Dance Styles I specialise in

The Slow Waltz

Sometimes known as the ‘King of dances’, the Waltz is often the very first Ballroom dance you will learn in a dance class. It is not to be confused with the Viennese Waltz, which is incredibly fast and often not taught until you have been having dancing lessons for at least a year.

Waltz (Or slow waltz) is danced in what is called ¾ timing, meaning that there are 3 beats per bar of Waltz music. This creates the 1…2…3…. Rhythm.

Although it is one of the first dances you learn in a dance class, for many reasons it is also one of the hardest. This is because to achieve the extremely elegant and controlled look of the Waltz, you need to have immense ankle, leg and core strength in order to smooth out any wobbles, and to improve balance.

During my dance classes, especially the one-to-one private dance lessons for those serious dancers, we work a lot on fitness to achieve an elegant looking Waltz.

For beginners dance classes, we focus on the ‘core steps’ such as the closed changes, natural turns, reverse turns, and natural spin turns in the corner.

Then, as we move through intermediates and advanced, we start to introduce the more difficult steps into my dance lessons e.g., the infamous double reverse spin, the various endings to a hesitation, and the most elegant (and trickiest) of dance steps like the Throw Away Over sway, The Same Foot Lunge, and the Continuous Pivots. These steps are for the more advanced dance lessons and private one-to-one dance lessons.

The Waltz is by far my favourite Ballroom dance and is extremely popular for Wedding Dance Lessons because of its romantic and graceful look. The speed is also perfect for a wedding dance.

If you would like wedding dance lessons using the Waltz, or you just want to learn the Waltz in general, please contact me now and reserve a place; either in one of my group dance classes, or a one-to-one dance class across Brighton, Hove, Lewes, East Grinstead and wider East and West Sussex.

The Quickstep

The Quickstep, like the Jive, is as bit of a hybrid mix of several different dance styles, primarily the foxtrot and Charleston.

Although many dancers associate the Quickstep with hopping, skipping, and jumping; the Quickstep is supposed to start out smooth, with many characteristics like the Foxtrot and Waltz, especially the foot pressure into the floor.

This is what I focus on for my beginner’s dance classes so I can really ground my students. Focusing on the quick, but grounded chasse movements and some of the Waltz steps which you can also dance in the Quickstep. Then I gradually add some faster figures in my intermediate dance classes to strengthen the feet, legs, and core muscles e.g., the 6 quick run, V6 and the tipsy’s. Only then do we move onto the hopping, skipping, and jumping steps like the Scatter Chasses, Pepper pot and Woodpecker steps in my advanced dance classes.

The music is extremely popular. It’s very jazzy and nothing beats delivering a dance class to big band music.

This is also why the Quickstep is also very popular for wedding dance lessons because many couples will hire a big band for their wedding and use them for their first dance.

If you would like wedding dance lessons using the Quickstep, or you just want to learn the Quickstep in general, please contact me now and reserve a place; either in one of my group dance classes, or a one-to-one dance class across Brighton, Hove, Lewes, East Grinstead and wider East and West Sussex.

The Slow Foxtrot, Social Foxtrot, and the American Smooth Foxtrot

The foxtrot is arguably the hardest Ballroom dance style I teach in my dance classes. We often start with the Social Foxtrot which is like the American Smooth Foxtrot and is much easier.

Also known as the ‘Slow Foxtrot’, it is characterised by very long movements which travel great distances across the dance floor. However, good Foxtrot dancers need to have immense ankle and knee strength so that it looks like the couple are literally floating across the dance floor.

When I teach Foxtrot in my dancing lessons, we spend a lot of time focusing on strengthening the ankles and controlling our energy so that nothing looks forced or bumpy. This is especially hard when trying to smooth out heel turns (ask any Ballroom dancer about heel turns, and you’ll know what I mean!)

The slow, smooth jazz music used to dance the Foxtrot reflect its elegance on the dance floor. Iconic steps like the Natural and reverse weaves, the extended reverse wave and the fall away reverse a slip pivot are the epitome of this very long and gracious dance style. It takes many dance lessons to master, and my students often say to me that it starts off as their least favourite (some hate it for a long time!) but ends up being their absolute favourite style to practice in my dance classes. It is a real feather in the dancer’s cap to be able to dance Foxtrot well.

It is one of my specialities and I have hosted entire workshops dedicated to mastering this tricky dance.

For wedding dance lessons, the slow Foxtrot is the least popular, due to its difficulty. Couples will often opt for the Social Foxtrot or American Smooth Foxtrot as alternatives if they are desperate to use Foxtrot music for their wedding dance lessons.

Social Foxtrot and American Smooth foxtrot are incredibly easy to learn, and the steps look much harder and therefore more impressive; which is why I highly recommend these two styles for wedding dance lessons as opposed to the mighty Slow Foxtrot, which is for those serious dancers attending my more advanced dance classes or having private one-to-one dance classes with me.

An interesting fact about the Foxtrot is that when it started to get faster, the Quickstep was created!

If you would like wedding dance lessons using the Slow Foxtrot, Social Foxtrot or American Smooth Foxtrot, or you just want to learn the Foxtrot in general, please contact me now and reserve a place; either in one of my group dance classes, or a one-to-one dance class across Brighton, Hove, Lewes, East Grinstead and wider East and West Sussex.

The Ballroom Tango, sometimes known as the International Tango, and the Argentine Tango

The Ballroom Tango (Also known as the international Tango) can be a bit of a marmite dance in my dance classes. People either love it or hate it.

Those who love it, love the sharp staccato action and the fact that it requires great strength in the legs to stop suddenly thereby creating the dramatic pauses so synonymous with the Ballroom Tango. The followers love learning to dance the sharp head movements so commonly used in the dance, and the leaders feel that they can really lead their partners during my dance classes.

The hold is much more compact than the other Ballroom styles, and it has no sway or rise and fall. The expression in the Ballroom Tango comes primary from the almost sub-human way good Tango dancers can cover the dance floor quickly and sharply. It is a very popular dance in my dance classes.

Those who hate it, prefer the Argentine Tango dance classes. This is because the Argentine version is much smoother and less ‘aggressive’ than its international counterpart. In the Argentine version, it is also much more about showing off the follower than it is moving around the dance floor in the international style.

Followers particularly like the leg and feet action they must learn and the fact that every single movement, no matter how subtle, is led by the leader. Argentine Tango dance classes are growing in their popularity, especially for couples because they can really tune into one another.

For wedding dance lessons, the Argentine Tango wins every time. It’s romantic, its smooth, it’s not aggressive, and the moves are beautiful. Also, in only a small number of dance lessons, a couple can create an impressive Argentine Tango wedding dance.

Ballroom Tango is one of my specialist subjects and I teach it to a very high standard in my dance classes.

If you would like wedding dance lessons using the Tango or Argentine Tango, or you just want to learn both dances in general, please contact me now and reserve a place; either in one of my group dance classes, or a one-to-one dance class across Brighton, Hove, Lewes, East Grinstead and wider East and West Sussex.

The Viennese Waltz

Also widely considered the ‘poshest’ Ballroom Dance; and associated with Grand Balls attended by those considered in the upper classes; the Viennese Waltz could not have had a humbler beginning…

There used to be folk dances danced in mountain taverns in and around Austria. These folk dances, which were often danced in overcrowded taverns, meaning you couldn’t move around much, involved spinning around on the spot with your partner and getting very dizzy indeed (I would love to teach a dance class where we learn these old folk dances one day!)

These rotational and static folk dances eventually made their way down the mountains to the grand balls in Vienna (where they had a lot more room) and started to expand outwards, when eventually, the spinning on the spot spiralled out into the long natural and reverse turns we see today in Viennese Waltz classes, which travel anti-clockwise around the dance floor like the other Ballroom dances. Only in an oval shape rather than having straight lines of dances as in the Waltz, Foxtrot, Quickstep and Tango.

I love explaining the origins of this dance in my dance classes. And I will often host workshops and specialist dance classes focusing on the Viennese Waltz. This is because although the hold is similar, the way in which we move in the Viennese Waltz is very different to the Slow Waltz. There is almost the infamous Flekerl step (one of, if not the hardest steps in Ballroom dancing) whereby I must host specific dance classes in order to master this very tricky style.

For wedding dances, couples will always ask me if they can learn the Viennese Walt for their wedding dance. In fact, I probably get more requests for this dance style for wedding dance lessons than any other!

I can teach you a classic Viennese Waltz with many dance lessons, but the best option if you want to dance a Viennese Waltz for your wedding dance is a more American Smooth style Viennese Waltz where we can come out of hold and dance solo spins under the arm and create beautiful, almost balletic lines during the dance. This is much more attainable (especially when wedding dresses come into the equation!) and easier to learn in your wedding dance lessons. It also looks more impressive than a classic Viennese Waltz (which is harder and take up more room!)

Viennese Waltz is one of my specialist subjects, and I am known to teach it to a very high standard.

If you would like wedding dance lessons using the Viennese Waltz, or you just want to learn the Viennese Waltz in general, please contact me now and reserve a place; either in one of my group dance classes, or a one-to-one dance class across Brighton, Hove, Lewes, East Grinstead and wider East and West Sussex.

The Cha Cha Cha

A dance of Cuban origin, the Cha Cha Cha is very popular in my dance classes: one-to-one dances and my group dance classes.

This is because Cha Cha Cha is in 4/4 timing, and most modern music is in 4/4 timing, meaning that once you learn the Cha Cha Cha, you can pretty much dance to most songs on the dance floor.

The Cha cha cha is an onomatopoeic dance, meaning that the name of the dance sounds like the dance itself. The ‘Cha cha cha’ mimics the 3 steps (usually a side-close-side action), or chasse, as it is known which make up most Cha Cha Cha steps.

For wedding dance lessons, the Cha Cha Cha (like most Latin dances) is not as popular for wedding dance lesson as the Ballroom styles. However, I will often use some of the Cha Cha Cha steps when choreographing a routine for my wedding dance lessons because they can be great fun, and as already mentioned, Cha Cha Cha can be used for most modern songs, making it very versatile.

Cha Cha Cha shares many of its basic steps with the Rumba; the only difference being the ‘Cha Cha Cha’ or chasse action which we add. This makes teaching the Rumba and the Cha Cha Cha very easy in my dance classes, because they are so similar.

Unlike the Ballroom styles, Cha Cha Cha doesn’t move around the dance floor in an anti-clockwise direction. Instead, couples stay roughly in the same spot on the dance floor. Like all Latin dances, we also aren’t in body contact, and we come out of hold a lot in the Latin dances to create shapes.

Cha Cha Cha, like the Rumba, Samba and the Jive, also uses a lot of hip action and body rhythm. Completely different to the Ballroom style.

My Latin dance classes and one-to-one Latin dance lessons focus a lot on the unique way in which you move your body in the Cha Cha Cha and other Latin dances. The Cha Cha Cha is also very fast, so fitness is a key aspect to work on in my dance classes.

If you would like wedding dance lessons using the Cha Cha Cha, or you just want to learn the Cha Cha Cha in general, please contact me now and reserve a place; either in one of my group dance classes, or a one-to-one dance class across Brighton, Hove, Lewes, East Grinstead and wider East and West Sussex.

The Rumba

Also of Latin American origin, Rumba is my favourite Latin dance. Not only to teach in my dance lessons, but also to dance myself.

This is because, although the Rumba is thought to be slow, it is in fact fast and slow. It is like the Foxtrot and Waltz in the Ballroom style, in that it requires immense body control, core strength and power to control the elegant body action used in the Rumba.

Like the Cha Cha Cha, the Rumba doesn’t travel around the dance floor like the Ballroom style, and you do not stay in body contact. You use the arms a lot in an expressive way in the Rumba. It also has a lovely straight leg action to create the unique action in the Rumba. We spend a lot of time in my dance lessons working on the hip, leg, back, ribcage and foot action in this very tricky dance!

The Rumba consists of long side steps, rocking actions and elegant turns e.g., the tricky Spiral Turn, the Alemana turn, Spot and Switch turns and solo spins at a higher level.

In my dance classes, I often start with the Rumba because the technique is similar to the Cha Cha Cha, Jive and Samba (especially the need to isolate different parts of the body). And because the Rumba is slow, I can teach my students the finer points of technique at a slower pace, so that when we move onto the Cha Cha Cha, Jive and Samba in my dance classes, my students have already grounded the technique first.

Rumba is very popular in my dance classes, especially for couples because you really must learn to move as once unit.

For wedding dance lessons, The Rumba is ideal because you don’t need much space (and some wedding venues have very small dance floors), the steps are very elegant, and the dance is intimate.

I use many of the Rumba steps in my dance lessons when I am choreographing other styles because they can be easily adapted for other songs.

If you would like wedding dance lessons using the Rumba, or you just want to learn the Rumba in general, please contact me now and reserve a place; either in one of my group dance classes, or a one-to-one dance class across Brighton, Hove, Lewes, East Grinstead and wider East and West Sussex.

The Jive, Lindy Hop and Rock and Roll

The Ballroom Jive is a mix of many different styles of similar high energy, including the Lindy Hop, Swing, Charleston, Jitterbug and Rock n Roll. All of which I teach, but in separate dance classes.

The dance mainly consists of very fast chasse (side close side) actions and rock steps. As well as the iconic flicking and kicking sections for the advanced dancers. We start very slow, and gradually speed up in my dance classes.

In my group dance lessons, I usually start with Lindy Hop or Rock n Roll, because they are much easier, although similar. Once my dance class can keep up the pace of these dances, we can then move onto the much harder Ballroom Jive with the more compact chasse actions and trickier technique.

Jive is also very popular in my dance classes because of the music you can use. You can dance the Jive to most modern songs, which makes the Jive an incredibly versatile dance style. As a dance teacher, it keeps me very fit when I deliver Jive dance classes, and it is great that my dancers can use what they learn in the dance classes on actual dance floors (or their living rooms) as well!

For wedding dance lessons, if a couple want to dance to a Jive style song, I usually choreograph a dance with elements of all the swing-type-dances e.g., some lifts from Rock and Roll alongside the chasse action from the Jive, but danced in the swing style because it is much easier to learn. A lot of my couples will also choose their wedding dress specifically so that they can learn to dance Jive for their first dance.

If you would like wedding dance lessons using the Jive, or you just want to learn the Jive in general, please contact me now and reserve a place; either in one of my group dance classes, or a one-to-one dance class across Brighton, Hove, Lewes, East Grinstead and wider East and West Sussex.

The Paso Doble

Starting out as a Spanish military march (Paso Doble means two-step), the Paso Doble is best known as the ‘bullfighting dance’ to most people.

Unlike the Jive, Cha Cha Cha, Samba and Rumba, the Paso Doble isn’t a dance where the couple dance any steps they like in any order. The Paso Doble is more like a show dance which has to be choreographed before performance.

This is because the traditional Paso Doble song ‘Espana Cani’ has what are called musical highlights at specific parts of the song, and on these highlights, the dancers are supposed to dance a dramatic pause or pose to mark the highlight in the song. The idea being that on the final highlight at the end of the song, good Paso Doble dancers will finish exactly when the music finishes (usually depicting the slaying of the bull in the imaginary bullfight)

In my dance classes, I teach the Paso Doble as a ‘show dance’, with my students learning a beginners Paso Doble up to the second highlight of the song. The leaders learn how to depict the matador and the followers learn how to move as if they are the matadors cape (The Paso Doble is supposed to look like a bullfight is taking place)

Then, as my students progress into the intermediates and advanced dance classes, we learn harder steps, but still sticking to the traditional phrasing of the Paso Doble song.

My students love learning the Paso Doble because it is completely different to the others (it is not a social dance) and they love the acting part of learning the dance and becoming a specific character in the dance (Matador, cape, bull, and the Spanish lady)

I have not had anyone ask for a Paso Doble in their wedding dance lessons yet!

The Samba

Samba is arguably the hardest dance class I teach, and for several reasons: It is incredibly high energy, there is a mix of different rhythms to learn to dance to, and the technique (particularly the iconic bounce action) is very difficult to master.

Originating in Brazil as the carnival dance, the Samba, like the Ballroom dances, travels around the dance floor; using long steps with bounce action through the knees and a lot of body rhythm. The music is very heavy on the percussion and you can dance several types of rhythm to the Samba. Making it extremely versatile as a dance style, but also very difficult.

In my dance classes, the Samba and the Foxtrot are the ones my students dread the most (because they are so hard to learn), but once they have been attending the more advanced dance classes for a few weeks, the Samba rhythm and action starts to become second nature, and the Samba becomes on of the most popular dance classes I teach.

If you would like wedding dance lessons using the Samba, or you just want to learn the Samba in general, please contact me now and reserve a place; either in one of my group dance classes, or a one-to-one dance class across Brighton, Hove, Lewes, East Grinstead and wider East and West Sussex.

The Salsa

The Salsa is a very forgiving dance to learn. This is because it is known as a ‘club dance’, meaning you can teach a room packed with people how to dance Salsa relatively easily and with little space compared to the Ballroom styles. In fact, I have actually taught Salsa dance classes in pubs and clubs whereby you have to dance around tables, chairs and all kinds of obstacles!

Originating in Cuba and from similar Latin dance styles such as the Mambo and the Rumba, The Salsa is a very compact dance, with bent knees and flamboyant arm actions between the couple.

Each Latin American country has their own style, but the most popular styles are the LA Salsa and the Cuban salsa. These are the main styles I teach in my own dance classes which are incredibly enjoyable because Salsa is so accessible to most people.

For wedding dance lessons, I have choreographed a lot of my first dances using steps from the Salsa. This is because they are very simple (and therefore quick) to learn, and the way in which you move your arms in the Salsa is very elegant and fluid, which is great for photos.

Salsa dance classes are a great introduction to dancing in general, and a lot of my best beginners for Ballroom and Latin dancing have started with something slightly easier like Salsa to work on their coordination, moving together as a couple and rhythm (as well as many other multi-tasking skills dancers need to develop in their classes!)

If you would like wedding dance lessons using the Salsa, or you just want to learn the Salsa in general, please contact me now and reserve a place; either in one of my group dance classes, or a one-to-one dance class across Brighton, Hove, Lewes, East Grinstead and wider East and West Sussex.