Social Dancing in the West. Rerun #33

Ballroom Dance Styles
by Rodney Komatsu, Pearlridge

American Style: The one most used in the US and gradually moving into other countries, including England. The syllabus is based on the National Council of America with popular variations. It's best feature is it's inconsistency, Try the basic rumba step. Ho, Ho.

"You have within you, right now, everything you need to deal

with whatever the world can throw at you."

Names of figures and timing can vary from one part of the country and/or studio to another. The basic Social Dancer develops very nicely through this program because it is more current than the other disciplines. It can very easily be converted into the local social Style.

"How High The Moon"
by Les Paul and Mary Ford

Country Style: Very similar to the American but even more varied and less strict than the American. If it wasn't concentrated on Country Music, it would have been ideal to develop into the Real Universal Style. Very nice movements with freedom of ease.

"Perfidia" by Linda Rondstad

International Style: The syllabus is based on the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing in London, England for both Ballroom and Latin Dancing. This is a real discipline and is a standard of dancing that is taught around the world and has standard technique, timing and styling. For dancers interested in competition dancing, this is the answer to your question. As a social dance handy because of the sameness of most of its movements all over the world.

All three Styles of dancing are used in competitive format, with the strictest  being the International. All three are used in social dancing. Very little in International Style, because it may not be dancing just for fun. It has a more serious aspect to dance "correctly." "Yeah, you, ya dumb dodo are dancing it incorrectly!" With a good teacher you can fix that up easily for a couple grand.

  Young At Heart by Frank Sinatra

In West Oahu we are gradually developing the best American Style dancers in the Pacific Basin and they will take a back seat for no one. For instance, I just saw an an American Style Tango dance on You Tube. Wow, it would knock you hats off.

And we keeps on dancing.
Rod Komatsu

 "The secret of living to 100 becomes less attractive
as you grow older."