buenos Aires and Montevideo, different cultures merged into one new one, with which the new settlers identified themselves, the tango known to us appeared.
Quickstep
Quickstep (Foxtrot) - by origin, a fast dance in two-part size, performed somewhat slower than One step, after which the Foxtrot gained popularity in the United States approx. 1912. After the First World War, due to the spread in dance music " jazz style”, the term “Foxtrot” has come to refer to any jazz-like dance music in two beats (except Latin American tangos and congas). In the 1920s, various types of Foxtrot were popular, quickly succeeding each other, among which the Charleston and Blackbottom can be distinguished.
Slow Foxtrot
In the early 1930s, a calmer slow fox("Slow Foxtrot"). He reached his popularity in the 40s of the twentieth century. Melodies written by Frank Sinatra, Glenn Miller and many other musicians have become real classics. The characteristic steps in the Slow Foxtrot are long and gliding. The rhythm of the dance is less than 30 beats per minute.
Mambo (Mambo)
To Haiti mambo- this is a voodoo priest, for the villagers - a judge, a doctor, a fortuneteller, a spiritual mentor and an organizer of dance fun.
However, there was no dance with that name in Haiti. First similar dances appear in Cuba, where there were large settlements of Haitians. The invention of mambo is attributed to Perez Prado, who performed it at the La Tropicana nightclub in Havana in 1943. In New York, the dance first appeared in New York's Park Plaza Ballroom, a favorite hall of black dancers from Harlem. Mambo made a splash in other clubs in 1947 - at the Palladium and other famous places such as The China Doll, Havana Madrid and Birdland.
A modified version of "Mambo" (the original dance that Prado danced was greatly simplified - a large number of acrobatic elements were thrown out) was presented to the public in dance studios, resort hotels, in nightclubs in New York and Miami. The success was complete! The happy mambo dancers have become endearingly called "Mambonics". The mambo craze didn't last long, today the mambo in the West is just one of the popular Latin American dances. The teachers came to the conclusion that this dance is one of the most difficult, in terms of technique and musicality.
Merengue
Latin American dance of Dominican origin, also adopted in the United States. Moving in double meter, the dancers emphasize the first beat with a walking step, and on the count of "two" they make an inward movement with their knees pressed against each other. The cheerful, slightly syncopated dance melody consists of two periods of 16 measures each. A typical merengue consists of an intro (jaseo) and interludes (jaleo).
Salsa
A style of Latin American music, translated as "sauce", with Native American, Spanish and African ingredients. The term "Salsa" was coined in the 1920s by Chano Pozo, a Cuban percussionist, an immigrant of the first wave to America from Cuba. The boom of Salsa came in the 70s, when huge salsa festivals began to be held in the USA, in Africa and Latin America, gathering stadiums, and a huge number of CDs were recorded. New York immediately made Salsa more commercial and, thanks to the powerful broadcast radio stations of New York record companies and the active distribution of CDs, this particular product reaches us. Indigenous Latin American Salsa is warmer and not so popular here.
Hustle
Translated from English means "hustle, crush." Pair dance based on improvisation and "leading".
The progenitor of the Hustle (more precisely, of all its versions performed on three and six counts) should be considered the Latin American Hustle. Life was given to him by street dancers from among the numerous gypsies and Hispanics (mainly Cubans) in the southern part of the US state of Florida. Trying to adapt their own dance skills (sourced from Salsa and West Coast swing) to the completely inappropriate but wildly popular disco rhythms of the early 1970s, the dancers created a unique precedent - a dance in which three movements (Latin American Hustle is performed on six counts “one-two-and-three-four-five-six” - 1-2-&3-4-5-6). The resulting dance was first known as Disco Swing, but in New York it was considered a variation of West Coast Swing and continued to be called West Coast Swing.
Forro (Forro)
Forro (or Fojo) is a Brazilian folk and social couple dance that gained its greatest popularity after the Second World War. According to one version forro comes from the word forrobodo, meaning a big noisy party or "noise, din, excitement." According to another version, the word forro comes from the English expression "for all"(for everyone - English). English engineers during the construction of the Great Western Railroad (Great Western Railroad) staged dances on weekends for both their staff and the population in general ("for all"). There is also a third version: the word comes from the number of locomotives that English engineers used when ramming railroad tracks, "40" or "Four-oh", simplified by the Brazilians to " forro».
Three main rhythms are distinguished in the Forro dance: slow (xote), original (baiao), fast (arrasta-pe). slow rhythm xote considered the basic style of all Forro. It is quite primitive and easy to implement. Due to the slow pace, the character turns left and right are easy to master even for beginners. Rhythm Baiao takes as a basis xote, but with some additions. So in Baiao the tempo of the dance increases, and swings are added. To cope with the increased rhythm, the dancers make fewer movements on the dance floor. Last Rhythm arrasta-pe is very fast xote. Depending on the region of Brazil, Forro can be presented in several more dance rhythms: xaxado, coco, embolado.
The ancestor of modern Forro is the Brazilian accordionist, composer and singer Luis Gonzaga (1912-1989) . Salsa had a huge influence on the formation of modern Forro dance. It was thanks to her that the spins of the dancers and numerous turns appeared in Forro. The dance is most popular in the northeast of Brazil.
Argentine Tango
Tango was born in late XIX centuries in the sprawling slums of Buenos Aires. Here, in overcrowded and seedy city dwellings, cultural traditions countries around the world. Soldiers, tired of protracted civil wars, destitute peasants, descendants of African slaves, immigrants from Europe flocked here. The vast majority of newcomers were men. Suffering from loneliness in a foreign land, they gathered in the port bars. National melodies were mixed, creating memorable tango sounds. First came music and dance. Poems came later.
Over time, tango began to gain popularity among the working class of Buenos Aires. At the beginning of the 20th century to a unique sound bandoneon added sounds of guitar, flute and violin. Tango orchestras appeared. It rapidly gained popularity, and only high society did not recognize new music.
At the beginning of the 20th century, tango appeared in Europe. His debut in Paris was a real sensation. Someone immediately became his passionate admirer, someone - an opponent. Attempts to stop the popularity of this sensual dance with its touching of the hips and interlacing of the legs were not successful. For Europe, this dance has become a craze.
In the 1940s, tango was very popular. After the establishment of a military dictatorship in Argentina, tango was persecuted in every possible way and was banned for many decades. Today, speaking of Argentine tango, they mean dances: Tango Salon, Tango Waltz and Milonga.
Milonga
Milonga is a dance of Argentine origin, together with the Spanish Habanera is the predecessor Argentine tango. The musical time signature of the Milonga is two-part, the tempo is mobile. A distinctive feature is the syncopated rhythm, which is also characteristic of the Creole tango. The text of the Milonga song usually has a lyrical or comic content.
The milonga is danced as a fast, cheerful and mischievous dance with fast linear progression. There are several styles of milonga performance: milonga fox- technically relatively simple, with a rhythm of one step per beat; milonga traspi- relatively a new style, characterized by a large number of interrupted steps, accelerations, etc. techniques performed at a speed doubled (quadruple) in relation to the main rhythm or with syncopation. Less often, deceleration is applied in relation to the main rhythm. The high speed of the dance gives rise to noticeable differences from tango in the technique of movement and pair interaction.
The Milonga song gained its greatest popularity in the second half of the 19th century. Milonga dance appeared in the last third of the 19th century as a street dance in the poor neighborhoods of Buenos Aires. In the early 20th century, the dance form of the Milonga merged with the Tango.
Disco (Disco)
Disco dancing appeared in the mid-70s. Their simplicity, ease of learning, amazing vivacity - all this created such a popularity that is still relevant today. The melody "Dance the hustle - Do hustle" was released after famous movie"Saturday Night Fever". Hollywood star John Travolta the most popular group Bee Gees, simple and melodic melodies brought disco rhythms and dances to the top of popularity. Flashing lights, mirrored walls, loudly pulsing beats, high fashion and more have made Disco the most desirable dance in the world.
The Disco dance itself was extremely simple and erotic - unlike the acrobatic tricks of Rock and Roll, the classic twist and swing movements, which had already turned into “dances for the ancestors” by this time, no special skills were required to dance Disco - you just had to feel the rhythm well. It was Disco who first shouted "Just move your body"!
In Europe, this direction is known as disco fox(in Germany) and disco swing(in Switzerland), but in America as disco hustle.
Hip-Hop (Hip-Hop)
Hip-Hop-party, R'n'B-party, MTV-style - do you know these names? Great amount dance schools teach the hip-hop style that is very popular today. But, perhaps, not everyone can answer the question - where did this come from? dance direction?
The "ancestor" of dance Hip-Hop is African jazz (in translation - improvisation), and the first performers are African Americans. Afro-jazz exists to this day as a separate dance direction. But if we consider Afro-jazz as an ethnic dance, then initially it was a nightly festivities and dances around the fire of black tribes. We can say that Hip-Hop is a street style that closely echoes the so-called Street jazz (street improvisation). Like any other dance style, Hip-Hop (and therefore R'n'B) is not only a dance, but also a style of clothing, a style of behavior, a lifestyle.
R&B
The R'n'B style came to us from the black quarters of Latin America. R'n'B parties are now the most fashionable not only in the West, but also here. by the most prominent representatives R'n'B rhythms are such personalities as J. Timberlake, Five, J. Lopez, B. Spears and others. R'n'B is quite difficult to distinguish into a certain style in dance, first of all it is a mixture hip-hop, locking, pops And funk. The direction, very popular among today's youth, first appeared in America in Negro neighborhoods. Now R'n'B dance in the most advanced European clubs. Don't you know yet?
C-Walk
The Crip Walk or C-Walk is a dance that originated in the early 1990s in the poorer neighborhoods of Compton, California. The roots of this dance originate in South Central, a district of the city of Los Angeles, where in the early 80s its foundation was laid, which turned into the main element of ip-hop dance in the late 90s.
Initially, gang members Crips used leg movements to visualize their name or some other word from the Crips arsenal. Also, many Crips gangs use C-Walk to initiate new gang members. Usually C-Walk is performed by West Coast Gangsta Rap and G-Funk artists, the first time the mainstream saw C-Walk was in the late 80s when rapper Ice-T performed it on scene in front of the cameras. Later, rapper WC also used C-Walk in his videos, but unlike Ice-T, WC made it clear to everyone that it was not a dance. In one of the compositions, he said the following - "gangsters don't dance", that is, WC used C-Walk only to show his love to other members of the Crips (as you know, WC was a member of the 111 Neighborhood Crips gang).
Papping (dad; from English. Poppin'- rapid contraction and relaxation of muscles) - a dance style that creates the effect of a sharp flinch in the dancer's body. A dancer who performs popping is called a popper. Papping in Russia has long been incorrectly called "upper breakdance". Also under the name of papping, a number of related styles are combined, including: Waving- it is based on wave-like movements of the body; Gliding, the most famous movement of which is Michael Jackson's famous "moonwalk"; and King Tut And fingertut(in which the dancer builds figures with hands or fingers), Puppet(“puppet dances” - all dance movements are performed as a puppet on strings does), slow motion(dance in slow motion) and others.
The dance appeared in Fresno (California) in the 70s of the twentieth century; locking contributed in part to this. Like other street dances, popping is often used in battles designed to prove one's edge over other dancers in public. Papping is characterized by funky music, with a clear tempo and an emphasis on kick / clap.
Club dances (Club - dance) - now it's all that is trendy, energetic and modern. This style is a mix, a violent combination of many dance styles and directions. Club dances are movements and locks from locking, jumps from house, necks and swings from hip-hop, plasticity and eccentricity of waking, elements of jazz, major and mood from funk.
Breakdancing is one of the most dynamic modern styles. Stunning acrobatic stunts and dizzying spins of the dance embodied the young, unbridled, rebellious spirit of the street. Breakdance originated in the poor neighborhoods of New York in the late 60s. In the beginning there was James Brown's famous Get on the Good Foot dance.
Strip plastic is a dance filled with sensuality, flexibility, plasticity. This is the dance of the conqueror of hearts, light, and, at times, a little daring. The name of the dance contains the term “Strip” (from English - to undress), but over time, plasticity separated from striptease and formed as a separate direction, which implies a plastic, graceful female dance.
Kramp is a style of modern dance in which you can throw out your emotions. This is an original street dance, jerky and impulsive, aggressive and explosive, fast and rhythmic, which allows you to turn your accumulated negative emotions into an incendiary, interesting dance show. The geographical and temporal reference point from the beginning of the life of the dance is 1992.
Improvisation is real opportunity express yourself in a dance move very honestly, frankly and accurately. This is an opportunity to look into yourself, discover new, hitherto unknown reserves in yourself, discover your creative potential. Awareness of this opens up a chance for self-knowledge, for gaining even greater personal integrity. Improvisation is the highest form of dance, which combines the perfect control of the body.
Hip-hop is one of the most popular modern dance styles today. This style is very interesting and multifaceted. He absorbed the mannerisms and movements of many street styles that appeared earlier: break, popping, locking. The huge popularity of hip-hop dance is directly related to the versatility and diversity of this dance style.
Locking is a whole subculture dance art. This is one of the most positive funky dance styles. Differs in a comic-comic style of performance, big role pantomime and facial expressions play in it. Locking is full of emotions, dynamic and clear movements. The basis of the whole dance is the closing positions of the locks, from these movements the name of the style was formed - Locking from the word lock “Lock”.
LA style is modern style, which has recently enjoyed great popularity, and finds its fans in a wide audience of energetic, relaxed and self-confident modern youth. LA style - comes from the "Los Angeles" style, a style that came out of hip - hop, it is also called Hip Hop Choreography. Do not confuse it with New Style (New York style). They have fundamental differences between them.
Go-Go (go - go) - is not any particular style. This is a set of styles that are combined in one direction. Go-Go is danced at fashionable parties, presentations and in nightclubs. Today, not a single club party can do without a Go-Go dance performance. Dancing go-go- erotic dances in which, unlike striptease, the dancers do not undress.
The R'n'B style is a trendy club dance performed to rhythm and blues music, as well as one of the most popular modern dance styles, which combines elements of blues, hip-hop and funk. R'n'B is considered to be the most popular dance direction of club dances in Europe and all over the world today. And it acts as a whole layer of modern culture, which includes dance, music and clothing.
Sexy R'n'B - today it is still quite a young trend in modern dance. It is based on the styles and movements of such mega-popular trends as jazz, strip-plastic, hip-hop, and of course, its base is the foundation of the foundations, R'n'B is the style. Sexy R'n'B is constantly evolving and improving, enriching and replenishing itself with more and more new movements.
Club mix - today it's all that is trendy, modern, energetic. This is a mix, a passionate mixture of many dance styles and trends. Club dances are jumps from House dance, swings and necks from Hip-hop, eccentricity and plasticity from Waacking dance, mood and emotionality from funk.
A rather young dance style, which was formed in 2000 in France, in the wake of the popularity of the Belgian club movements. It is also known as Electro Dance, tck, vertigo, Milky Way - this is a kind of style - a mix that contains elements of techno, jumpstyle, hip-hop, locking, popping
Recently, in Europe, the direction of club dances called "House" (House) is gaining popularity. The name of this dance comes from the house music style. House is now danced at almost all newfangled parties. House is distinguished by a unique style of performance, one might say, with a slight touch of glamor and imposingness. House is very dynamic, rhythmic.
C-Walk, aka Crip, - Clown, -Crown-walk - is one of the styles of modern street dance that is constantly developing and gaining more and more new rounds of popularity. The main distinguishing feature and original feature of this style is the masterful work of the feet, the virtuosic execution of such intricate movements with the feet that it seems that the dancer “writes out” the signs of the alphabet and whole words.
Among all club styles - the most extravagant, attractive and eccentric style is Wacking. Today it is impossible to imagine the modern world of dance without this style. This dance is constantly evolving and becoming more and more popular not only as an opportunity to show your dancing talent, but also as an opportunity to reveal and demonstrate your individuality.
It is physically and psychologically pleasant for us to feel our body flexible, toned, relaxed, without pain in muscles and joints. The feeling of peace, harmony with the surrounding world, the feeling of satisfaction with oneself, one's body, one's life gives us no less joy. Stretching will help us achieve this state of mind and body.
Today, most modern dance styles are cocktails of elements and movements from other dances, and Ragga Jam is no exception. This is an explosive mixture of street ragga, hip-hop, jazz, generously seasoned with Jamaican and Antillean motifs. To date, ragga jam is one of the most fashionable trends that has conquered Europe and America with its originality.
The very name of the style Street Dance (Street Dancing) said everything for itself. Street dance is a mixture of different dance genres and cultures. Breakdance, hip-hop, house, RnB and many more ingredients are mixed in this cocktail. The name of this style combines many dance styles that were born outside of dance studios and ballet schools.
Street jazz is a modern dance direction, distinctive feature which is a lot of styles: R`n`B, modern, locking, popping, ragga, house, electric boogaloo and, of course, classical jazz. And as a basis in it, as in most of the newfangled dance styles now, the dance base of hip-hop is laid.
Latina is quite simple to perform and very often it resembles rhythmic beach dances. Thanks to this, Latin can be danced almost everywhere. But the incendiary movements of Latina look especially impressive in nightclubs - liveliness and rhythm, passion and frivolity - ideal qualities for a night of fun.
Salsa is considered to be a more elegant and slower version of rumba, in which partners almost never touch, while being very close to each other. At one time, the Latin American bourgeoisie considered salsa one of the most worthy and noble dances.
Pilates is actually a special complex of physical activities, the distinguishing feature of which is its functionality and versatility: all Pilates exercises are designed in such a way as to have the maximum effect on the entire body, and not on its individual parts.
Hustle is a mixture of many types and styles of dance, including boogie-woogie and rock and roll, a variation of which is "dirty dancing". Hustle is a pair dance for discos, parties, clubs, which, due to its colorfulness and ease of execution, is insanely popular all over the world.
Types of dances
If we talk about the types of dances, then we should imply their certain classification. However, in the world of incendiary and passionate movements, there is no single correct classification. In this article, we want to present you with information that will acquaint you with the types of three main dance styles - club, ballroom and sports dances.
Club
So, the most common club dances are mambo, merengue, salsa and hustle. Let's get to know them better!
The very word "mambo" of Haitian origin, where it meant the name of a voodoo priest, who for the villagers was a judge, doctor, soothsayer and spiritual mentor. However, there was no dance with that name on the islands of Haiti. For the first time, mambo dances appeared in Cuba, in the territories of Haitian settlements. In any case, the idea of each new dance must be attributed to a certain person or group. Who then is considered "inventor" mambo? In 1943 in Havana a man named Perez Prado first performed a complete and complete mambo dance at the Tropicana nightclub. Time passes, and mambo becomes popular in New York among the Negro dancers from Harlem, who performed these incendiary and at the same time complex dances. dance moves at your favorite hall, Park Plaza. Gradually, mambo became more popular and began to make a splash in many other clubs, starting in 1947.
The original dance, which Perez Prado introduced us to, was slightly modified, since it contained a lot of complex acrobatic elements that not all mambo dancers could do. But a simplified version of it was presented in nightclubs, resort hotels and dance studios in New York and Miami, where the success of the mambo exceeded all expectations. Mambo dancers were very fond of, they even came up with a gentle name for them - “mamboniks”. However, the passion for this dance is considered short-lived. Today, mambo is one of the most popular Latin American dances. And finally, I would like to note that teachers all over the world came to the same opinion: mambo is a very complex club dance both in terms of technique and musicality.
Another Latin American dance adopted in the United States is considered merengue. However, his origins are Dominican. Like mambo, merengue has also gone through its evolution, having undergone some changes. Modern merengue consists of two parts - intros and interludes. Its melody is cheerful, somewhat syncopated, and is divided into two periods of sixteen bars each. The dancing merengue moves in a double meter, emphasizing the first beat with such a walking step, and we, at the expense of two, with our knees pressed to each other, perform an inward movement. Actually, this is the very highlight of the merengue dance.
The next kind of dance - salsa. It is performed under the style of Latin American music. When translating a word "salsa" it does not mean anything even close to music, just a simple word "sauce", which requires special Indian, African and Spanish ingredients to prepare. And someone came up with such an unusual name for this dance by the name Chano Pozo, when in the twenties of the last century he, along with many other Cubans, emigrated to the United States, which is remembered in history as the first wave of emigrants from Cuba.
However, salsa reached its peak of popularity in the seventies of the twentieth century - during the huge salsa festivals in the USA, Latin America and Africa. Such festivals gathered entire stadiums, and during the performances themselves, many CD recordings were made for all those who could not enjoy such a spectacle in person. Since then, salsa has become more of a commercial dance, which, of course, was embodied in New York. Thanks to this mass distribution of recorded CDs, as well as broadcast radio stations, we will also learn about salsa dancing. However, the indigenous Latin American salsa dance, which is distinguished by its softness, is not popular with us.
The last type of club dances that we talk about in our article is hustle, which is translated from English - "crush". This is a pair dance, the main point of which is improvisation and leading.
There are many different versions of the hustle that are performed on three or six counts. The progenitor of all these versions is considered to be the Latin American hustle, which was given life by ordinary street dancers from among the Cubans and gypsies living in the state of Florida, or rather in its southern part. And it happened like this. At the time, salsa and western swing were the most popular dances on the West Coast among Hispanic and Gypsy youth. Using technique specified dances, street dancers tried to adapt their dancing skills to disco rhythms, which, on the one hand, did not correspond to either salsa or swing at all, but, on the other hand, were terribly popular, especially in the early seventies. Thus, by performing three movements in four beats, the dancers managed to portray a unique precedent, which was called the hustle. However, due to the fact that disco rhythms were present in this dance, at first it was called disco swing. The real Latin American hustle is danced in six counts.
Ballroom
Ballroom dancing is no less popular, especially in our time. It's their turn.
Samba- This brazilian dance performed in bipartite meter. If you dig deeper, you can find out that the word "samba" is a kind of common prefix to many dances of Brazilian origin. As for the samba dance, there are two main types of it - village samba, the hallmark of which is typically acute syncopation, as well as urban samba, which is performed in a smoother rhythm. There is also samba carioca, which is essentially the same urban samba, but in a somewhat stylized role. the word is "carioca" is the name of the inhabitants of Rio de Janeiro, where this distinctive style of urban samba was actually born. But the fact that this dance was introduced into professional music, he must thank E. Vila-Lobos and Camargo Guarniero.
A dance with a funny name cha-cha-cha embodied the rhythmic structures of mambo and rumba. It was first performed in 1953 by the Cuban Orchestra América. The name of the dance was given by its clock scheme of execution, the tempo of which is first slow, slow, then fast, fast, then slow again and at the end three final rhythmic beats, which correspond to the syllables cha-cha-cha.
However, as often happens, at first nothing new or unusual was discerned in this dance, therefore, on all the records with his recording, it was called nothing more than simply mamba, since it was based on the rhythmic structure of this dance. But over time, the rhythmic section of the cha-cha-cha grows, its dancers adapt to a slower rhythm, the time signature doubles at the count of four and one, which, in the end, allows three pas to replace light movements of the hips. And yet, five years pass, when the initial rigidity in the dance was overcome, and three steps began to be performed with a typical Cuban swaying in the hips. The charm of everyone's favorite cha-cha-cha lies in its naturalness and grace, and not in some intricacy of its movements.
Rumba is a modern Cuban dance, but its origin is African American. Rumba is performed in four beats, but the rhythmic pattern changes in almost every measure. It should also be noted that rumba tactics are characterized by repetitions and syncopation. The main theme of the rumba is eight bars, in which the rhythmic beginning prevails, while the melody and text are in the background. Rumba entered popular American music in the thirties of the last century.
One of the features of the Havana rumba, which is quite popular in various taverns and other similar establishments, is its performance to the accompaniment of ensembles that use all sorts of improvised means, such as spoons, bottles, pots.
Another type of ballroom dancing is jive. In the United States, it originated in the nineteenth century. However, the question of the origin of the Jive is still open: some believe that this dance was truly Negro, while others attribute it to the number of military dances of the Seminole Indians.
During its long existence, the jive has undergone many reincarnations. In the 1910s, he switched from ragtime to swing. In the twenties of the same century, jive transforms into lindy hope. The thirties and forties of the last century are characterized by jegberg, the fifties - rock and boogie-boogie. And only in the seventies of the twentieth century did the modern version of jive appear. And, despite such significant and fairly frequent changes, all this time the jive remained a fashionable dance that leaves no one indifferent.
One of the most powerful dance trends that have significantly influenced the formation of jive as a separate dance is rock and roll and jitterbug. That is why sometimes you can find such a name for jive as six-step rock and roll, which is characterized by a fast pace that takes a lot of energy. Because of this peculiarity, in all dance competitions the jive is danced last. At the same time, the dancers must show all their endurance by performing this dance with maximum efficiency. Among all ballroom dances, jive is considered the fastest.
There is another ballroom dance with unusual name - paso doble. Although there is no such unusual word in this, because it is translated in no other way than “double step”. The Paso Doble has always been associated with Spain, although there is a lot in its movements and steps. french style. Therefore, many experts are sure that initially the paso doble was a truly French dance. Very often, paso doble is compared with flamenco, which, however, confirms the relationship of these dances. Paso doble has the same restrained, but at the same time very militant rhythm, which could not help conquering Spain - a country with ancient tradition bullfighting. History knows a lot of facts confirming that the Spanish culture has always tried to associate itself with some kind of challenge, risk and even death.
paso doble, which is performed at dance competitions, is very complex in its technique. However, in Spain, France, and also in Latin America, its public form is widespread, which is danced in various clubs and dance centers.
Ballroom dancing includes slow waltz, the basis for which was taken from the old folk dances Germany and Austria. Therefore, it is not surprising that the word “waltz” itself is of German origin, and in translation means “circling”. In addition, the German dance is considered the closest predecessor of the modern slow waltz, although in terms of its technique it was an order of magnitude faster. Also, the relationship of the slow waltz is associated with landlers - these are also slow waltzes that were popular back in the eighteenth century.
Studying ancient manuscripts, the researchers found documents in which the waltz was mentioned as early as 1770. And since then, the waltz has been repeatedly condemned for its ambiguity. For the most part, such condemnation came from the guardians of morality and from the dance masters themselves, although this might seem somewhat strange. Therefore, for a long time, the slow waltz lived within the framework of country dance, known throughout England. However, later he still managed to defend his independence, and become the first ballroom dance that was popular in Vienna, Paris and New York.
Another type of waltz is the famous viennese waltz. But here we need to tell some background. There is no doubt that the waltz as a dance was a huge success, and also made an incredible sensation at the courts of Europe at that time. And yet, at the beginning of the nineteenth century, the waltz was not officially accepted, it continued to be treated with some caution, therefore, at all kinds of points in Vienna, it was given no more than ten minutes. And all for one simple reason: the embrace of a man and a woman who performed this dance was considered somewhat inappropriate. However, the waltz turned out to be much stronger than all these ridiculous prejudices in our time. Therefore, in 1815, when Napoleon was defeated, a congress of the victorious allies was organized in Vienna, at the ball of which all the dancers gave themselves up to the full embrace of this charming, brilliant, magical dance without the slightest doubt about its sophistication. At the same time, the waltz acquires a specific feature in the form of an accentuated rhythm, which makes this dance even more romantic and elegant. Thus the Viennese waltz was born.
Sports
One of the most popular sports dances of its time is considered disco. These dances appeared in the 70s of the last century and immediately won favor among young people due to their simplicity, ease of learning and amazing vivacity. The movie Saturday Night Fever, which was released at the time, as well as the groovy tune “Dance the Hustle,” contributed to the wild popularity of disco dancing. Flashing lights, loudly pulsating rhythm, mirrored walls, high fashion and much more have become the unspoken symbols of disco, which is why the dance has become one of the most desired in the whole world.
But the slogan for disco dances was the simplest phrase - "Just move your body" (“Just move your body”), which essentially explains their meaning: the dance is very simple and at the same time quite erotic. Everyone could dance disco, because it did not require special skills, as, for example, in rock and roll, swing or twist. All this was in the past - it's time for disco dancing. It was only necessary to feel the rhythm - and you are the star of the dance floor.
And if disco is the most popular sports dance of the past decades, today hip-hop is at the peak of its popularity. Today in every city you can find dozens of dance schools that teach this type of dance. But are people who decide to learn how to dance hip-hop interested in where this direction in sports dancing came from?
And everything is very simple and uncomplicated: dance hip-hop originates from African jazz, the first performers of which were African Americans. The word "jazz" is translated as "improvisation". Of course, African jazz still exists today, but it is considered more as an ethnic dance. But hip-hop is more of a street dance style, which means it is a dance of street improvisation. In addition, we should not forget that hip-hop is not just a kind of sports dance, it is something much more - it is a whole lifestyle, style of dress and style of behavior.
Recently, the style has also gained wide popularity. R&B, which originated in the black neighborhoods of Latin America. However, many researchers are in no hurry to single out this style as a separate dance, because they see it as a mixture of many other styles, such as hip-hop, funk, locking and pop.
As you can see, there are dances for every taste. Therefore, if you decide to learn one of their types, no doubt you will find the most suitable one for you.
Striptease, Strip plastic, Pillon
Striptease is the art of seduction... It is interesting because it is able to reveal femininity, sensuality and sexuality in a dancer. Becoming on a par with a man, a woman of our time is increasingly forgetting to be a woman. Stripping refreshes instincts, breaks the shackles of stiffness, teaches you to express feelings and emotions. Pillar training, in turn, gives amazing physical training.
Difficulties: Rhythmic gymnastics skills, good stretching and a beautiful figure are required.
Top Break Dance, Dup Step, Popping, Electric Boogie
The dancers of these genres are real "dance magicians", originating from the art of pantomime. What they do is amazing! Not for nothing, today there is no one cooler than breakers in modern dance. In their performances, we see the highest level of control over the body, the most complex elements, so unimaginable that sometimes it even hurts to watch. Excitement bordering on horror!
Difficulties: to really achieve something in breakdancing, you need to devote yourself to it. And you need to be extremely careful, it does not do without injuries.
Go-Go, Waking, Vogue
Just what you need for fashionistas who are hungry for the stage! Highest Degree posturing and acting skills. They play on the elegance of forms and lines that reveal the beauty of a half-naked body. Vogue and Waaking are "pathos for whites." The Vogue style is characterized by model poses, it imitates catwalk walking. The style of Waaking, which took a lot from Vogue, is dominated by hand movements (the name itself translates as “waving hands”), they borrowed many movements from locking. Go-Go is a looser style that mixes the previous two and adds elements of other styles, such as the strip. This is the most popular style of dancing nightclubs.
Difficulties: excellent physical data and moral readiness are required to perform on stage practically in underwear.
Jazz Modern, Contemporary Dance
A modern interpretation of ballet that preserves aesthetic traditions, but gives freedom and flexibility of technique, abolishing the rigid standards of the classics. Choreography is at the heart of these styles. Most higher educational institutions under contemporary dance presents Contemporary. But the paradox is that this genre is completely unsuitable for dancing to modern dance music. This is purely a stage dance technique.
Difficulties: in order to achieve success in this style, you need to practice from childhood.
Classic. Choreography
The highest "theatrical" form of choreographic art, the embodiment of the highest aesthetic ideals. It's exclusive stage dance viewer oriented. It is characterized by strict standards and high requirements for performance techniques, many of which are performed at the limit of human capabilities. In terms of complexity, the elements of ballet can only be compared with the elements of break dance.
Difficulties: professional ballet classes do not go unnoticed. Extremely high demands leave their mark on the formation of the body, especially since ballet should be practiced from childhood, while the body is still supple. Damage to ligaments, tendons, joints, overdeveloped individual muscle groups and much more are possible.
Latin American dances, salsa, hustle
These destinations are extremely popular today. This is not only dancing, this is leisure, communication, discos. These styles bring people together: energetic, passionate movements, exciting swaying of the hips ... Although these are mostly pair dances, they are organized in such a way that you can easily change partners and make new acquaintances. And they don't require special training are fairly easy to learn.
Difficulty: on initial stage for lovers of complexity is not enough, the main thing is to find a suitable partner.
Lower Break Dance
The lower break is a masterpiece of modernity, bordering on the impossible, going beyond the limits of human capabilities. It has absorbed the elements and style of Hip-Hop culture, performed to the music of DubStep or Hip-Hop. The technical essence of the style is the control of "torque" in all possible positions, i.e. continue to rotate with changes in position on any points of support, even on the head. This is the most complex acrobatics superimposed on the rhythms of music. Suitable for short, stocky dancers.
Difficulties: Extremely difficult to prevent injury
Flamenco
Spanish folk dance with obligatory traditional costumes. Flamenco is particularly dramatic and attracts a fairly mature audience. This is a spectacular and expressive genre filled with passion. He is characterized by a specific choreography of the hands, active beating of tap-dancing trills and luxurious pas in frilled chic skirts in a gypsy manner.
Difficulties: need a keen sense of rhythm
East Dance, Tribal
Art of seduction, erotic dance of the East (ancient striptease). It is performed in specific costumes with ringing scales, which enhances the musicality of the dance, synchronization with the music. Oriental dance is rich in everything possible techniques on plasticity, rhythm, abounds small details and decorations. Really professional dancers fascinate with the beauty of the curves of a semi-naked body and clear, finely drawn movements. Unlike other styles, “oriental dancers” delight with the expressiveness of curvaceous forms, the ability to profitably reveal the features of the female figure.
Difficulties: small shaking, vibrations are harmful to the not yet formed female body.
The basis of modern dance, improvisation for the dance floor
Base of Modern Dance- dance format for the dance floor, suitable for music of different genres. This is a universal dance technique that is combined with any style, type and manner. It is not required to memorize dance sequences and performances, the dance is built on the principle of a constructor: there are basic elements and rules, how they fit together. Having studied several movements and learning how to combine them with each other, you can improvise to different music, for this a few months of training are enough. The whole dance is based on rhythm, plasticity and coordination of movements.
Difficulties: to achieve beauty and ease in improvisation, it takes time to restore atrophied muscle groups.
Shuffle, House, ElectroDance, Tecktonik, C-walk
Active styles for expressive youth: techniques with swings and jumps to music with a direct rhythm. Extremely energy-consuming, attract a lot of attention and require a lot of space. You will be unlucky if you find yourself next to such a dancer on a crowded dance floor, since this does not happen often, but these styles have become a hit at street festivals! These techniques turn you on - you just want to join and start dancing. But the dancers are not enough for a long time, because. the set of movements is not particularly large and varied, and all are quite energetic.
Difficulties: finding a place to fulfill them
R'n'B, Hip-Hop
Initially, R'n'B is a culture of funk, jazz and soul. She also contributed to the emergence of rock and roll. In the future, R'n'B and Hip-Hop began to actively mix, because. they are both part of the African American culture. Today, R'n'B as a dance includes any possible technique, but all of them are performed in a particularly pathetic manner, in the obligatory ultra-fashionable outfit. R'n'B classes are a great solution for those who want to "show themselves." This style gives self-confidence, a sense of one's own coolness and sexuality, it is a cure for complexes and insecurity, which young people lack so much; that is why it is purely a youth movement.
Hip-hop, however, is a serious direction, where the pathos is justified by the really cool training of dancers who do not neglect breakdancing.
Difficulties: constant psychological pressure within the team, where the spirit of struggle and competition reigns.
ballroom dancing
Pair dance with rigid choreographic standards. The dancers are completely attached to their partner, who is extremely difficult to replace.
Flaws: injury, occupational diseases. Considering that this is professional dance to participate in competitions, the departure of a partner almost always entails the collapse of the professional career of a dancer.
Advantages: fully reveals the topic of interaction with a partner. Supreme form possible paired dance art.
Strip
This is the most ancient, and at the same time the most modern style of dance. It is constantly changing, as the standards of femininity and masculinity change. You can dance it in different ways, but the meaning does not change. This is a dance that arouses sexual interest, allowing you to enjoy your image, the effect that you produce. This is the most emotional style of dance, in which the features of male and female movements are maximally expressed. There is a very thin line between the most beautiful and the most disgusting. Therefore, high qualification of the choreographer is simply necessary.
The broad concept of "club dance" includes many movements of various styles. They can be performed synchronously or solo. club dance today it has been divided into 2 directions: to music with a direct rhythm and to music with a broken rhythm. Straight rhythm is classical electronic music like Disco House, Techno, Progressive. A broken rhythm is a break beat, breaks, R'n'B, Hip-Hop.
Jazz-Modern
Born at the time of the relevance of ballroom dancing, modern jazz is a combination of classical techniques, street dance styles, jazz improvisation.
top break dance
A combination of all “old school” styles, such as plastic, slides, king-tat, robot. Break Dancing is exciting, vibrant, and colorful. For this reason, he became very popular. Break dancing first appeared in the South Bronx (Big Up's to da Bronx!) in the 70s. At first it was danced on laid out in the street cardboard boxes that turned the sidewalk into a stage. Street dancers mixed dance aerobatics with martial arts and disco dance, and each performer crafted it own style. Music poured from portable stereo tape recorders. Now this - personal way get in shape and have fun!
go-go
A dance technique that allows you to get a crowd of spectators using standard artistry techniques, wide, amplitude movements that capture attention, courage and game. One of the main elements of Go-Go is the expression of sexuality and the minimum amount of clothing.
street dance
In the early 70s, a huge number of groups dancing on the streets formed in the USA, subsequently reincarnating into culture. It has incorporated a popular form filled with elements of various dance styles.
Stage, power style of synchronized dance, which allows you to work out the quality, endurance. A large number of synchronous connections of popular movements and courage are presented.
Powerful dance style for the stage, where movements are performed with full force and at high speed. This style features a large number of "wide" movements, swings, rotations and reversals.
Slide man ( moon walk)
All kinds of moonwalks in all directions. This technique is perfectly combined with plastic. At the core of the style moonwalks, which give an illusory effect of sliding on the floor. The style includes more than 20 types of gaits. Swimming or sliding then semi is an illusion created with your feet. This creates the feeling that you are trying to go in one direction, but you are actually moving in another direction. A classic example of this effect is the 'Moonwalk' made famous by Michael Jackson. The actual illusion is an old Mime trick.
Disco
As a result of the "psychedelic revolution" of the late 60s, a culture of music, fashion, and dance was formed. The manifestation of one's individuality in this form is relevant to this day. The disco style influenced many other styles that appeared later.
R&B
It has gained great popularity all over the world, thanks to the music to which it is performed. This trendy dance direction helps to acquire not only a beautiful sportswear, but also provide an opportunity to show "aerobatics" in clubs. The style evolved from "Hip-Hop", became more diverse and complex. The abbreviation "R&B" stands for "Rhythm and Blues". As a rule, it is danced at the level of improvisation.
Trance
Trance as a stylization of dance technique, with a softer nature of movements based on the specific features of electronic trance music, absorbed mainly movements that anyone can perform without special physical training. This is a dance of deep feelings, not always clear to others.
