Dance Styles

At Bath, we learn, perform and compete in a number of dance styles. If you join our club, you will have the opportunity to try all of the dances listed below, with help from our expert teachers and the support of some of our more advanced members. Below are descriptions of the dances we teach.

Ballroom

Waltz

The most popular of the ballroom dances, the waltz is a slow, romantic dance known for its elegance, and is generally performed to classical music.

Quickstep

Quickstep is a much livelier dance than the waltz, incorporating hops, skips, jumps and leg flicks. It involves lots of rapid movements, including the runs of quick steps from which it draws its name, and is one of the most exciting ballroom dances to watch.

Tango

The tango is a strong, passionate dance with its origins in Argentina, and is characterised by sharp, sudden movements and dynamic performance.

Foxtrot

One of the more challenging dances, foxtrot consists of a mixture of fast and slow steps, and is generally considered to be the most beautiful of the ballroom dances.

Viennese Waltz

Viennese is the classic waltz seen in many films. It is the fastest of the ballroom dances, and is characterised by the rapid turning exhibited by the basic steps, though it is surprisingly straightforward to learn once you can waltz!

Latin

Cha Cha Cha

The cha cha cha originated in the 1950s, and gets its name and appearance from its distinctive rhythm. It is one of the most fun dances we do, and is often danced to popular modern chart music.

Jive

The jive is the fastest of the latin dances. Lively and uninhibited, it was invented in the 50’s by American GIs. It can be danced to Rock’n’Roll music, as well as many modern hits.

Samba

Samba originated in the Brazilian carnival, and involves a lot of hip action, giving it the characteristic ‘samba bounce’.

Rumba

The ‘dance of love’, the Rumba is the slowest of the Latin dances, as well as the most sensual. It has undergone a number of transformations since its roots in 16th century Cuba.

Paso Doble

The Paso Doble is a dramatic Spanish dance, with the dancers taking on the roles of a matador and a bull, in the midst of a bullfight. An exhilarating dance, the paso is usually danced to Espana Cani, the Spanish gypsy music.

Other Dances

Sequence Dances

At our weekly sequence dancing sessions, we learn sequence dances such as the Mayfair Quickstep and the Balmoral Blues. These involve switching partners regularly, so are a great way to get to know all the members of the club (as well as being great fun in themselves of course!)

Rock'n'Roll

Rock'n'roll is a very energetic style of dance similar to the jive in style and music choice. The major distinguishing factor between the two is the level of bounce! A good rock'n'roll is full of plenty of bounce between every flick and step. The rock'n'roll within the university comp circuit is less traditional and more charleston-like than the medalist exams, so if you like to have a good laugh then give it a go!

Offbeat

Each year we compose a large group performance to perform in the Offbeat category at the regional and national competitions. Everyone can get involved in this performance, and it can be based around any style of dance (or more than one!). If you have experience of choreography, or want to get some, you can get involved in choreographing Offbeat- everyone is welcome!