Aspects of Standard Ballroom Music, Part 6, Tempo (revisited) – by Chris Bruce
Chris and his wife Monika at a Dancesport competition. We have already said that Tempo defines the speed at which the music is played. We looked closely at one way of measuring Tempo – beats per minute. However, in ballroom dancing, tempo is typically measured in bars (or measures) per minute. But we’ve also seen […]
Dancing is a Partnership – by Cassie Tucker
Dancing is a Partnership
DK Instructor Cassie Tucker looks at how dancing is a partnership and getting around the floor is not entirely the man’s responsibility…
The Lead-Follow Relationship – by Cassie Tucker
DK Instructor Cassie Tucker looks at how to improve your social dancing by being a better “listener” on the dance floor…
Expectations vs Reality: The Lead-Follow Relationship
On occasion, I have danced with ladies who are very difficult to dance with…
Practicing Tango Walks – by Cassie Tucker
DK Instructor Cassie Tucker looks at how Tango Walks differ in movement to the other dances in the Standard Ballroom family…
Practicing Tango Walks
Tango is the black sheep of Standard dances as it is the only style in which the feet are picked up off the ground…
To Have Two Left Feet – by Cassie Tucker
DK Instructor Cassie Tucker looks at how people new to dance often lament they have “Two left feet”. Is this true? Is this possible? Let’s delve deeper… To Have Two Left Feet “I can’t dance, I have two left feet,” or more commonly when a new couple arrives at the studio: “HE can’t dance, he has two left feet!” are two of the most common phrases a dance teacher hears from new students.
Leading Underarm Turns – by Cassie Tucker
Today, DK Instructor Cassie Tucker looks at how a gentleman (leader) can indicate to his lady (follower) dance partner when to execute an underarm turn…
I am sure on occasion you would have heard your teacher use the phrase “Left hand up in a Stop Sign,” when instructing a Man to lead a Lady’s underarm turn to Right…
A Tale of Two Dances Part 2: Quickstep – by Cassie Tucker
In today’s instalment, DK Ballroom Instructor Cassie Tucker looks at the origins of one of Standard Ballroom’s newer dances, the Quickstep…
A Tale of Two Dances Part 2: Quickstep
Quickstep has a very unique history of originally being a march…
A Tale of Two Dances Part 1: Foxtrot – by Cassie Tucker
In today’s instalment, DK Ballroom Instructor Cassie Tucker looks at the origins of one of Standard Ballroom’s newer (and elegantly smooth) dances, the Foxtrot…
Once upon a time in the year 1912, ragtime music was all the rage and a new dancing sensation was emerging in the African America Nightclubs…
What makes a dance Progressive? – by Cassie Tucker
DK Instructor Cassie Tucker asks, What makes a dance Progressive?
Here is an interesting fact you might not know. The term progressive can mean different things when used in conjunction with dance. For one, it simply means a dance where you keep changing partners; where one partner “progresses” to the next.
New Vogue vs Sequence Dance: Is there a difference? – by Cassie Tucker
DK Instructor Cassie Tucker discusses New Vogue and Sequence Dancing.
You would have no doubt heard the term New Vogue mentioned at DK. On occasion, you may also have heard the term “Sequence Dance” used, maybe while searching for routines on the internet, talking with people from different studios or even heard the term used by guest teachers.