Odd/Even Rhythms Chart

By: H. Leon Raper

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The following Rhythm Chart only indicates whether Rhythms are Even or Odd. The actual Rhythms for each dance are not indicated here. Please don't assume you can change any Even Rhythm unit for another different Even Rhythm Unit or any Odd Rhythm Unit for another different Odd Rhythm Unit. You may interchange respective Rhythm Units with dances like West Coast Swing, but Many other dances are confined to specific Rhythms.


Definitions

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

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.)


Odd/Even Rhythms Chart
4/4 Time

Rhythm Pattern ...> EE OO EOO EOEO OEOE OOEE EEEE EOOO OEO OOE EOEO
OOOO
 
Balboa . . . * . . . . . . .  
Bossa Nova . OOOO . . . . . . . . .  
Carolina Shag . * * * . . . . . . .  
Cha Cha
Break On
2 & 6
. . . . * . . . . . .  
Cha Cha
Break On
1 & 5
. . . * . . . . . . .  
Charleston . . . * . . . . . . .  
Chicago Swing . * * * . . . . . . .  
East Coast Swing . * * * . . . . . . .  
Fox Trot . . * * . . . . . . .  
Half Time
(misnomer)
Rhythm
2-Step Category
. . * * . . . . . . .  
Houston
Shuffle
. . * . . . . . . . .  
Hustle
New Count
[1 2]
[&3 4]
[5 & 6]
* . * . . . . . . . .  
Hustle
Old Count
[&1 2]
[3 & 4]
[5 6]
. . . . . . . . . * .  
Imperial Swing . * * * . . . . . . .  
Jitterbug . * * * . . . . . . .  
Jive . * * * . . . . . . .  
Kenny's
Speed Shag
St. Louis
Shag
. . . . * . . . . . .  
Lambada . . . * . . . . . . .  
Laminu . . . * . . . . . . .  
Lindy Hop . * * * . . . . . . .  
Mambo
Break On
2 & 6
. . . . * . . . . . .  
Mambolero
Break On
2 & 6
. . . . * . . . . . .  
Melange * . . . . . . . . . .  
Merengue * . . . . . . . . . .  
New Yorker . . * . . . . . . . .  
Night Club
Fox Trot
. . . * . . . . . . .  
Night Club
2-Step
. * . . . . . . . . .  
Polka . * . . . . . . . . .  
Pony . . . . . . * . . . .  
Rhythm
2-Step
. . * * . . . . . . .  
Rodeo
Swing
* . . . . . . . . . .  
Rodeo
2-Step
. . . . . . . . . * .  
Rumba
American
Social
Breaks On
1 & 5
. . . * . . . . . . .  
Rumba
Open & Int'l
Breaks On
2 & 6
. . . . * . . . . . .  
Salsa
Picado
. * . . . . . . . . .  
Salsa
Standard
. . . * . . . . . . .  
Salsa
Suave
. . . * . . . . . . .  
Salsa
Valente
(The Rope)
. . . . . . * . . . .  
Samba . * . . . . . . . . .  
Samba International . * . . . . . . . . .  
Shottische . . . . . . . . . . *  
Tango . . . . . * . . . . .  
Triple
2-Step
. . * . . . . . . . .  
2-Step
6 Beat
. . * . . . . . . . .  
2-Step
UCWDC Rules
6 & 8 Beat
. . * * . . . . . . .  
West Coast Swing . * * * . . . . . . .