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| DWtS USA - Dances Pt 1 |
| Written by Administrator | |
| Thursday, 02 June 2005 | |
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This page has general information about the new show airing in United States of
America, which has been taken from the official website... Don't know your Rumba from your Cha Cha? Learn the difference in our guide to the various styles of dance. Cha Cha Fast Facts: * The Cha Cha is a cheeky, lively and flirtatious dance. It has a catch-me-if-you-can atmosphere, and is light and bubbly. * It has a distinctive syncopation where 5 steps are danced to four beats hence the 'One, two, cha cha cha' description. * The dance is originally from Cuba. Distinctive moves: * Triple steps (Chassez) and rock steps are the basic components of the Cha Cha. Since the Cha Cha is derived from the Rumba and Mambo dances, Cuban Motion is an important aspect of this dance as well as maintaining quick compact steps. Cuban Motion describes the hip motion resulting from the alternate bending and straightening of the knees. * The dancers should synchronize movements, working in parallel with each other. * The New Yorker is a characteristic move, where a dancer steps across their partner and checks to change direction. Fox Trot Fast Facts: * During the summer of 1914, actor Harry Fox was appearing in shows in New York with Yansci Dolly, in an act of Hammerstein's. Soon people at the Jardin de Danse on the roof of the New York Theater began copying the act that Harry was putting on downstairs, leading them to refer to the dance as "Fox's Trot." * The foxtrot is a very smooth dance and there should be no jerkiness. It is a dance with many continuously forward or backward moving patterns which are straight and well aligned on the competition floor. It is called the Rolls Royce of the standard dancing styles because the smoothness that is required. *** * The timing is very important. It should be: slow, quick, quick, slow. The dancers should drive off on the slow and let the quicks take care of themselves. This makes it a very difficult dance. Distinctive moves: * The Weave - the weave is six quick steps in a row, all taken on the toes. Quick steps are generally taken on the toe, slow steps on the heels. * The Feather Step - when the man steps outside the girl. * Look out for the zig zag patterns that the dancers create on the floor. *** American Smooth Style: On Dancing with the Stars the couples will be dancing an "American Smooth"-style Foxtrot. The American Smooth style means couples can break the traditional ballroom "hold" throughout the performance allowing more open movements, including under arm turns. Think Fred and Ginger. Jive Fast Facts: * Jive is a rhythmical and swinging dance which was influenced by the Boogie, Rock & Roll, African/American Swing and the Lindyhop. The roots of the Jive are in New York's Harlem. * It is the fastest of the Latin dances and should show lots of kicks and flicks and twirling of the woman. Although on first impression it might look like the feet are all over the place in every direction, the feet/legs should actually be under the body and the knees should always be close together. * Jive doesn't move around the dance floor like other dances. Distinctive moves: * The basic movement is chassez to the left chassez to the right and a rock step (changing weight from one foot to the other). * Look out for the flick, ball, change movement - where you stand on one foot and kick down at the same time. * Look out for the distinctive kick action in jive where toes are always pointed to the ground when kicking. * Watch out for the American Spin - when the man lets go of the lady and lets her spin on her own. Paso Doble Fast Facts: * The Paso Doble on the competition floor should create a Spanish Bull Fighting atmosphere. The Paso Doble is the dance for the Man, which allows him to fill the "Space" with strong three-dimensional shapes and movements danced with "Pride and Dignity." * The woman's role varies depending on the intepretation of the dance. The woman can take the role of the matador's cape, the bull or even the matador at different times within the dance. * Characteristics of the Paso Doble are the "Marching" flavor given to the steps and the cape movements creating the required tension between both dancers. * It is one of the only dances that is danced only in the ballroom world. * It is one of the most dramatic of the dances. Distinctive moves: * Look out for chassez cape - the man using the woman as the cape to bring her around. * Apel - this is when the man stamps his foot - this should be very strong. The man would stamp his foot as if he was trying to attract the bull's attention (the bull often gets distracted by the crowd in a bull fight). * There are strong Flamenco influences in the dance where the use of castanets is simulated. * The arpel is a commencement of a movement with the stamping of the feet where the man and woman walk in separate directions. Quickstep Fast Facts: * During the 1920s, many bands played the Quickstep too fast and some couples couldn't keep up. Over time, a faster version was born, absorbing extra elements of ragtime such as the Charleston. This led to the creation of what we today call the Quickstep. * This is a light, bright, twinkling and happy dance with tricky footwork. Quite sporty in its delivery as it is very springy and fast paced. * The basic feel is slow, quick, quick, slow, quick, quick. The majority of the slow should be taken on the heel; the majority of the quick should be taken on the toe. Distinctive moves: * The characteristic motion of a quickstep is an up-and-down swing motion. This rise-and-fall motion must be done at a fast pace. * It is important to move powerfully and positively across the floor while remaining light on the feet. * Two bodies moving in the speed of the quickstep require first of all a high level of synchronization and understanding about leg tension and use of the ankles. During execution of the "tricksteps," both dancers need the same tension of feet and legs. * There needs to be lots of work on the balls of the feet and lots of spring from the feet. * To achieve the right musical interpretation, the timing of the "Slows" should be slightly extended to force a sharp action in the ankles in the "Quicks." * Look out for the facial expressions. They are not compulsory but help to capture the essence of the dance. * Also watch out for Runs - quick little repetitive movements/steps. * Floorcraft is required in this dance more than in the others. |
