American Style Rhythm Dances - Music & Video Samples of Each Dance

Copyright © 2013 by Goldcoast Ballroom, Inc.

Bolero - an American Rhythm DanceAmerican Style Rhythm dances, which are included in American Style ballroom competitions, loosely correspond to the Latin category of dances in International Style ballroom.

The American Style Rhythm dances include Cha-cha-cha, Rumba, East Coast Swing, Bolero, Mambo, and sometimes may also include Samba and West Coast Swing. The music sounds the same as or similar to that for the corresponding International Style Latin dances, except that the International dances in general are slightly faster.

Following are the five American Style Rhythm dances included in American Style ballroom competitions, along with samples of music for each and links to videos illustrating each dance. The regulation timing, as recognized by USA Dance, Inc. and by the National Dance Council of America (NDCA), is indicated for each dance:

American Style Rhythm Dances:

Dance
Music Sample
Video of the Dance Performed
To enlarge videos, Click the square “Full Screen” Icon at bottom right corner of video. Press “Esc” to return here after playing video.
Cha Cha
(4/4 time, 30 bars per minute)
See and Listen to Video
Right column »»»

Vinny Munno with Susie Thompson (Couple 809) – Champion, Rhythm Division – USDC, 2002. Cha Cha is the 1st dance on this video.
Rumba
(4/4 time, 30–32 bars per minute;
32–36 bars per minute for Bronze)
See and Listen to Video
Right column »»»

Vinny Munno & Susie Thompson (Couple 809) – American Rhythm & Smooth Championships at USDC 2002. Rumba starts at 6:27 on this video.
East Coast Swing
(4/4 time, 36 bars per minute;
34–36 bars per minute for Bronze)
See and Listen to Video
Right column »»»

Vinny Munno & Susie Thompson (Couple 809) – US Pro Am Open Rhythm & Smooth Championships at USDC 2002. Swing starts at 0:36 on this video.
Bolero
(4/4 time, 24 bars per minute;
24–26 bars per minute for Bronze)
See and Listen to Video
Right column »»»

Vinny Munno with Susie Thompson (Couple 809) – Champion, Rhythm Division – USDC, 2002. Bolero starts at 6:13 on this video.
Mambo
(4/4 time, 47 bars per minute;
48–51 bars per minute for Bronze)
See and Listen to Video
Right column »»»

Tony Dovolani & Elena Grinenko – Mambo – 2006 Nationals

 

 

For more information about different styles of dancing and other dances, see our Resource article on:

Know Your Dances: Dance Styles Explained – with Music & Video Samples of Each Dance.”

At Goldcoast Ballroom, we teach group classes and our instructors give private lessons in all of the American Style Rhythm Dances listed above, and in all of the International Standard Dances, American Smooth Dances, and International Latin Dances, as well as Argentine Tango, and most all of the Other Social Dances.

All of these dances and dance styles are described and explained on our Resources: Learn About Dance page.

We also play music for all of the dances at our Social Dances, Practice Sessions, and Parties.

For more information about our schedule of classes, dances and events, see our CALENDAR, our Dynamic Gallery of What’s Happening on our Home page, and our NEWS page.

For information on our World Class Instructors, see our INSTRUCTORS page.

 

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Copyright © 2013 Goldcoast Ballroom, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Note: The above music samples are shared courtesy of Grooveshark, a service that provides music free for public listening and sharing, under an arrangement that pays fair compensation to the artists and music rights holders for making their music available for sharing via Grooveshark.

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