Strictly dance
Thursday 1 October 2009
Strictly Come Dancing is back on our screens. Here’s the lowdown on some of those dances they have to pull off!
Previously on Strictly
It used to be mainly for the olds but with Strictly Come Dancing now a fixture on the telly, ballroom dancing has become almost cool. Why? Well, it’s fun, excellent for fitness and also ultra-glam.
Strictly is now in its seventh series and has to compete for viewers against The X Factor, which is on at the same time. Despite that, the show is almost equal in the TV ratings game. Big!
Past contestants include Rachel Stevens, Emma Bunton and Alesha Dixon who went on to win and is now a judge.
In case you’re not a Strictly fan – the dances are all ballroom and are performed in pairs. The pairs are made up of one contestant and one professional dancer.
Dancesport
The Rumba, Mambo, Cha Cha, Waltz, Foxtrot and Salsa are some of the most popular types of ballroom dancing.
All the Strictly stars talk about getting very fit throughout their time on the show. It’s not surprising given the amount of practice time they get in the studio. Also, all those pivots, turns, bounces, kicks, sways, quick steps, bends and rolling-hip motions tend to get your whole body pumping and can burn a lot of calories.
A recent study into the athleticism of “dancesport”, the official term for competitive ballroom and Latin dancing, shows that dancing can get you just as fit as playing basketball and cross country running.
What is ballroom dancing?
There are two main styles of ballroom dancing - the international style and the American style.
Waltz
This is the slow dance with the big dresses and tuxedos! Couples dance together arm in arm and the lower tempo allows lots of dips and steps.
Tango
Originally from Argentina and Uruguay in South America, there are now loads of different styles of the tango. This is also performed arm in arm and involves lots of sharp leg movements and slow sexy dips. The costume and style is sassy, chic and sleek.
Rumba
The rumba is also known as the Latin Waltz and is danced on the spot, rather than all over the dance floor, with hip and other body movements in a slow, quick, quick beat.
Foxtrot
This involves moving the back leg in a smooth action, although, like all the dances, there are many versions of the Foxtrot. The man and woman tend to be looking away from each other! The original Foxtrot was faster though not as smooth and stylish.
Cha-cha-cha
This originated in Cuba and is danced in between two rock beat movements. This is a popular and easy dance!
Jive
The Jive originated from African-Americans in the early 1940s and is like a very lively Jitterbug, which is a form of Swing dance. It’s fast, fun and very energetic! Check out Alesha dancing the Jive.
Want to give it a go?
Did you know that you can now take a GCSE in ballroom dancing? If you don’t fancy studying and just want to try it for fun, there’s bound to be a studio near you. If you live in the capital Pineapple is probably the best known and funkiest studio you can visit.
