Exists a large number of types of pair dances that can bring great pleasure.
Many girls today opt for hip-hop, ballet, step or jazz. However, if you have a desire to expand your horizons, try pair dancing!
Want to dance with a partner? Then read on for my pick of the best dance styles!
One of my favorite pair dances!
Swing is broad and includes several types, including West Coast Swing, East Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, Blues, Charleston, Shag and Balboa.
Most of them are fast and energetic. Blues, on the other hand, are slower and more sensual. However, they are all pretty funny, and you will definitely love them!
Salsa is another social dance that is very easy to learn.
If you want something charged with Latin sensuality, then choose it!
Today salsa is taught in many dance clubs, and in some you can also learn merengue and bachata.
3. Sports ballroom dancing
Ballroom sports include many types, including waltz, tango, foxtrot, Viennese waltz and quickstep.
Competitions are often held on them, so if you have a competitive spirit, now you know what to choose!
4. Latin American dances
Latin American ones are also competitive, that is, multiple competitions are held on them. These include jive, rumba, cha-cha-cha, paso doble, and samba, among others.
They are usually taught in conjunction with ballroom dancing.
5. American smooth
American ballroom dancing is very similar to international dance. However, as a rule, they are performed in a more relaxed manner and with minor changes in basic movements. They have a greater social bias and are not competitive.
6. American rhythm
American Latin dances also have some similarities with international dances, but may not be included in the competition.
Typical representatives of the American rhythm are swing (similar to international jive), cha-cha, bolero, mambo and rumba.
Again, if you prefer social dancing, this is the one for you!
7. Argentine tango
Argentine tango is one of the most sensual couple dances. It will hardly remind you of classical or American tango.
American tango is believed to symbolize the beginning of a relationship when you are passionate. Latin American reflects the next stage when you can't put yourself away from each other. Well, the classic shows a relationship 20 years later, where you can hardly stand each other.
Apart from modeling the stages of human relationships, these varieties of tango have little in common. So if you want to dance with your loved one, then I would recommend Argentine tango!
I love dancing, and I got a lot of positive emotions while studying.
What pair dances do you like?
- this is an ideal option for maintaining tone and good physical shape for any modern person. It is not difficult to learn them - as a rule, in order to master the technique of the chosen direction and start improvising, you should study for about six months. Moreover, you will not need a partner, which means that you will be able to plan your workouts without depending on anyone and without being guided by anyone.
What styles belong to modern club dances
It should be noted that modern club dances include many styles and trends. And we will talk about the most common of them below.
Destinations such as "Hip-hop" and "Funk" have been popular for a long time. These club dances are performed to dynamic and modern, but non-aggressive music, and in them short, sharp movements are harmoniously combined with smooth and plastic ones.
A specific style that involves the intensive execution of movements with a wide amplitude, as well as a variety of turns. As a rule, this dance direction implies that the dancer is moving at high speed, and therefore is ideal for battle or for performing on stage.
This is a very characteristic direction, which is based on wide movements that attract attention. Moreover, for GO-GO, the artistry of the dancer and his ability to improvise are extremely important.
Such dances are performed to specific electronic music, and their distinctive features are drive, high speed, movements with a large amplitude.
Trance. This style is somewhat similar to the previous one, however, in addition to movements related to the "House" direction, it also includes a variety of waves.
R&B is a very fashionable direction that has many fans nowadays. Such dances are performed to the appropriate music and are dynamic and flexible. That is why R&B is considered an ideal option for lovers of disco clubs.
STRIP. The considered direction is suitable, first of all, for people who want to learn how to feel their body. Moreover, in the overwhelming majority of cases, STRIP is chosen by girls, and this program includes the most diverse elements of classical and modern, as well as jazz choreography.
This is a rather specific dance, in which you can find elements of locking, hip-hop, popping, and also techno. Moreover, the direction under consideration implies the implementation of fairly complex movements, but with a small amplitude.
Latina style. Initially, this style did not belong to the category of club dances. However, every year it becomes more and more popular - and it is not surprising, because in many modern disco clubs themed Latin parties are held.
There are other directions of club dances, which are less widespread in our time. So every person who wants to learn how to dance beautifully and modernly, to master his body perfectly and always make an indelible impression on others, can choose exactly the style that suits him the most.
We tried to make a classification of the types of dance with the ability to describe each dance direction (links with the name of the dances are clickable). This classification of types of dance will be updated and supplemented over time and the addition of new styles and types of dance.
Main directions
Among the various dance styles and directions that exist today, the following are the most popular and well-known:
Ballet
● classic;
● romantic;
● modern.
Ethnic (folk) dances reflecting the essence and rituals, traditions and rituals of certain peoples. Among them, the following groups are distinguished:
● European;
● Asian (oriental);
● African;
● Latin American.
Each of them contains various types of folk dances: group, individual, pair and others.
Historical dances
These are dances popular in past eras and performed today, for example, ballo, contradance, polonaise and others.
Ballroom dancing
They include two main programs: European and Latin American.
Here is the name of the types of dances included in the Latin program:
The following types of dances are performed in the standard European program:
Let us dwell on each of them in more detail, since they had a great influence on the formation and development of many styles and directions of modern dance art.
Free dance
This is, first of all, a special worldview of the performer, formed under the influence of Nietzsche's ideas. The performer, denying the canonical rules of ballet choreography, strove to combine dance and real life, manifesting himself as a liberated spirit of creativity. It was on the basis of the free style that such trends as modern and bouteau, jazz modern and contemporary were born and developed.
Modern
Founded at the beginning of the century, this dance direction is very popular today and is one of the leading in the Western choreographic school. Like free dance, modern denies any ballet norms and seeks to embody a variety of forms on stage using new and original methods. It is characterized by semantic fullness, wide range of movements, high jumps and flexibility, "broken" poses and movements unusual for ballet choreography, various twists.
Contemporary dance
It is quite reasonable to say that such popular styles at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, such as free dance and modern, served as the basis for the formation of such a direction as contemporary (contemporary). This dance, as an art form, invites the dancer through various choreographic styles to fully demonstrate in improvisation all his inner emotions and resources.
Jazz Modern
The main feature of this trend is the combination of jazz improvisational rhythms and energy, coordination and work with the body and breath of the modern performer, as well as the movements inherent in the classical ballet school. Thus, the body of a modern jazz dancer becomes another musical instrument that manifests melody through the plasticity of its own body.
Butoh
This is one of the youngest dance techniques that emerged in the 1950s in Japan. Butoh, despite its rather long existence, and today remains the most difficult for people of the Western world to understand. It is based on the cultural, philosophical, religious and aesthetic values of the Land of the Rising Sun. This dance seeks to show the earthiness of the everyday life of an ordinary person, as well as to comprehend and demonstrate the body and its capabilities in space and time.
Contemporary dance of the late XX and early XXI centuries
All the variety of modern dances to us can, of course, conditionally, be subdivided into two large groups:
● outdoor;
Street dance
Hip-hop and Krump, popping and locking, break-dance and C-walk - all this is the name of the types of dances "born" not on stage venues and in choreographic studios, but on the streets and courtyards of megacities, discos and clubs.
Most of them are based on hip-hop. In street style, the performer is not limited to any form and can safely improvise and experiment, creating an individual and unique pattern of movements, as well as interact with both other dancers and the audience. In their "pure" form, they are extremely rare, and for the most part they began to be performed in clubs, and not on the streets, which is why they often fall into the club category.
Here are the most popular and common destinations:
● Ragga (ragga) and many others
It is impossible to list all types of dances. The list of names of modern styles and trends is constantly changing and supplemented. Today dancing is not only a plastic art, but also a fairly widespread sport.
Dance Sport
If in the old days dancing was perceived only as an art form, then the complication of the technical and choreographic requirements for performance led to the need for excellent physical shape for those who do it.
Today, the main types of sports dances are, first of all, ballroom. Their feature is the performance by partners of a set of certain obligatory movements and figures to a predetermined music. The ballroom sport dances evaluated in the competitions consist of a European and Latin American program, as well as biathlon (10 dances competition).
Over time, new musical and choreographic styles and trends appear. And now such modern types of sports dances as break or locking, jumpstyle or pole dance (pole dancing) are attracting more and more fans from different age groups. To participate in competitions in these areas, athletes need not only excellent choreographic, but also physical fitness.
The most popular dance in the world
Hip-hop is both a dance style and a whole cultural trend, which many members of the older generation consider “uncultured”. The cradle of hip-hop culture is the outskirts of New York, where rebellious teenagers were looking for their own way not so much to declare themselves to the world, but to express their attitude towards it - unfair, corrupt, cruel to the weak. But, having fallen for the bait of fashion, from the protest movement, hip-hop has become a part of the industry. Hip-hop dance style is a democratic mix of many techniques. There is a place for break, popping, locking, flexing. Dancing duels called battles are also typical for hip-hop.
Argentine tango is popular squared. After all, this is the most common style of one of the most recognizable dances in the world. Unlike ballroom tango, which requires serious physical and choreographic training, Argentine tango is available to everyone. This dance has no learned links, it is based on improvisation based on mutual understanding between partners. It is a social dance that allows you to meet and communicate, a beautiful way to spend your leisure time, escape the stress of everyday life into the vibrant world of tango.
The gentle and romantic waltz dance associated with the enchanting sounds of music, graceful movements, high society balls, was considered scandalous at the beginning of its "career". High society was fraught with the fact that the partners danced too close, too fast, too frivolously. Centuries have passed and the waltz has become the embodiment of elegance, style and dignity. The waltz has several varieties, the most famous are the Viennese waltz, figured waltz and boston waltz.
Belly dance or belly dance is exquisite and sensual. He is associated with languid, hairy beauties, bayaderes and odalisques. However, belly dancing was invented not so long ago, at the beginning of the 20th century, when a Lebanese actress figured out how to combine exotic oriental plastics with a technique familiar to Europeans. This is how the dance appeared, embodying the idea of the "white man" about forbidden, harem dances. There are three schools of belly dance: Egyptian, Arabic and Turkish. They differ not only in their movements, but also in their costumes. Particularly spectacular are belly dances, in which girls use various accessories - tambourines, fans, sagats (an eastern variety of castanets), a live boa constrictor and even a burning flame.
Half-dance - pole dance, pole dance or pole dance - some have unambiguous associations. But he has long been "divorced" from strip shows and has the same relationship to them as hot Latin American dances have. The pole dance is as much about sex as it is about plasticity, artistry, and the ability to control your body. It is impossible to dance half-dance without serious preparation. The apparent lightness of the dancers sliding and hovering along the pole is the result of long training sessions, carefully worked out technique.
Rock and roll began with music. Stunningly new, catching a whole generation on the hook of a frenzied, over-the-top rhythm, rebellious, sexy, she demanded expression in her movements and the same rebellious dance was born. Sporty and energetic rock and roll includes many acrobatic elements: somersaults, jumps, throws, turns. It requires good physical fitness and endurance, a great sense of rhythm, but leaves a lot of room for self-expression and improvisation.
Hot, passionate, groovy butti-dance - a dance of brave, self-confident women. Expressive movements of the hips and buttocks originate in the Latin American and African style of dance, where dancers are not at all shy about showing their "fair halves". Do not think that "booty shaking" is such a simple matter. All these "shocks", "vibrations", "waves" and "jerks" - the main elements of butti-dance - require good coordination, the ability to move individual parts of the body, keeping the rest under control, long workouts.
Dynamic, vibrant, sensual salsa has grown from a whole galaxy of Cuban and Caribbean dances. Like the eponymous spicy sauce, she combined various elements-ingredients from cha-cha-cha, mamba, rumba, meringue and other dances. There are very few conventions and a lot of improvisation in salsa. There is a place here not only for energetic movements of the hips, but also for stylish head turns, flirtatious winks, and intriguing plasticity of the hands. Salsa is a pair dance that allows you to get to know your partner better, learn to predict his movements.
Flamenco
Flamenco is not just a dance, it is a whole performance that includes playing the guitar, singing and "el bail flamenco" itself. Proud posture, fractional stamping, expressive hand gestures, lightning-fast, perfected movements, "boiling" frills of dresses - the outer side of flamenco. Dancers and dancers try to fully express the feelings embedded in the song. Here is pain and delight, loneliness and love, despair and passion seething in blood. An emotional, vivid dance always ends with a rich chord, a cleansing catharsis that takes dancers and spectators out of the heat of emotions to calm joy. In Spain, the homeland of flamenco, it is believed that young people cannot truly masterly perform this dance. And the point is not in technology, but in the fact that they do not yet have the proper life experience to embody the restless soul of flamenco.
Allemande
(French allemand - "German"). The dance of the 16-18th centuries, as its name suggests, is of German origin. Like the pavane, the allemand is a moderate tempo and dicotyledonous dance. This calm dance was usually followed by a lively three-beat chime. In the clavier suite of the 18th century. allemand comes first; it is followed by the chime, sarabanda and gigue. At the end of the 18th century. alemande was the name given to the "German dance" in 3/4 or 3/8, the forerunner of the waltz.
Argentine tango.
social pair dance. This story began in Argentina in the late 19th century. It is said that in the beginning the tango was danced by blacks, former slaves who lived in Argentina. This dance was accompanied by the rhythms of drums. When dancing Tango, do not get carried away with the steps, because the steps are a less important part of this dance. The most important part of Tango is the music and your feelings ...
Bass dance
(fr. basse danse - "low dance"). the general name of the sliding "jump-free dances" of the 16th century; they first appeared at the Burgundian court. The “low dance” was a contrast to the “high dance” (danse haute), for which high jumps and bounces are typical. Bass dance was a ceremonial dance similar to a polonaise, i.e. associated more with walking than dancing as such. Bass dance is considered the forerunner of printmaking. The dance could be performed both in bipartite (usually) and in tripartite size. The bass-dance consisted of three parts: the bass-dance itself, its repetition (retour de la basse danse) and the tordion - a jumping dance. Bass dance disappeared in the 16th century, supplanted by the pavana.
Bachata
Merengue and bachata, two rhythms that originated in the Dominican Republic, have a lot of similarities and just as many differences. Both genres have folk origin, both had a hard time achieving public recognition and both went beyond their small island homeland, becoming international genres. But, unlike the energetic and carefree merengue, which is most suitable for fun parties, bachata is created for a slightly different pastime. No wonder it got the name "musica de amargue" - the music of bitterness. Its pace is much slower, and the lyrics tell about the suffering of unrequited love. There is an opinion that it is good to pour alcoholic drinks under the bachata. Therefore, most often these melodic sad songs can be heard in bars and colmado (small shops where you can buy and drink a bottle or two on the spot in the company of several more visitors).
Bergamasca
Dance of the 16th – 17th centuries in the size of 2/4 or 4/4, came from the Italian city of Bergamo. Shakespeare mentions bergamasca in the comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream; Shakespeare mentions bergamasca in the comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream, so this dance was known in England as early as the 16th century. In the manuscripts of that time, bergamasca has a specific melody, which is often a basso ostinato (i.e. constantly repeating bass) with variations. The Bergamaski melody reminds of the later German folk song Kraut und Ruben, which was used by D. Buxtehude and then introduced by J.S. Bach in his clavier Goldberg variations. Modern, unrelated to the old Bergamasca, performed in a live tempo, in 6/8 time and reminiscent of a tarantella, used by Alfredo Piatti in Bergamasc for cello.
Bolero
Spanish national dance, supposedly invented ca. 1780 by Sebastian Cerezo from Cadiz. In the folklore version, bolero is a dance for a solo couple, several couples can participate in public performance. The accompaniment of castanets or guitar is required if the melody of the dance is sung. Bolero is characterized by a dicotyledonous, occasionally triple meter; the dance consists of five parts: paseo, traverse, differential, traverse and finale. The piano Bolero (op. 19) by F. Chopin and the orchestral Bolero by M. Ravel can serve as excellent examples of boleros in professional music. Beethoven has Bolero a solo, and K.M. von Weber included the bolero in his music for Preziosa's play. Bolero motives can be found in the operas Blind of Toledo by Etienne Megul, Black Domino, Mute from Portici by D. Ober, as well as in the opera by G. Berlioz by Benvenuto Cellini. An accelerated version of the bolero is the seguidilla (it is possible that it was she who served as the basis for the bolero). The Cuban bolero and the similar Dominican bolero are characterized by a bipartite rhythm with syncopation and form the Spanish-American version of the dance.
Branle
A general name for dances from the 16th to 17th centuries. Different provinces of France - Burgundy, Poitou, Champagne, Picardy, Lorraine, Aubaruis, Brittany - had their own versions of the name. In the 15th century. Branle completed bass-dance, in the 16th and 17th centuries. became an independent dance, the varieties of which were combined into suites. The order of the parts in the branle suite is as follows: double-branded, simple-branded, cheerful-branded, montirande and gavotte; the order can change, but the gavotte always comes at the end. Branle was often included in ballets of the Baroque era, even when the dance itself was already out of use.
Break
Well, of course, all this was invented by American blacks. Or, as they say now, African Americans. How else? With their innate sense of rhythm, flexibility and ability to move…. And, of course, in the South Bronx - the most dangerous and hooligan area in New York. And certainly not ever, namely at the end of the 60s, when the youth of all skin colors of the entire Western world rebelled against…. Yes, against everything! Against routine, boredom, bourgeois values, money, property and classical art. And much more.
Burré
French dance of the 17th and 18th centuries, dating back to the pantomimic folk dance of the province of Auvergne and in the 17th century. which became a court dance. Typical of the dance is a dactylic meter, a fast tempo, a bipartite time signature with a two-eighth beat. Bourret appears in the ballets of Lully and Schmelzer and in instrumental suites such as J.S.Bach. Bourret is found in the works of G.F. Handel, Philippe Detouch, André Campra, C. Saint-Saens (Auverne Rhapsody), E. Chabrier (Fantastic Bourret) and others.
Waltz
Its origin is in the old folk dances of Austria and southern Germany. The name comes from the German word walzen - "to revolve", "to whirl". The closest predecessors of the waltz can be considered fast "German dance" and slow waltzes - landlers, which became fashionable approx. 1800. German dances are found in J. Haydn, W.A. Mozart and L. van Beethoven. The first mention of the waltz itself dates back to about 1770. At first, this dance provoked strong resistance from both the guardians of morality and dance masters. For some time, the waltz existed within 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. The classics of the waltz were Joseph Lanner (1801–1843), who introduced the cyclical form of the waltz, which consisted of an introduction, several sections and a coda, as well as J. Strauss the father and I. Strauss the son. In the work of the latter, the waltz reached the heights of its development (Beautiful blue Danube, Southern roses, Tales of the Vienna Woods, etc.). Other waltz masters include Emil Waldteufel, F. Legard, Oskar Strauss and Robert Stolz. There is a significant difference between the waltz as dance music and the waltz as a concert piece - in the second case, the waltz can be freer in tempo and more complex in form. G. Berlioz and PI Tchaikovsky introduced the waltz into their symphonic cycles; F. Schubert, F. Chopin, J. Brahms and other composers have created excellent cycles of instrumental waltzes. At the beginning of the waltz era, K.M. von Weber's Invitation to Dance (1819) appeared; at the end of the era - the opera by R. Strauss permeated with waltzes The Rosenkavalier (1911) and the symphonic poem Waltz by M. Ravel (1920). For a real Viennese waltz, not only is the usual waltz rhythmic pattern typical (bass on the first beat of each bar, and then two lighter ones, like echoes, beats), but also a rhythmic shift that is difficult to describe, resulting from the performance of the second quarter in the accompaniment a little earlier. than it should. Slow waltzes of the Boston type or hesitation waltzes (i.e. with a delay, pause), characterized by a less clear rhythmic pattern and more complex accompaniment, became widespread in America approx. 1915, and after the First World War also in Germany; here they were often used in professional works of the pseudo-jazz style.
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 to the waltz was very cautious - at balls in Vienna itself, the waltz was allowed to dance for no more than 10 minutes: the arms of the gentleman and the ladies in the 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 balls - enchanting, magical, brilliant. It was then that the waltz acquired its specific feature - an accented rhythm, which made this dance more elegant and more romantic. Two remarkable composers who lived in Vienna - Johann Strauss the father (1804 - 1849) and the even more famous Johann Strauss the son, who wrote such widely known and popular masterpieces as "The Blue Danube" and "Tales of the Vienna Woods", undoubtedly contributed to the formation of the Viennese waltz, as well as the fact that in the nineteenth century this dance overshadowed all others. The waltz, having become an official ballroom dance, was in perfect harmony with the fashion of that time: narrow-waisted dresses with luxurious fluffy skirts with crinoline emphasized the beauty of the lady's movements.
Gavotte
Dance at a calm pace and three-beat time taking (from the Provencal word gavoto - "inhabitant of the Auvergne region"). A graceful and joyful French dance of the 16th and 18th centuries, performed at a moderate pace. A 2/2 or 4/4 time signature, starting with a 2/4 or 2/8 offbeat. The gavotte consists of two parts, 8 bars each. It was originally part of the swearing. In the 17th century. was a round dance, in the 18th century. turned into a pair dance with different figures. The popularity of the gavotte was promoted by J. B. Lully. The gavotte is found in the suites of Couperin, Pachelbel and especially JS Bach.
Gallop
(from the French galoper - "to jump"). Fast circular dance of the 19th century. in bipartite size, consists of rapid, spasmodic movements back and forth, similar in type to a polka. After 1825, the gallop became fashionable in Germany, where it was called the ruchier or hüpfer. Gallop is common in professional music; An example is the Great Chromatic Gallop of F. Liszt.
Galliard
A cheerful, lively dance of the 16th and 17th centuries, at first rather fast, later performed at a more restrained pace, in three-beat time. Originally dicotyledonous, the galliard then changed its meter and became a "pair" to the pavane or passamezzo (sung after them). Galliarda was one of the favorite European dances of the 17th century, it is repeatedly mentioned by Shakespeare, usually under the name "cinque-pace".
Hopak
Fast Ukrainian dance in bipartite size. A vivid example is the hopak in the opera by M.P. Mussorgsky Sorochinskaya Yarmarka.
Jitterbug (lindy).
American dance, which appeared between 1935 and 1940 and consisted of bouncing, bouncing and vibrating - pure improvisation to swing music, especially boogie-woogie. The usual rhythmic pattern is solid eighths or alternating punctured eighths and sixteenths. The development of jitterbug was lindy hop, where dancers count six with a four-beat music. A typical feature of this dance is the rotation of the partner around the axis, when the partner holds his hand behind her back. The rhythm is emphatically syncopated with accents on the second and fourth beats.
Gigue
English dance, widespread in the 16th century. The name comes either from the Old French word giguer (to dance), or from the Old English word giga (folk violin). At first, the gigue was 4/4 in size, later the gigues began to be composed in 6/8 size with punctured eighths. In the 17th and 18th centuries. gigue (named in French - gigue) was included in the instrumental suite and became the finale in the sequence of the four main dances of the so-called. French suite. Often such jigs were composed in polyphonic form, and in the second section a theme was developed that was an inversion of the theme of the first section.
Quadrille
French dance that emerged at the end of the 18th century. and very popular until the end of the 19th century. Performed by two or four pairs, arranged in a quadrille, opposite each other. The square dance developed from a rural dance and initially contained five figures with the following French names: Le Pantalon (Pants, the name of a popular French song), Ete (Summer), La Poule (Chicken, probably the earliest melody that imitates a chicken clucking), La Pastourelle and Finale: The dancemaster Trenitz added a sixth figure to it, which began to bear his name. The square dance often uses famous melodies at 2/4 or 6/8; they are often borrowed from operas or operettas.
Kathak
it is the classic dance style of North India. The term "kathak" comes from the word "katha", which means "story", "story". In ancient times, the Kathakas were called the caste of storytellers that existed at many temples in North India. They performed dance and drama performances on religious holidays. Later, dancers were invited to the palaces of the Hindu rulers of Rajasthan. Special dance schools appeared at the palaces, in which girls were taught music, versification, and the refined art of dance.
Cancan
Furious and not too decent French dance of the 19th century, at a fast pace and bipartite (similar in type to the Spanish fandango), originated in Paris in the 1830s. Offenbach introduced the cancan into his operetta Orpheus in Hell; nowadays the most popular is the suite from this operetta called Parisian Fun (arranged by Manuel Rosenthal, 1938).
Quick-step
The fastest and most dynamic of the "standard" dances. This is a fun dance that resembles a game. Unlike waltzes and tangos, the foxtrot is a purely American work, and its author is famous - the actor Harry Fox from California, who invented this dance in 1914 and performed it with the girls from the variety show, filling in the gaps in the New York cinema between screenings of the film - the mechanic needed a pause to rewind the tape. Invented in the rag-time style, the dance has become an incredible success. Rag-time is a mixture of jazz and blues, and the cakewalk, which appeared a little later, always implied improvisation and a certain freedom. There were no special turns and steps in the cakewalk so typical for European dances. In America at the beginning of the twentieth century, the so-called "animal dances" came into vogue. The translation of the names of such dances speaks for itself - "Camel walk" or "Donkey trot". So, perhaps, the creation of the foxtrot by Harry Fox was inspired by the then fashion and ... his own surname - after all, fox in English is "fox". In the beginning, the foxtrot was not a very restrained dance with a lot of jumps and kicks - after all, it was created for the variety show stage. But when he got to England, he underwent a real reform and acquired two modifications: a faster quick-step and a slower slow-fox. And although the foxtrot technique is somewhat reminiscent of a slow waltz, all movements are performed in a completely different rhythm.
Conga
Contemporary Cuban dance, performed by a line of dancers and originating from the so-called "comparsas" - parades. The rhythm of the conga is marching, but in each measure the second beat is preceded by a syncope (1/16 duration). Like rumba, conga often serves as the basis for political songs in Cuba; in the USA this dance was popularized by the Latin American musician Javier Cugat.
Country dance
Old English folk dance. In counter dance, the dancers form two lines, facing each other - male and female; a wide variety of movements are used, often from other dances. The word country (village) in France is transformed into the word contre ("opposite"); hence the German name Contretanz, Kontertanz, in which the original meaning was also lost. Around 1685, country dance spread from England to the Netherlands and France and soon became one of the most beloved European dances. At first the music of the country dance resembled English jigs (as evidenced by George Muffat's collection Florilegium secundum, 1698), but in the 18th and 19th centuries. for country dance, a dotted rhythm became characteristic. In country dance, folk tunes and other popular melodies were often used. The finest collection of such tunes is John Playford's collection The English Dancing Master (1651), which was followed by numerous collections of the same type. Country dances from the operas Zoroaster Rameau and Don Giovanni by Mozart are famous. The popular song of the French Revolution, Ca ira, is based on the melody of country dance.
Cotillion
(from the French word cotillon - "underskirt" found in a song popular at that time). A dance common in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. From France, the cotillion came to England and America, where it was performed as the final section of country dances or, later, quadrille. The various steps and figures of the cotillion are performed by the first couple to almost any music, and then repeated by all the dancers.
Cumbia
a dance that originated among the black population of the Atlantic coast of Colombia. It combines African rhythms and Spanish melody, complemented by Latin American harmonies. Cumbia is one of the most representative Colombian melodies, which combines the musical traditions of 3 cultures - Negro, Indian and European. Negroes brought their drum rhythm to Cumbia, Indians - flutes and pipes (from a stalk of millet) that lead the melody, the influence of Europeans (colonialists) was limited to only a few variations in musical performance, choreography and dancers' clothing. Cumbia is distinguished from other famous Latin American styles by a particularly pronounced hard rhythm. In this, cumbia is more like Jamaican music - much stronger than, for example, the more melodic and transparent salsa. However, with regard to the differences between cumbia and salsa, the issue is somewhat controversial. Currently, there are two points of view on what the cumbia really is: an independent dance or a kind of salsa, such as Salsa Cubana (Casino), Salsa Portorriquena (Boricua), Salsa de Colombia and Rueda. So, according to the second point of view, cumbia is simply Salsa Sudamericana (South American salsa). Whether it is true or not - in essence, it is not so important.
Cumbia is also interesting because in addition to the cumbia itself, you can dance to it both merengue and salsa. It’s hard to say how it works, but the fact, as they say, is obvious.
Courant
A dicotyledonous dance, originally a pantomimic dance, known from the 16th century. He is mentioned by Tuano Arbeau in his Orchezography (1588), as well as several times by Shakespeare (in particular, in Henry V). Gradually the chime acquired a three-beat meter and in the 17th century. began to be performed in tandem with allemand (after her). A characteristic feature of the 17th century chimes. there are frequent changes of the meter from 3/2 to 6/4 and vice versa, which corresponded to the alternation of the two main figures of the dance - pas de courante and pas de coupee. Musically, there are two types of courantes: the Italian corrente with fast movement of short durations and the quieter French courante with a transparent texture associated with the technique of the French lute players of the 17th century. Bach's chimes follow the French style. Around 1700, the chime became a solemn, dignified dance that preceded the minuet, but after 1720 the chime disappears as a dance, surviving only as a genre model in professional music.
Landler
The general name for slow Austro-Bavarian dances in three-quarter size. The name probably goes back to the name of the town in Upper Austria - Landl. Landler melodies already existed in the 17th century. (for example, Schmelzer's Aire Viennesi). Lendler can be considered the predecessor of the Deutsch ("German [dance]") and waltz, but the lendler was performed slower than the waltz and had a slightly different structure. It is typical for a landler to alternate between eight-bar and six-bar phrases. Variants are Steierische (Styrian [dance]) and Schuplattler (Tyrolean dance with wooden shoes). Melodies reminiscent of a landler are found in J. Haydn, W.A. Mozart, L. van Beethoven, F. Schubert and J. Strauss the father.
Mazurka
Polish folk dance, as well as a piece in the rhythm of a mazurka, usually 3/4 or 3/8, at a tempo somewhat slower than the waltz. A folk dance by origin, the mazurka in the 18th century, during the reign of King August III, became an urban and court dance. For the three-beat rhythm of the mazurka, the emphasis on the second beat is typical. The Mazurka consists of a polonaise-like opening section, performed by several pairs, and a series of dances with different figures. Particularly typical are heel strikes on the heel and a sharp movement of the feet (the so-called key) at the end of each figure. Although the mazurka appears already in the musical literature of the 18th century, only F. Chopin was destined to make it an important genre of professional art. MI Glinka, PI Tchaikovsky, K. Shimanovsky followed his example. Polish dances kujawiak and oberek are variants of the mazurka.
Mamba
American dance originating from rumba. The dance begins with the swing of the hips on the count of "one", the first step is done on the count of "two".
Minuet
Dance of the 16th – 17th centuries, at a moderate tempo and three-beat time; the name comes from the French word menu (pas menu - "little step", "small step") or from amener (amener) - an old French dance, a kind of swearing. The minuet took the place of the chime and was the main court dance from the middle of the 17th to the middle of the 18th century. Initially it was a country dance, but then the minuet became an example of the French court ballet. JB Lully was the first of the great composers to use the minuet, and it is believed that King Louis XIV was the first to dance the minuet at one of his balls. The characteristic features of the minuet are ceremonial bows, solemn passages forward, sideways and backward, graceful steps and light sliding. From France, the minuet spread throughout Europe. In the 18th century. he was included in clavier suites (in three-part form: minuet - trio, actually the second minuet - minuet), taking the place between sarabanda and jig. Composing a contrast to allemande and courante, the minuet in the suite was interpreted as a mobile dance in a simple texture. Unlike most dances of the Baroque period, the minuet did not disappear in subsequent eras, but became part of a cyclical form in classical sonatas and symphonies of the 18th and 19th centuries. Authors of the pre-classical period, such as J. Stamitz, Georg Monn and Joseph Starzer, as well as classics J. Haydn, W.A. Mozart, L. van Beethoven and F. Schubert assigned the minuet the third position in the four-part sonata-symphonic cycle; Beethoven's minuet developed into a scherzo. The minuet of the classical period was strongly influenced by the Austrian peasant landler, as a result of which characteristic wide melodic moves and leaps appeared in the minuet. In Don Giovanni Mozart, the minuet, symbolizing an aristocratic society, is written at a slow pace, but the minuet in symphonies and sonatas has always been more mobile.
Merengue
Latin American dance of Dominican origin, also adopted in the United States. Moving in a bipartite meter, the dancers emphasize the first beat with a walking step, and on the count of "two" make the movement inward with their knees pressed to each other. The cheerful, slightly syncopated dance melody consists of two periods of 16 bars each. A typical meringue consists of an introduction (jaseo) and interludes (jaleo).
Milonga Tango
It is a conversation between a man and a woman through the language of dance. In this sense, a milonga is a party where men and women, having broken up in pairs, talk to each other on a given topic - the melody currently playing ...
Moresca (morisco)
The pantomime dance, apparently of Moorish origin, has been known since the early Middle Ages. The dancers, in keeping with the highly romanticized notions of the Moors, wore grotesque costumes with bells at the ankles; the music was dominated by dotted rhythms and exotic timbres. Often the faces of one or more of the dancers were painted black. In Europe, the dance spread in those regions where there was contact between Muslims and Christians. European Moreska originates in Spain, where it was mentioned already in the 15th century. Moreskoy was often referred to as the music and dance scene and sometimes the final ballet scene, as, for example, in Monteverdi's opera Orpheus (1607). In England, the morris dance was performed during the May Games: here six dancers formed two opposing rows. Around 1900 there was a revival of the Morski in England, associated with a general interest in ancient art.
Pavana
The dance of the 16th and 17th centuries that opened the balls, in bipartite (sometimes tripartite) size, represented a slow, stately procession. Pavana comes from Spain, its name is associated with the word pavo ("peacock"), perhaps pavana is a late form of bass dance. In the 17th century. the pavana was usually followed by a fast, jumping galliard. In Italy and Germany, padovana was often synonymous with pavana (from the name of the Italian city of Padua). German composers in the period after 1600 (for example, J.H. Schein) wrote solemn, magnificent compositions, which were called "pavans". Pavans were also composed by the English madrigalists W. Bird, J. Bull, O. Gibbons and J. Dowland; among contemporary composers, Pavana was revived by M. Ravel and Morton Gould.
Paspier
Lively French dance of the 17th and 18th centuries, originated in Northern Brittany. The paspie is characterized by a fast pace, 3/8 or 6/8 size; many movements based on crossing the legs. Samples of the paspier can be found in the works of J.S.Bach, J.K.F. Fischer and in ballets by Viennese composers of the 17th century, as well as in French opera of the early 18th century.
Polonaise (Polish)
Polish national dance at a moderate pace, 3/4 time. Unlike other Polish folk dances, the melodies of which are sung, polonaise has always been an instrumental genre. The origin of the dance is usually attributed to the era when Henry of Valois (the future French king Henry III) was elected to the Polish throne (1573); the Polish ladies of the court, when presented to the king, formed a procession accompanied by majestic music; such a procession became a tradition and began to open all state ceremonies, and the procession itself grew into a dance. As a result of close ties between Poland and Saxony (the Saxon Elector Augustus became king of Poland in 1697), polonaise came into vogue in Germany and from there spread throughout Europe. GF Handel and JS Bach included the polonaise in their suites, WA Mozart once used this dance in a piano sonata; polonaises can be found in the works of L. van Beethoven, F. Schubert, F. List, K. M. Weber, R. Wagner. But the greatest master of the polonaise was, of course, F. Chopin.
Polka
The dance is of Czech origin, in a fast tempo, dicotyledonous time. Arose approx. 1830. Polka usually begins with a strong beat, and its rhythm is especially abrupt. The dance quickly spread from the Czech Republic to all of Europe, and was accepted with triumphant success in the ballrooms of New York. B. Smetana introduced this dance into professional music, having composed several well-known piano fields. The polka is also widely used in Smetana's opera The Bartered Bride and Schwand's opera - piper by Jaromir Weinberger. Polkas were painted by A. Dvořák, Josef Labitsky, I. Strauss and others.
Redova (private)
Czech (and generally Slavic) dance of peasant origin at a moderate pace and three-beat size. In the middle of the 19th century. it came into vogue in Parisian dance halls and from there spread throughout Europe. One of the variations of the redova is played 2/4, like a polka. Redova was used by Rimsky-Korsakov in the opera-ballet Mlada.
Rigaudon
Dance of the 17th and 18th centuries, originating from French Provence, in a fast tempo and dicotyledonous time, with one-eighth off-beat. Rigaudon appears as a serious dance in Gluck's opera Iphigenius in Taurida (1779), and then in other operas; as a comic dance, the rigodon is present in ballets and suites of the 17th century, including those of J. B. Lully, André Campra and J. F. Ramot. Purcell composed his rigodon already in the middle of the 17th century; Among the later authors, Rigodones were written by E. Grieg and M. Ravel. In Spain, the square dance is often called rigodon.
Reel (English reel - "coil")
An ancient dance of obscure origin, reminiscent of Norse Halling and other Scandinavian dances. The name is associated with the Gothic word rulla - "tornado". In Scotland, reel is usually performed in two pairs, in England - in three. The peculiarity of the riela is the circular pattern: the dancers face each other and perform a series of figures resembling an eight in outline; reel is also characterized by constant repetition of movements and melody. The music consists of eight-bar phrases, mostly in bipartite time. In America, the most common version of the reel is called the virgin reel.
Rumba
Contemporary Cuban dance of African American origin. Rumba is performed in four-beat time, and the rhythmic pattern changes almost in every measure; in general, syncopation and repetitions are characteristic of rumba rhythm. In pubs in Havana, rumba is often performed to the accompaniment of ensembles using available materials - for example, bottles, spoons, pots. The main theme of the rumba is usually eight bars, the rhythmic principle prevails in it, while the text and melody are in the background. Rumba entered pop American music approx. 1930.
Salsa
Latin American style of music, translated as "sauce", with Indian, Spanish and African ingredients. The term "salsa" was coined in the 1920s by Chano Pozo, a Cuban percussionist, an emigrant of the first wave to America from Cuba. The salsa boom came in the 70s, when huge salsa festivals were held in the USA, 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, it is this product that reaches us. Root Latin American sala is warmer and not so popular with us.
Saltarello
An energetic Italian dance at a fast pace, three-beat, sometimes two-beat. The name comes from saltare - "to jump". Saltarello was especially widespread in the 16th and 17th centuries, but it is found in English and Italian manuscripts already in the 14th century. In the 16th century. Saltarello was performed in tandem with bass dance and passamezzo (after them). Today saltarello is danced in Italy and Spain just like the tarantella.
Samba
Brazilian dance in bipartite size; in a broader sense, the word "samba" is applied to all dances of Brazilian origin. There are two different types of samba: the country samba, which is characterized by sharp syncopation, and the urban samba, which is more smoothed out. Samba carioca (carioca - one of the names of the inhabitant of Rio de Janeiro) is a stylized urban dance. Samba was introduced to professional music by E. Vila-Lobos and Camargo Guarniero.
Sarabande
Dance of the 17th and 18th centuries at a slow pace, three-beat. The name probably comes from the Persian word sarband - "a ribbon waving around the head"; songs of a certain genre also bore a similar name. According to the researchers of the 20th century, the sarabanda, together with the chakona, came to Spain from the American colonies. Initially, it was a mischievous, exuberant dance, but then, having come to France at the beginning of the 17th century, the sarabanda turned into a slow and important dance. In operas, the Sarabande was usually a symbol of the greatness of Spain. In the suites by Jacques Champion de Chambognière, Johann Jacob Froberger, J.S.Bach and G.F. Handel, the sarabanda is placed between the chime and the jig, creating a tempo contrast.
Seguidilla
Spanish dance in a fast paced, three-beat size, possibly originating from the province of La Mancha, from where it subsequently spread to other areas of Spain. The name means "sequel" and is due to the fact that the instrumental section of the seguidilla is followed by a section for voice with guitar and castanet accompaniment. Variants of segidilla are manchega, sevillana and murciana. Segidilla manchega - lively, cheerful dance; segedilla boleras - more measured and restrained; segidilla gitana ("gypsy", sometimes it is written - siguiriya) - slow and sensitive dance, with a variable meter (3/4 and 6/8). The humorous poetic couplets of segidilla - coplas each consist of four short lines, followed by the three-line refrain is the estrebillo The most famous is the Segidilla from Bizet's Carmen, although this music is not Segidilla in the precise sense of the word.
Siciliana
Dance or musical form based on it, originating from Southern Italy or Sicily. Rhythmically, the Sicilian resembles a gigue; size 12/8 or 6/8. The name "Siciliana" is often applied not to dance, but to arias da capo (with a reprise). Among the most famous are the Sicilian from JS Bach's violin suite in G minor, as well as the aria "Erbarme dich" from his St. Matthew Passion.
Slow Fox
As the name suggests, slow fox is a slow version of foxtrot. It reached its popularity in the 40s of the twentieth century. The melodies written by Frank Sinatra, Glen Miller and many other musicians have become real classics. The characteristic steps in slow fox are long and sliding. The partners' heads are always raised, on their lips there is a light languid smile. Slow Fox is called the dance of lovers, so the lady's face expresses both tenderness and sensuality. The rhythm of the dance is less than 30 bars per minute.
Belly dance
The mysterious east has become the birthplace of an amazing dance called belly dance or belly dance. Historians cannot exactly name the country where this dance appeared. There are several versions, for example, there is an assumption that this is Egypt, or maybe Mesopotamia, some believe that the origins of the dance should be sought in India. There are objective reasons for this spread, which we will not go into for now. I will only note that the territory of the dance is vast: in antiquity, belly dance was danced in Egypt, Greece, Rome, Babylon and the Central Asian states. Nowadays, belly dancing is becoming more and more popular not only in the East, but also in the West. In Russia, few knew about this dance before, and they associated it exclusively with the institution of harems in the East. Hence the negative assessment of the dance. Nevertheless, even here, in Russia, interest in this kind of plastic is growing.
Tarantella
Very lively dance in a 6/8 size; its name is associated either with the city of Taranto in southern Italy, or with the tarantula spider that is found in the area. Legend has it that someone bitten by a tarantula falls ill with a disease ("tarantism") that can only be healed by unrestrained dancing. For tarantella music, much like saltarello, movement in continuous triplets is typical. Well-known examples of tarantella in professional music can be found in F. Liszt, F. Chopin, K.M. von Weber, D. Ober; the finale of F. Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony also resembles a tarantella in style.
Trepak
Russian single male dance at a fast pace and bipartite size. A well-known example is the Trepak from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker.
Fandango
Spanish dance 18th century in 3/8 size, under the characteristic rhythmic accompaniment of castanets and guitar, originated in southern Spain. Originally, fandango was a vocal-dance form, with text of love content. Variants of this dance are known in Spain under different names (for example, in Malaga, fandango is called malagenya). The earliest example of the use of dance in professional music is Gluck's ballet Don Juan; this melody is quoted by W.A. Mozart in The Marriage of Figaro. Fandango is found in the works of R. Schumann, N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov, I. Albenis and E. Granados.
Farandola
6/8 French dance originated in Provence. The dancers hold each other's hands, forming a chain, and, following the presenter, move along the streets, performing a variety of movements to the accompaniment of a flute and a tambourine. Examples of the dance can be found in C. Gounod's opera Mireille, and in J. Bizet's suite from the music to the Arlesienne. The Spanish farandula is also a folk dance, the name being applied to the dance-containing divertissements that were performed between the second and third acts of Spanish traditional drama.
Foxtrot
By origin, a fast dance in a bipartite size, performed somewhat slower than one-step, after which the foxtrot gained popularity in the USA approx. 1912. After World War I, due to the spread of the "jazz style" in dance music, the term "foxtrot" began to refer to any bipartite scale dance music similar to jazz (except Latin American tangos and congas). In the 1920s, various types of foxtrot, which quickly replaced each other, were popular, among which Charleston and Black Bottom can be distinguished. In the early 1930s, a calmer slow-fox ("slow foxtrot") appeared, but then, from about 1936, the swing style, with its passionate obsession with dancing, when the dancer was guided by only a few basic movements and practically had complete freedom to improvise. The very simple slow foxtrot remained in use throughout the 1960s.
Habanera
Cuban dance (name - from the capital of Cuba, Havana) in a bipartite size, similar in rhythm to tango. The difference between habanera and tango is in tempo: habanera is twice as fast as tango. Habanera originated in Cuba thanks to the Spanish composer Sebastian Iradier, whose play El Arreglito, published in 1840 with the subtitle Chanson havanaise, is the first known example of habanera. This melody was used by Georges Bizet for habanera in his opera Carmen. Another famous habanera of Iradiera is the Dove (La Paloma). Habaneras were also written by I. Albéniz, E. Chabrier and C. Debussy.
Hornpipe
English and Scottish dance, known throughout the 16th and 19th centuries. and took its name from the ancient wind instrument that accompanied this dance. The hornpipe was performed in 3/2 or 4/4 beats and had a characteristic dotted rhythm. Since the dance did not require a lot of space, it was popular with sailors who danced with folded arms and quickly moving their legs, with a straight body. Examples of hornpipe music, which seemed "strange" to the authors of the 18th century, can be found in the works of H. Purcell and G. F. Handel. The earliest extant example is the Hornpipe for the Virgin, by Hugh Aston (d. C. 1525).
Chaconne
Spanish dance of the 16th and 18th centuries, close to the Passacaglia. According to the descriptions of the authors of the 16th and 17th centuries, the dance came to Spain from the West Indies. In its original form, sensual and temperamental, the chaconne in the 17th century. turned into a slow, stately dance, musically - with a variation development based on basso ostinato. In the 17-18 centuries. it often became the final part of a ballet included in an opera performance, and was performed to music of a three-beat time. As a purely instrumental form, the chaconne is a variation on a basso ostinato. The most famous examples of chaconne: the finale of the partita in D minor for violin solo by J.S. Bach, in the clavier suites of Handel and in the finals of Gluck's operas Orpheus and Iphigenia in Aulis.
Czardas
Hungarian folk dance in bipartite size, consisting of two contrasting parts - a slow melancholic introduction (lassu) and the actual dance, fast and incendiary (frisska). Famous examples of czardas are found in the Hungarian Liszt dances and the Gypsy tunes Sarasate.
Charleston (Charleston)
A dance in the character of a fast foxtrot, which originated in the city of Charleston (piece of South Carolina) and in ca. 1925 conquered dance floors all over the world. The dance is distinguished by a sharply accentuated rhythm, with special emphasis on syncope when performing the dance. The dancers make sharp movements, turning inward and outward on the ball of the foot, and the risky side steps performed slightly resemble an old galliard. The earliest authors of Charleston were North American blacks (Cecil Mack, James P. Johnson, and others). Erwin Schulhoff, in his Etudes de Jazz (1927), introduced Charleston into the professional musical art.
Cha-cha-cha
The dance using the rhythmic structure of the mambo or rumba was first performed by the Cuban Orchestra America in 1953. The basic time signature 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 expanded, and the dancers adapted to the new slow rhythm, doubling the size by 4 and 1 and replacing the light hip movements with three steps; after four years the initial stiffness of the model was overcome, and three steps were performed with typical Cuban hip swing. As in most Latin American dance, the charm of cha-cha-cha is not in the intricacy of movements, but in their grace and naturalness.
Schottish (Scottish dance)
19th century dance, reminiscent of a polka. Derived from the Scottish circle dance, which was famous in Germany. Sometimes it is confused with Ecossaise (also a Scottish dance); at first the shot was 3/4, and after 1800 it was 2/4.
Estampie, or estampida
Medieval instrumental form and dance from Provence. Medieval author Johannes de Groheo mentions a stantipe, possibly the Latinized name for an estampida. Each stantipa consisted of a number of "points" (puncti): each punctum (point) - a term borrowed from rhetoric) consisted of two parts with the same beginning (apertum) and different endings (clausum). An addition to the stantipe, according to Groheo, was ductia, which also consisted of "dots" to which they danced. The most famous example of the print is the Kalenda Maya of Rambauz de Vakeiras, a charming melody borrowed from an earlier print. Since most of the surviving prints are dance specimens, prints can be considered one of the main dances of the Middle Ages.
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