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DANCE CHARACTERISTICS

The following chart lists some of the characteristics that go into uniquely defining the dances listed. PLEASE DON'T BE MISLEAD: The elements listed here are only a few that go into uniquely defining any given dance.

This chart is in development. More colums will be added later as information is acquired.


Definitions

Rhythm Unit = 2 beats of music in 4/4 time

Annotation in Braces [ ]

X or x = A weight change (Step)

/ = A beat of music.

O = Hop or a Skip

E = Even Rhythm Unit - Even number of weight changes (0,2,4,etc.)

O = Odd Rhythm Unit - Odd number of weight changes (1,3,5,etc.)

Downbeat = 1st Beat of every Rhythm Unit

Upbeat = 2nd Beat of every Rhythm Unit

Up = Up

Dn = Down


Dance Characteristics Chart
4/4 Time

Dance Odd/Even
Rhythm
Patterns
Basic Rhythm Patterns
Balboa EOEO
PATTERN TYPE 1
 &a1  &a2   &a3  &a4   &a5  &a6   &A7  &A8


[  X    X] [  /    X] [  X    X] [  /    X]


PATTERN TYPE 2
 &a1  &a2   &a3  &a4   &a5  &a6   &A7  &A8


[  X    X] [  X    /] [  X    X] [  X    /]


Movement Unit = Dn Dn
        
Bossa Nova OOOO
 &a1  &a2   &a3  &a4   &a5  &a6   &A7  &A8


[  X    /] [  X    /] [  X    /] [  X    /]


Movement Unit = Dn Dn
        
Carolina Shag OO
EOO
EOEO
PATTERN TYPE - OO
  1 & 2    3 & 4
[ X x X] [ X x X]


PATTERN TYPE - EOO
  1   2    3 & 4    5 & 6
[ X   X] [ X x X] [ X x X]


PATTERN TYPE - EOEO

  1   2    3 & 4    5   6    7 & 8
[ X   X] [ X x X] [ X   X] [ X x X]
        
Cha Cha
Competition
Break On
2 & 6
OEOE
STANDARD PATTERN
 &1   2    3   4   &5   6    7   8
[xX   X] [ X   X] [xX   X] [ X   X]


ANOTHER SYNCOPATION
 &a1  &a2   &a3  &a4   &a5  &a6   &a7  &a8


[ xX    X] [  X    X] [ xX    X] [  X    X]


Break on counts 2 and 6
        
Cha Cha
Colloqual
Break On
1 & 5
EOEO
  1   2    3 & 4    5   6    7 & 8
[ X   X] [ X x X] [ X   X] [ X x X]


Break on counts 1 and 5
        
Charleston EOEO
or
OEOE
PATTERN TYPE - EOEO
  1   2    3   4    5   6    7   8
[ /   /] [ X   /] [ /   /] [ X   /]


PATTERN TYPE - OEOE
  1   2    3   4    5   6    7   8
[ X   /] [ /   /] [ X   /] [ /   /]


        
          
Chicago Swing OO
EOO
EOEO
PATTERN TYPE - OO
  1 & 2    3 & 4
[ X x X] [ X x X]


PATTERN TYPE - EOO
  1   2    3 & 4    5 & 6
[ X   X] [ X x X] [ X x X]


PATTERN TYPE - EOEO
  1   2    3 & 4    5   6    7 & 8
[ X   X] [ X x X] [ X   X] [ X x X]
        
East Coast Swing OO
EOO
EOEO

PATTERN TYPE - OO
  1 & 2    3 & 4
[ X x X] [ X x X]


PATTERN TYPE - EOO
  1   2    3 & 4    5 & 6
[ X   X] [ X x X] [ X x X]


PATTERN TYPE - EOEO
  1   2    3 & 4    5   6    7 & 8
[ X   X] [ X x X] [ X   X] [ X x X]
        
Fox Trot EOO
EOEO
PATTERN TYPE - EOO
  1   2    3   4    5 & 6
[ X   X] [ X   /] [ X   /]


PATTERN TYPE - EOEO
  1   2    3   4    5   6    7   8
[ X   X] [ X   /] [ X   X] [ X   /]
        
Houston Shuffle EOO .
Hustle
New Count
[1 2]
[&3 4]
[5 & 6]
EOO
EE
STANDARD PATTERN - EOO
   1   2   & 3   4     5 & 6
[  X   X] [x X   X] [  X x X]


STANDARD PATTERN - EE (used for some turns)
   1   2   & 3 & 4
[  X   X] [x X x X]


ANOTHER SYNCOPATION - EOO
 &a1  &a2   &a3  &a4   &a5  &a6


[  X    X] [ xX    X] [  X   xX]


ANOTHER SYNCOPATION - EE (used for some turns)
 &a1  &a2   &a3  &a4


[  X    X] [ xX   xX]
        
Hustle
Old Count
[&1 2]
[3 & 4]
[5 6]
OOE
STANDARD PATTERN
 & 1   2     3 & 4    5   6
[x X   X] [  X x X] [ X   X]


ANOTHER SYNCOPATION
 &a1  &a2   &a3  &a4   &a5  &a6


[ xX    X] [  X   xX] [  X    X]
        
Hustle
Barry
Douglas
Style
[& 1 2]
[&3 4]
[5 & 6]
EEE
BASIC RHYTHM PATTERN
 & 1   2   & 3 & 4    5 & 6
[x X   X] [x / x X] [ X x /]
        

Barry referrs to this as the Detroit Hustle. Don't confuse this with the style of Hustle with that danced to the Old Count Hustle. It is not the same at all. With the Old Count Hustle, there is a "Ball Change" on counts "& 1" and "& 4". With this style of Hustle, at the basic level, the dancers unweighted foot is pointed forward prior to the "&" count for "& 1" and "& 4", with the weight being transferred to that forward foot on those "&" counts. With this style of Hustle, the "Ball Change" is done on counts "& 3" and "& 6", just as it is done in the New Count Hustle. Barry counts it as "1 2 & 3 4 5 & 6" - leaving out the & counts prior to counts "1" and "4".

Imperial
Swing
OO
EOO
EOEO
PATTERN TYPE - OO
  1 & 2    3 & 4
[ X x X] [ X x X]


PATTERN TYPE - EOO
  1   2    3 & 4    5 & 6
[ X   X] [ X x X] [ X x X]


PATTERN TYPE - EOEO
  1   2    3 & 4    5   6    7 & 8
[ X   X] [ X x X] [ X   X] [ X x X]
        
Jitterbug OO
EOO
EOEO
PATTERN TYPE - OO
  1 & 2    3 & 4
[ X x X] [ X x X]


PATTERN TYPE - EOO
  1   2    3 & 4    5 & 6
[ X   X] [ X x X] [ X x X]


PATTERN TYPE - EOEO
  1   2    3 & 4    5   6    7 & 8
[ X   X] [ X x X] [ X   X] [ X x X]
        
Jive OO
EOO
EOEO
.
Kenny's
Speed Shag
St. Louis
Shag
OEOE
PATTERN TYPE 1
  1   2    3   4    5   6    7   8
[ X x X] [ /   /] [ X   /] [ X   X]


PATTERN TYPE 2
  1   2    3   4    5 & 6    7   8
[ X x X] [ /   /] [ X x X] [ X   X]


        
Lambada EOEO
  1   2    3   4    5   6    7   8
[ X   X] [ X   /] [ X   X] [ X   /]
        
Laminu EOEO .
Lindy Hop OO
EOO
EOEO
PATTERN TYPE - OO
  1 & 2    3 & 4
[ X x X] [ X x X]


PATTERN TYPE - EOO
  1   2    3 & 4    5 & 6
[ X   X] [ X x X] [ X x X]


PATTERN TYPE - EOEO
  1   2    3 & 4    5   6    7 & 8
[ X   X] [ X x X] [ X   X] [ X x X]


ALTERNATE STYLING 1 - EOEO
Many times the Triple Rhythm Units are replaced by 
Bouncing Single Rhythm Units which leave the weight 
on the same foot at the beginning and end of the 
Single Rhythm Units.  The following is an example of 
an 8 beat pattern:


  1   2   3 & 4    5   6    7 & 8
[ X   X] [X O /] [ X   X] [ X O /]


ALTERNATE STYLING 2 - EOEO
There is also another style that really Flies. The 
Following is an example of an 8 beat pattern:


 & 1 & 2   & 3 & 4   & 5 & 6   & 7 & 8
[O X O X] [  O O X] [O X O X] [  O O X]


        
Mambo
Break On
2 & 6
OEOE
  1   2    3   4    5   6    7   8
[ /   X] [ X   X] [ /   X] [ X   X]
        
Mambolero
Break On
2 & 6
OEOE
  1   2    3   4    5   6    7   8
[ /   X] [ X   X] [ /   X] [ X   X]
        
Melange EE
  1   2    3   4
[ X   X] [ X   X]
        
Merengue EE .
New Yorker EOO
  1   2    3   4    5 & 6
[ X   X] [ X   /] [ X x X]
        
Night Club
Fox Trot
EOEO
  1   2    3   4    5   6    7   8
[ X   X] [ X   /] [ X   X] [ X   /]
        
Night Club
2-Step
OO
  1 & 2    3 & 4
[ X x X] [ X x X]
        
Polka OO
  1 & 2    3 & 4

[ X x X] [ X x X]
        
Pony EEEE
 & 1 & 2   & 3 & 4   & 5 &  6  & 7 & 8
[x X x X] [x X x X] [x X x X] [x X x X]
        
Rhythm
2-Step
EOO
EOEO
PATTERN TYPE - EOO
  1   2    3   4    5 & 6
[ X   X] [ X   /] [ X   /]


PATTERN TYPE - EOEO
  1   2    3   4    5   6    7   8
[ X   X] [ X   /] [ X   X] [ X   /]
        
Rodeo
Swing
EE
  1   2    3   4
[ X   X] [ X   X]
        
Rodeo
2-Step
OEO .
Rumba
American
Social
Breaks On
1 & 5
EOEO
  1   2    3   4    5   6    7   8
[ X   X] [ X   /] [ X   X] [ X   /]
        
Rumba
Open & Int'l
OEOE
  1   2    3   4    5   6    7   8
[ /   X] [ X   X] [ /   X] [ X   X]
        
Salsa
Picado
OO
  1 & 2    3 & 4
[ X x X] [ X x X]
        
Salsa
Standard
EOEO
  1   2    3   4    5   6    7   8
[ X   X] [ X   /] [ X   X] [ X   /]
        
Salsa
Suave
EOEO
  1   2    3   4    5   6    7   8
[ X   X] [ /   X] [ X   X] [ /   X]
        
Salsa
Valente
(The Rope)
EOOO
  1   2    3   4    5   6    7   8
[ X   X] [ X   X] [ X   X] [ X   X]
        
Samba OO
 &a1  &a2   &a3  &a4


[  X   xX] [  X   xX]


Movement Unit = Dn Dn

        
Samba
International
OO
  1 & 2    3 & 4
[ X x X] [ X x X]
        
Shottische EOEO
OOOO
16 Beat
Pattern
FIRST HALF OF PATTERN
  1   2    3   4    5   6    7   8
[ X   X] [ X   O] [ X   X] [ X   O]


SECOND HALF OF PATTERN
  1   2    3   4    5   6    7   8
[ X   O] [ X   O] [ X   O] [ X   O]
        
Tango OOEE
  1   2    3   4    5   6    7   8
[ X   /] [ X   /] [ X   X] [ /   /]
        
Triple
2-Step
EOO .
2-Step
6 Beat
EOO
  1   2    3   4    5 & 6
[ X   X] [ X   /] [ X   /]
        
2-Step
UCWDC Rules
6 & 8 Beat
EOO
EOEO
PATTERN TYPE - EOO
  1   2    3   4    5 & 6
[ X   X] [ X   /] [ X   /]


PATTERN TYPE - EOEO
  1   2    3   4    5   6    7   8
[ X   X] [ X   /] [ X   X] [ X   /]
        
West Coast
Swing
---
Non
Syncopated
Style
OO
EOO
EOEO
PATTERN TYPE - OO
  1 & 2    3 & 4
[ X x X] [ X x X]


PATTERN TYPE - EOO
  1   2    3 & 4    5 & 6
[ X   X] [ X x X] [ X x X]


PATTERN TYPE - EOEO
  1   2    3 & 4    5   6    7 & 8
[ X   X] [ X x X] [ X   X] [ X x X]
        
West Coast
Swing
---
Syncopated
Style
OO
EOO
EOEO
PATTERN TYPE - OO
 &a1  &a2   &a3  &a4


[  X   xX] [  X   xX]


PATTERN TYPE - EOO
 &a1  &a2   &a3  &a4   &a5  &a6


[  X    X] [  X   xX] [  X   xX]


PATTERN TYPE - EOEO

 &a1  &a2   &a3  &a4   &a5  &a6   &a7  &a8


[  X    X] [  X   xX] [  X   xX] [  X   xX]
        

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