Favorite Dance?

[danceguy]

Hi,

I bet this has been done before on Dance Forums, but I had this idea to make a list of my favorite/least favorite dances in a list, with the favorite on top and the least fav on bottom, in order of preference.

Here goes, and everyone please join in:

Salsa
Rumba
ECS
Cha-Cha
Lindy Hop
NC2S
Foxtrot
Waltz
Hustle (x10)

[Swing Kitten]

Lindy Hop and .... ummm... no... errrr.. ahh......

Is there anything other than Lindy?

;)

[Sagitta]

Is there anything other than Lindy?

;)

For us generalists there always is!!! :)

For the moving dances...1. waltz
stay-in places dances....1. salsa

Need a little more experience before I start ranking dances the way you did SG. Got to know the dance fairly well before you can rank it, unless it's a matter of not liking the music.

[Phil Owl]

Love: :D

EC Swing
Hustle
Cha-Cha
Salsa
Foxtrot
Rhumba (American style)

Mixed Feelings: :?

West Coast Swing (I have to think about it too much, it just doesn't come naturally to me no matter how hard I try)


Cannot Stand: :evil:

Quickstep (Way too corny and Lawrence Welk for me)
Meringue
Line Dancing in general


Wish I Knew More Of:

Tango
Waltz

Could Be Talked Into Learning (by a persuasive woman)

Two-Step (it looks like a blast!)

[ballroomboilergirl]

In general, I am just not a big fan of the International Standard Dances (Int. Waltz, Int. Tango, Int. Foxtrot, Int. Quickstep). They just seem so restrictive to me (as opposed to American Smooth) and it seems like the patterns require more concious estimation than the smooth patterns (i.e. the smooth patterns are simple like "back, side, together", whereas a standard pattern might be "side and slightly back, 1/8 turn to the side, and together with one foot a half of a foot length in front of the other" Ugggghhh :( ) I think I would like them more if I simply knew more about them (our instructor hasn't really hit them that hard yet). I hate the Quickstep in particular *shudder* Something about the footwork just seems completely illogical to me. *sigh* Enough complaining, though...I really really LIKE American Style Waltz, East Coast Swing, Rhumba, and Cha-Cha, and International Cha-Cha, Rhumba, and Samba. Wish I knew how to Jive better. As for other dances, I LOVE the look of Paso Doble but I don't know much of it other than the surplace and some basic shaping...polka is silly but a lot of fun :lol: , don't know Hustle but it looks like a TON of fun, don't know Mambo but I want to cause it looks fun...lol, I seem to like more of the dances I DON'T know than the ones I DO know!

[pygmalion]

There are very few dances I've done that I don't like, so here are my current preferences of dances I can actually do, in descending order: (All american style, for now)

cha cha
rumba
club salsa
west coast swing
samba
merengue
bolero
ballroom mambo
tango
slow waltz
east coast swing
Texas two-step
nightclub two-step
quickstep
peabody
polka
foxtrot


C&W line dance depends on the dance

HATE: hustle -- doesn't even go on my list!

[danceguy]

Need a little more experience before I start ranking dances the way you did SG. Got to know the dance fairly well before you can rank it, unless it's a matter of not liking the music.

Well, most of the dances I've listed are ones that I've been studying for the past 6 months...but I had no dance experience prior to that. While I'm not very good at any of them...some dances I just was called to and love the music and flow of the dance. My original goal was to learn Swing dancing since I used to be a saxophone player, and I developed my sound by listening to players like Coleman Hawkins, Bird and Coltrane (and many others). I had the music in my blood...but never was into dancing. Latin music came difficult for me as I never studied or played it...but that is also my main motivation to learn...once my musician ears started to pick up the rhythms...I was hooked!

Other dances, like Hustle...I just can't stand it! I've tried several times, but both my mind and body just know its not right for me. Tango and NC2S are styles that I've had no lessons on and only done a few times at dances...and while I barely know the styles, the first time I did them, they just felt right! I've never done WCS, but I love to watch it and hear the music its danced to..so its next on my "dance to do list." :)

There are very few dances I've done that I don't like, so here are my current preferences of dances I can actually do, in descending order: (All american style, for now)

Pygmalion - Wow that's a great list! As I'm still a newcomer to dance I honestly don't know if what I've learned is American, Smooth, etc...I feel kind of ignorant in that regard...something I need to ask my teachers and learn!

We seem to have similiar interests...I really love Cha-Cha and Rumba...but don't get the chance to do them as much as I'd like to. And I can't stand Hustle either...hey on that note, I don't think you ever shared that last Hustle workshop you went to...but I get the impression it didn't change your desire to learn the dance. 8)

If I make it to the DF Reunion...I hope we get to share a few of our favorite dances, and no Hustle either! :)

Take care,

SG

[HepcatBob]

Is there anything other than Lindy?

;)

That's what I was thinking! ;-)

[NeoDevin]

Favorite to Least favorite

Samba (who needs the rest when you've got samba?)
Rhumba
Cha-Cha
Jive (I can never seem to remember anything I learn in it though)
Waltz
Quick Step (don't get why lots of people seem to hate this one)
Vienese Waltz
Tango (would probably like it more if I knew more of it)
Fox-Trot

(those are all the dances I know, and I like all of them)

Would like to learn
Salsa
Merengue
Swing (any kind)

[Spitfire]

Lindy Hop and .... ummm... no... errrr.. ahh......

Is there anything other than Lindy?

;)

Way to many to stick to any one style. :)

Just got to have variety with my dancing. Getting back to the original question; for me:

Favorites: ECS/Cha-Cha equally

"Middle" Favorites: Rumba, Waltz, NC2S

Least Favorites: Foxtrot, standard Tango

To Be Determined: Lindy Hop, WCS, Hustle - Need to work on these

[peachexploration]

My favorite of course is Salsa

4. Cha Cha
3. Tango (Yet to take classes) :)
2. Hip Hop (Getting to old for it) :wink:
1. Country Line Dancing (Don't like at all)

[youngsta]

Love: :D
Salsa
Cha Cha
Bachata

Not so much: :roll:
Merengue

[Vince A]

WCS
Hustle
Cha Cha
NC2S
ECS
2 Step
Waltz
Polka
Line dancing(yuk!) but I can do them

Yet to learn: Lindy, Salsa, and Jive

[Dancegal]

Decisions, decisions :?
The top 3 will vary in order depending on which dance I'm doing more often - doing Lindy more often now:

Lindy-ECS (mix 6 & 8 count, but gotta do swingouts!!!)
WCS
Salsa
Merengue
Texas Two-Step & Polka (with Western Swing-double turns)

Like least (correllates with my dislike for the music-except for waltzes & freestyle)
Cumbia
Tejano (Mexican country)
Waltz (whether Western or Ballroom)-I just can't get comfortable with it-too slow-not practical for clubs except for the Western type
Any freestyle dancing including line dances (the kind of stuff I might end up doing on a bad dance night)

Not much experience with it or don't know
FoxTrot, Samba, Hustle, Cha-cha, Tango, Rhumba, Bachata

[Sagitta]

Decisions, decisions :?
Like least (correllates with my dislike for the music-except for waltzes & Waltz (whether Western or Ballroom)-I just can't get comfortable with it-too slow-not practical for clubs except for the Western type

Not much experience with it or don't know
FoxTrot, Samba, Hustle, Cha-cha, Tango, Rhumba, Bachata

Have you tried Viennese waltz. That's pretty fast!!! And they do play that at ballroom dances.

As for bachata if you see it you can do it. Basic count is three steps, then a hold on the fourth beat.

As for me I like merengue -- it allows me to work out kinks in my salsa moves. And allows me to provide an easy introduction for people who've never danced and are unsure about their abilities!!! Always looking to add to the number of latin dance lovers!!! :)

[Swing Kitten]

Lindy Hop and .... ummm... no... errrr.. ahh......

Is there anything other than Lindy?

;)

Way to many to stick to any one style. :)

...

To Be Determined: Lindy Hop...

--need I say more? ;)

*tisk* *tisk*

An interesting judgement coming from someone who does not yet lindy!

I'm not saying it's not true... but interesting all the same!!

hmmm :nods head knowingly:

[pygmalion]

Hmm. Spoken like a true blue lindy hopper. :lol: :lol:

[pygmalion]

There are very few dances I've done that I don't like, so here are my current preferences of dances I can actually do, in descending order: (All american style, for now)

We seem to have similiar interests...I really love Cha-Cha and Rumba...but don't get the chance to do them as much as I'd like to. And I can't stand Hustle either...hey on that note, I don't think you ever shared that last Hustle workshop you went to...but I get the impression it didn't change your desire to learn the dance. 8)

If I make it to the DF Reunion...I hope we get to share a few of our favorite dances, and no Hustle either! :)

Take care,

SG

Hey SG! Save me a cha cha. :D I actually haven't learned any new dances in the past eight or nine months -- I'm working on improving my technique for the dances I know. But I'm starting work on a couple new dances within a few weeks.

The hustle workshop was good, because it helped me figure out why I hate hustle. It didn't change my mind, though. :lol:

[Spitfire]

Lindy Hop and .... ummm... no... errrr.. ahh......

Is there anything other than Lindy?

;)

Way to many to stick to any one style. :)

...

To Be Determined: Lindy Hop...

--need I say more? ;)

*tisk* *tisk*

An interesting judgement coming from someone who does not yet lindy!

I'm not saying it's not true... but interesting all the same!!

hmmm :nods head knowingly:

In other words Swing Kitten I don't know Lindy well enough to determine how much I will enjoy doing it and that's why I say I need to work on learning it. :wink:

[Swing Kitten]

exactly! :D

[Spitfire]

exactly! :D


Let's get together and be swingers! :D

...I meant dancing. :wink:

[Swing Kitten]

you'll have to practice. I can't teach a swing out but I can follow one-- of course even then I have a lot to learn.

[suek]

happy thxgiving everyone

I'm a lindy hopper from my cells out.
I'm also a passionate beginner in Balboa and blues dancing.
Love Chicago Steppin'
Starting to really like Carolina Shag.
And returning to WCS (where this all started for me about four years ago) with a whole new set of eyes
And sticking with hip hop (much to the amusement of my teachers and fellow students, I'm sure...white jewish girl in hip hop; right)

This expansion is having an interesting effect on my music. After two years of listening to jump swing/jazz only (Basie, Ella, Armstrong, Cab Calloway, Billie Holliday, Dorsey, Ellington; you get the picture), I've now added blues and beach music to my collection.

Brought up an interesting discussion in my private lesson with dnice yesterday: How do you know what dance you want to do to this variety of music. Led to a torturous musicality lesson: Clap the sung syllables only, walk to the beat--slower/slower, listen to the middle. And the part I didn't retain well: How the music/beat of any song makes one want to move determines which dance to do. I can't even describe what he showed me; need to review it with him.

Social swing dance rocked last night, until I turned my ankle. I'm packing to go off to the Open in San Jose; hope I can dance.

Best,

Sue

[ShyDancer]

I apologise if this has been asked before!

I was asked this question last night.......

What is your one favorite dance and why? Not the dance you find most fun..but the one that moves your heart as well as your feet.


Mine is the Rumba. I think if you can find the right partner it can be explosive...no other dance brings me the pure joy the Rumba has on certain occasions. There is almost electricity flowing when I get a good partner. I have only been dancing it 6 months and I cant wait to get better at it!

[dancin_feet]

I would have to say any of the "latin" dances, ie Swing, Cha Cha, Rumba, Mambo, Samba. Don't really have a favourite, though since I am working on a rumba routine at the moment, that is the one I am getting into the most.

[Larinda McRaven]

anything smooth, but actually if I had to pick one dance for the rest of my life it would be west cost swing.

[SDsalsaguy]

anything smooth, but actually if I had to pick one dance for the rest of my life it would be west cost swing.
:shock:

Really Larinda? I'm surprised. Why WCS? Why not a smooth dance? And, for that matter, why are you competing in smooth rather than (or at least not in addition to) in WCS? You have me *very* curious now!

[virginiadancegirl]

So hard for me to choose...Larinda - I'm all about the WCS! I love it, and it isn't really popular where I live...but my partner and I plan to correct that! Also, I love cha cha....

[StacyDavis]

Although it is not my best dance, waltz is my favorite. The reason is that it is what I had in mind when I thought of ballroom dance before I started actually doing it. It did and still does strike me as stately and dignified.

[SDsalsaguy]

Welcome to the forums Stacy! :D

Actually, that raises a great question... aside from the issue of favorite dances, what dance best captures your idea of what dancing is?

[Sagitta]

Welcome to DF Stacey. I join you in saying that waltzing is the image in my mind before I did ballroom, and even though I had an idea of the other dances.

And SD for the dance that best captures what dancing is I would go with bachata. Even though it's not ballroom, this is it for me because of the connection between the music, my partner and myself. I've experience this oneness in salsa, merengue, waltz, american tango also, but bachata is it for me.

[NeoDevin]

I always had the image of Tango in my mind before beginning, but my favorite would definately have to be Samba.

[dancing_moogle]

Good question. I wish I had ONE favorite, but I don't.

For Standard, Waltz, V. Waltz and Tango are the dances I favor, but esp. Tango because I like the contra-check move (well, maybe that's in Smooth, but who cares?). ^_~ And although Latin is currently not my focus, I like Rumba and Samba because moving with the music is fun *woohoo!!* :D

[Larinda McRaven]

why are you competing in smooth rather than (or at least not in addition to) in WCS?

hhmmnn, ballroom is where I started and what I have made my career from. So this is where I put my energy and money. Some day when I retire from competitive ballroom and have more time, I may explore wcs more. But then I actually went to watch the World CW chapionships this past Januay and I must say that looked like fun too... :wink:
I probably could surprise everyone here if you truely knew me.
http://www.connecticutballroom.com/897Lsmall2.gif
I may look like this to everyone at the competitions, but this is really just a costume and a role I play. Thats not the real or whole me.

[Spitfire]

ECS was my favorite single dance for a long time, but cha-cha has caught up with it and right now I'm learning to do WCS which I'm taking a liking to after initially dismissing it as not my kind of dance.

NC2S is a dance that I'm really coming to enjoy even if I don't know it that well.

[Sagitta]

I probably could surprise everyone here if you truely knew me.
http://www.connecticutballroom.com/897Lsmall2.gif
I may look like this to everyone at the competitions, but this is really just a costume and a role I play. Thats not the real or whole me.

I know. You showed us photos of yourself on vacation in Hawaii!! :)

[Vince A]

To me . . . there is no other dance than the WCS . . . it captures who I am in dance . . . I love it . . . I practice it everyday . . . it is part of me . . . I don't have to count it . . . it is easily done to Swinmg music, as well as hip hop . . . it compels you to flirt while engaged in it . . . it lets me express me! No other dance does this for me . . . "Cogito, Ergo Swing."

Down the line . . .
Cha Cha
Hustle
Two Step
Waltz
A bunch of other dances on a small level . . .
Salsa
And coming on strong . . . Lindy Hop.

But I don't know enough about the last two to draw a conclusion yet.

Stay tuned . . .

[rebounder]

samba
cha cha
wcs

tango
vw

can't stand merenge

[danceronice]

Love:

Tango (International and Smooth)
Paso Doble
East Coast Swing (my pro may die of shock now)
Cha Cha (both)
Jive
Smooth Waltz
Bolero
Samba

Mixed but generally positive feelings:

International Rhumba
American Rhumba (except in a social setting; then I hate it)
American Foxtrot
Quickstep
Slow Waltz

I Am Not Fond of Them, But I Do Them:

International Foxtrot
Mambo
Hustle

I Do Not Know It, But I Would Consider It:

Argentine Tango

I View Them As Slow Death By Torture:

Salsa
West Coast Swing
Merengue

[jwlinson]

Love:
Waltz
Tango
Foxtrot
Viennese Waltz
Quickstep
Hustle

OK, but not my favs:
Cha-cha
Rumba
Samba
Salsa
Swing
Etc.

Absolutely can't stand:
West Coast

[WaltzElf]

Love

Waltz
V Walt
Tango (er, International Tango according to your definitions)
Foxtrot
Rumba
Paso Doble
Merengue
Lambada
Hustle
New Vogue

Reasonable

Samba
Quickstep

Dances I don’t know but would like to learn

Ballet/ Contempary technique
Various styles of Hip Hop (Boogaloo, Animation)
American Smooth


Dislike

The rest – notably: Jive, Cha Cha, “angry” Hip Hop styles (Krumping), Argentine Tango, Swing (the lot), Salsa.

[fascination]

love;
all smooth dances and all standard dances, lol and all rhythm dances and all latin dances...lol...

dislike?...hmmmmm uh...merengue, hustle, cumbia....that's about it

[nucat78]

Likes:
Pretty much all smooth and rhythm, bachata, hustle, swing, jitterbug, Argentine tango.

Semi-Dislikes:
Salsa but only b/c I struggle with it. Nightclub 2-step I can take or leave. Ditto for Texas 2-step and cumbia.

I'm developing an aversion to American tango b/c I'm getting beat up on technique. Never realized it was that hard. I guess that happens when you move from shuffling to "T-A-N-G,O" to actually *dancing* the thing.

[noobster]

My favorite dance is salsa because it's the music I most enjoy. I find the rhythms more complex and interesting and the range of topics and emotions expressed more varied than in any other type of dance music I've heard.

I've found I can enjoy almost any dance with a good, musical leader. The sole exception to that is AT, where I never became comfortable enough with the close hold to relax into the dance, no matter how good the leader.

There are a couple of dances (merengue, nightclub 2-step) where the leader has to be really excellent to make the dance fun, otherwise it is deadly boring. (So what I mean is that I've had maybe 4-5 merengues and exactly 2 nightclub 2-steps - ever - where the leader was sufficiently musical, playful, and interesting to make the dance fun.)

That said, dances in which I am not allowed to contribute improvisational touches bore me very quickly. That includes pretty much all the ballroom dances.

[Kassia]

Least favorite, so far has got to be waltz and west coast swing!

Not sure if i have a favorite yet tho..
Our showcase routine is a cha cha so i am getting some more experience with that.
Our teacher wants our next routine to be something slow so she suggested rumba.. I told dh not to tell her that i don't like the waltz that much cause that's what she'll "make" us do next.
Salsa and mambo are new to me.. Still deciding.. Fun so far.
Tango and foxtrot at middle of the road.. Neither love nor hate!
Merengue is fun and verry dancable in a social setting.. And very easy to teach your friends at a party. I also like east coast swing cause it's so dancable and fun.. But it sure does tire me out.
Samba and hustle have to be my to be determined too..

[noobster]

Interesting to see how many people dislike west coast swing. Anyone care to elaborate on what they don't like about it? (Is it the music? the 'look' of the dance? what?)

[Spitfire]

Since my last posts on this thread WCS and Cha Cha have come to dominate me.

A renewed interest in Waltz and Salsa.

[tsb]

Interesting to see how many people dislike west coast swing. Anyone care to elaborate on what they don't like about it? (Is it the music? the 'look' of the dance? what?)


i like WCS, i just don't think much of the people i encounter when i go to WCS only venues.

[danceronice]

Interesting to see how many people dislike west coast swing. Anyone care to elaborate on what they don't like about it? (Is it the music? the 'look' of the dance? what?)

Well, for starters I only encounter it (also salsa and merengue) in social situations. Social dancing is stressful for me (and simply not doable outside my own 'home' studio context.) Second, I don't get it. I don't get the steps, I don't get the music. I'm not sure why, but I don't.

[noobster]

i like WCS, i just don't think much of the people i encounter when i go to WCS only venues.
That's interesting (and smells like a spinoff thread about different dance crowds). I've noticed the WCS crowd around here is significantly whiter and quite a bit older than in most of the other dance scenes. Not sure what they're like personally since I'm more about dancing and less about talking. What is it about them that you 'don't think much of'?

Social dancing is stressful for me
Makes sense that WCS wouldn't be your thing then. :) (I love social dancing and am not at all interested in performance so my 'preference pyramid' is just the opposite of yours.)

[Spitfire]

If I were to demonstrate a dance and just one for my non-dancing friends it would be WCS.

[jwlinson]

Interesting to see how many people dislike west coast swing. Anyone care to elaborate on what they don't like about it? (Is it the music? the 'look' of the dance? what?)

I get the overall dance, the "slot" aspect, the elastic look... I just really don't like the feel of it. It doesn't have the proper flow.

I like waltz and foxtrot because they have that "smooth" look and feel to them; graceful for waltz, gliding for foxtrot. I like tango for the sharp look/feel, quickstep for the upbeat zip, viennese for the smooth fast flow around the floor, etc. Each dance has that proper feel that defines it for me.

West coast's feel is rather dorky. We're in this slot, I'm moving around, she's moving in it, spinning and turning, we reach the end at opposite ends of the slot... triple step. Then she comes forward in the slot, she turns, I turn, we turn, she spins...... triple step. Sometimes for variety the end triple is replaced with two points. Still in this slot...

It just can't be made to look or feel good, and the slot idea is a bad one.

I keep it in my repertoire strictly because (1) it is a dance, (2) it comes up socially, and (3) I have to know it to instruct others in the beginners class we have.

That's my take on it.

I've heard that hustle *can* be a slotted dance. When we do hustle there is no slot :cool:

[jwlinson]

i like WCS, i just don't think much of the people i encounter when i go to WCS only venues.

Most of the WCS dancers I encounter are nice people, and they're very passionate about their dance.

I don't like their dance, but I do like seeing a group of people with the same passion for their dance as I have for mine.

[Hock Siew]

My favourites are :

For Standard Ballroom -
Slow Foxtrot
Waltz
Viennese Waltz
Quickstep
International Tango

For Latin Ballroom -
Jive
Cha Cha
Samba
Rumba

I did not rank Standard with Latin nor Salsa or Argentine Tango. I find it difficult to compare them as they are very different.

I did not rank Paso either as I do not really dance it.

[sambanada]

What is your most favorite dance to dance?

to watch?

[NoDayButToday]

Samba

Samba, Rumba

[danceronice]

I like to watch a really good samba. Unfortunately my own samba has some issues. Okay a lot of issues. Okay, dances that are ALL ABOUT HIPS are not my strong suit in general. Love to watch Paso Doble, but am not very good at it myself yet.

To do? I like ECS and cha cha. And bolero. Mambo is slowly growing on me. (I don't think I'll ever actually enjoy doing Rhumba, but I don't hate it or anything.) Int. Tango. Slow Waltz is like Mambo.

[jwlinson]

Do: Foxtrot, Tango, Viennese, Quickstep, Rumba

Watch: The above, plus Cha-Cha

[fascination]

to dance: vw, w, t, bo, ru, cha, ecs

to watch;

vw, t, QS, cha, and samba

[BasicsFirst]

Samba and Samba.

[suburbaknght]

Do: west coast swing, cha cha, east coast swing, waltz.

Watch: paso doble, cha cha, samba, quickstep.

[stretch2ballroomdance]

Dance: Rumba
Watch: Samba

[Spitfire]

To Dance: WCS, Cha-Cha

To Watch: Argentine Tango

[samina]

if picking only one...

to dance: foxtrot

to watch: samba

[Standarddancer]

to dance: waltz, quickstep

to watch: tango, quickstep

[QQS_Girl]

I really like to dance wcs with a great social partner. Also, tango is becoming a new favorite to dance.

To watch....waltz. When someone dances it with beauty and effortlessness.....ahhhh. :notworth:

[Izzy20]

my fav on a good day waltz. but on a bad day it could be my least favorite. also rumba and merengue(with a good partner)

to watch: vienese waltz

[Ampster]

Being a milonguero, I'm very biased...:rolleyes:

Argentine Tango, to watch and to dance. :cool:

[Chiron]

To dance: Waltz, Quickstep, Cha-cha
To watch: Viennese waltz, Cha-cha

[sambanada]

to dance: waltz

to watch: rumba

[Peaches]

to dance: vw, w, t, bo, ru, cha, ecs

to watch;

vw, t, QS, cha, and sambaMy bold...

WHAT?!?! ECS??? A favorite of yours???

I think I'm dying of shock. Is there a doctor on the forums???

[L-Jay]

My favourite dance to dance depends on what mood I'm in. If I feel cheeky - then it's a Cha Cha. If I feel melancholy - then it's a Waltz. If I feel nostalgic - it has to be a Foxtrot. etc.

Favourite dance to watch is Argentine Tango.

[QPO]

To Dance: Foxtrot, Tango Waltz

To Watch: Foxtrot, Tango, VW, Waltz and the rest I love them ALL I cannot lie ;-)

[QPO]

Please tell me what ECS is? It might that its early in the morning for me but can't work it out.

[Kortgawain]

ECS = East Coast Swing

[Angel HI]

Too many, really, but, in general...to dance...AT and Int'l Slow Fox. Let's stick Salsa in there somehwere....; to watch...AT, Slow Fox, and Bolero (when done well, but that's rare).

[Yanou]

Hi, everyone. This is my first post. I finally decided to come out from lurking.

To dance: rumba, samba, tango.

To watch: rumba, samba, chacha.

[Daniella]

My most favorite dance to dance is Samba

My most favorite dance to watch is Rumba

[latingal]

Welcome to DF Yanou and Daniella! We hope to see you guys around the boards more!

[Peaches]

To dance: AT, followed distantly by hustle, ECS and salsa. Sneaking suspicion that I'll like WCS, but it has yet to click...but I want to love dancing it.

To watch: AT, of course, but really anything danced socially, instead of as a performance, where the dancers are clearly enjoying themselves. An improvised AT performance, danced social-style, is the exception to the no-performance rule.

[Daniella]

thank u!!!

[Stillharbor]

Favs:

Argentine Tango-THE BEST!!!!!!!! :rocker:
Bolero - I just started so I'm pretty excited?
Waltz
Tango
Hustle
East Coast Swing (triple swing)
V. Waltz
Mambo
Cha Cha
Salsa

Like but struggle with:
Foxtrot-struggle with time changes in advanced levels
West Coast-I like the attitude but have trouble keeping up with variations.


Can't stand:
Bachata
Samba

[Izzy20]

Favorites:
Waltz
Merengue
Cha Cha
Rumba

Less Favorite (I don't have any that I hate)
Tango
Swing

[Lioness]

Sorry to bring this up from the depths.

Favourite:
Tangoette
La Bomba
Waltz
Excelsior Scholtissche
Paso Doble
Cha Cha
Mambo
Jive
Quickstep

Least favourite
Evening 3 Step
Gypsy Tap
Alpine Stroll (ugh)

[bordertangoman]

je deteste:

Foxtrot ( this defames foxes)
Morris dancing

what is tangoette?

[cornutt]

Morris dancing


Morris dancing??? I can't even see that phrase without thinking of fish slapping! :p

[fascination]

hmmm... not fond of hustle or peabody...or cumbia...or most any country thing...otherwise...pretty much happy with all of it

[fascination]

faves would be vw, tango and w

bolero, cha, samba and ecs

[_malakawa_]

neither one.

i love them all.

i like samba music because it moves my hips, but i don't have favorite dance.

before i didn't like so much ballroom, but now i am enjoying dancing all of them.

[jennyisdancing]

hmmm... not fond of hustle or peabody...or cumbia...or most any country thing...otherwise...pretty much happy with all of it

similar for me...

least favorites: Country Two step, bachata, hustle.

Favorites: West Coast Swing, salsa, Argentine Tango, Cha-Cha, waltz.

Never learned but looks interesting: Balboa, Lindy, quickstep.

[emeralddancer]

So many dances and so little time. LOL

Fav so far ... quick step, VW and tango
Least fav ... rumba and samba (only not liking samba because my body just does not want to do what it needs to ...) :)

[davedove]

I have only been in classes for five months and have only learned a few dances, so I will only rank those I know. Plus, I am learning American style, so that is what I know.

1. Tango (I love this dance.)
2. Foxtrot
3. Rumba
4. Waltz
5. Merengue (I kind of like this dance because it is so easy. You can teach a new partner the basic step in a couple of minutes. Useful when trying to dance outside your dance circle.)
6. Cha Cha
7. Samba
8. EC Swing

The faster dances are at the bottom because I'm working to get in better shape and right now they just make me tired. I don't hate them, I just like to space them out.;)

[Peaches]

Love: Argentine tango

Like: Hustle, Salsa, ECS, WCS (I don't get it yet, but I like it), Merengue (with the right partner), NC2S, 2-Step (I suck, but I like it)

Meh (as in, will do them socially, with crappy social (non-)technique if asked): Rhythm dances other than ECS, Smooth dances

Won't Dance: Standard, Samba

Never really attempted to learn Latin anything, but I'll dance most of them with good ol' Am-style non-technique...but I refuse Samba.

[danceronice]

\ (only not liking samba because my body just does not want to do what it needs to ...) :)

LOL, I told my pro that I'm samba-developmentally delayed. There is something about the hip action there that my body does not want to do!

Still hating Slow Fox. A lot, really.

[_malakawa_]

samba????

come here and I'll teach you. and i'm sure your gonna love it.

[delamusica]

Ha - samba and int'l foxtrot are my faves!

[tanya_the_dancer]

Love: Anything smooth and standard. From rhythm/latin portion: rumba (both american and international), bolero.

More lukewarm feelings: Chacha, ECS, Jive, samba, mambo. I have fewer favorite songs for these dances, too.

Don't really care about: salsa, WCS, AT, hustle, mergengue.

[cornutt]

Of the dances I know, the only one I don't care for is meringue. I'm kind of lukewarm on NC 2-step and single-time swing. Love all the rest of 'em, but my faves are probably smooth waltz & tango (smooth fox is a close second, only because I don't know enough of the silver syllabus yet), bolero, and WCS.

[danceronice]

Believe me--if my Rhythm/Latin pro can't get me to do it, no one can. (In fairness he has never focused on Samba with me as we do Rhythm 90% of the time.) That one I don't dislike, I just suck at it. Paso Doble, on the other hand, is pretty much the Latin dance made for me--minimal hips, heel leads, and upper body shaping that bears a striking resemblance to Standard at times.

As for Int. Foxtrot, people keep saying that after a year or so it gets better. Bleh. That feels like a long, long time.

[Lioness]

je deteste:

what is tangoette?

A New Vogue sequence dance.

[cornutt]

Paso Doble, on the other hand, is pretty much the Latin dance made for me--minimal hips, heel leads, and upper body shaping that bears a striking resemblance to Standard at times.


You need to try bolero. ;)

[fascination]

lol...I adore samba...and cha...and ecs and jive have really grown on me also like paso..truly not a fan of merengue or rumba...i just don't have the vibe for rumba...

also not big into smooth foxtrot except mabye silver and above is better...still a distant 4th for me in the smooth dances...love waltz but my skill doesn't match my passion...tango and vw are clearly my thang

[Chiron]

Love: Waltz, Quickstep, Cha-cha
Don't really care about: Merengue, NC2S

Have a love hate relationship: Intl foxtrot, samba

[_malakawa_]

Believe me--if my Rhythm/Latin pro can't get me to do it, no one can. (In fairness he has never focused on Samba with me as we do Rhythm 90% of the time.) That one I don't dislike, I just suck at it. Paso Doble, on the other hand, is pretty much the Latin dance made for me--minimal hips, heel leads, and upper body shaping that bears a striking resemblance to Standard at times.

As for Int. Foxtrot, people keep saying that after a year or so it gets better. Bleh. That feels like a long, long time.

you haven't practice with me. ;)

[danceronice]

LOL...trust me. (And not just because he could be reading this.) He can lead me through anything--someday I'm sure we'll get to samba. When he's decided he can face the thought of getting my hips to do it, which is gonna take a while.

[tanya_the_dancer]

For me, I would say it's 50-50 between the music and the dance itself. For example, I love both standard foxtrot and waltz about the same as dances, but when it comes to music, foxtrot has more songs I don't like compared to waltz. So overall, I like waltz better.

[Stagekat]

I'm a Rhythm girl through and through... especially now that I'm really learning how to perform in these dances... even if it is just socially.

I like smooth... or I should say I respect it, because for me it is infinitely harder to do any of these dances well. Hopefully that respect will become a true like... I'd love to be able to pull off a great Smooth Tango and Fox Trot

Dances I really don't care for? hmmmm....Waltz has been on my "it" list for a long time... I don't care for Jive, and I personally have yet to find the fun in dancing AT (I do like watching it though)

[samina]

lol...I adore samba...and cha...and ecs and jive have really grown on me also like paso..



Had to look back to be sure this was your post...

[samina]

This thread topic never seems to go out of style...

Slow fox is fave. After that, the latins right now, although I'm not very good and am still trying to get past my avoidance of jive.

Bizarrely...have taken to enjoying VW.

And I just luv the unique hustle-WCS-latiny club-dancing I get to do peridocally with a friend of mine. Doesn't fit neatly into any distinct style.

[fascination]

Had to look back to be sure this was your post...
:cool:it's a new world

[cornutt]

:cool:it's a new world

Swing? You're actually doing swing? I'll have you dancing WCS yet! :D

[fascination]

before I switched pros we danced a few wcs heats...but you have yet to show your face in my neck of the woods sir

[cornutt]

before I switched pros we danced a few wcs heats...but you have yet to show your face in my neck of the woods sir

Working on that. ;) Oddly enough, the company HQ hasn't seen fit to request my services yet. :mrgreen:

[QPO]

I love the standard dancers, I feel more comfortable with those, But I love the music of the Latin ones, it makes your body want to move. I think if you did a few new vouge rumba fax you may change your mind. ;-)

[emkey]

favorite: Samba
least favorite:
waltz

[wonderwoman]

I actually went "awwww" out loud when I read that someone didn't like waltz. It's interesting how everyone has different tastes. :) It's a good thing, I'm just making an observation.

Of course these change weekly. LOL.
Favorite: am. rumba
Least: cha cha

[dlgodud]

Favorite: Jive
Least: Rumba

[fascination]

currently mildly disfavoring mambo and paso (and merengue on the rare occasion that I dance it)

loving everything else

[TAK]

Favorite: Jive
Least: Rumba

:shock: How on earth?

Mine are the opposite.

[dlgodud]

:shock: How on earth?

Mine are the opposite.

I don't know. I happened to be born like this. :lol:
I like fast dances and Jive makes me so exciting. For me, rumba is the most difficult dance.

[TAK]

Wish you could do my competition jives for me. Ugh. I don't have a problem with the dance in theory but I just can't stand doing it!

Oddly, I do like quickstep...

[dancingirldancing]

Love:

Waltz
Foxtrot

Hate:

Salsa
Jive
Line Dancing

[Me]

My new least favorite dance is now Night Club Two. For whatever reason it is one of the lastest new flavors around here... and most people are not dancing it well and it is annoying me to no end. The same steps, over and over again... shuffle plop, shuffle plop, hop plop plop. This goes on for a full 3-5 minutes (why are these songs so frickin' long???) with an occasional UAT thrown in there. Somebody, please shoot me....

[Peaches]

Can we be thinking of the same NC2S??? Perhaps it's because of people not dancing it well...

It's always been one of my favorites--so glide-y and flowng, soft rise and fall, some sway (not technical BR sway, of course) in there. It's so rare to find it around here, which is such a shame.

[Me]

Glide? Flow? You've got to be kidding me. You can't dance a proper NC2 without taking tremendous falling back rock steps, shuffling your feet on the floor, and falling/plopping to the side. (Yes, sarcasm! Much!) :) I don't understand why, but most of the NC2 music played turns out to be 5 minute long slow cuddle nonsense. Where are the NC2s, you ask? They're being played... as "bolero". :doh:

I don't know. I think I just need to move.

[dlgodud]

Wish you could do my competition jives for me. Ugh. I don't have a problem with the dance in theory but I just can't stand doing it!

Oddly, I do like quickstep...

I would do it if I could. And would you like to do my Rumba for me then? :p

[DanceAngel]

I would do it if I could. And would you like to do my Rumba for me then? :p

Hum... dance swapping? That could be interesting. Anyone want to swap a cha cha for a samba?

[Steve Pastor]

I don't understand why, but most of the NC2 music played turns out to be 5 minute long slow cuddle nonsense.
One of the reasons I learned NC2S was so that I could "slow dance" without the clinch factor. See, you push the woman away just about every other step. (It was a bad time in my life. Bet you can guess what it might have been about.)

[wonderwoman]

Favorite: am. rumba
Least: cha cha

Favorites: Waltz and rumba
Least: Tango and cha cha

And I just decided, tonight I'm going to work on the ones I don't like, and learn to like them.

[fascination]

love all of those

[wonderwoman]

Done and done! :) Win.

[dlgodud]

Favorites: Waltz and rumba
Least: Tango and cha cha

And I just decided, tonight I'm going to work on the ones I don't like, and learn to like them.

Cannot believe you don't like Tango and Chacha.....:mad:

[DanceAngel]

Favorites: Waltz and rumba
Least: Tango and cha cha

And I just decided, tonight I'm going to work on the ones I don't like, and learn to like them.

I actually like Tango and Cha Cha.

[DavidB]

Favourites
Theatre Arts
Modern Jive
Foxtrot
Argentine Tango
Rumba
Waltz
Hustle
WCS
ECS

Least favourites
Modern Jive
Argentine Tango
International Jive
Lindy
Salsa
Cha Cha
Samba

MJ is my favourite social dance, simply because I feel so comfortable doing it. I've also put it in my least favourite list because it never looks as good as it feels.

AT is also both lists, but for a different reason. I love the dance, but am frustrated by my lack of ability in it. Is one dance with a sublime connection worth 10 dances of falling over my own feet?

I have nothing against salsa as a dance, but I just don't like the music.

Samba is the reason I stopped doing latin. My body doesn't move like that.

[fascination]

I love this list davidb....

I think most of us have dances where we like the dance but wish we were more adept at it , or in the case of samba, like the music bt find the technique...um...challenging...and I agree w/you on salsa, I don't mind the dance but I find that all of the music sounds alike and I don't care for the sound, though for me, AT which I love to dance , has the same issue with the music...I cannot listen to AT for more than half an hour

[wonderwoman]

Cannot believe you don't like Tango and Chacha.....:mad:
I like them just fine now. :)

[Peaches]

Love: Argentine tango

Like: Hustle, Salsa, ECS, WCS (I don't get it yet, but I like it), Merengue (with the right partner), NC2S, 2-Step (I suck, but I like it)

Meh (as in, will do them socially, with crappy social (non-)technique if asked): Rhythm dances other than ECS, Smooth dances

Won't Dance: Standard, Samba

Never really attempted to learn Latin anything, but I'll dance most of them with good ol' Am-style non-technique...but I refuse Samba.Heh...absolutely nothing has changed. At least I'm predictable.

I cannot listen to AT for more than half an hour Just find different music. Take AT steps and use it as a vocabulary to "freestyle partner dance" to anything you like. Try "Temptation" by Diana Krall with DH sometime. :cool:

I actually went "awwww" out loud when I read that someone didn't like waltz. *raises hand* Right here! Hate waltz! :)

[fascination]

again...this is just another reason why we should hang out together, b/c we can share the same dude and not fight over who gets which dances...all good

[Peaches]

Definitely.

(Heh...where's Joe this morning. ;-) )

[fascination]

hiding from skwiggy? ;)

[Peaches]

LOL. Perhaps I should check to make sure he's still alive.

[dlgodud]

I like them just fine now. :)

Did I scare you enough? lol.....:p

[wonderwoman]

No I worked on them immediately instead of putting them off. :)

[soshedances]

Favorites: Pretty much anything standard or smooth...standard tango being my absolute fave right now

I also enjoy a fun social ECS, and like rumba more and more the better I get at it.

Least favorite: Samba, by far.

[kayak]

I agree, I never get the hang of Samba. Plus, nobody plays Samba music very much in my area. So even if I really focused and learned it, I might get a dance a night.

[soshedances]

My hips just don't get samba...though I am seeing improvements with hip actions in cha cha and rumba. I'm trying to stay optimistic...hoping that means a samba breakthrough is on the way!

[Apache]

Favorite:
Lindy Hop
Balboa
Charleston

Lukewarm:
East Coast Swing (Its fun but I would rather be Lindy hopping)
Blues (Same reason as ECS)
Quickstep (I have fun but not enough experience to dance it well)
Tango (Same reason as quickstep)


Dislike:
Jive (The music just makes me mentally upset, among other reasons)
West Coast Swing (Not a fan of dancing in a slot or aesthetics of the dance)

[wonderwoman]

What does dancing in a slot mean?

[Chris Stratton]

What does dancing in a slot mean?

Some non-progressing dances occupy a sort of segment of a basically straight line on the floor. Typically the lady moves from end of this to the other, while the man stands somewhere in the middle and leads her back and forth. West Coast Swing and some popular forms of Hustle would be the prime examples.

[dlgodud]

My hips just don't get samba...though I am seeing improvements with hip actions in cha cha and rumba. I'm trying to stay optimistic...hoping that means a samba breakthrough is on the way!

Why don't you try to move your rib cages or spines instead of moving hips? I know it sounds strange, but I don't think you might be able to do Samba just moving with your hips. Hip actions will follow if you move your rib cages in a proper way.

[old dog]

Interesting to see how many people dislike west coast swing. Anyone care to elaborate on what they don't like about it? (Is it the music? the 'look' of the dance? what?)

Similar to some other responses re WCS -- it just doesn't fit with what my body wants to do with music -- doesn't feel 'natural' (or conversely, feels unnatural or too artificial); asynchronous movements make basics hard (for me) to learn; has been the most difficult dance for me to TRY to learn. We have had basic lessons from four different instructors and every one did it a different way, so we gave up. Very little WCS done around here in the Midwest anyway.

Nothing wrong with the music, actually enjoy much of it. We often dance a straight 4-count (Hustle-like) swing to it.

Nothing wrong with the 'look' of WCS either. We like to watch WCS done well, but now have no desire to take the time and effort to learn it.

[ireniecat]

Love: Samba
Hate: Jive
I'll do it if I have to: Mambo
I like in theory, but need to be better at to make an accurate assessment: Foxtrot

I also like: Viennese Waltz, Bolero, Rumba (International)
I have no strong feelings on any of the other dances one way or another.

[DanceAngel]

Right now I'm really liking International Rumba but that will probably change in a week. I go through favorites like crazy.

[etp777]

My favorites tend to change just based on what I'm doing best then. I avoid bolero and international rumba though on principle based on discussion of both ehre on DF. :)

[pinkstuff]

Love: Samba/Rumba/Tango
Hate: Chacha (not happening, means I should probably practice more :)), Slox fox (but really would love to be able to do it well, again more practice!)

Rest I enjoy depending on the day, and above also likely to change depending on the day :)

[wonderwoman]

I <3 Foxtrot

I don't <3 waltz so much.

See? Different every week.

[cuzinaddie]

Hello there everybody. I am a beginning dancer, am learning at the local Community college and have been doing this for about 2 years. I'm currently taking some intermediate Foxtrot and Swing this summer, so I'm still learning. So OK now, I guess I'll throw in my two cents. I absolutely LOVE:
Foxtrot - reminds me of rollerskating
Tango
ChaCha
Samba - great leg workout
Rumba
Swing

Don't care for much, but will do:
Merengue - don't like the hand movements, they seem kinda hokey and cheesy
Salsa - like the music, but it seems the folks around here think theres nothing else

Completely HATE:
Waltz - so pokey
Viennese Waltz - want to barf just thinking about all that spinning around
International Rumba - all that turning (in the beginning classes)

Desperately want to learn:
Quickstep
Argentine Tango

Don't know much about:
Hustle - tried it, was stupid (my perception, no judgements, OK?)
Cumbia - have picked it up
Bachata - have picked this up too, need more lessons

Just wanted to add mine to the list.....

[wonderwoman]

New fave: Cha cha! No way!

Least: Do I need to tell you again?

[tsb]

my new favorite is now blues. i will now skip a ballroom dance to go blues dancing.

[dlgodud]

The least favorite is changed. Argentine Tango..... Just not into it.

[dTas]

love the Foxtrot
best at chacha

( pretty much any dance is terrific when there's power, balance, and connection. )

when is the hustle going to die!

[Subliminal]

Hmm. Tough one... right now:

Favorite is a tie: Swing (ECS, Lindy Hop)/Argentine Tango
Viennese Waltz
Hustle
Rumba
Waltz
Tango
Cha Cha
Samba
WCS
Foxtrot
Salsa

I pretty much enjoy everything to some degree... except Salsa. It's just so mentally exhausting. I know if I practiced it more I would probably like it, I just don't feel like putting in the work.

btw, primarily Smooth and Rhythm for the styling, Standard for Viennese.

[j_alexandra]

when is the hustle going to die!

Around here, never. But this is the NY area. We feel proprietary. :cool:

[wonderwoman]

Hey. Hustle is great.

[wonderwoman]

To dance: salsa and tango

To watch: Viennese waltz and bolero *swoon*

[DancinDrea19]

To dance: Jive & Rumba

Watch: Argentine tango, cha cha, samba!

I also like to dance samba- but i like rumba just a bit more!

[dancelvr]

To dance - slow fox, quickstep

To watch - slow fox, quickstep, VW, jive

[gracie]

Tango
Rhumba

[Rumbagirl11]

Rumba

[DavidB]

To dance - Modern Jive, AT (when it works)
To watch - Exhibition

[Lioness]

Dance: Waltz, rumba
Watch: New Vogue (especially the tango)

[soshedances]

Depends on the week.

[wonderwoman]

Dance: Rumba, salsa
Watch: VW, chacha

[wonderwoman]

Depends on the week.
Mine will change at least once a week. :)

[soshedances]

It changes depending on the week...or my mood...or DP's mood. I have love/hate relationships with most of them.

That being said, I generally prefer dancing standard/smooth as opposed to latin/rhythm. I enjoy watching all of them.

[wonderwoman]

I'm also warming up to swing. *grin*

[emkey]

to do: jive, samba, paso
to watch: paso samba quickstep tango

[samina]

how does one pick...

to dance, it's whichever is working and feeling best. all of the standard dances have hit this category, and samba and rumba of the latins have hit it.

i love a very improvisational blended WCS/hustle with a good lead who can hear me, since i don't really know much about those dances officially.

to watch: crikey...again... how does one choose? let's say samba & rumba, viennese and slow fox, and really-really good standard tango.

[wonderwoman]

I def. base mine on what feels good. Right now, a slow rumba. :)
I don't dance VW yet, but watching it gives me goosebumps and butterflies all at once. :) Dreamlike.

[samina]

I don't dance VW yet, but watching it gives me goosebumps and butterflies all at once. :) Dreamlike.
i found it mostly miserable until recently-ish. how did another DFer describe bad viennese...? "like cats mating in a blender".

yep.

[wonderwoman]

I can imagine how it would be bad and I'm sure I'll go through my usual cycle of hate to love/hate to love, as I did with tango and rumba lol

[pinkstuff]

To dance (changes frequently :) ): Rumba, Jive, Waltz
To watch: Paso, Jive, Tango

[canismajor41]

To dance: Rumba
To watch: Cha Cha Cha

[soshedances]

how did another DFer describe bad viennese...? "like cats mating in a blender".


:uplaugh: Haha, yup. But when viennese works, it's soo good. Totally worth putting up with the mating-cat-blender stage and the holy-crap-this-is-so-fast stage.

[wonderwoman]

To dance: slow cha (today lol)
To watch: VW (always)

[waltzguy]

Standard, and Standard

but most notably:
waltz, and waltz

[waltzguy]

i found it mostly miserable until recently-ish. how did another DFer describe bad viennese...? "like cats mating in a blender".

yep.

When the VW gets good, it's like tigers mating in a cage. :D

[wonderwoman]

lolz

[Addicted2Rhinestones]

Standard, and Standard

but most notably:
waltz, and waltz


Really? The Waltz?? I woulda never guessed :P

[Addicted2Rhinestones]

I think it's really sad that out of 51 replies, only 4 mentioned paso. And I think it's even sadder that I had the time to count!

My fav dance to dance is between Paso and Rumba.
My fav dance to watch is Rumba, Paso....Cha Cha, Samba, Jive (in that order). I actually like watching all five latin dances, just depends on my mood :)

[bjp22tango]

to dance
Socially - any style of swing
Romantically - Rumba
Competition Paso or Samba

To Watch - any style when danced well

[GJB]

To dance: Rumba, Foxtrot, WCS, Hustle, Coutry 2 Step
To watch: Rumba, Cha, Samba, Waltz, Foxtrot, lead and follow WCS

[wonderwoman]

To dance: Swing and waltz today!
To watch: VW

[JustLiving08]

And what is the more popular dance(s) in your area? If the two are different, how do you find venues to dance at consistently? (Aside from group and private lessons)

A few other questions just because I'm curious-
What dance did you start with, or what dance did you start learning because you thought it was the one you wanted to learn? If this dance differs from your favorite dance, what attracted you to that dance versus the one you started with? Are you still learning the dance you began with?

My favorite dance is WCS. The more popular dance in my area is salsa. I took salsa lessons for the longest time hoping that I'd develop more of a liking for it, but in the end realized that I'd rather put my money, time, and effort into a dance I enjoyed more. Often I wished I could like Salsa just as much WCS because there are so many more opportunities to dance salsa socially than there is for WCS. (5 days a week or more for salsa events, on average usually one for WCS. =( )

I started learning rumba. I was very drawn to the latin and rhythm dances, and my teachers suggested rumba was a good foundation for the others. Eventually I tacked on cha cha (which I also LOVE), salsa, east coast swing, and west coast swing. When I realized WCS was THE dance I wanted to learn, I pretty much dropped all the others. I would definitely like to get back into the dances I started learning, but for now, WCS keeps me busy. =)

[Gorme]

I started with Swing dancing and was learning social ballroom in general. Then I moved on to WCS. Now I'm doing Standard. I love the playfulness of WCS and the variety of music that it can be danced to. Unfortunately, I have no musicality skills and the followers who I danced with complained about it. It really frustrated me and is what eventually moved me in the direction of Standard.

The most popular dances in this area is Salsa and WCS. There are enough studios and clubs in this area that you can do each of those dances, respectively, every single night of the week.

[Zhena]

I started with Swing dancing and was learning social ballroom in general. Then I moved on to WCS. Now I'm doing Standard. I love the playfulness of WCS and the variety of music that it can be danced to. Unfortunately, I have no musicality skills and the followers who I danced with complained about it. It really frustrated me and is what eventually moved me in the direction of Standard.



Is that why I haven't seen you for a while?

I wouldn't say you lack musicality skills, and I usually notice if it's a real problem. Blech on those followers! Come on back and try again. I promise to dance with you if you do!

[Gorme]

I do really enjoy those Thursday night WCS classes. I have a direct time conflict right now. Doing Standard workshop and rounds on the same night.

[Spitfire]

And what is the more popular dance(s) in your area? If the two are different, how do you find venues to dance at consistently? (Aside from group and private lessons)

Can't say which is most popular, but WCS, Salsa, AT and the ballroom dances do pretty well in these parts.

A few other questions just because I'm curious-
What dance did you start with, or what dance did you start learning because you thought it was the one you wanted to learn? If this dance differs from your favorite dance, what attracted you to that dance versus the one you started with? Are you still learning the dance you began with?

Began with C&W dancing and became more interested in the others as I progressed with C&W. Don't do much of that now however.

My favorite dance is WCS. The more popular dance in my area is salsa. I took salsa lessons for the longest time hoping that I'd develop more of a liking for it, but in the end realized that I'd rather put my money, time, and effort into a dance I enjoyed more. Often I wished I could like Salsa just as much WCS because there are so many more opportunities to dance salsa socially than there is for WCS. (5 days a week or more for salsa events, on average usually one for WCS. =( )

WCS along with Cha Cha are my equal faves. I did get into Salsa, but lost interest in it.

I started learning rumba. I was very drawn to the latin and rhythm dances, and my teachers suggested rumba was a good foundation for the others. Eventually I tacked on cha cha (which I also LOVE), salsa, east coast swing, and west coast swing. When I realized WCS was THE dance I wanted to learn, I pretty much dropped all the others. I would definitely like to get back into the dances I started learning, but for now, WCS keeps me busy. =)

ECS was my favorite dance until I began learning WCS. While WCS and Cha Cha are my faves I also enjoy doing Rumba, Waltz, NC2S, ECS, but have to have at least some WCS for my night of dancing to seem complete.

[Albanaich]

In Scotland I think its Modern Jive (Ceroc) followed by Salsa, Argentine Tango, WCS/Lindy then Ballroom. . . . .

I did some Ballroom as a teenager, but started dancing in my late 40's when I accidentally got involved with American Square Dance, someone at ASD suggested I have a go at Ceroc, which I enjoyed, then someone at Ceroc said I was a natural 'Swing' dancer, so I started with WCS, which I enjoy immensely, tried Lindy - enjoy that too. A lot of Swing dancers locally do Argentine Tango, so I've been doing that for a year.

In between I've repeatedly be approached by young ladies who want a partner for ballroom, I've tried it a not got to grips with it. Started again in the last few weeks, and I think I'm going to get it this time.

Meanwhile WCS is on the back burner. . . . . but I really miss not being able to play with the music, but then again, I need to improve technical skills, and Ballroom is the way to do that.

So much dancing! So little time!

[wonderwoman]

The very first dance I learned was american rumba. By far one of my least favorites lol Favorites would be hustle, salsa and bachata.

[marktheshark]

Salsa On2, International Style cha cha cha and jive over here.

[Phil Owl]

I seem to remember starting with Cha-Cha and Foxtrot,

My favorites now are Cha-Cha, Hustle, ECS, Rumba and Foxtrot.

[Silveralsa]

I started off in ballroom and at same time Lindy. Stuck with Lindy and started West Coast Swing about 5-years ago. If you search/google your area, you can usually find local clubs/organization. For example, in Southern California, there's Atomic Ballroom in Irvine (offers all the above) or the Orange County West Coast Swing Dance Club.

[breakdancer]

I love the tango , now learning some salsa.

[etp777]

Welcome to DF, breakdancer!

[New in NY]

I started with ECS simply because the class schedule worked for me and I like the music. Then started learning rhumba, merengue, fox trot, waltz, AT and now salsa. My favorites are AT and fox trot. I am hoping to enjoy rhumba more when my proficiency improves. Merengue is my least favorite, although I could enjoy maybe 1-2 dances a night at a social. I live in NYC, so there are fairly large communities to support every kind of dance, especially tango, Salsa/Latin and swing.

[Joyful Dancer]

I started with ECS and basic social ballroom dances. Now my faves are foxtrot, waltz and ECS. A lot of folks in my basic class though foxtrot was boring BUT as you progress it most certainly is not and there's some really cool variations you can try as you gain new skills.

[Iolane]

In my area is seems like salsa and lindy are pretty popular.

I started dancing Jive because I wanted to do a routine for my wedding (it required a costume change and months of practice). I learned social Waltz at the same time because I wanted to keep my wedding dress on for the first dance and I obviously couldn't do a Jive in a traditional wedding gown.

My favorite dances now are Bolero and American Rumba. I almost exclusively dance American Rhythm now (with some Hustle thrown in for fun), but I still love to Jive when I can find someone to dance it with me.

[missxnikiee]

Uhm.
I do tap, jazz, ballet, pointe, lyrical, modern, hip hop, musical theater, performing arts, strength and yoga.
o_o
This site is about like ballroom right?
Oh my bad. LOL.

ANWAYS.
I started with tap, jazz, and ballet at age 2. I still take them along with other classes.
I'm 12 now.

[Steve Pastor]

Country Western Pattern Partner dances. Really.
(but somehow, I don't think you'll go there))

[Br0nze]

I'd say American Foxtrot would be the best way to start because of its simplicity of steps at the beginning level.

My favorite type of partner dance is anything from the International Category, though if I had to pick one, I'd say Rumba. The character of the dance as encompassing every human emotion possible, and going through that range with another human being (a woman, no less!) is always extraordinary and exciting to me.

And if I were you, I'd start by walking into any American Style dance studio and start taking lessons.

[danceronice]

Get a good ballroom instructor.

[fascination]

welcome to df...and how nice to see your enthusiasm...actually, I cannot abide many of the preferences others have suggested :)...that is what is so great about partner dance...it is so varied...for me, waltz is God's dance...but I also enjoy tango , vw, and international rumba...actually it would be easier to tell you which dances I don't like...welcome to a whole ne world...dancing WITH someone is a beautiful thing

[DancinDrea19]

hmmm. my favorite to dance is rumba & samba. To watch=cha cha

[Joyful Dancer]

I'm still a novice by anyone's standards but I love, love, love Foxtrot followed closely by the Waltz. The swinging of the body, the beautiful dresses, aweswome tuxes/tails and the music.... my oh my :-)

[danceronice]

THis is why I say just get a good ballroom pro. Why learn one when you can learn nineteen? (Okay, seventeen. Samba and Int Rhumba will come someday. I hope.)

[opendoor]

..What's YOUR favorite type of partnered dance ..where would I start??

Hi JazzHop, welcome!

Don´t know, whether you are male or female. If you are a man: (sorry) only counts what the girl wants. If you are a girl, browse YT and tell us, what takes your fancy.

[Spitfire]

My two faves are WCS and Cha-Cha, but also enjoy Waltz, Rumba, NC2S, and ECS.

I want to say try group classes first before committing yourself to private lessons, but I believe most studios will give you a very low priced intro package that includes a couple of privates, just check around.

[MultiFaceted Dancer]

My Favorite Partner would be someone who Thinks and Dances Outside the Box,who truely puts his personality and own style into his dancing,someone who likes to push the limits as far as he can push them and then some, breaks the rules to create new ones,someone who believes in the artistry of dance and chooses to create rather than follow the norm,risks everything-- doesn't back down to pressures or politics --ONE who Believes that by being Himself is not just ok but is more than Great -without the Ego getting in the way of Sharing all of this with his choice of Partner- in crime so to speak. That is who my Ultimate Favorite Partner would be.

[Ray Sison]

As some of you may know (or not), before I joined DF I danced mostly solo dances such as jazz, ballet, and hip hop. But I love ALL types of dance and want to try everything I can! Life is for new discoveries! And all this talk of partnered dancing seems very fun and very intriguing, and I'd love to try it as soon as possible! So, I have a few questions:

What type of partnered dance is best for someone who has done pretty much only solo dance and would be challenging but possible to learn as a good foundation?

What's YOUR favorite type of partnered dance?

How/where would I start??

Thanks in advance!!

~~JazzHop:peace:

American Rumba (with its Box-based figures) is a good one to start with, I believe. Along with 6-count American Foxtrot, which I think with its walking steps is good for beginners.

My favorite is Waltz. I also like Tango and Rumba...

Best of luck with your dance goals! And Welcome to Dance Forums!!! :)

[Joy In Motion]

JazzHop,

There is no single dance that is best for someone coming from the solo world. It is highly individual, as you can see from the variety of responses coming from DFers.

My advice would be to go to a few local social dances for west coast swing, salsa, Argentine tango, ballroom, etc. and see which one feels right to you. Think about how much you enjoy the music, the balance between freedom and structure in the dance, and the people and the atmosphere. You will most likely stick with it if it is something you really feel drawn to. Who knows, you may decide that several of them interest you. Some dancers are very exclusive with their particular style of dance, while others like to dabble a bit in several or all of them. It really depends on your background, personality, and interest level. But how fun that partner dancing is totally open to you for exploration!

Enjoy!

[Ray Sison]

Joy in Motion: This is a great answer! I never thought about it in this way, but looking back when I was first starting, the Lindy Hop scene in my area got me hooked; whereas the salsa one did not. As years passed, and became a very good Swing dancer, I had at least a few dances under my belt when I expanded to others like Smooth, Rhythm, International, and Country. I never expected to like Latin and Rhythm (besides Swing), but I did--finding that Smooth spoke to me most directly. And Mambo became one of my best dances...

JazzHop,

There is no single dance that is best for someone coming from the solo world. It is highly individual, as you can see from the variety of responses coming from DFers.

My advice would be to go to a few local social dances for west coast swing, salsa, Argentine tango, ballroom, etc. and see which one feels right to you. Think about how much you enjoy the music, the balance between freedom and structure in the dance, and the people and the atmosphere. You will most likely stick with it if it is something you really feel drawn to. Who knows, you may decide that several of them interest you. Some dancers are very exclusive with their particular style of dance, while others like to dabble a bit in several or all of them. It really depends on your background, personality, and interest level. But how fun that partner dancing is totally open to you for exploration!

Enjoy!

[Zhena]

I enjoy most of the ballroom dances, but I don't really have a favorite among them. I also do West Coast Swing, and enjoy it very much. And I do a lot of folk dance, both partnered and non-partnered. But my favorite partnered dance is, by a wide margin, Mezőségi -- a Hungarian dance. On the rare occasions when a Hungarian band is in the area, or when I'm at a Hungarian dance camp, dancing it to live music for 30-45 minutes straight is incredible. Even just as a 10-minute warmup at the beginning of Hungarian dance class is wonderful. It isn't terribly complex ... I know more patterns in most of the ballroom dances, but it has a quality that makes it comfortable ... energized yet relaxed ... to dance continuously without getting bored.

[KL70]

What are currently your 3 personal favorite dance styles and please separately say why, for each fave style named.

[fascination]

smooth and latin...afterthant is depends on the mood


adore smooth for the independence and expression and lines, and latin I just find sensual...

I enjoy standard in the studio for the cooperation that is so essential, and rhythm for the opportunity to simply enjoy it...so those two depend upon my mood

[Lioness]

Hmm...

Waltz, number one. Always.
Viennese Waltz.
Quickstep
New Vogue - Foxtrot Rhythm
New Vogue - Tango Rhythm

[Ray Sison]

Waltz, Samba, and Bolero... Big reason is the music...

[sambanada]

latin, ballroom and rhythm

[Peaches]

AT!!!

...wcs, ecs...

[Warren J. Dew]

Smooth, Standard, and ballet.

[nucat78]

American smooth - graceful, looks like my concept of ballroom dancing.
American rhythm - prolly cause that's what I've been taught.
Club dances like bachata - these are the "fun" dances - not as much emphasis on style and form IME and one can improvise more.

I must admit though that Standard tango looks interesting but DP wants me to curb my enthusiasm until we get Silver Am FT, W, and VW down better.

[Debra]

Standard, standard and hustle; what can I say, I am a child of the '70s. I love standard for the precision and beauty, as well as the communication required of the partners.

[opendoor]

for me: AT (all styles, depending on the music)

---

But, can you tell me the differences in those styles..

ballroom - smooth - rhythm - standard - latin

Over here (Germany) we have (as far as I know) only standard and latin, which makes together ballroom.

[tanya_the_dancer]

Standard, standard and smooth.

[danceronice]

Latin, and then I suppose Rhythm, and probably Smooth. I like the music.

[Phil Owl]

Hustle because it's so fun and the smooth feel, twirl that girl :mrgreen:

Latin, especially Cha-Cha's playfulness and Rumba's expressiveness and sensuality.

Standard - especially love Foxtrot for its elegance and communication, Waltz for its beauty and Tango, because it brings out my Inner Panther :mrgreen:

[nucat78]

for me: AT (all styles, depending on the music)

---

But, can you tell me the differences in those styles..

ballroom - smooth - rhythm - standard - latin

Over here (Germany) we have (as far as I know) only standard and latin, which makes together ballroom.

Smooth and rhythm are the American style counterparts to International Standard and Latin. American style allows partners to break body contact. (Aber it took me drei Jahre to realize that... :oops:)

[Ray Sison]

As far as styles: American Rhythm, American Smooth, and International Latin. Why? Because as far as ballroom education, these were the ones that I was exposed to the most during my "formative stages". And along with club dances, the American styles are a big part of my social dancing..

:)

[flashdance]

rhythm tap
ballet
salsa

[ireniecat]

Standard
Have always loved watching it. Currently enjoying the process of studying it. But my experience in it is quite limited. This might change as I learn more, but I hope not :)

Latin
It was the first style I learned and the one I have most experience with. Truthfully, I had no interest in it when I started, but it's grown on me over the years.

Smooth
Not quite Standard, but close enough. (Involves a ball gown.) Just starting to learn it. Maybe it will overtake Standard or Latin in the future.

[ireniecat]

Standard, standard and smooth.

:banana:

[opendoor]

Smooth and rhythm are the American style counterparts to International Standard and Latin

Thanks for these informations! But, is there a book of rules or an organisation for these american styles, or is it free developing? What is the relationship between international and american?

[someoldsong]

I enjoy mostly swing, whether it be shag or west coast.

I also like smooth but its nowhere near my forte.

[danceronice]

Thanks for these informations! But, is there a book of rules or an organisation for these american styles, or is it free developing? What is the relationship between international and american?

Yes, ISTD and other organizations have syllabi for American. They're competed as separate but (nominally) equal divisions at most US ballroom competitions with Latin and Standard (unlike, say, the non-ECS swing dances, AT, etc. which aren't.)

[nucat78]

Yes, ISTD and other organizations have syllabi for American. They're competed as separate but (nominally) equal divisions at most US ballroom competitions with Latin and Standard (unlike, say, the non-ECS swing dances, AT, etc. which aren't.)

I've been told, and I do not know how accurate this is, that American style has its roots in IS. Arthur Murray / Fred Astaire / etc studios modified IS to appeal to an American market. Some say that the FAs and AMs made the American style simpler / easier to learn because they believed IS would be too difficult to sell to social dancers here.

That is plausible from a marketing viewpoint, I guess. I do not want to restart the AS vs IS debate however.

[danceronice]

I have been told that American style largely started with the franchises, and it mostly grew out of wanting a more social style. I think almost all the dances are related to International in one way or another, but it's been so long they've developed their own vernacular.

[someoldsong]

Fred Astaire and Arthur Murray syllabi are very similar in patterns and explanations. I teach FA, and the cool part is we have both american smooth and rythm and international standard and latin so even if our american sylabus is a modified standard we also teach traditional standard aswell

[Warren J. Dew]

American is not modified standard. It did start out with Arthur Murray trying to figure out ways to teach ballroom that anyone could learn. However, at the time, International style hadn't been standardized, either; that came out of parallel British attempts to standardize the ballroom syllabus. If you count ballroom dance in the U.S. before Arthur Murray as "American", then International style developed originally from American style for the most part, as both the slow waltz and the foxtrot originated on the west side of the Atlantic.

Certainly since then there may have been influence in both directions.

[someoldsong]

Yeah, I never thought about it like that. I didnt know and thats why I didnt speculate. I know for the most part the backgrounds of the dances themselves but never really thought about the origin of the style. pretty neat

[opendoor]

So that means, American style is wider and more flexible than the international style. Another question: the international syllabus is fixed, but what about the american styles, are they free developing or are they fixed, too. (You know I am a tango dancer and developing for me means, everything is in progress, tomorrow it will look different than it does today: simply a social street dance)