Latin Dance Lessons near Blacktown

The Rumba is a slow, sensuous, romantic dance that’s filled with flirtation: it’s the perfect class to take with your favourite partner! Many of the basic figures of Rumba have a “tease and run” theme, in which the female dancer moves suggestively and then rejects her partner. In this way, Rumba dancing spotlights the lady, who gets a chance to shine through rhythmic body action set to a slow, Latin beat.

New to dance lessons? Cha Cha is a great choice, as it’s popular across so many music genres, including country, funk, and hip-hop. Dance to your favourite mainstream artists, such as Santana, Marc Anthony, and Jennifer Lopez in the club after you’ve mastered a few basic moves. Whereas the Rumba might have an intense expression, the Cha Cha is a carefree party dance!

Lively and rhythmical, there are many types of Samba dances – just as there are many types of Samba music – but each uses the Samba “bounce” differently, which gives the dance its unique look and feel. The Samba bounce is a gentle, rhythmic action felt through the knees and ankles, and Samba dancers must strive to make this action appear effortless and carefree: never exaggerated. Difficult to master and fun to learn, practicing Samba adds character to your overall dancing ability!

Originating from Havana, Cuba in the 1930s, the Mambo became a popular dance in the US in the 1940-1950s, when Cuban music merged with American Jazz and Swing. The Mambo was based upon converging body movements with sound and the dance style was instrumental in the development of several other popular Latin dances, including Salsa and Cha Cha. Modern Mambo dancing has evolved into more of a ballroom dance where the focus is on posture, style and elegance.

Jive dancing is one of the five international Latin dances. This style is dynamic, fun, upbeat and seriously social! Combining rock ‘n’ roll rhythms with lightning-quick twists and turns, Jive dancing is an instantly enjoyable and collaborative dance style. Keep fit, master the basic steps and learn to rock your hips – and your partner – with energy, confidence and style!

The Paso Doble is an elaborate pantomime of a bullfight, where the matador dances proudly around, confronts his enemy (the bull) and eventually emerges victorious. Movements by the male are proud and quick, in strong defiance, while the hand and arm gestures (particularly of the female) are often graceful and fluid. Similar to the Flamenco in that it requires a great deal of showmanship, the Paso Doble is a dance that experienced dancers find challenging but extremely rewarding.

The basic step of the Bolero is a long, sweeping step to the side on the slow beat, followed by a rock-step forward or backward on the quick-quick beats of music — the emphasis is on smoothness, grace and communication between partners. The dance is like a slow salsa (with a touch of Tango) and has easy patterns, allowing partners to change from a very close hold to solo dancing and then come back together as one.

If you were into the dancing scene in the 1970s and 1980s, you were sure to have danced the Hustle! The dynamic, flashy and powerful dance form was designed for the club and party music scene. Turns, spins and wraps are primary components of Hustle dance lessons (and the Hustle in general). Beginners will find the strong bass beat hard to resist while accomplished dancers will use syncopated timing and fakes to explore more elaborate stylings.