Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts & Culture, Inc. 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, MD 20812 Ph: 301.634.2231     *     Fax: 301.634.2260  www.glenechopark.org

The Waltz was first introduced into the English ballrooms in the early 1800's and it was denounced by both church and state for its vulgarity and immorality... this was, after all, the first time society had seen this outrageous dance position, with the man holding the lady so close to his body. But the very thing that brought Waltz such criticism also made it appealing, and the Waltz was here to stay. Waltz is a smooth progressive dance characterized by long, flowing movements, continuous turns, and rise & fall. Graceful and elegant, Waltz dancers glide around the floor almost effortlessly. Experience basic flowing and graceful patterns and learn the techniques that will create that effortless look of a good dancer as: partnership, poise, posture, footwork, rise and fall, sway, and alignments.

American Tango Unlike the Argentine Tango, in which the dancer interprets the music spontaneously without any predetermined slows or quicks, the American Tango features a structure which is correlated to the musical phrasing. The dance is executed both in closed position and in various types of extravagant dance relationships which incorporate a particular freedom of expression. This ballroom dance class will help you become a more powerful tango dancer. Learn basic tango figures and technique, including connection, poise, posture, footwork, and alignments.

The Foxtrot was introduced into the mainstream in 1913 by a man named Harry Fox. It ultimately became the most popular and lasting dance of the twentieth century, but not before going through many stylistic changes. Foxtrot is a smooth progressive dance characterized by long, continuous flowing movements across the dance floor. The Foxtrot takes many forms: The Bronze level Foxtrot, truest to the original Harry Fox version, is a simple combination of walks and chasses ideal for social dancing. After this class you will be elegance personified! Experience basic flowing and graceful patterns and learn the techniques that will create that effortless look of a good dancer as: partnership, poise, posture, footwork, rise and fall, sway, and alignments.

The Viennese Waltz is an old rhythm, having thought to have originated in southern Germany in the late 1700s as a peasant dance called the Ländler, characterized by a fast pace and rapid rotation. It came to Vienna during the 1800s and quickly became extremely popular throughout Europe and America. The Viennese Waltz is danced much faster than the Modern Waltz, up to twice as fast. This means that the rise and fall is more abrupt and more shallow, and steps are small and compact.
Learn the tricks to dance Viennese Waltz comfortably, including connection, posture, footwork, rise and fall, and alignments.

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Rumba is a slow, sensuous, romantic dance with much flirtation. Many of the basic figures of the dance have a "tease and run" theme in which the lady first flirts with and then rejects her partner. The sexual overtures can be very aggressive. The Rumba spotlights the lady and in particular her rhythmic body action and sexuality. The slow Latin beat, the rhythmic body and hip action, and the steamy tease and run figures result in routines that can be close to X-rated. Unlike the Cha-Cha which effects a happy, carefree, party-time-like dance expression, the rumba effects a more serious and intense expression. This class will consist of Rumba figures, and the techniques that make those figures look fancy, including rhythm walks, Cuban motion, spotting, connection, poise, posture, and footwork.

Bolero is a slower version of the rumba. What makes the most romantic of the latin dances. The music and the feeling of bolero enhances a sense of love. Slow, graceful, romantic, movements and actions characterize the bolero. Unlike the rumba, the bolero traditionally includes rise and fall and stretching actions. During the slow step, there is an extension and lift of the body. In bolero classes you will learn the figures, and the techniques that make those figures look and feel special, including tempo, cuban motion, connection, poise, posture, and footwork. .

Cha Cha, originally known as Cha-Cha-Cha, has its origins in the Cuban Mambo. It gets its name from the distinctive syncopated triple step (cha cha cha) danced between 2 rock steps. It came to this country in the middle 1950's.The Cha Cha is also a spot dance and is expressed though body animation. The character is fun, flirty, playful.
Cha-Cha figures cross over to almost any fast tempo music from country to funk and hip-hop. Learn the basic figures and the technique that makes those moves really stand out on the dance floor, including rhythm walks, Cuban motion, spotting, connection, posture, and footwork.

Mambo, originated in Cuba and is their national dance. It came to the United States in the '40s and became widely popular in the early '50s. Teachers promoted it and even developed three separate rhythms: the single, double, and triple Mambo, something we see in our Jive and Swing today. A popular dance, Mambo is also exciting and will help you become a good rhythm dancer. Learn basic mambo figures, and the techniques of Cuban motion, spotting, connection, poise, and posture.

East Coast Swing, also called The Jitterbug, is the official "sock hop" swing dance for jump blues. This is a fun dance! East Coast Swing is a circular, rotating swing dance that has many wraps, tunnels, and turns. The basic step is: triple step, triple step, rock step. The music is diverse and includes oldies (Elvis and Chuck Berry), jump blues, country, big band, and top 40. East Coast Swing is a versatile dance suitable for both the ballroom and the bar room. With a wide range of music to choose from you can swing to almost anything. Learn the basic footwork, partnering skills, and the techniques that will make feel good and look good on the dance floor.