Just like music is food for the soul, dance is the projection of our soul in the material plane. In the end, everyone likes to express themselves in accord with the rhythm whether they are talented or not.
When we talk about dance styles, Waltz, Tango, Samba, Flamenco and Salsa are among the first that comes to mind. But have you ever thought about where these might be originating from? Let’s check them out.
Types of Dances
Waltz
Waltz, the dance where the ladies move gracefully like swans while the gentlemen do what a gentlemen do. Having earned its place in the modern culture, Waltz originates form 19th century Austria and Germany.
The dance itself is not the only interesting thing about waltz, the costumes worn while dancing are also quite special. After being introduced to Vienna and Britain, the dance became the number one attraction in balls. Even in cartoons, the princes and the princesses almost always dance waltz. As of today, there are two styles of waltz; “Vienna waltz” and “Modern waltz.
Tango
Possibly being the wildest and sexiest dance of all times, most women desire to learn how to dance tango. Time just stops flowing the moment the eyes meet. Originating from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Montevideo and Uruguay, tango is strong enough to contain feelings like passion, love, bliss and unity.
Charleston
Being one of the most famous jazz dances in 1920s, charleston is one of the hardest and most dynamic dances in our list. Unlike waltz and tango, you don’t need a partner for this dance. You can just dance all by yourself, with your partner or with a group. Charleston is an Afro-American dance style where the most important thing is the movement of your feet.
Cha-Cha
Originating from Cuba, cha-cha is among the most popular Latin-American dances. This dance is sure to wake you from your seat thanks to its rhythmic structure.
Swing
Starting to draw attention in 1920s, swing is a dance where the male is more in control of the flow of the dance. It is very important for the male dancer to be able to carry and control the movements of his partner during this Afro-American dance.
Rock and Roll
This dance consisting of acrobatic moves like rocking and rolling(I bet you guessed that from the name) was very popular among the youngsters in 1950s. The most famous move in rock and roll is most probably the one where the male throws his partners to the air only to catch her afterwards. Classic!
Break Dance
Mostly known as the “street dance”, there are still many shows exhibiting this dance style outside the streets. The moves in break dance is quite hard to do for a starter. Spinning over your head, or shaking your entire body as if you were being electrocuted. Break dance definitely require both talent and courage.
Mambo
Originating from a mixture of African, Cuban, Jazz, Hip-Hop and even Ballet moves, Mambo was first performed by the Haitians. Being quite the mixture, mambo has a very free and undisciplined style.
Samba
Spreading from Brazil to the whole world, samba has some of the hardest moves among all dance styles. Shaped by the powerful drum beats, this dance requires perfect harmony between the couple.
Mazurka
Originating from Poland’s Mazovia region, this 16th century dance style has over 50 step patterns. Even though it was first assimilated by the Polish Royalty, mazurka is mostly known as a folk dance nowadays. It is best performed with two, four or eight couples.
Twist
Twist is among the weirdest dances in our list borrowing its figures from the moves done while drying oneself with a towel. Drawing the attention of the new generations, this dance consists of foot and hip movements.
Belly Dance
First showing up in around 2000 B.C., belly dancing tells the story of the creation of humanity. Inspired by the spasms, shakes and strains caused by pregnancy and giving birth, belly dancing is the depiction of the women from the ancient times.
Salsa
Even though it is just a speculation, salsa is believed to be originating from the Caribbeans. Gaining popularity after 1980s, salsa has become quite famous and many people are trying to learn how to salsa.
Merengue
Merengue originates from 1850’s Dominican Republic. Foot and shoulder moves are the basis of merengue and the dance requires several couples to form a circle and dance in that formation.
There are two rumors about the origins of this dance. One is about a guy who was shot from the leg. The moves he was doing while being carried by his friends is supposed to be the inspiration for this dance. The other rumor links the merengue moves to the movements of the African slaves while they were chained.
Bachata
Bachata is another dance from the Dominican Republic that is quite heavy on the footsies and is commonly accompanied by a guitar.
Rumba
Rumba is one of the most seductive and wild dances in our list along with tango, embodying passion, power, confidence and many strong emotions.
Ballet
Establishing a strong visual and theatrical theme, ballet is one of the most graceful and elegant dance styles. Being especially popular among children, ballet has a very important role in most musicals.
Flamenco
Even though it originates from a music style from South Spain, it has also become very popular as a dance style.
Paso Doble
Being common is Spain, France and Latin-America, Paso Doble has moves that are inspired by bull-fighting. In this dancing style, the woman depicts the cloak while the man depicts the matador.
Sirtaki
Sirtaki is one of the most important cultural symbols of Greece. You don’t have to visit Greece in order to see it, all you need is a Greek restaurant. The dance depicts the suffering the lovers had to endure during the times of exile.
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