Dance Trivia

Swing Dance is featured in "Blast from the Past" starring Brendan Fraser and Alicia Silverstone.
Enrico Caruso gave Arthur Murray the idea for his famous footprints. Caruso was a student of Mr. Murray's. Knowing that Mr. Murray was having difficulty succeeding with his dancing-by-mail-classes, he jokingly suggested that Mr. Murray begin selling lessons for one foot only, and then when paid, send lessons for the other foot. The thought of lessons "by the foot" gave Mr. Murray the idea for the famous footprints that became an Arthur Murray trademark to define the dance steps.
Johnny Carson, Bob Hope, Eleanor Roosevelt, John D. Rockerfeller, the Duke of Windsor, Groucho Marx, and Ed Sullivan were ALL Arthur Murray Students.
In the movie "My Blue Heaven", Steve Martin and Rick Moranix perform the Merengue
In Merengue, the first beat is interpreted by the dancers as a slight limp and was inspired by attempts to spare an injured war hero's feelings.
Jennifer Lopez was a member of the Fly Girls dance group from the TV show, "In Living Color"
The Cha Cha, Mambo, Rumba, and Salsa all have origins in Cuba
Michael Jackson used Fred Astaire as inspiration for his music video "The way you make me feel"
The Tango was performed by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis in the movie "True Lies"
Christopher Walken is the famous actor seen dancing in the Fat Boy Slim music video "This and That"

Polls

What type of dance would you like to learn the most?
 
Country Western
Two Step PDF Print E-mail
The Two-Step is a simple dance, more or less a double quick march with a skip in each step done as rapidly as the couple can go forward, backward and turning. Still quite popular in many areas of the country. Two-Step is a Western dance whose popularity has spread all over the United States.
 
Texas Two Step PDF Print E-mail
The Texas version of the popular two step is the most universally accepted Country dance of all. The steps are best suited to the slower romantic tempos so often heard in Country Western nightclubs.
 
Progressive Two Step PDF Print E-mail
The most popular and widely danced of all the Country Western dances. Originally an unpolished style of Foxtrot, the Two Step has taken on its own look and has become a uniquely stylized dance that reflects the contemporary style of today's music.
 
Polka PDF Print E-mail
This dance was introduced to society in 1844. Every now and then it is revived because of its boisterous charm. It was supposed to have been originally created by a Bohemian girl. The basic step consists of a preparatory hop followed by a chasse done first to the left then to the right. Curiously enough, it reappeared in the 1940’s in the Cha Cha as one of the more popular steps. Still danced quite often throughout the country with particular popularity in the German and Hispanic communities.
 
Schottische PDF Print E-mail
A dance similar to the Polka. It is characterized by the clapping of hands after having taken three hopping steps. It is written in 4/4 time.
 
Three Step PDF Print E-mail
Many Country Western song writers & composers use a unique Latin sounding rhythm as a basis of many popular tunes. The Three Step, with its subtle hip action and small movements, is the perfect dance for this Country/Latin fusion sound.
 
Waltz PDF Print E-mail
Still the mother of all dances. The Waltz has been used in Country Western as far back as you can trace music. Contemporary Country Waltz is normally played at a quick pace although some artists still like them slow; whatever the tempo the Waltz is sure to play an important part in your dancing repertoire.
 
Triple PDF Print E-mail
The old-fashioned name is Polka, but the dance basically remains the same. Triple or Polka is a fun & lively dance that has been given quite an uplift with Country Western dancing. The many styles and variations also give us the Line Dances or Shadow Dances of Cotton-Eyed Joe and Ten Step.
 
Shuffle PDF Print E-mail
Sometimes called the Double Two Step or the Travelling Swing, the Shuffle is a combination of the Two Step & the popular East Coast Swing. This makes the Shuffle a very versatile dance, allowing a mix and match of patterns which can result in some exciting variations.
 
Swing PDF Print E-mail
Today's Country Western music has a lot of crossover from Pop & Rock, which has helped to make it more "mainstream music." Country Western Swing is a fast, upbeat dance with lots of turns & spins to compliment this "pop" Country sound. Give it a whirl...you'll love it.
 
Cotton-Eyed Joe PDF Print E-mail
This is a Country Western dance enjoyed throughout the United States and elsewhere for its enthusiastic music and energetic movements. Characteristic movements include kicks, stomps, shuffles, and turns in place or traveling around the room. The man and the lady generally are in shadow position, and they use the same foot on the same beat of music throughout their patterns.
 
Line Dancing PDF Print E-mail
A choreographed series of steps performed by a group of dancers assembled inline, which involves a variety of walking, kicking, swiveling or turning movements done in unison to a many different recordings, each song having its own unique patterns. Line Dancing has become a part of all types of social gatherings sometimes with the help of a DJ’s direction. It started in the late 1970’s after Saturday Night Fever disco line dancing became popular. Additionally, it was great for people without partners. Line Dancing is performed by individuals, groups or “dance teams” and is danced all over the world. Some of the more popular line dances used at parties in recent times are: the “Chicken Dance”, “New York, New York”, the “Electric Side” and the “Cotton-eyed Joe”. The most recent addition to this list is the “Macarena”.
 



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