Ballroom
We Teach Ballroom Dancing
At Arthur Murray Dance Studio - Jacksonville, we teach ballroom dancing in Jacksonville, FL. No matter what type of ballroom dance you want to learn, our highly trained instructors can teach it. Ballroom dancing is a fun activity to engage in. These dances will teach you flexibility, memorization skills, endurance, physical fitness, and more. When you learn and practice how to ballroom dance at our dance center, you will experience physical, mental, and social benefits. Ballroom dancing offers these benefits to people of all ages and skill levels. We teach a variety of different ballroom dances, including the waltz, the tango, the Viennese waltz, the foxtrot, and the quickstep.
The Waltz
The waltz is one of the oldest and most popular ballroom dance styles in the world. The waltz originated in rural communities of continental Europe. Eventually, it made its way to proper society despite it being known as an “immoral” dance. The immorality came from the fact that the dance requires a man to put his arm around a woman’s waist. However, today, the waltz remains an intimate and elegant dance that is easy to learn and master, especially at our dance studio. Originally, the waltz had a lot of scandal and controversy surrounding it, but it eventually found its way into formal halls, and we still practice this dance today. The waltz consists of a basic box step where each partner faces one other while standing slightly off-center.
The Tango
The tango is a slower, sexy dance that originated in Buenos Aires during the mid-1800s. The tango is a popular dance in ballrooms and nightclubs around the world. There are many versions of this dance in existence; however, the most popular is the original Argentine Tango. Despite us not really knowing where the tango came from, it is believed that the birth of the tango was in the African immigrant areas of Argentina. Eventually, wealthy members of the Argentinian elite introduced the dance to their own circles of society, and the tango found its way to Paris and, eventually, London and New York. It is said that if you can walk, you can dance the tango, despite it looking like an intimidating thing to learn at first. The tango begins with a simple walk and maintains its slow stepping throughout.
Viennese Waltz
The Viennese Waltz is the oldest ballroom dance that is still practiced today. The Viennese Waltz is a fast-paced, vibrant dance that originated as a folk dance in rural Austria and Germany. The dance consists of quick but smooth, elegant turns. You may see this dance often during dance competitions and ballroom dance scenes in the movies. Initially, dancers did not face each other in the closed position but in a semi-closed or side-by-side position. The original Viennese Waltz also had dancers moving in a circular formation rather than independently, as modern versions show it. This type of ballroom dance continued to evolve as renowned composers began to create music that was made for the dance itself. The popularity of the Viennese Waltz decreased during the 20th century but eventually regained its luster and is now considered one of the most well-known ballroom dances in the world.
The Foxtrot
The foxtrot is one of America’s most beloved dances. This dance began as a series of quick steps that resembled a trot. Since its beginnings, the foxtrot has evolved into a graceful, sophisticated dance style with long, slow movements. The origins of the foxtrot are often disputed, but it is believed that it began with a vaudeville star named Harry Fox. It is said that Fox invented it while performing in between movie showings at the New York Theatre. Allegedly, Fox initially developed a series of trotting steps to ragtime music that was popular with movie-goers. Eventually, Arthur Murray and other dance instructors standardized the steps into a recognized dance style that is the foxtrot.
The Quickstep
The quickstep is a ballroom dance that originated in the Charleston and foxtrot crazes of the 1920s. It began in England, where British dancers were combining the steps of the Charleston with the rhythm and flow of the foxtrot. Dancers thought the foxtrot was too slow in tempo for the faster music that was being played at the time, so they invented a faster foxtrot which evolved into the quickstep. The quickstep is a dance that is relatively easy to learn but challenging to master. The dance requires a lot of energy and the ability to dance lightly and gracefully.
Enjoy Learning Ballroom Dance Today
With a variety of ballroom dances to learn, we have classes and instructors that can help you out. Ballroom dancing is a fun and exciting skill to learn. Our team believes that ballroom dancing benefits dancers exponentially, both physically and mentally. Learning the different dances that we teach can help your mind grow and evolve, and your body get the exercise and physical challenge it needs. If you are interested in learning the different ballroom dances, stop by our studio or contact us today, and we will get you enrolled in the right class for you.