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B a l l r o o m & L a t i n D a n c e

At Sonia's we provide beginner through advanced classes for ballroom and Latin dancing. We teach both styles of ballroom dancing, American and International.

American Style Ballroom would compliment more of your social dancing environments (weddings, office parties, holiday functions, nightclubs, etc.), due to the smooth rhythma tic motion of the hips and bending and straightening of the knees.American style features open work, under-arm turns, open extended lines, etc.

International Style Ballroom would be more of your competitive style ballroom. International is more pop and flash, due to the persons ending their steps on straight legs. International style requires a close proximity of the partners at all times, and hence can use the concept of a "common center" which allows for a three- dimensional body action in unison.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call the studio, and one of the Instructors would be more than willing to help you find the style that fits your desire.

Lessons can be taken in 'private' or in an 'group' environment. Private lessons give you the opportunity to form your dancing at your own pace. You can take private lessons by yourself, as a couple or in a group. Group lessons are scheduled at fixed times during the evening and you can walk-in or buy packages in advance for a discount.

Practice Parties are occasionally held and provide an excellent environment for you to practice what you have learnt as well as dance with different partners and learn to handle variations in personalities and dancing style.

We also hold Social Ballroom Group Dances for our members and guests to learn dancing in a night club style setting.

Click Packages for packages and rates

Click Schedule (Schaumburg) for Class Timings and Availability

Ballroom & Latin Dance Styles
Rumba	Rumba is the most popular of all the Latin Style dances in America. The "subtle, continuous, rolling motion" of the Rumba contains three main characteristics that distinguish it from other dances: the action is in the feet and the knees; there is a delay shift of weight; and the upper body is upright and quiet, with a focus on the legs and hips.
Fox Trot	The Foxtrot was the most significant development in all of ballroom dancing. The basic rhythm of The basic rhythm of Foxtrot is quick- quick, slow- slow and the dancers travel around the travel around the room in a circular motion. There is a lot of variety in fox-trot and therefore in some ways is the hardest dance to learn!
Quick Step	The Quickstep is characterized by a Slow-Slow-Quick-Quick-Slow rhythm performed to relatively fast music that brings out all of the "frills" it has. It's main aspect is the quick, short steps with a distinct rise and fall motion in the walk.
Samba	The Samba comes from Brazil. It differs from other Latin-American dances. it is lively and vigorous and the feet are constantly bouncing "The basic step pattern is similar to the Waltz balance, but the feeling and the quality of the movement are quite different. The distinct step motions of Samba are: step forward on the left, body sways backward; step right foot besides left; and step left foot in place.
Mambo	The Mambo was caused by the clash of the"American jazz beat with the Cuban Rumba rhythm". Even though the Mambo did not gain widespread approval until the 50's, this "new-style 'jazzed- up' Cuban Mambo music "revived ballroom style dancing to the youth that were leaning toward the new Jive sounds of the day. The Mambo allowed for syncopated movements to an upbeat Jazz sound and a then warn-out Rumba sound. The basic steps for the Mambo are similar to that of the Rumba and Cha Cha. It follows a Quick- Quick- Slow rhythmic pattern with the slow covering the beats 4 and carrying over to 1.
Cha-Cha	The Cha Cha is defined as the "Cuban dance that evolved from the Mambo... (rising) to great popularity in the mid 1950's." The major difference was that "the pause found in the Mambo was changed to a rapid triple step." This triple step, when performed, sounds off a "cha cha cha" sound from the stepping on the 3-and-4 beats. It is a dance which is liked by the young and old alike.
Tango	Originally the Tango was danced as a courtship dance of the "gauchos, sailors, and Italian immigrants. It was a dominating dance of the working men who had been away for long periods of time; it "was now a sensuous, flamboyant and highly exotic dance, as yet known only in the lowest haunts of Buenos Aires and completely taboo in polite Argentine society." But, like most "unpopular slightly more respectable" though for the Tango, this popularity was mostly due to the new orchestra sound that was too good to remain in small bars.
Merengue	There is a lot of variety in Merengue music. Tempos vary a great deal and the Dominicans enjoy a sharp quickening in pace towards the latter part of the dance. The most favored routine at the clubs and restaurants that run a dance floor is a slow Bolero, breaking into a Merengue, which becomes akin to a bright, fast Jive in its closing stages. The ballroom Merengue is slower and has a modified hip action.
Salsa	Salsa is not easily defined. Who invented salsa? The Cubans, Puerto Ricans, Or the Americans? Salsa is a distillation of many Latin and Afro-Caribbean dances. Each played a large part in its evolution. Salsa is similar to Mambo in that both have a pattern of six steps danced over eight counts of music. The dances share many of the same moves. In Salsa, turns have become an important feature, so the overall look and feel are quite different form those of Mambo. Mambo moves generally forward and backward, whereas, Salsa has more of a side to side feel.
Hustle	The Hustle is believed to have originated in New York in 1970. It went through many variations in the seventies, with line dances for groups of people, solo movements that came and went, and partner dances. Hustle is danced to the contemporary pop dance music of the last 20 years. It is a fast, smooth dance, with the lady spinning almost constantly, while her partner draws her close and sends her away. The history of swing dates back to the 1920's.
East Swing	East Coast Swing is one dance that can be danced to any kind of music. It has a very simple 6 count variation and has a very easy footwork, moves and style. It is a non progressive dance which can be danced on a crowded dance floor.
West Swing	West Coast Swing: a style of Swing emphasizing nimble feet popular in California night clubs in the 30's and 40's and voted the California State Dance in 1989.
Night Club Two Step	The "Two Step" was developed in 1965 by a 15 year old teen from Whitaker, Illinois named Buddy Schwimmer. Buddy was doing a line dance called "Surfer Stomp". It was based on two steps and a stomp. This worked well with fast music, but the footwork was too slow for medium and slow tempo songs. The timing was changed and it went from a line dance to a partnership dance. This then became the dance called "Two Step". Eventually in 1978, Buddy opened a dance studio in Costa Mesa, California and started teaching "Night Club Two Step". These two variations have very different feelings. The "Ballroom Two Step" is very gliding, continuous, strong and powerful with a big sweeping feeling. It is precise and quite technical. "Night Club Two Step" feels more like a choppy Cha Cha and is quite compact. It has a more casual relaxed feeling.

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