philflag.gif (12183 bytes)

  

WELCOME TO THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF BALLROOM DANCING IN THE PHILIPPINES !!!

Forward Steps

Side Steps 
How Dances Differ
Waltz
Foxtrot
Tango
Argentine Tango
Rumba
Mambo
Salsa/Reggae
Chacha
Paso Doble
Samba
Philippine Swing
Boogie/ECS
Lindy
Twist
West Coast Swing
Shaggi
La Cumbia

Backward Steps
Contents
ABCs of Dance
Couple Dancing
The Dances
History of Dance

We never asked for, much less expected,
this award from
STUDY WEB
StudyWeb Award
for our section on

Victoria's Dance Secrets


The  internet connection of
the DANCE ADDICT'S GUIDE
is sponsored by csilogo (931 bytes)


Make a friend smile!
Send her a Card

123logo.gif (3454 bytes)
View your Card

You are here: Victoria's Dance Secrets  >  The Dances  >  Boogie / East Coast Swing
BOOGIE/ EAST COAST SWING

The main difference between Rock ‘n’ Roll and Jive is that the Jive is danced with a combination of triple and double rhythm. Rock ‘n’ Roll has single and double units. 
      While triple units may be substituted for single units, and vice versa, note that dance rhythms are based on actual weight changes and not simply on the number of beats of music. 
      The music is written in 4/4 time. Two rhythm patterns for the basis of Jive. The first is based on one bar of music or two dance units: a double and a triple. The second is based on 1˝ bars of music or three dance units: one double followed by two triples. 
      The counting is “1  2 - 3&4 - 5&6”.   There is also a Double Rhythm Jive or Two Beat Jive, better known in the Philippines as Boogie,  where the triple rhythm is replaced by a ‘tap step’ movement. The Double Rhythm method is quite attractive, but is used only occasionally in ballrooms abroad as an interpretative variation of rhythm while dancing the normal Triple Rhythm Jive. 
      In excess, the use of the Double Rhythm count gives an impression of laziness and lack of musical interpretation of the Jive music. 
      In the Philippines however, where the much faster Boogie music of 50 or more bars per minute is preferred, the Triple Rhythm Jive would be very difficult too perform by amateur dancers, thus the prevalence of the Double Rhythm Jive. 
      The following figures and patterns are given in Triple Rhythm, which is used for competitions and medal tests under the British Council of Ballroom Dancing rules, at a tempo of about 44 bars per minute. The music can, of course, be played much faster or much slower. 
      The hold is Normal Hold, but looser and more flexible, the arms being held a little lower. The Open Hold, used a great deal in Jive, is a position where the lady and the man are apart, the man holding the lady’s right hand in is  left hand, with arms just above the waist level and not quite straight at the elbow. 

Leading
Many of the movements are led through a tension in the man’s arms, to which the lady must respond by resisting with her arm muscles ready to feel his lead. Unless the lady responds this way, it is impossible for the man to lead such figures as the American Spin, therefore it is very  important for the lady too remember never to have floppy arms when the man is leading her into any figure. 

The Jive Chassé 
A group of three steps, taken forward, back, side (to right or left), and turning. The actual movements of the feet should be kept very small. 

Footwork
All steps are taken on the ball of the foot, with the heel just off (or lightly) touching the floor. The weight of the body should be kept rather forward and not allowed to fall back into the heels, and the knees are flexed naturally. The hips should be kept free so that a very slight lateral lilt is felt as the weight is placed into the foot, particularly when a Chassé is being danced sideways, as in 

Basic Movement
Heel leads on forward steps are not used, except very occasionally by the lady in advanced Jive ‘styles.’ 

Alignment and Direction
The Jive does not progress around the ballroom (apart from the Walks), therefore the figures may begin facing in any direction. 

      As there are many different kinds of music suitable for Jive, individual interpretations will vary from one dancer to another, and therefore the foot placements and amounts of turn given can only be considered approximate. The “&” count is never accented by the Jive dancer as this gives a hurried and jerky impression to the Chassés, but any of the other beats may be stressed according to the music being played.
        These are basically the figures used for International dancing (Modern Ballroom Dancing by Victor Silvester). 

Learn more about the Universal Unit System from Ms. Skippy Blair's
 DISCO TO TANGO and BACK PLUS

 

 

 

Home ] Contents ] Search ] Feedback ] Guestbook ]

logomain.gif (5466 bytes)Anyone may freely print or download this page for personal use only. If however you intend to use it for any printed or electronic publication, broadcast airing, electronic transmission, permission may be granted upon written request, in which case proper citation is expected.
Copyright Heritage Dance Center 1998          Design by Vikky Bondoc-Cabrera
This page was last updated on Saturday, October 09, 1999

1