SYDNEY DANCE RHYTHMS ('SDR') offers Latin Dance Classes in Summer Hill.

Please refer to Timetable to see the term dates. 

Please refer to Prices to find out the fees. Make sure you click on the correct Prices for Dance Classes for Adults or Dance Classes for Children.  

The focus will be on Latin Dances from both Street (salsa, merengue, bachata) and Ballroom Latin (Rumba, Cha Cha Cha, Samba, Jive).

Salsa is a blended street dance that originates from Cuba and spread to many other parts of South America forming different styles. Salsa is danced in many countries and evolved from the more traditional South American folkloric styles unique to regions and fused movements from Afro-Cuban influenced music and movements borrowed from the root dance styles such as Merengue and Cumbia. All different regions add their own flavours of the dance and their own unique flare. There are many styles of Salsa, such as the LA Style, NY Style, Cuban and Casino Rueda. Salsa music is rich in percussion and suave beats that make dancing to this style lively, exciting and fun.

Salsa has become one of the most popular dances throughout Europe and South America, and in the last few years has known a great increase in popularity in Australia as well.

There are many night clubs where the salsa beats can be heard and danced to. It is a way of meeting and socializing with other people from different cultures, a way of expressing yourself, and escaping the daily routine.

It is danced on music with two bars of four beats. Typically the music involves complicated percussion rhythms, ranging from slow at about 120 beats per minute to its fastest at around 180 beats per minute.

Salsa is a slot or spot dance. Unlike, for example, Waltz or Samba, in Salsa a couple does not need to travel over the floor rather, they occupy a fixed area.

Cha Cha Cha is one of the newest Latin American dances in international competition.

But it is still seen as a "party dance", being played in most of the Latin Music Clubs. It has got a cheeky nature and playful rhythm that can be easily picked up by anyone. The Cha Cha rhythms can be easily identified in some popular songs such as: "Get this party started" –Pink, "Unchain my heart" Joe Cocker, "Represent Cuba" – Orisha, "Can't Stop the Feeling" - Justin Timberlake

What differentiates the cha cha from other music written with four beats to the bar is that there is a little rhythmic triplet joining each bar to the next.

The cha cha does not move around the room, so small steps should be taken.

The"Cha Cha" is danced at about 44 beats per minute. The steps are taken on the beats, with a strong hip movement as the knee straightens on the half beats in between. The weight is kept well forward, with forward steps taken toe-flat, and with minimal torso movement. The chasse on 4&1 is used to emphasize the step on beat 1, which may be held a moment longer than the other steps to match the emphasis of the beat in the music.

Rumba tells a story of love and passion between a male lover and a teasing woman; it is one of the most popular ballroom dances and is seen around the world at nightclubs, parties, weddings and dance competitions.
The Rumba is a very slow, serious, and romantic with flirtation between the partners. This dance is fun to watch, as many of its basic figures sort to tease the other - the lady flirts with and then rejects her male partner.

A slow Rumba can be danced to the Ed Sheeran's song" Thinking Out Loud".

Samba is a travelling dance so it progresses quickly around the floor with plenty of rhythm and movement at the waist and the legs.

Jive is a formalised version of rock and roll dancing. It is essentially a variant of the swing whereby the hip swings from side to side and the weight changes resemble a type of skipping and hopping. Swing come from the 1930's to the 1940's.

Merengue
Bachata

Please click on the image below to watch our students perform some salsa moves:

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2279049262327772