Ballroom dance styles

[Greg_Charles]

I’ve started taking a basic ballroom dance class in Saigon and they are teaching a couple of styles that I’d never heard of. One is Boston, which seems to be done to slow waltz music. Wikipedia seems to bear out that Boston is an occasionally used term for the American waltz, but I’ve never really heard of that either. The other is bebop. Of course I know bebop music, but I’ve never heard of the dance. It seems to follow 4/4 music and have the basic pattern of slow-slow-quick-quick-slow-quick-quick-slow, done in six beats. Has anyone else ever learned these styles, or even heard of them?

[iamthewalrus_3]

@Greg Charles

I’ve started taking a basic ballroom dance class in Saigon and they are teaching a couple of styles that I’d never heard of. One is Boston, which seems to be done to slow waltz music. Wikipedia seems to bear out that Boston is an occasionally used term for the American waltz, but I’ve never really heard of that either. The other is bebop. Of course I know bebop music, but I’ve never heard of the dance. It seems to follow 4/4 music and have the basic pattern of slow-slow-quick-quick-slow-quick-quick-slow, done in six beats. Has anyone else ever learned these styles, or even heard of them?

I’ve heard of American Waltz (but not called “Boston”). There is a difference between American and International Waltz. At a basic level, American is more boxy, while International is more linear.

The “bebop” pattern is the same speed as East Coast Swing (also called lots of other things). How is it danced?

[NinetyWt]

I asked my sister, and she said:

@The Dance Maven

Boston waltz is, in fact, an old name for “slow” waltz. Originally “Boston waltz” was a hesitation style, that is, a version of waltz in which you took a step on the “1” of a bar of music and held (took no steps) on counts 2 and 3.

I don’t know anything about bebop, although online dance forums suggest that it is a style of swing or Lindy Hop. Swing dancing went through a period of tremendous variation in the late 40s and early 50s; many regional styles sprang up, most of which have since died out. Bebop may be one of those.

However, I’m confused by your pattern count. “Slows” are usually steps taken over two counts, and “quicks” are steps taken over one count. Swing dance has both six and eight-count patterns. Six count patterns are usually slow, slow, quick, quick (or triple step, triple step, quick, quick); eight count patterns are usually slow, quick quick, slow, quick quick (or triple step, quick quick, triple step, quick quick). Your dance pattern sounds like a twelve count, which I’ve never heard of. Of course, there’s a first time for everything!

Hope this helps,

[iamthewalrus_3]

@NinetyWt's Sister

However, I’m confused by your pattern count. “Slows” are usually steps taken over two counts, and “quicks” are steps taken over one count. Swing dance has both six and eight-count patterns. Six count patterns are usually slow, slow, quick, quick (or triple step, triple step, quick, quick);

The six-count swing pattern starts on the rocks (slow steps) in some places. So, in that case, it would be rock step, triple, triple. Which ends up being the same as slow-slow-quick-quick-slow-quick-quick-slow.