American Smooth:
Social Dance Studio offers many options for those who want to dance.
Services Include:
Public Group Classes
Private Group Classes and Corporate Dance lessons
Private Lessons for Singles and Couples
Wedding Lessons
Youth Programming
Competitive Ballroom Training
Performance Opportunities
Below is a list of Dances we offer!
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Waltz
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This is the grandad of all ballroom dances! Waltz is characterized by rise and fall and by sway on the side steps. The feet remain in contact with the floor at all times, creating a smooth, gliding look. This creates an elegant gracefulness with a romantic feel. The American Style Waltz is similar to the International Style except the American Style has open dance positions and the dancers’ legs pass instead of close.
Tango​
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This is a fiery and dramatic dance! American Style Tango features sharp movements, head snaps, and a cat-like and stealthy foot action. The music is in 4/4 time and has a marching rhythm.
Tango
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Foxtrot
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Foxtrot is the dance of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Foxtrot has smooth gliding steps with a heel lead, controlled movement and an easygoing look. It has less rise and fall than the Waltz as the emphasis is on progression.
Viennese Waltz
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This whirling, thrilling dance dates back to the early 1700’s in Europe. It was a dance first popular with the common folk and then with the upper classes. Viennese Waltz is characterized by its speed (twice as fast as Waltz) as well as a rise and fall and sway (less than Waltz). With its elegance and turns, Viennese Waltz has an air of magic about it.
American Rhythm:
Rumba
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Rumba is universally recognized as the dance of love. It is danced to slow, sensual music with a Latin beat and features a hip action known as “Cuban Motion.” Rumba is sometimes known as the ‘Latin Waltz’, because many of the figures in Waltz can also be danced in the Rumba, using Rumba timing and Cuban hip action.
Cha-Cha
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This fun, flirty dance has a modified Cuban Motion hip action, because of the speed. This is an exuberant dance that will get your heart pumping and put a smile on your face. The Cuban motion in Cha Cha is more staccato than Rumba and it consists of triple chasse steps (cha cha cha’s) and rock steps.
Swing
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East Coast Swing is an energetic, fast dance, done usually with triple steps and rock steps to Big Band or contemporary music that ‘swings’. This dance has its roots with the Lindy Hop dances done at the great Savoy Ballroom in Harlem in the 1920’s and 1930’s.
Bolero
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Bolero is a slow, beautiful, expressive dance that is somewhat of a hybrid. It combines the dance patterns of Rumba with the rise and fall action of the Waltz. Bolero is the slowest of all the American Style Rhythm dances.
Mambo
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Mambo is a fast and spicy dance characterized by strong Cuban motion, staccato movement and expression of rhythm through the body. Mambo evolved from a fusion of Danzon, Son and American Jazz. Mambo also features press lines, many swivels and spins that a sure to impress.
International Standard:
Slow Waltz
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The Slow Waltz, or the English Waltz, is the first and perhaps the most famous of the International Standard dances. The International Slow Waltz is like the Smooth Waltz in musicality and rhythm, however, like all standard dances, the lead and follow remain in closed position and do not separate throughout the dance. The Waltz is very characteristic because of its rise and fall action.
Slow Foxtrot
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The International version of Foxtrot is smooth, elegant and rich in flowing movements. This form of Foxtrot is danced mainly at competitions but advanced social dancers will also include this in their repertoire as it can be danced to social Foxtrot music. Unlike American Foxtrot, this dance is danced solely in closed position.
International Tango
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International Tango is quite a dynamic and dramatic passionate dance that is so much fun. You will be quickly caught up in the Tango’s powerful and rhythmic cadence. Similar in rhythm to the American counterpart, this dance, however, is only danced in closed position.
Quick Step
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A fast-moving Foxtrot dance. The Quickstep is full of energy and so much fun! This is a dance for people with high energy and who like to have a lot of fun. It has a kid-like quality.
Viennese Waltz
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A traditional fast Waltz that is timeless! This Viennese Waltz is most elegant and fast paced. The Viennese Waltz is a classic dance style that is featured in many romantic movies and animated films. It is characterized by sweeping, graceful turns that rotate quickly around the floor. Although it shares many similarities to the slow Waltz, it is danced at a much faster tempo—twice the speed of the slow Waltz.
International Latin:
Cha-Cha
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Cha Cha is a lively, fun, cheeky and playful dance. It is a non-progressive dance that emphasizes Cuban motion, distinguished by the chasses (cha-cha-cha) typically danced during the 4&1 counts of the music. Cuban motion in Cha Cha is more staccato than Rumba to reflect the music with emphasis on count 1. Similar to American Rhythm with a few technical differences.
Rumba
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The Rumba is considered to be one of the most beautiful Latin style dances, earning its nickname as “The Dance of Love.” It is characterized by swaying hips, a still upper body, and close partner connections. Although it is traditionally danced to slow Latin music, it is now common to dance the Rumba to current, popular ballads. Because of this, the Rumba is a popular style choice for a wedding dance and slow partner dancing.
Jive
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The Jive is lively and fast-paced dance that is typically danced to up-beat swing or contemporary music. In the competitive ballroom dancing communities, the Jive is considered a Latin dance, however, it also belongs to the swing dancing family. It’s a popular dance on shows such as, “So You Think You Can Dance” and “Dancing with the Stars.”
Samba
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The Samba is an energetic and lively dance that is currently popular in many parts of the world. Syncopated rhythms, bouncing actions, and rolling hip movements characterize the dance. It may be danced with or without a partner.
Paso Doble
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The Paso Doble is a theatrical Latin dance with Spanish and French origins. It is a dramatic dance that tells a story through sharp, staccato movements, striking body poses, and flamenco style footwork. The Paso Doble is a passionate dance based on a Spanish bullfight. The leader represents the proud Spanish matador and the woman or follower is the Matador’s cape. The follower will sometimes also represent the bull, picador or flamenco dancer.
Social Dances:
Hustle
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The Hustle is the partner version of disco dancing. It is a fast moving, energetic dance characterized by its many turns. The lady spins almost constantly while her partner draws her close and sends her away. Hustle is still very popular at West Coast Swing dances and in some Latin clubs.
Single-Time Swing
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This swing is also known as “jitterbug” and is a spin-off from lindy-hop and east coast swing. The simplified timing makes this dance beginning friendly but can increase intensity as more moves and faster music are added.
West Coast Swing
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West Coast Swing is a unique style of swing dancing that has made a significant resurgence within the past few years. It’s a fun, improvisational style of dancing that even allows the lady or follower to “lead” on occasion. It is traditionally danced to slower, blues-style swing music, but many are dancing West Coast Swing to hip hop, R&B and pop music
Night Club Two-Step
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The Nightclub Two-Step is a great alternative for dancers who want to go beyond a simple slow dance with their partner. The Nightclub Two-Step is a slow dance that is perfect for nightclub, party or wedding dancing. This dance style is typically danced to ballads and is often used to “spice up” the average slow dance.
Country Two-Step
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The Two-Step by far is the most popular country dance. From the basic pattern, dancers can add turns in a variety of positions to give this dance a range of options. The leader determines the movements and patterns of the pair as they move around the dance floor in a counterclockwise direction.
Triple Two-Step
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The Triple Two Step is also called the country shuffle or Fort Worth shuffle. It gets its name because the footwork requires a triple step followed by another triple step, and then two walking steps.
Merengue
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The Merengue is a vibrant Latin dance that is extremely popular in the United States and throughout the world. The Merengue is a fantastic dance for new dancers because it is very easy to learn! The Merengue is danced with “walking steps” with a step taken on each beat of music. While dancers typically use hip motions with this dance, the amount of hip movement varies with personal preference. This dance is considered to be in the same “family” as Salsa and is popular in the night club and social dance scenes.
Salsa
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This fun and energetic dance is the most popular of all the Latin dances because it is easy to learn and is fantastic for all ages and dancing abilities. Salsa dancing has many fast turns, exciting footwork, rhythmic hip movements, and lively music.
Bachata
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The Bachata is a playful Latin dance that is typically danced at Salsa and Merengue dance clubs. This style is danced with soft hip motions, turns and side-to-side footwork. The music of Bachata is very recognizable for its predominant use of the electric guitar combined with Caribbean and Latin musical influences.
Hip Hop
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Hip-hop dance is a vibrant form of dance that combines a variety of freestyle movements to create a cultural piece of art. Through its three main styles of popping, locking, and breaking, hip-hop dance has evolved into one of the most popular and influential styles of dance.
Line Dances
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Most commonly seen in country bars and clubs, this style of dance is friendly to all skill levels. This format of dancing can be done to almost any type of music, and allows you to put your own spin on the movement.