Dance Styles
move your body
Dance is not only a wonderful way to express yourself but also a fantastic way to exercise and meet new people
We usually teach 3 styles of dance per week over a six-week term, alternating dance styles continually throughout the year. Featured below are a selection of the dances we will teach at Redlands Latin Dance.
Salsa
Very popular Latin dance which originated in Eastern Cuba in the early 1920’s where Spanish and Afro-Cuban musical elements were combined, both in terms of rhythm and the instruments to produce the Salsa rhythm we recognize today. We teach the 8-step Cuban style of Salsa which has a tap.
Bachata
Originated in the Dominican Republic in the early 20th Century. Early Bachata was a mix of Bolero music with African elements, this musical fusion lead to the 4-step fun dance we teach today.
Zouk
This is a very elegant and flowing dance that originated in Brazil, Rio de Janeiro in the mid 1990’s, it is a mix of Samba de Gafieira and Bolero. Another very popular dance.
Swing
12 weeks course
Similar to Rock & Roll 4-step, East Coast Swing is danced with 8 steps:- a triple, a triple and a rock step. It is a very lively dance, extremely popular with many people and lots of fun.
CHA CHA CHA
This style can be danced to many popular songs today. It originated in Havana in the early 1950’s and was called Danzon-Mambo but then evolved into a dance with a triple step known today as Cha Cha Cha.
Bachatango
Is a style of dance that fuses the four-step Dominican Bachata with Argentine Tango moves, including elaborated kicks, dips, turns, ganchos, leg wraps and long pauses. It is danced in a closed position with your partner.
Rumba
We teach a slower box-style Rumba which has a slow rhythm and hip movements that create bodily expressions.
Bolero
We teach a style of Bolero which originated in Cuba in the 18th Century. The Cuban form travelled to Mexico, then onto Latin America including Argentina and Brazil. Bolero is a slow dance characterized by smooth gliding movements with a romantic feel. It is the slowest dance of the American Style Rhythm dances.