What If Any?

[Spitfire]

So are there any partnered social dances which are not generally covered in the ballroom studios, perhaps due to lack of popularity in the USA, but maybe so in other parts of the world?

The only ones that come to my mind are the Bossa Nova which I've never seen taught anywhere, but was popular at one time. In Romania I think there's something known as The Hora, but not sure if this is a folk dance done in a group or a one on one partner dance.

[Ray Sison]

So are there any partnered social dances which are not generally covered in the ballroom studios, perhaps due to lack of popularity in the USA, but maybe so in other parts of the world?

The only ones that come to my mind is the Bossa Nova which I've never seen taught anywhere, but was popular at one time. In Romania I think there's something known as The Hora, but not sure if this is a folk dance done in a group or a one on one partner dance.

Spitfire: I appreciate what you said about the Bossa Nova. The music has been popular, but the dance did not catch on--a surprise, considering how liked the music was, especially in the 1960's.

I myself got a chance to learn some basic Bossa Nova about 5 years ago, from someone who learned it as it was danced in Brazil. I competed twice in it, in two comps that happened to have it--which seems to be rare. (I remember that the song for those heats were "The Look of Love" and "Like a Lover" by Brasil '66 and "Non-Stop to Brazil" by Astrud Gilberto. What a thrill!)

To me it is a much softer, laid-back Brazilian sister to Samba--with shades of Rumba and Nightclub 2-Step (in my opinion!), befitting the lovely, lilting music. (Think Astrud Gilberto and Brasil '66--"The Girl from Ipanema".) If you do enough research you can learn more about it...

:D

[White Chacha]

I've only ever known of the Hora as a circle Israeli folk dance. I could see it being done in a general folk dance context. It's often done at Jewish weddings.

[drejenpha]

Peabody... poor, dead dance that it is. I still need to find myself a teacher to get that before it permanently dies.

[Ray Sison]

Peabody... poor, dead dance that it is. I still need to find myself a teacher to get that before it permanently dies.

Drejenpha: Good one!!!

:notworth:

[middy]

Lambada? It was featured on DwtS but I'm not sure anyone actually dances it...

[Ray Sison]

Lambada? It was featured on DwtS but I'm not sure anyone actually dances it...

middy: Good point! I'm sure someone in DF would know... :D

[Linda J Schlensker]

It is illegal to teach Lambada in North Carolina. You rarely see the polka anymore.

[Ray Sison]

It is illegal to teach Lambada in North Carolina. You rarely see the polka anymore.

Linda: Wow!

[tangotime]

Peabody... poor, dead dance that it is. I still need to find myself a teacher to get that before it permanently dies.

Pity youre not closer..but, I do believe there are some teachers in NYC that know and teach it ( thats where it originated ).

It was one of the " Gold " dances on the A/M syl.

Heres the step list.... Gold

Basic PB turn
Fwd Lock and Run
Back Lock
Left turn
Pony in a Circle
Swivel Run
6 Count turn
Spot Grapevine
Grapevine
U/Arm turn

Gold Bar

Fwd lock with Hop
L Spot turn
Spiral
Back Spiral
Pony with U arm turn
Fallaway grapevine
Peabody pivots
Terrace step
Shuttle step
Pivot arm lock

If anyone teaches Silver Amer and or Q/step, you possibly know some of the variations. The difference ( musically ) about 58/60 bars per min.

In addition to P.B. we also taught.... Pachanga , Balboa, Guaracha, Calypso and Bambuco .

[piimapoika]

I have had polka lessons in Finland but it is very rare at social dances. Much more popular are jenkka (said to be based on the schottische) and humppa. Examples:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rI_4FOJEx8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTtiszcedM0

[Spitfire]

Just recalled a dance mentioned in the movie Dirty Dancing. Not sure of exact pronunciation or spelling; Pejenga? Pechenga? Something like that.

[piimapoika]

I once started a thread on the half-and-half, an old dance in 5/4 time: http://www.dance-forums.com/showthread.php?t=12499

[tangotime]

Just recalled a dance mentioned in the movie Dirty Dancing. Not sure of exact pronunciation or spelling; Pejenga? Pechenga? Something like that.

Go to my post ( # 10 )

[samina]

I've only ever known of the Hora as a circle Israeli folk dance. I could see it being done in a general folk dance context. It's often done at Jewish weddings.

the dance is allegedly romanian/balkan in origin and was brought to israel by romanians. have also read some theory that the dance originated in greece before migrating to romania ("hora" means "dance" in greek). the greeks have many dances based on or similar to the hora. wouldn't be surprised if it followed a greece-->romania-->israel trek...

as for learning the hora, probly the best place to do so is within the cultures where they are still currently dancing it.

[Zhena]

So are there any partnered social dances which are not generally covered in the ballroom studios, perhaps due to lack of popularity in the USA, but maybe so in other parts of the world?

The only ones that come to my mind are the Bossa Nova which I've never seen taught anywhere, but was popular at one time. In Romania I think there's something known as The Hora, but not sure if this is a folk dance done in a group or a one on one partner dance.

Some of you may have been wondering when I would chime in ... this has opened the door to one of my infamous interminable posts ....;)

I’m not a dance ethnographer or expert of any kind, just a dancer with some experience in folk dancing. I’m open to correction on anything I get wrong in the following. I’m also aware that there are political implications to how certain dances are described, but I hope my words are neutral.

So ... the question is partnered social dances which are not generally covered in the ballroom studios. To keep my response within the space limit for a single post, I interpret the question as confined to partnered dances that are “living” in the sense that they are done for personal enjoyment or cultural reasons rather than for performance. That’s a rather fuzzy boundary, because there are many areas where dances have been kept alive or even revived through artificial means such as government subsidies or outside intervention, but are now are somewhat self-sustaining. I believe the dances mentioned below are all living, except as noted.

In addition, I interpret “partnered” to mean physical contact plus some level of lead and follow, as opposed to facing without touching. I believe that most dances meeting this definition are European or derived from European sources (but I could be wrong ...).

Expanding on comments by Samina and White Chacha, the word “hora” means round (circle) dance in many parts of the Balkans, including Greece, Romania, and Serbia, as well as Turkey and Israel … and “horo/oro” has the same meaning in Bulgaria and Macedonia … a circle or line dance rather than a partnered dance. So most forms of hora would not be included in the discussion.

Romania does have partnered dances, some of which are called Invirtita (I believe the word is related to “turning” or “spinning”). My second-favorite partner dance is known as Invirtita din Calata or the Kalotaszeg Invirtita. I posted a link here http://www.dance-forums.com/showthread.php?t=32584.

Hungarians do partnered dances that vary from place to place … each village is distinctive. My absolute favorite partner dance is done by the Hungarian minority in the Mezoseg region of Transylvania (currently within the borders of Romania). I posted a description of my 2007 vacation that includes information on Hungarian dance in general and a video clip of Mezosegi here http://www.dance-forums.com/showthread.php?t=18712 (see Samina’s video clips in post #9 and mine in post #10).

Poland has standardized its dance forms into 5 national dances: Polonez (Polonaise), Mazur (Mazurka), Kujawiak, Krakowiak, and Oberek. (Side note … I really began to notice TC when he posted “Oberek” as an answer in a DF game … I wondered if he had ever done it … it sometimes includes a move where the man does a leap with his body parallel to the floor as he is supported by the woman ... hmm … would Carrie Ann consider it a “lift”?) I don’t know for sure whether the dances are still done socially, or just for performances, but the American folk dance community does a few Polish dances. We also do choreographed versions of Czech, Georgian, Russian, Slovak, and Ukranian dances, and the same caution applies.

The Germanic areas have laendlers that are sometimes considered precursors to the waltz. I posted a link of a choreographed laendler here http://www.dance-forums.com/showthread.php?t=31399&page=9 (see post #82).

Scandinavia has various forms of pols/polska (not quite the same as polka) that are still done, and Sweden has the hambo. The Wikipedia article on the hambo actually has instructions, though I doubt they are very useful if you don’t already know what you’re doing.

The British Isles have various forms of set dances, done with 2, 3, 4 or (rarely) more couples (counting the “long” dances as being done by many sets of 2 couples). English Country dances, Scottish Country dances and Irish “house” dances are done both at home and in the United States. They have distinctly different flavors. The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society maintains standards of the dance in addition to promoting it, and the dance form can be rather stylized (… or not … depending on the group ... I have posted a Scottish dance before, but I can't remember where ... if anyone is interested I can try to find it ...). In contrast, the English Folk Dance and Song Society seems to focus more on promotion and advocacy than standards, and the dance form is currently more casual. Irish “house” set dancing is so-called because it was done only in private houses for many years. It was suppressed in favor of step dancing, but is now being revived. Of the three, the English form is most similar to American Contra dancing. Round dances are choreographed partner dances, often based on ballroom dances, typically moving line-of-dance around the floor. They are done both in England and the United States, and possibly elsewhere. I believe they are similar to Australian New Vogue dances, but New Vogue is competitive as well as social, so it is taught in ballroom studios in Australia.

I’m not aware of a living tradition of partnered dance in any of the other European countries. Of course they all had some form of dance in the past, but traditional dances often get displaced when newer forms become available. It’s really hard to keep people interested in the old when the new seems so much cooler … But if I’m wrong, I’d love to hear about it.

[j_alexandra]

Peabody... poor, dead dance that it is. I still need to find myself a teacher to get that before it permanently dies.

News to me. There are usually a few PBD heats at the comps I go to (all in the Northeast) Note to self: ask Teach about doing PBD for next comp. He LOVES it and it's enormous fun to dance.

[tangotime]

The British Isles have various forms of set dances, done with 2, 3, 4 or (rarely) more couples

.



On the contrary, we have numerous dances ( in the Old Time genre ) that are geared towards couples only.. such as .. Barn dance, Veleta, Square Tango , Royal Empress Tango, to name but a few.. I " cut " my dance teeth ,on all of them .

These are NOT Modern sequence, but are the fore runner of that genre .

[drejenpha]

News to me. There are usually a few PBD heats at the comps I go to (all in the Northeast) Note to self: ask Teach about doing PBD for next comp. He LOVES it and it's enormous fun to dance.

I wasn't aware that it was still competed... I don't get very far into the Northeast though; being in the middle of PA without a car limits that. Sometime over the summer I'm going to have to see about hopping a bus to New York to take lessons.

[tanya_the_dancer]

News to me. There are usually a few PBD heats at the comps I go to (all in the Northeast) Note to self: ask Teach about doing PBD for next comp. He LOVES it and it's enormous fun to dance.

Yes, and there are usually only 1 or 2 people on the floor actually doing it. So it might not be completely dead yet, bit it's pretty close.

[sambagirl]

Samba de gafieira:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR1uQ8iss7U

[sambagirl]

Plus forro, but I can't find a good vid of it.

[Andbersh]

Hey, this is an awesome thread!!!

A few of the dances I rarely see competed or taught, though my knowledge is limited to the tristate area, so please if I am wrong correct me:

American Samba- it is in the rhythm syllabus, but I have only seen it danced once.

Charleston: Popular a few decades ago, but havent seen anyone dancing it recently.

Lambada and Peabody have been mentioned.

A popular dance which I rarely see taught in studios: breakdancing and grinding though the latter is hardly a dance, and the former is likely taught at different studios than the ones I attend :-P

[danceronice]

I see American Samba a lot at competitions, and it really just looks like Latin samba only less so.

[BlueBambue]

Charleston: Popular a few decades ago, but havent seen anyone dancing it recently.



Charleston is still danced a lot, just not in ballroom studios. The lindy hop scene teaches and dances it a lot.

[Ray Sison]

Charleston is still danced a lot, just not in ballroom studios. The lindy hop scene teaches and dances it a lot.



Yes, I know this firsthand, with the local Lindy Hop scene! I also see the Balboa a lot there, too!

:cool:

[White Chacha]

News to me. There are usually a few PBD heats at the comps I go to (all in the Northeast) Note to self: ask Teach about doing PBD for next comp. He LOVES it and it's enormous fun to dance.

Is this at AM or FADS closed comps? I don't think I've ever seen Peabody at an open NDCA or collegiate comp in the northeast US.

[fascination]

Is this at AM or FADS closed comps? I don't think I've ever seen Peabody at an open NDCA or collegiate comp in the northeast US.i have seen peabody at plenty of open ndca comps...and I will probably get in trouble for saying this like I didi last time...but it's true...I generally use those moments for a bathroom break

[fascination]

I see American Samba a lot at competitions, and it really just looks like Latin samba only less so.
some comps even throw paso into the rhythm section as well..oy...usually a wet hot mess...not always...but usually

[Spitfire]

Has anyone ever done the "Zorba The Greek" dance? There was an inquiry about it here some time back and I know there's a website with a description of how it is done.

[Terpsichorean Clod]

Some of you may have been wondering when I would chime in ... this has opened the door to one of my infamous interminable posts ....;)
Thank you for sharing, Zhena! :notworth:

[Zhena]

Has anyone ever done the "Zorba The Greek" dance? There was an inquiry about it here some time back and I know there's a website with a description of how it is done.

I've been meaning to get back to this ... haven't had much time ... better late than never.


The "Zorba the Greek" dance is Hasapikos (sp?). It's a dance done in short lines (maybe 2-6 people) with the "leader" on the right end of the line. The leader chooses the steps and timing, and the followers do pretty much the same thing as the leader ... except there are certain moves that only the leader does ... for example the others support him* if he chooses to do leaps. There's a basic underlying structure to the patterns, but there's also an amazing amount of variation in what the leader can do within that structure, and a lot of the flavor depends on the leader.

*I think the leader is traditionally a guy, but that is changing now.

Hasapikos is like partner dancing with more than one partner! It's really cool to feel the energy when you're the third or fourth person in the line ... but it's not a good idea to have a very long line because it's hard to transmit the leader's intention through too many people.

Greek dancing is somewhat unique in that a fair number of the traditional dances have an element of energy flow through a (short) line of dancers ... most other line dances (including other Greek dances) transmit the leader's intentions visually or verbally rather than by feel.

If you're really interested in experiencing the dance, you have a couple of options. The first is to find a Greek community. Many of them have festivals that are open to the public where they share food, music and dance. A good place to start is the nearest Greek Orthodox church. The second option is to find a folk dance community. Since I'm in Northern California, my first thought is the web site of the Folk Dance Federation of Northern California (http://www.folkdance.com/), which has links to other web sites. I was able to follow links to a group in Phoenix (http://www.phxfolkdancers.org/); are you within driving distance?