Dance music

The dance steps

• Waltz is a partner dance, with a close hold/ embrace.
• The dancers do a step on every beat of the bar (3 steps per bar.)
• The dancers spin a lot.
• Some of the more complex movements include rise and fall, heel leads and heel turns.

Dance origins/ culture 

• The waltz originated in Vienna.
• It is traditionally danced in a ballroom.
• Composers include Johann Strauss and Josef Lanner.

Musical features

• 3/4 time.
• Major key.
• Simple harmonies.
• Legato melody line.
• Um cha cha/ Um pah pah bass line.

Instrumentation

• Classical orchestra (strings, woodwind, some brass and percussion.)
• Sometimes played on the piano.

Dance steps

• The tango is a partner dance, in close hold/ embrace.
• Sharp, quick movements.
• Kicks and flicks of the legs.
• Precise footwork.

Dance culture/ origins

• Tango originated in the slums of Argentina, where it was originally danced in clubs by men to attract women. Now it is danced in ballrooms.
• Some of the composers include Cage, Stravinsky and Satie.

Musical features

• 2/4 or 4/4 time.
• Syncopated and dotted rhythms.
• Minor key.
• Staccato and accented articulations.
• Sudden changes in dynamics.

Instrumentation

• Bandoneon(s) (accordion)
• Stringed instruments such as violins, double basses and cellos.
• Piano.

Dance steps

• Salsa is a partner dance, with a loose hold/ embrace.
• Lots of hip swinging
• Steps linked with the son clave rhythm

Dance culture/ origins

• The salsa has Cuban son, jazz and African a capella singing influences.
• Performers include Celia Cruz, Gloria Estafan, Ricky Martin and Ruben Blades.

Musical features

• Son clave rhythm.
• Syncopation.
• Spanish lyrics.
• Simple time (2/4 or 4/4)

Instrumentation

• Percussion- Timbales, guiros, claves...
• Brass- trumpets and trombones
• Piano.

Dance Steps

• Improvised solo dance movements.
• Side to side steps between bars.
• Turning the hands and raising the arms in time to the beat.
• Turns concluded by planting the foot on the floor on the beat.

Dance culture/ origins

• Performed in discos (discotheques.)
• Became popular in the 1970s in America.
• Started during WW2 in France.
• Artists include Donna Summer, the Beegies and the Jackson 5...

Musical features

• Hookline/ catchy lyrics at chorus.
• 4 to the floor (bass drum)
• Quaver OR semiquaver high hat rhythm.
• Wah wah pedal/ effect on guitar.

Instrumentation

• Drum kit.
• Electric guitars.
• Synthesisers.

• Looping- repeating the same pattern.
• Dubbing.
• Use of reverb- the sound (usually vocals) reverberates/ echoes.
• Use of synthesisers- synths can make electronic/ artificial sounds.
• Panning- changing which speaker the sound is focused from (left or right).
• Delay- this is similar to reverb.
• Filter sweeps- makes a "swooshy" sound.
• Vocoder- electronic voice (daleck voice!).

Dance steps

• Dances have a number of walls; A wall is the direction in which the dancers face at any given time. This is coreaographed to the song.
• It is danced in lines, and is a group dance.
• Movement is concentrated with the legs and torso.

Dance culture/ origins

• It originated in the USA, from folk dances.
• It is NOT a barn dance, as it isn't a partner dance.
• The most famous country and western artist is thought to be Billy Rae Cyrus

Musical features

• Simple melodies and harmonies.
• Lyrics tell a story.

Instrumentation 

• Fiddle.
• Banjo.
• Steel guitar.

Dance steps

• Danced in lines.
• A stiff upper body position is maintained throughout.
• Lots of leg and foot movements.

Dance culture/ origins

• The music is memorised and passed down through to each generation- this is known as "oral tradition."

Musical features

• Use of ornaments.
• jig= compound time (6/8, 9/8 or 12/8)
• Reel= simple time (2/4, 4/4 or 3/4- usually 4/4)

Instrumentation

• Uillean pipes.
• Bodhran drum.
• Tin whistle/ flute.
• Guitar.

Dance steps

• Often danced in circles.
• Some dances use sticks and swords.
• It is the Indian party dance, so is lively and upbeat.

Dance culture/ origins

• Originates from the Punjab region of India.
• Traditionally celebrates a good harvest of the crop "bhang."

Musical features

• The chaal rhythm underpins every bhangra piece.
• Punjabi lyrics.

Instrumentation- sometimes music tech. is used, so synthesisers are used.

• Dhol drum.
• Tabla drums.
• Dholak.