Nightclub style dances are intended for, you guessed it: nightclubs. Generally their own “genres”, these dances are useful in that they are either danced socially in clubs specifically meant for them or that they are versatile enough to be danced to a variety of music.
We recommend the Nightclub styles of dancing if you want to learn a specific genre (for example, Salsa), are dancing for predominantly social reasons, or are not as interested in the technical aspects of dancing.
Salsa:
Salsa is a continuously evolving social dance of Cuban origin that has been influenced by a great many cultures to become what it currently is. Styles of Salsa are generally associated with the geographical areas that created them. Generally we teach the LA Style of Salsa, or what is more commonly known as “Salsa on 1″. Salsa is danced to music that has deep rhythms and is generally fast. It is a fun and easy dance to learn, but it can difficult at times for some dance students to hear the beat. Salsa is a fun, social and very popular dance here in Portland. PDS takes an outing to a Salsa club (usually Mambo Lounge) every month. Click here for visual example: Salsa (LA Style)
West Coast Swing:
This dance is a great social dance for many reasons. It can be danced to many types of music and tempos, and also takes up very little space on the dance floor. Derived from the Lindy Hop, it has a distinctive elastic look to it between partners, allows for considerable improvisation by both leader and follower, and is just plain fun to dance. Blues, pop, R&B and other types of music can be used for this dance. Click here for visual example: West Coast Swing
Hustle:
Hustle has come a long way from Saturday Night Fever! It never completely died, is alive and well, and has two styles: New York and LA. The New York is much more like the original style of Hustle, danced to a slower tempo and done in a more linear way, whereas the LA style is a tight slotted dance with almost constant rotation, espeically for the lady. It is a great dance to know as it’s unique, fun, and can be used in almost any situation. It is perhaps the most versatile of all the dances, and can be danced in tight spaces, making it the perfect social dance. Click here for visual example: LA Style Hustle
Nightclub Twostep:
A contemporary social dance that was developed by Buddy Schwimmer in the 1960s, Nightclub Twostep is a dance that is danced to slower pop or Top 40-type music, and is useful in social dance to slower tempos. The dance is easy to learn and has a graceful and smooth style to it. It moves around the floor more than the latin dances but less than the ballroom dances, and can be very useful in social situations. Click here for visual example: Nightclub Twostep
Country Western Twostep:
Completely different than the Nightclub Twostep, the country western version travels around the floor in a counter clockwise direction and is also known as the “Texas Twostep”. This dance has very simple feet but uses complex arm patterns and movements to characterize it. Danced to Country Western music exclusively, it is an up-tempo, fairly easy dance to learn. We teach this dance exclusively in private lessons. Click here for visual example: Country Western Twostep
Other dances:
Portland Dancesport also teaches the following dances in private lessons or privately booked group classes only: Lindy Hop, Country Western Swing, Country Western Line Dancing, Jitterbug (also known as Single-time Swing), Bachata and Merengue.
