Tango is a timeless symbol for the dark side of romance. The music is haunting and mysterious. With songs like "Jalousie" (Jealousy) and "Ecstasie" (Ecstacy), Tango takes it place in legend as the dance of pride, anger, and most of all, passion.

Stylish and very dramatic, Tango combines sleek, hip-locked, gliding steps with abrupt stops into fans, flicks, flares, dips, and lunges. The eerie music, sultry motion, and the haunting sense of dark moods barely under control make Tango a truly fascinating dance !

We offer Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced classes.

As opposed to American Tango which is more structured and memorized, Argentine Tango is more creative and improvisational.

With an emphasis on intricate footwork including foot flicks, leg wraps, and swivels, Argentine Tango is a wonderful dance !

People ask all the time what the difference is between American and Argentine and International Tango. Here is a wonderful quote :

"The forms of tango are like stages of a marriage. The American Tango is like the beginning of a love affair, when you’re both very romantic and on your best behavior. The Argentine Tango is when you’re in the heat of things and all kinds of emotions are flying: passion, anger, humor. The International Tango is like the end of the marriage, when you’re staying together for the sake of the children."

This quote which appeared in an issue of the Smithsonian magazine with a cover article on Argentine Tango, was contributed by Barbara Garvey.

BOXFOX

When it comes to Tuxedos, Gowns, and Formals, Foxtrot is the dance of choice. The high society cousin of our own Texas Two Step, Foxtrot and its companion dance, Swing (Jitterbug), are the two most commonly used Ballroom dances.

Foxtrot is used mostly to Big Band classics like "New York, New York" and "String of Pearls."  

A form of Foxtrot is known as Boxfox uses strictly Slow-Quick-Quick timing.  Since it tricky to alternate between the traditional four step Slow-Slow Quick-Quick (SSQQ) timing and the three step timing (SQQ), some people find it easier just to stick to the Three Step.  Known as Boxfox, it became a very popular dance to use during the Swing 90s era to Sinatra music.  We teach Boxfox in Crash Courses and Slow Dance classes.

Waltz is the legendary symbol of beauty and romance. It is said to be the favorite dance of our fair sex.

Steeped in mythology from Cinderella at the Ball to Scarlett making eyes at Rhett, Waltz is the dance of fairy tales. Forever present in our imagination with its swirling turns,flying gowns, and elegant movement, any man who can lead a Waltz with style steps right into the shoes of a certain Prince...

With songs like "Open Arms", "Greensleeves", and "Kiss from a Rose", Waltz is frequently the dance of choice for couples at their wedding. Indeed, one of the most famous Waltzes ever recorded is Anne Murray's "Could I Have This Dance for the Rest of My Life".

However Waltz is a very disciplined dance. It is not easy to master quickly. If you plan to dance a Waltz at your wedding, start early! 

Our "Introduction to Ballroom Dancing" class covers 4 famous Ballroom dances : Tango, Waltz, Foxtrot, and Slow Dance, teaching one of the four dances each week for four weeks. The class is aimed at Beginners who simply want to become more familiar with the various dances without having to spend an entire month on just one type of dance.

Special occasions like the First Dance at Weddings, fancy New Year’s Eve parties, or a torch song at a night club call for the lost art of Formal Dancing.

From classic Foxtrot songs like Sinatra’s "The Way You Look Tonight" and "New York, New York" to Natalie Cole’s Slow Dance standard Unforgettable", there are moments when the ability to dance gracefully to romantic music is mighty important.

Slow Dancing is much trickier than it looks.  This course covers 4 different types of Slow Dances : the Walking Slow Dance, the Rhythm-Switch Slow Dance, the Honky-Tonk Slow Dance, and the Foxtrot.  All four systems have similar patterns, but learning how to adjust these patterns to different speeds of romantic music is the tricky part. Fortunately, a little practice goes a long way !

Dancing In the Moonlight covers patterns that are identical in Foxtrot, Waltz and Rumba

Foxtrot, Waltz, and Rumba are three dances that share extremely similar footwork based on the boxstep. By grouping the three dances together, the learning time can be cut dramatically. Sinatra music is synonymous with Foxtrot such as "Witchcraft", "The Way You Look Tonight", and "New York, New York". Waltz is Cinderella's legendary dance of romance. It is danced to classics such as "You Look So Good In Love", "Could I Have This Dance?", "Greensleeves", and "Auld Lang Syne". Less is known about the mysterious Rumba, the Latin equivalent to Waltz. This graceful, sensual dance is perfect for Latin jazz, slow salsas, and popluar music such as "Under the Boardwalk", "Yesterday", and "It's Now or Never". This course is perfect in preparation for weddings, jazz combos on a dinner date, and New Year's Eve. It is also a perfect class to take for a cruise trip. The three dances work perfectly to the Atrium bands playing ballroom classics.

As 90s Swing Music dominates, dancing calls for the knowledge of more than just Swing when different types and speeds of music are played. This course teaches Closed Position Swing (moves for when the floor is crowded), Cha-Cha (for Latin music), Night Club Slow Dance (a blend of Slow Dance and Latin), plus "BoxFox", a special form of Foxtrot perfect for slower Swing music and small floors. Learn all four in this unique four week class!

Note : This course is tailored specifically for music currently played in Houston’s Swing clubs. It assumes the floors will be crowded.

Swing is considered a Ballroom Dance, but has its own description page. Click Here