Ballroom Dances

The Ballroom (or standard) dances are romantic, jazzy or passionate. In competitions, the man wears a white bow tie and tailsuit and the lady usually wears a long, floaty dress to best show off the spins around the floor. All the dances are “in hold” which means the lady stands close to the man and the couple dance as a single unit.

Choose your ballroom dance

Which is the best for telling your story?

Waltz

Think of a slow, romantic ride on a boat at sea, swaying to one side and then the other. Maybe in moonlight. The Waltz is danced with three beats to a bar. It has a lovely "woosh, side, close" basic step with lots of rise and fall.

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Quickstep

Are you ready to up your pace to a fast and furious jazzy number? This does what it says on the tin - Quickstep will have you whizzing around the floor, with an enormous grin on your face, in less time than you can say, "42nd Street!"

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Foxtrot

Laid back, suave, sophisticated and extremely über-cool - does this describe you? Foxtrot is for oozingly-smooth jazz lovers. You should probably wear sunglasses as you travel around the floor in serious style.

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Tango

If you are feeling intense, moody and determined, this is the dance for you. Tango is a passionate, compact dance with lots of sharp and sudden movements. Watch out for both the lady and the man doing very quick head and foot flicks!

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Viennese Waltz

Think of a whirling, spinning teacup ride and try not to get dizzy! This fast dance has six quick beats to a bar. It's the best one for showing off a long, swirly dress and telling your romantic story.

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Want to tell another dance story?

Latin

The Latin dances are cheeky, fiery and fun. In competitions the man might wear an open-necked shirt and the lady will usually wear a short dress as these dances come from hot places like South America! Partners don't have a fixed hold - they can dance side by side, for example.

Party

You might want to just dance to your favourite pop song, or organise all your friends for a group dance. You could also celebrate other countries such as Ceilidh dancing from Scotland or Barn Dancing from the United States of America. Yee hah!

When and where can I learn?