Dances We Teach

Whether you are preparing for a special event, looking for a new hobby, or want to impress your friends, the Arthur Murray Dance Centers in Princeton, NJ are here with expert instructors to get you out on the dance floor. Our instruction is customized to meet you at your dance level and help you reach your goals. Let’s see what dance styles await.

Dance Styles

Dance is a form of expression through movement and here at the Arthur Murray Dance Centers you are sure to find the styles that perfectly fit each and every sentiment. We will take you beyond the fundamentals and help you master the Smooth, Rhythm, Swing, Country or Specialty dances.

Smooth/Standard Dances

These are considered the ‘classic ballroom dances’ and are characterized by sweeping, graceful movements, complimented by strong stance of elegance and poise. This style of dance includes the Tango, Foxtrot, Waltz, Viennese Waltz, and Quickstep. Although these are considered the classic dances, they are by no means out-of-date and continue to be favorites on the dance floor.

Rhythm/Latin Dances

The Rhythm or Latin dance style remains truly popular due to the resurgence of partnership dancing in nightclubs. Characterized by compact, rhythmical movements, these dances can be enjoyed no matter how much, or how little space you might find on the dance floor. The speed and flavor of the music dictates the dance in this category which includes the Rumba, Samba, Bolero, Merengue, Mambo and Cha Cha, as well as the contemporary favorites – Bachata and Salsa. The Latin dances are an excellent choice for dancers looking to stand out in their local nightclubs, or at festivals or parties.

Swing Dances

Over the years and across the country, there have been over one hundred ‘dialects’ of Swing. Jitterbug and Lindy Hop, West Coast and Hustle, just to name a few; these fun, energetic dance styles have developed over the decades alongside American music. No matter if you love Big Band or Jazz, Rock or Disco, the Swing style of dancing allows the dancer to incorporate the rhythms of the music with the freedom of personal expression.

Country Western Dance Styles

Country dancing is alive and well! Country Western nightclubs have traditionally been known for their spacious dance floors since everyone who goes, goes to dance! This dance style includes Two-Step, Three-Step, Country Western Waltz, Texas Two-Step, Shuffle and Triple (also known as the Polka). These dances share a lot in common with their Ballroom and Swing counterparts, which allows a good dancer to learn multiple styles at the same time.

Specialty Dances

The styles of the Specialty dances are a varied as the dances in this category, including Nightclub Two-Step, Argentine Tango, Milonga, Tango Vals, Zouk, and Samba de Gafieira. These dances draw from the other styles as well as from a variety of cultures and time periods to bring new flavors to the world of dance. The professionals here at the Arthur Murray Dance Centers are always broadening their dance knowledge as new dances become popular or old ones regain popularity.

Ballroom Dancing Classes

Ballroom dancing classes have seen an upsurge with the broadcast of shows such as “Dancing With the Stars.” These partner dances were forgotten about by many, but their newfound popularity has people clamoring for lessons. Arthur Murray Dance Studio has operated for Over 100 years with the mission of teaching the world to dance. Our dance studio instructors are carefully selected to help you achieve your goals in a fun, friendly environment. Call us today if you are ready to get started!

Types of Ballroom Dance Classes

Many people think of couples dancing as ballroom dancing. While the lines have been blurred a bit in modern times, typical ballroom dancing is more selective in the actual dances it incorporates. Most often, the term ballroom dancing refers to the 10 dances incorporated within the Standard Ballroom set. This includes the Slow Waltz and Viennese waltz, as well as the Tango, Foxtrot, Quickstep, Samba, Cha-Cha, Rumba, Paso doble, and Jive.

Many American dance studios also incorporate the East Coast Swing, Bolero, and Mambo. Each type of dance is set apart by the amount of bars per minute and the signature dance movements of the style. For instance, the Tango is danced 31–33 bars per minute in 4/4 time, while the Samba is 50–52 bars per minute in 2/4 time.

At Arthur Murray Dance Studio, we specialize in teaching the East Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, West Coast Swing, and Foxtrot, as well as three types of waltzes. The waltzes featured in our ballroom dancing classes are the Slow Waltz, Viennese Waltz, and Country Western Waltz. These dances are great basics to perform at your wedding and can also serve as a base for more competitive dancers, or those who want to take their ballroom dance classes to the next level.

Convenient Locations

With our studio in Princeton, Arthur Murray Dance Studio is able to meet to your schedule. Visit our listing of events to learn more about our ballroom dancing, rythm dances, or any of our other classes!

Call today or get started immediately with our introductory special. We can’t wait to introduce you to our wonderful program and incredible staff!

Rumba

This dance of love originated at the very beginning of the Cuban and Latin American dance crazes. The romantic music and movement was inspired by a fusion of African rhythms and Spanish melodies making the Rumba the base for all Latin dances including Mambo, Cha-Cha and hip action and, of course, spins and dips. It replaces the 8th grade sway of yesteryear in a whole new way! Because of the slow, sultry beat it’s easy to learn a variety of body movements, spins and turns at a comfortable pace. When you’re ready, you can interrelate those same patterns in the faster Latin dances with ease and confidence.

Feel stiff or awkward on the dance floor? Not only is the Rumba easy to learn, it gets your body active and builds your dance confidence.

Rumba Songs And Artists Include:

Cha Cha

The Cha-Cha adds fun to your dancing through its syncopated steps and many open movements. The pulsating Latin rhythms make this dance so fascinating. The energetic rhythm of the Cha-Cha encourages you to cut loose and let your personality show.

Cha-Cha Songs And Artist Include:

Swing/East Coast Swing

Swing is known as the most uniquely American of all the dances. Characterized by swing-outs, kicks, jumps, and spins, this buoyant Big Band dance is certainly contagious. Since the birth of “Swing” music in the mid 1930′s, the Swing dance craze, which is also known as Lindy, Jitterbug and East Coast has been an American icon. Not only is this dance a staple at weddings, but you can find it anywhere from smoky blues clubs, to the fast paced Big Band sounds of Glen Miller and Benny Goodman. You can’t go wrong big splash on the big screen and in night clubs everywhere – the last on, often featuring the sounds of the Brain Setzer Orchestra, popularized the 40′s style Lindy. Movies like Swing Kids and A League of Their Own put Swing dancing on the top of the “need to know” list!

Learning to dance the Swing is fun and easy! Get ready for your upcoming wedding, reunion or cruise by learning to dance today. You’ll be spinning across the floor in no time at all!

Swing Songs And Artists Include:

Merengue

This dance is sure to get you feeling the motion right away on the dance floor. It develops Cuban Motion and is the simplest Latin dance to learn. The beats get your hips moving in no time to any Latin rhythm.

Its uncomplicated timing makes it easy to feel the music and adapt to any partner. It is the only Latin dance that combines one-step timing with Cuban Motion and therefore is a help to all Latin dances. The march type beat sharpens timing & coordination and the proper use of the accent will develop a clearer interpretation of musical rhythm.

Merengue Songs And Artists Include:

Jive

This is an international competitive Swing dance with elements of the Lindy Hop and Jitterbug. Characterized by up-tempo single-time music danced with triple steps done primarily on the toes with very lively movement.

Hustle

The Hustle

It gives us the fusion of Swing and Disco. You will encounter the hustle at weddings and nightclubs.

Hustle originated in the 1970′s Disco Era and was popularized by John Travolta in the movie “Saturday Night Fever.” Both the music and the dance swept the country like wildfire, and although the white suits and gold chains have faded away, the dance has stayed. It is one of the easiest dances to learn. There are lots of turns and spins which make the hustle exciting and full of energy.

Hustle Songs And Artists Include:

Lindy Hop

Popular musical groups of today have revived interest in the musical styles from the original Lindy Hop Era and have fired the imagination and enthusiasm of a whole new generation of Lindy Hop dancers. However, the acrobatic style used for exhibitions is not the same as the quietly rhythmic Lindy enjoyed by most dancers on the ballroom floor.

West Coast Swing

This dance is a flirtatious dance that combines the mood of the blues with the spontaneity of swing.

This stylized Swing dance popular west of the Mississippi from Kansas to California. Danced to slow or medium tempo Swing or Disco music and characterized by slot movements, taps and shuffles, coaster steps, and push and pull action of the dancers.

In the 1940’s with the wild abandonment of the Jitterbug being banned from dance halls due to too many injuries, Arthur Murray developed and documented several swing steps that he later called “Sophisticated Swing”.

West Coast Swing Songs and Artists Include:

Samba

Sometimes called the South American Waltz, the Samba dance pulsates to a unique Latin rhythm.

The Samba is the national dance of Brazil.

Samba improves the flexibility of the body and helps achieve easy movement and lightness. The Samba rolling action teaches the body to be supple. To move lightly, quickly, and smoothly without effort takes study but only at the start. Although considered a good exercise, Samba should be danced smoothly and in a relaxed manner giving the appearance of effortless movement. Today’s Samba music is influenced by Jazz and Latin rhythms.

Samba Songs And Artists Include:

Mambo

The wild exciting music and rhythmical body movements make the earthy Mambo irresistible.

The overall flavor of the dance is contained in the translation of the word Mambo which means “shake it” or “say it”.

The mambo allows you to develop your own feeling and expressions and is a very popular dance at many night clubs. Because Mambo is such a fun dance, good Mambo dancers are always popular and in demand as partners.

Born from a fusion of Cuban and American dancing, the music is characterized by a stirring Afro-Cuban beat.

Mambo Songs And Artists Include:

Salsa

This fun, fast-paced Latin dance has been sweeping the nation for several years now! Travel to any city, in almost any country and you’ll see that a good Salsa club is never hard to find, and a good Salsa dancer is always in demand. Composed of quick foot switches and multiple spins and turns, this dance is a must have in your repertoire.

There are indications the term “Salsa” (the Spanish word for “sauce” denoting a “spicy” and “hot” flavor) was coined by radio disc jockeys in Puerto Rico as early as the 1960′s. Later it became associated with a New York sound developed by Puerto Rican musicians. Many of it’s patterns are closely related to Mambo and Cha-Cha. Salsa is considered the national music and dance of Puerto Rico. The fusion of an Afro-Cuban beat with enhanced jazz textures results in an aggressive high energy pulse which has become popular everywhere.

Learning to dance the Salsa is fun. Our dance professionals can have you spinning across the floor in no time at all!

Salsa Artists Include:

Jitterbug

It started as a nickname rather than a single dance. During the swing era of the 1930s and ’40s, people called almost any high-energy swing dancing “jitterbugging,” and Cab Calloway’s 1934 song “Call of the Jitter Bug” helped spread the word. The Lindy Hop was the dance most often given the name.

Hollywood carried the Jitterbug from dance halls to movie screens across the country, which is why the word still sounds familiar today. Its quick turns, kicks, and playful bounce live on in East Coast Swing and Lindy Hop, and that’s how you’ll learn them at our Princeton studio. You won’t need a separate Jitterbug course to dance it.

Bolero

This is a smooth, sophisticated, sentimental love dance. The slower music to which bolero is performed enchances a feeling of romance. It is the slowest of the Latin dances. It combines controlled movement with dramatic expression of the music.

Originally a Spanish dance in ¾ time, it was changed in Cuba into 2/4 time and then eventually into 4/4 time. It is now present as a very slow type of Rumba rhythm. This dance is often said to have the rise and fall of Waltz, the contra-body motion of Tango, and the rhythm of Rumba. It is a favorite of dancers, as it incorporates many techniques similar to other dances to create a slow, sensual, romantic dance.

Bolero Songs And Artists Include:

Foxtrot

In 1913, Harry Fox, a vaudeville comedian, introduced a trot to a ragtime song that pushed other trots into the background. It became America’s most popular “get acquainted” dance and remains one of the standards of social dancing to this day. The Foxtrot can be danced to a variety of tempos from slow and bluesy to the faster paced sounds of Frank Sinatra and the Brian Setzer Orchestra. A staple at weddings, big band events, and gala balls, the Foxtrot teaches smooth movement, rhythmical timing, and maneuverability.

Get ready for your upcoming wedding, reunion or cruise by learning to dance the Foxtrot today. You’ll be gliding across the floor in no time at all!

Fox Trot Songs And Artists Include:

Waltz

Known as the dirty dance of its time, its elegance and grace is a timeless classic. Perfect for your first dance as husband and wife or for that elegant black-tie affair you can’t go wrong learning this flowing movement. Characterized by sweeping turns and gliding movements, when you really learn how to Waltz you’ll feel as though you’re floating across any dance floor.

Do you want to sweep her off her feet? The Waltz is not only beautiful; it teaches amazing balance, control, posture, and grace. Getting married? Have the first dance you envision by learning to dance today.

Waltz Songs And Artists Include:

Tango

The Tango was stylized by the Gauchos of Argentina where they danced it circling the bar tables after a hard day’s work. It became the rage in 1921 after Rudolph Valentino brought its romance and allure to the silent screen in “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse”. Its passion and excitement has most recently been captured in movies such as True Lies, Scent of a Woman and Shall We Dance? The Tango is known as one of the most powerful and dramatic dances, characterized by staccato movements, dips and gancho flicks. It’s commonly referred to as the “dancer’s dance” where the men get to be men and the women love it! Creating amazing leading and following skills, it’s truly a favorite for all that learn it.

Tango Songs And Artists Include:

Viennese Waltz

Even though the this dance has been around for more than three centuries, the elegant spins and turns never seem to get old. Today, it’s actually one of the oldest forms of ballroom dance still practiced. It traces back to 1700s Europe, but it wasn’t until the 1800s when the world really fell in love with the Viennese waltz. That’s when Austrian composer Johann Strauss, known as the “Waltz King,” created beautiful dance music, like The Blue Danube, and other composers followed suit.

In the Viennese waltz, dancers pair up and move in a circular motion across the dance floor. In a hold, they do a series of spins and twirls, making the movements look graceful. It has a fast ¾ time and a 1-2-3 rhythm. While there is some rise and fall, like the waltz, it’s danced with less vertical movement. Because the Viennese waltz is faster, it takes practice to make it look as natural as possible.

Progressive Two-Step

Two-Step

Ready to start Two-Stepping? Arthur Murray offers Progressive Two-Step sessions six days a week with any of our professional instructors. Private lessons can be scheduled at your convenience Monday through Friday from 1-10pm and Saturday’s by appointment from 11am to 4pm.

Progressive Two-Step Songs And Artists Include:

Country Western Waltz

This type of Waltz is mainly a progressive dance, moving counter clock wise around the dance floor. Both the posture and frame are more relaxed, and not exaggerated like the arm gestures of some ballroom styles. Couples may frequently dance in the promenade position, depending on local preferences.

Country Swing

This dance is also referred to as 4 count Swing or Pony swing and is characterized by its use of continuous rock steps. This is an easy dance to learn and is often fun for those looking to get out on the dance floor immediately.

Texas Two-Step

In the old Western days when women were not allowed to dance with men, men danced together and that is the reason for the hand on the shoulder holding a can of beer and the other hand to the side. Two-step is a Western dance whose popularity has spread all over the United States.

Two-step can be danced to contemporary country music and is a very popular dance at many country western clubs and social events.

Two-Step Songs And Artists Include:

Country Shuffle
Country Triple

Specialty Dances We Teach

The following are miscellaneous dances that are taught at Arthur Murray. If you are interested in learning a specific dance and are not sure whether we teach it or not, please feel free to contact us.

Argentine Tango
Nightclub 2-Step
Polka
Slow Dance

Schedule an Appointment

Call us now to schedule an appointment with one of our expert instructors contact us now.