Ballroom dance comparisons

[DanceGeek]

A brief introduction, since I have never posted on this sub-forum of dance-forums. I am an experienced ballroom dancer, with an emphasis on dancing Standard. Right now I am on a brief hiatus from the competition scene, and I have ventured into the exciting world of swing dancing!

So far, I am learning the basics of 8-count lindy hop and a bit of some charlston. For someone with my experience, learning the steps, leads and connection is not the challenge, but rather 'un-learning' my ballroom habits that make me look too uptight to be out at a swing club ;)

That being said, I am eager to learn more in the quickest way possible, which I feel is relating one dance to another. Obviously east coast swing translates well into doing some Charlston as a single-step swing, with a bit of variation added, and I think that i heard someone say that many Hustle moves can also be adapted with styling to do in a Charlston. Is that true?

My major question here though, is what ballroom dance might be 'related' in terms of footwork at least to the Balboa? I have not had any lessons in the dance yet, so I wanted to ask opinions here. American rumba? Salsa? Merangue? None of the above, and just start learning from scratch?

[Steve Pastor]

My major question here though, is what ballroom dance might be 'related' in terms of footwork at least to the Balboa?

Am most certainly not a Balboa expert, but a preliminary look (at Peter Loggins - well regarded dance historian- on YouTube) it may have evolved from Fox Trot. Again this was a cursory, preliminary look.

[opendoor]

Hi I´m a bit puzzled because I would proceed in a different way: I would ask who the ancestor of that dance was and how the development went. So those latin and cuban dances you mentioned would drop out at once. Although the steps within the different forms may vary you are closer to the spirit of a special dance if you stay within the family.

The closest BR styles to Balboa are the swing varieties Jive/ECS.
FoxTrot is a Ragtime style, so you can regard Balboa as a distant relative to Foxtrot, too.

[Steve Pastor]

Great series of clips on history of swing in LA - Balboa, too - by Peter Loggins.
You can get there from here
http://www.balboadancecorner.com/

Unfortunatley for me (or maybe not, depending on how you look at it), he didn't get to know the people who created West Coast Swing.

[Flat Shoes]

Been thinking about it, and I can't think of any dance that has the same footwork as Balboa.

There are three things I'm considering. One is the rhythm, quick-quick-slow, with either a hold-step or step-hold at the slow. The other is the feet sweeping/dragging (is there a better word?) along the floor. And the third is that Balboa is more or less stationary, and not travelling across the floor.

I can see some dances sharing one of the three characteristics, but not two or three at the same time.

As been said, Foxtrot is rumored to be related, but I don't know Foxtrot well enough to really compare. I guess the rhythm is similar, but not the sweeping or the staying in one spot part.

Maybe Foxtrot compares better to bal-swing, but again bal-swing is in open position, and travels more in circles than across the floor.

My best bet would be to learn Balboa from the beginning, but drawing from knowledge of posture (Balboa is not stiff, but more upright than Lindy, and should have a good but relaxed posture) and lead/follow learned in other dances.

[tsb]

for bal, the closest thing you might have encountered would be some of the stationary styling footwork in quickstep. otherwise, there's nothing i would consider remotely similar.

[Shaka]

So far, I am learning the basics of 8-count lindy hop and a bit of some charlston. For someone with my experience, learning the steps, leads and connection is not the challenge, but rather 'un-learning' my ballroom habits that make me look too uptight to be out at a swing club ;)

I always look "too uptight" in all dances, be it salsa or argentine tango and I get countless compliments for that. Why the need to unlearn? Most people would like to dance like that but can't (actually, ballroom is a real deal).

[Steve Pastor]

Well, let's ask a question or three.

Would you want a ballroom look when doing African dance?

How about Lindy Hop?

Country Western?

Even within the broad thing that is "ballroom" the judges on DWTS seem to want differences among the dances performed.

[jennyisdancing]

I always look "too uptight" in all dances, be it salsa or argentine tango and I get countless compliments for that. Why the need to unlearn? Most people would like to dance like that but can't (actually, ballroom is a real deal).

Ballroom dancers tend to have good posture, and that will look good in any dance style. What I notice more in terms of looking a little stiff, is that some of the ballroom folks will hold their arms up high in the frame, which isn't done in swing that way.

[Flat Shoes]

I agree with Jenny. It may not look like the african roots, but good posture always looks good. And in any "street" dance, there are no strict rules. Find your own style.

Also, when talking about Balboa, I would not call that an African dance.

Just avoid the stiffness, lower the arms, and try to combine posture with relaxed comfort and smoothness.

[Flat Shoes]

I agree with Jenny. It may not look like the african roots, but good posture always looks good. And in any "street" dance, there are no strict rules. Find and fit your own style.

And when talking about Balboa, I would not call that an African dance.

Just avoid the stiffness, lower the arms, and try to combine posture with relaxed comfort and smoothness.

[LindyKeya]

My major question here though, is what ballroom dance might be 'related' in terms of footwork at least to the Balboa? I have not had any lessons in the dance yet, so I wanted to ask opinions here. American rumba? Salsa? Merangue? None of the above, and just start learning from scratch?

You'll find plenty of people hate this mode of learning ("Just learn it from scratch! It's not the same at all!"), but this is how I learn too. (I tend to remember how things go by remembering things like: K in D dance except for F slight difference (and rhythm change).) Bal has some similarities in pattern to Salsa and Rumba (3 steps and a hold). Of course it doesn't have the hip movement, and turns happen in different locations, but there are some transferable skills. (For instance holds in the midst of turns tend to trip a lot of a beginners up - so if that's something you've already mastered in Salsa, you'll likely have less difficulty with that in Balboa.)


(And no, they're not related in terms of where they came from, but if that's the way you learn, embrace it! Bal likely came out of swing - a skilled instructor can show you how, but I couldn't find a good example online.)


Willie Desatoff has said that it came out of rumba, but sometimes it's hard to tell. If everyone who starts doing a dance knows swing, foxtrot, and rumba, what are the roots of the new dance, really?

[Ray Sison]

It's been a while since I've done Balboa--used to do it when I was more into the Lindy Hop scene. Does anyone else think it's maybe a little bit like tap dancing, but with a partner? (Granted, I don't know much about tap dancing, except what I've seen of it in the movies...)