Tempo, Timing and Rhythm

By Russell Kawamoto, Village Park

A complete working knowledge of music structure is unnecessary in order for the average beginner dancer to begin to understand the essentials. In fact, many competitors will readily admit they have only a limited knowledge of the music. For anyone studying to perform  or compete, having this knowledge would certainly be an edge. Of course loving the music first gives you the biggest edge.

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Tempo should be the easiest for the beginner to recognize. The music sounds too fast or too slow or just right. You don't have to go by any stop watches though it may be handy. Less than 40 beats per minute, Fox Trot, over 40 beats  per minute Quickstep. You want  to use a stop watch, go ahead. Most will find it easy to tell a Slow Waltz from a Viennese Waltz.

The Latin dances are usually  the easiest. A Bolero is slower than a Rumba, but I have never seen anyone use a stop watch. Important, yes, but in recreational dancing the DJs usually do a good job and the tempi is very nicely danceable

 
 "Chattanooga Choo Choo"   ...   Glenn Miller (Tex Beneke)

Timing begins to get more technical. All dance music is divided into, and made up of, a series of spaced, reoccurring beats grouped into small clusters, called Bars. The regulation of occurrence, pace, or coordination to achieve a desired effect, as in dance music, Knowing how many beats per Bar are being played, is knowing its time. and this hints at what the dance is. Slow Waltz is written in 3 beats to the bar and your dance patterns are fitted to each bar. Slow Fox Trot and  Quickstep are 4 beats to the bar. Most Tangos are in 2 beat to the Bar, but a few are written in four. Most dancers have a good idea, and just use the natural moves to the music they like and it can be quite easy.

 "Take The "A" Train"   ...   Duke Ellington

Rhythm is often confused with Time and sometimes mistaken for Tempo. Simply put, Rhythm is the regular repetition of accented beats within the music. The rhythm is tied in with the music the dancer is dancing  to. They can feel the ONE, two, three in the Waltz and feel free to move within its parameters. They can feel the One, two, three, Four in the Rumba and feel free to move to that rhythm.

Most beginners that wish to learn to dance already have most of the requirements. They begin by knowing the type of music rhythm they want to dance to. They find that their body discovers the rhythm on its own and starts moving naturally to the music.

You can watch others and that helps, whether in a dance club, at a dance studio, or in a movie. Listen for the drumbeat, and notice how the dancers' bodies mimic the rhythm of the drum. Practice at home moving different parts of your body to the the music  Notice that you can follow the beat with any part of your body, or even several parts at once.

Listen to the drum beating in the music as you move, and let your feet follow the rhythm just as your hands, toes, and other body parts did before. Practice using other parts of your body to add more expression as you continue the basic dance step. You've already learned the dance rhythm---the more you practice, the more you'll be able to do it without even thinking about it.

Before you know it you will be adding new moves to the music of your choice and you will realize you have become a cultural dancer.  *  *  *  *

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