Learn About The Dance Styles We Offer

Here at Sunset Dance Studios we offer a variety of different styles through our various instructors. Not sure what type of class you might like or want to learn more about a specific style? Scroll down to see examples, read about and watch videos on the various styles you’ll see instructors offering classes in.

Origin: Dominican Republic
Bachata

Bachata is a style of dance that originated in the Dominican Republic. It is danced widely all over the world but not identically.

Bachata is a beautiful dance that is all about the hips! Contrasting to salsa, the music and energy of the dance is slower however the leading and following signals are mostly the same many of the turns and routine patterns are taken straight from salsa.

Origin: Angola, Africa
Kizomba

Kizomba is one of the most popular genres of dance and music originating from Angola.  It is a derivative of semba, with a mix of Kilapanda and Angolan Merengue,  and sung generally in Portuguese. It is music with a romantic flow

People often say, “Kizomba is like African tango.” Indeed, kizomba has a very close connection through the torso and couples wrap their arms quite far around each other. Also, as in tango, the upper body is in some ways dissociated from the movement of the legs.

Origin: Brazil
Zouk

Brazilian Zouk is a partner dance which began in Brazil during the early 1990s. Brazilian Zouk evolved from the partner dance known as the Lambada. Over time, Zouk dancers have experimented and incorporated other styles of music into Zouk, such as R’n’B, pop, hip hop and contemporary.

Brazilian Zouk is a dance with well-defined basic steps and rhythmic patterns. The most characteristic feature of Brazilian Zouk is the follower’s upper body movements, which are led out of axis by intricate leading and following techniques. Other features include body isolations, tilted turns and more recently counter-balance techniques.

Origin: Argentina
Argentine Tango

Argentine Tango is one of the most famous and influential dances in the world. The Argentine Tango is more than a mere dance style. Referred to as “a secret danced between two people”. As there is no pre-ordained sequence to their dance, and no verbal signals, the leader and follower have to be totally in tune with each other and the music to dance in harmony. Originating in Buenos Aires in the 18th century, tango brought together working class European immigrants, indigenous Argentinians and former slaves.

Origin: Cuba
Salsa

The origins of salsa date back to the 1900s in Eastern Cuba, where musical elements and rhythms from various styles were combined. Cuban son and Afro-Cuban rumba, the two main styles, used diverse musical instruments to create the basis of a rhythm that would later become known as salsa.  Salsa dancing is noted for it’s emphasized sensuousness, theatricality, acrobatics, dips, tricks, and spins

On1 vs On2
Salsa – Learn More
What’s the difference?

On1 salsa timing is commonly known as L.A. style, which, in the past, has often focused on sharp hits in the music and flashy moves.
 
On2 salsa timing is commonly known as New York style. While the old school Paladium-era dancers danced On2 to beats 2-3-4, 6-7-8, the most common way of dancing On2 these days is called “Modern Mambo,” danced to beats 4&-2-3, 8&-6-7 (Tumbao). Modern Mambo was popularized by Eddie Torres and is known for its more sauve feel and complex turn patterns. Many schools teach On2  with beats 1-2-3, 5-6-7, this usually helps students learn faster in the beginning, until they start feeling the Tumbao & Clave