Pattern dancing

My background is other kinds of dancing (folk, etc), have done some ballroom, a friend is trying to interest me in CW.

I have seen, at a local bar (1) "freestyle", like ballroom, where the man leads, (2) Pattern? ballroom type steps (cha-cha) in couples, everybody doing the same thing, possibly with some minor variations such as extra turns and (3) line dances.

"pattern" is the name my friend used. I think she said there was another name used by some people too that I forgot. I could not find any reference to pattern dances in the CW forum here, if I am searching correctly.

I have seen directions/videos for (1) and (3) on the universal country western dance council site, but have not seen any organized table of pattern dances.

Can anybody point me to a list that is sorted by difficulty and/or rhythm? I am specifically looking for Nightclub, cha-cha, triple-two rhythm dances for a cross community program possibility.

thank you.

Carey

This is as close as I can get you without adding to my list of "Things To Do".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Country-western_dance
Follow links to individual dances where you MAY find something useful.

(2) Pattern? ballroom type steps (cha-cha) in couples, everybody doing the same thing, possibly with some minor variations such as extra turns

Click to expand...

Cowboy or Traveling Cha Cha, Schottische, 10 Step, Cotton Eye Joe...
Sometimes called Partner Pattern Dances or Western Promenade Dances

"Triple Two" often refers to one type of Two Step usually done to slower songs. Same "rhythm as West Coast Swing "basic".


Line dances can be found here:
http://www.kickit.to/ld/Search.html?json=1&PHPSESSID=57306be0cdea3442380f33da4f26fe40
and
http://www.linedancermagazine.com/

There used to be a Super Dance Floor site, but it's gone the way of so much on the web.

I would learn the Cowboy ChaCha. It can be just a couples line dance, but you can lead it as well.

Hey there BR-folk-square,
Did you get to try the Cowboy ChaCha yet? The nice thing about the country dance scene is you get a lot of the same couples dancing technique as ballroom in a generally more relaxed setting.

Is cowboy cha cha off time?

Depends on how you "count". It's kind of like the on 1 or on 2 thing in salsa. Social CW people usually don't go there.

On a slightly different note, there are some songs that seem to go perfectly with some of the pattern partner dances. Other songs have a bridge or some such, and the dancers get "out of phrase". Then there's the annoying as all get out habit of people starting the dance too late and being off the whole time.

I don't think anyone would argue that CW dancers worry too much about this kind of thing. Having fun in a social setting seems to be the most important thing.

Cha cha is somewhat in the minority in having an action in the dance that mimics a specific repeated rythm in the music, to not align them is a bit more than the difference of interpretive opinion found in a number of other dances.

Here you go.

COWBOY CHA-CHA -
Same Foot -Western Line Dance. Sometimes referred to as Cha-Cha breaking on "1."

CHA-CHA -
(1) A Latin Dance, with an "8 Beat" Rhythm Pattern that "Breaks" on count "2" and count "6." The real MUSICAL COUNT and the DANCE COUNT for Cha-Cha is "&a1 2 - 3 4 - &a5 6 - 7 8." (2) UCWDC, the leading Organization for Country Western Competition, made "breaking on 2" mandatory for competition starting in 1994. (3) American-style competition CHA-CHA has been "Breaking on 2" since the birth of Cha-Cha in the early 1950s. (4) COWBOY CHA-CHA and "COLLOQUIAL" CHA-CHA alternate Double and Triple Rhythm and they Break on "1" and "5." The Count is "1 2 - 3&4 - 5 6 - 7&8." This count is NOT acceptable in competition.
Historical Note: Cha-Cha is an outgrowth of Mambo and was first introduced as "Triple Mambo" in the late 1940s.. In order to "Break on 2" most Studios had a Count of "2,3 - 4&1". This count was used for many years and still continues in many areas today. However, with the discovery of the "8-Beat" count, in or around 1971, came the successful use of the full "8-Beat" mini-phrase. The unprecedented interest in Technique and Education in the ‘90s, launched the discovery of the true "Rhythm Pattern" for Cha-Cha and made dance history. The COUNT, as listed in (1) above, allows dancers to be aware of the foot placement of each count in the music.
Teaching Note:
A) Where to START is no longer the prime objective. HOW to LOCATE count "2" and count "6" at all times in the dance should be the focus of the dancer. This concept has revolutionized the teaching and the performance of Cha-Cha. Dancers trained in the new count STAY on the correct beat with little or no effort, through the entire performance. (B) One popular Starter Step, with the man stepping "Side Left and Back Right" on counts "1-2," puts him on time, but OFF PHRASE for the entire dance. This same Starter Step becomes acceptable if the man waits and starts "Side Left & Back Right - Forward Left & Side Right" on counts "5-6 7-8" instead of on
"1-2 3-4". There is another "Starter Step" where the man steps "Side RIGHT" on count "1" and breaks forward on "2." As an American dance - (particularly in GSDTA curriculum), that is totally unacceptable - simply because the follower is taught to start any dance by centering her weight over her left foot and having her Right foot free. GSDTA suggests a Starter Step of: "Side-check" to the left on the "a" count - return to right foot on "1," and then break forward on count "2" of any "Set of 8" beats of music.

Chris Stratton said:

Cha cha is somewhat in the minority in having an action in the dance that mimics a specific repeated rythm in the music, to not align them is a bit more than the difference of interpretive opinion found in a number of other dances.

Click to expand...

Yea, the Cowboy Cha Cha kind of a funky couple line dance. It does break on 1-2. The more interesting thing is it gets danced to a really wide range of music that does not have a strict Cha Cha rhythm. Basically, anything slower than west coast swing and faster than Nigh Club 2-step gets some group out there doing the Cowboy Cha Cha.

I think the reason it is popular is a lot of ladies really want to partner dance, but there aren't a lot of guys with good leads. So the couples line dance fits a nice slot where the guys and gals both get to dance together, but the dancin isn't limited by lack of leading.

It is actually kind of fun. Throw in a few extra turns and just have a good time. Most of the time, we sneak off against the rail and just dance Cha Cha.

I would try this website: http://www.davidandjanet.co.uk/ We have had a lot of fun with patterned partner dancing. It is fun if you like being a part of a group, and besides, if you forget what you are supposed to do, just look at the ones ahead of you! One of our favorites from the past was Red Hot Salsa partner dance, especially the partner "bumps". The guys really seemed to get into this part!

I would go for Folk Cha-Cha dancing. Its one great practice here in our country.

Thanks for sharing. Welcome to Dance Forums, babyinterest.