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DANCE NE SCOTLAND |
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Ballroom, Latin American, Modern and Classical (Old Time ) Sequence Regular Group Classes and Private Tuition |
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CLASSICAL SEQUENCE (OLD TIME) |
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Old Time Sequence
Sequence Dancing is a style whereby dances are performed “in sequence”, in other words the steps are arranged in such a way that everybody is dancing the same steps at the same time, usually to either 16 or 32 bars of music.
Ideally those taking up Sequence Dancing will have obtained a grounding in the basic figures, alignments etc. of Ballroom Dancing before undertaking Sequence in order to add to their own enjoyment of the dance and preventing them from detracting from the enjoyment of others.
Old Time Dancing reflects those dances being performed in Ballrooms across the land as long ago as the 17th Century. New dances continued to be added to the repertoire during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries until the number of “new” dances being introduced got out of hand with hundreds of new dances appearing every year. At this point in 1950, the Dance Associations and Societies got together to discuss the way dance was developing.
This culminated in the introduction of a limit to the number of recognised new dances being introduced by having only one dance of each category awarded the accolade by each Dance Organisation or Society each year.
The three categories introduced were:
Latin Sequence This reflects the Latin American rhythms primarily developed for the ballroom from dances being performed in various parts of Latin America, Cuba, Africa etc.
The dances incorporated into this category include Cha Cha Cha, Samba, Rumba, Jive, Paso Doble, Mambo, Bossa Nova, Merengue, Salsa etc. Although these are strictly a separate category from the Modern Sequence below, in most places Modern and Latin Sequence are taught together.
Modern Sequence This category is represented by the dances that were developed mainly during the 20th Century and forming part of the Modern Ballroom Scene.
The dances in this category are Modern Waltz, Foxtrot, Quickstep and Tango. As mentioned above, generally the Modern and Latin Sequence Sections are taught together.
Old Time (Later renamed “Classical Sequence”) This form of dance reflects the types of dance being performed in Ballrooms across the land from those danced as long ago as the 17th Century.
The dances performed in this category include Polkas, Mazurkas, Gavottes, Minuets, Old Time Waltz, Twosteps, One steps etc. These were later added to by the inclusion of Tangos, Saunters, Blues, Swings and other related dances.
This form of Dance is very popular in the Social Dance scene across Scotland. It is often mixed together with Modern and Latin Sequence and Scottish Country style “Set” dances and referred to collectively as “Old Time”.
Each of the categories has its own style and charm and many participants enjoy all three.
Regular competitions are held annually by each Society with entries being made by a number of professional dance teachers and coaches across the UK. One dance is voted as the winner in each category and it is only these dances that are officially recognised as new dances.
Many other dances are devised, some for entry into the various competitions and others by enthusiastic amateurs who may develop popular “local” dances in their own areas. Some of these may be equally as attractive to the dancer as those that win the competitions, but only those that win are officially recognised by the various dancing organisations.
To find out more about the styles of dance and where you may learn these, click on the menu links. |
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www.dancenescotland.co.uk e-mail: Drobinsonrb@aol.com |