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(www.twosteptidewater.com The Best smoke free Country & Western two step (2-step, Texas two-step), Ballroom, Latin (Cha Cha, Salsa, Rumba Meringue), Disco (Hustle), West Coast Swing (WCS), Night Club two-step, Swing Dancing for all of South East Virginia (VA) or North East North Carolina beaches areas  (Norfolk VA, Virginia Beach VA, Chesapeake VA, Suffolk VA, Portsmouth VA, Newport News VA, Hampton va, Hampton Roads VA, Yorktown VA, Gloucester VA, Jamestown VA, Williamsburg VA, Hickory NC, and the beaches and outer banks of North Carolina (NC)

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Two Step Tidewater Sunday Dance News  

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 [Dance Tips - Menu]  

             (10/22/2007 22:34 wh)

What's the next trend in couples dancing?

Admittedly we don't travel around the country taking a census of dancers but have many friends who do travel and the reports are generally the same. C/W couple dancing is on the decline, Ballroom is getting bigger and the "one dance" groups (Shag, Swing, Latin) are holding their own. Our local Hampton Roads area enjoys many venues for couple dancing of all kinds. Our web site lists most, but not all, of the dancing activities in the area and we are fortunate. Nearby Richmond is a wasteland for dancing opportunities. Yes, they do have some dancing but nothing like we have in Hampton Roads.

The style taking the biggest hit is C/W couples (Two-Step, Triple Two, Country Waltz, etc.) In most ways the Country Western Music industry is at fault. County Western couple dancing had a big surge of interest a little over a decade ago when C/W artists began appealing to young urban adults. I was asked many times why I enjoyed C/W dancing over Ballroom and my answer was always the same. It was the music! Any time of day you could turn on the radio and find dance music. Rock and Roll clubs began switching to C/W and brought in an enthusiastic dance crowd. The upswing in this style of dancing was mostly viewed as a fad by Ballroom studios and not encouraged, although most also would offer lessons if asked. I also enjoyed Ballroom and Ballroom music but the music was impossible to find on the radio. Ten years ago C/W couple dancing was king!

Now it's 2004, turn to a C/W station and the music is mostly un-danceable. Yes, for those who will send me a note about a current dance song there are exceptions. But, the rule is "Dance music from Nashville has declined" They are not interested. In addition, the leading C/W dance organization, UCWDC is sitting on it's collective hands. Many of the event directors wish to attract greater numbers but can't seem to figure out how to drum up the interest. Shag, Lindy, Hustle, Salsa and WCS seems to be holding their own depending on where you live. Line dancing is off on it's own musical tangent. C/W couple dancing is not.

On the other hand the large amateur Ballroom organization, USABDA (see our links page for local chapters), has recognized the problem and has been slowly reinventing Ballroom dancing to broaden it's appeal. With their youth dance programs they are bringing in the college age and even high school age dancers. Ballroom dances are more social and casual than they have ever been and the results show an increased interest nationwide. They are attempting to interest all ages of dancers and make the dance music and dances more interesting.

Shag, Lindy, Salsa, Argentine Tango and many other "one dance" groups have also stayed current by making their social dances inviting to their targeted groups. The amateurs and professionals team up to improve and update the dance style making it more interesting and appealing to the dancers.

So, what will be the next big dance craze? Right now my money is on Ballroom. Does anyone remember the interest in figure skating once it became televised? This is where USABDA is headed. Once they get dance programs on the commercial networks and in the movies the music industry will snap to attention and start releasing good dance music again. Remember the Gap commercial? Did you hear anything current about Lindy until then?

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OUR POLICY:   Webmasters; You are granted permission to copy any content from our web site, provided that you provide a link to http://www.twosteptidewater.com (Contact us by email if you would like a reciprocal link). We are always looking for ways to make Two Step Tidewater Virginia THE PLACE for dance information in the Tidewater area (Norfolk VA, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake VA, Suffolk VA, Portsmouth VA, Newport News VA, Hampton va, Hampton Roads VA, Yorktown VA, Gloucester VA, Jamestown VA, and Williamsburg VA) - and for other dance events or dance locations which are of interest to Tidewater (Southside and Peninsula) area Hampton Roads dancers.  We prefer to exchange links with other dance-information sites.  To add a dance link, or exchange links with your web pages, email Will Harper or Walter Schultz.  Worthy dance events, may post to our web site by emailing a cut-and-paste ready announcement.  Your announcement can be just a text announcement or even a full web page.  We will host an ongoing web page, at no cost, for Tidewater Area dance-related activities, without their own web page.  Be sure to include date, time, cost, contact and location information for your event.  In exchange, we ask that anyone posting to our site, include a reference to www.twosteptidewater.com on your site and/or in your intra-group's mailing list emails.  (Not just C&W. We'll  include Ballroom, Swing, WCS, Disco, Folk, or just churches or other clubs with dances.)  We will attempt to post/remove events within a couple of days - but we cannot accept responsibility for missing an event or any other reason.  We will attempt to verify ALL links, to prevent any offensive or off-topic links, but, again, cannot be responsible for other's.

Webmaster:  Will Harper

 ( http://www.willharper.com , http://www.hyperlearn.com , http://www.unityren.com , http://www.parkwaymfg.com http://www.holyhi.com http://www.niman-meyers.com )

(www.twosteptidewater.com The Best smoke free Country & Western two step (2-step, Texas two-step), Ballroom, Latin, Disco (Hustle), West Coast Swing (WCS), Night Club two-step, Swing Dancing for all of South East Virginia (VA) or North East North Carolina beaches areas  (Norfolk VA, Virginia Beach VA, Chesapeake VA, Suffolk VA, Portsmouth VA, Newport News VA, Hampton va, Hampton Roads VA, Yorktown VA, Gloucester VA, Jamestown VA, Williamsburg VA, Hickory NC, and the beaches and outer banks of North Carolina (NC)