Foxtrot

The Foxtrot was the most significant development in all of ballroom dancing.
The combination of quick and slow steps permits more flexibility and gives much greater dancing pleasure than the one-step and two-step which it has replaced.

Waltz

A dance born in the suburbs of Vienna and in the alpine region of Austria. As early as the seventeenth century, waltzes were played in the ballrooms of the Hapsburg court.
The Weller, or turning dances, were danced by peasants in Austria and Bavaria even before that time. Many of the familiar waltz tunes can be traced back to simple peasant yodeling melodies.

Samba

The Samba originated in Brazil. It was and is danced as a festival dance during the street festivals and celebrations. First introduced in the U.S. in a Broadway play called "Street Carnival" in the late twenties.
The festive style and mood of the dance has kept it alive and popular to this day. Samba is
a fun dance that fits most of today's popular music.

Tango Modern

The Tango began in the West Indies and found its way to Argentina where it was stylized by the Gauchos. It became the rage in 1921 after the silent screen star Rudolph Valentino brought this romantic dance to millions in "The four horsemen of the Apocalypse". More recently, it has been danced in movies such as True Lies and Scent of a woman. Today, The Tango is considered the "dancer's dance" and becomes a favorite of all who learn it.

Viennese Waltz

From Strauss Waltz and Tchaikovsky ballets to music by contemporary artists, Viennese Waltz music has inspired people to dance for generations The Waltz developed in central Europe from the Austrian dance known as the Landler.

Mambo

The wild Exciting ,music, and rythmical body movements make the earthy Mambo irresistible.
In the 1940's Americans became fascinated by latin American rhythms. The original Mambo music, El Guardia Con El Toleto, had its beginning in 1944 as a Rumba with riff improvisation. The Mambo combined American Jazz with the Afro-Cuban beat.

Swing

Perhaps the most uniquely American of all dances, the Swing brings forth a buoyant carefree movement. It's one of the dances that becomes contagious.

The Lindy (Swing) picked up where the Charleston left off. It had "swing-outs", "breakaways" and "shine-steps". With the birth of "Swing" music in the mid 1930's the Lindy climbed the social ladder. The dance craze swept the nation, and depending on where you lived, it was the Jitterbug, the Lindy hop or the Swing.

Rumba

Rumba is the spirit and soul of Latin American music and dance. The fascinating rhythms and bodily expressions make the Rumba one of the most popular ballroom dances.

Meringue

The Meringue is the national dance of the Dominican Republic, and also to some extent, of Haiti, the neighbor sharing the island.
Ideally suited to the small, crowded dance floors, it is a dance that is easy to learn and essentially a "fun" dance.

Cha Cha

Originally known as the Cha-Cha-Cha. Became popular about 1954. Cha Cha is an offshoot of the Mambo.
In the slow Mambo tempo, there was a distinct sound in the music that people began dancing to, calling the step the "Triple" Mambo. Eventually it evolved into a separate dance, known today as the Cha Cha.

Bolero

The romantic Bolero is the slowest of the Latin dances.
It combines controlled movement with dramatic expression of the music.
The Bolero has the same
Afro-Cuban roots as the Rumba and is thought to have originated from Cuban or Spanish folk dances such as Danzon and Beguine.

Practice lessons & parties

At Arthur Murray, you can put yourself in the middle of a whole new and exciting dance world at weekly practice lessons and party time school dances. Have fun meeting new people while taking the opportunity to practice your new found dancing skills. couples and singles with or without partners are warmly welcome.