Social Dance Instruction

This text gives readers simple, step-by-step instructions for learning five popular social dance styles: Swing, Polka, Cha-Cha, Waltz, Fox-Trot. It teaches simple skills, then builds on those skills to develop creative dance routines. As readers progress, they will learn how to execute basic steps, communicate both verbally and nonverbally with their partner, lead and follow, move from one dance position to another, combine dance variations into sequences, adapt their sequences to avoid colliding with other couples, and create their own dance sequences. The book includes a soundsheet, bound right into the book. Played on a turntable, the soundsheet provides 18 minutes of music that complements the lessons and drills in the book. The music includes examples of different time signatures, dance styles, and tempos. It helps readers learn how to match footwork to the music they hear. Five cassette tapes are also available - one for each dance style - that provide more music to practise with. Each has 30 minutes of instrumental music composed specifically for social dancing. These cassettes provide music ideally suited for practice, with the proper time signature and speed for each of the five social dance steps. Each of the 12 steps in the guide gives an easy transition from the one before. The first few steps provide a solid foundation of basic skills and concepts to help readers understand alignment, musical structure, and how to match their footwork to the music. Readers learn how to adjust to a partner, how to make transitions, and how to combine dance steps. As readers climb the 12 steps to social dance success, they'll benefit from ear-foot co-ordination drills, illustrations depicting correct body positioning for all the basic dance steps, drills sequenced to help them quickly master the proper footwork, timing, and dance styling, and strategies for learning not only the packaged basic steps, but also for creating their own steps and sequences.