Ballroom Dancing

[Multi-Elis]

That makes things clearer. I think you are right. Now I understand why my ballroom teacher didn't like teaching us swing, she really didn't like it. But what she called charleston was worth it. What is it?

 

[Crono]

Charleston is often called "the grandfather of swing." Lindy Hop, which is the original swing dance, came out of Charleston. The charleston step is still a part of Lindy Hop, but as a dance, Charleston predates Lindy Hop by about 20 years. Charleston itself came out of another dance called the Cakewalk, which was created by African-American slaves as a way of making fun of the dances done by their white owners.

It's hard to tell exactly when Charleston got started, but it is usually dated around 1903. It was made popular in 1922 by the Broadway play Runnin' Wild and became a national dance craze. Just about everyone danced Charleston. Being good at Charleston was considered fundamental to being able to teach dance of any kind. It was eventually replaced by Lindy Hop, but it remains a step in Lindy Hop.

There are many variations of Charleston, including side-by-side Charleston, tandem Charleston, front-to-front Charleston, 20s Charleston, and flying Charleston. Charleston can be done as a solo dance, a partnered dance, or a line dance. Side-by-side Charleston is probably the most basic form. The follower stands to the right of the lead, who puts his right arm around her, and the follower mirrors the lead's movements. It is an eight-count dance, and the leader's steps are rockstep on the left foot, kick and step forward with the left foot, kick forward with the right foot, then kick and step backwards with the right foot.

 

[Chris Silver]

You do ballet, right? I read an article about a danseur who prefered partner dancing in ballet than in modern or contemporary. He said that in ballet he got to dance out all the beautifull parts of a couple in love, and in the others, it was like showing how the couple doesn't get along well at all. Do you do partner dancing? Or are you considered to young for it? (I don't know at what age guys start.)

Yes I do ballet, however, I'm only in level 1 in the ballet, and I havn't done partner dancing (in the ballet) yet, but yes, all ballroom dancing is partner dancing, so I've techniqually been partner dancing for 5 years now as well, and its alot eaiser for me to find partners, being a guy and all who dances, the women in dance out number us guys like 20 to 1, lol.

No there's not a required age for ballroom dancing at least from what I know, there are many different age groups and divisions in competition, so it doesn't matter how old you are.... like for example, they have Lady's A, Lady's B, and Lady's C, A= like 20s-30s, B= around 40-50s, and then C= I believe is 60+, I don't know if that's exactly right, lol, but thats just an example, and I have seen kids as young as 5 years old in competition before heh

 

[soaring as eagles]

Yep i too have have done disco, latin american and ballroom up to silver grade. I now wish i had kept it up. maybe one day i will.

i love latin!!!!!!

I think that strictly come dancing has helped a lot of people to try it and now with dance fever etc shows. its all becoming more popular.

 

[Chris Silver]

I think that strictly come dancing has helped a lot of people to try it and now with dance fever etc shows. its all becoming more popular.

Yeah I agree! I watched Dance Fever, and it was totally awesome too, you know there is a reality show, (ballroom dancing) and every week one person gets voted off, its something along those lines anyways... the first episode will be on tomarrow (friday) I believe... I'll have to get more information on it though, because I don't know what time or channel yet, I had just heard it from a lady I know in the ballroom dance business (lol)

 

[Chaan Stines]

I used to think dancing was for sissies, until I tried it myself. I took a class this spring on swing dance, and I love it! It was only an introductory class, so I don't have a huge repetoire of moves, but it's still a lot of fun.

 

[summer_rain]

I took a ballroom dance class last semester and i loved it. It was the first dance class I had ever been in. I always thought i was too shy to do dance, but i got over that fast! It was great fun.

 

[SparkyMaddie]

wow,I love this.My mom took 3 of my friends and I to see Shall We Dance,and then we started to look for classes.Most people are not my age,but I think its classic dance,and my mom is considering hiring a private teacher for us.The film sparked interest in young people too!

 

[Chris Silver]

wow,I love this.My mom took 3 of my friends and I to see Shall We Dance,and then we started to look for classes.Most people are not my age,but I think its classic dance,and my mom is considering hiring a private teacher for us.The film sparked interest in young people too!

Thats awesome to hear! Yeah Shall We Dance was an awesome movie! If you really get into the ballroom though, check out "Strickly Ballroom," "Dance With Me," "Dirty Dancing," those are all ballroom dancing films, most of them all have comedy in them too

 

[deornie]

I love Sakkie-Sakkie it is cool and fun!

 

[Chris Silver]

What is that a movie???

 

[BrookeMcCoskey]

I'm about 15 years late to this party, but I was curious, @Chris Silver, if/have you ever found a substantial Christian community or presence in the ballroom world?