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Written By: Editorial Team | Updated : July 21, 2014 4:44 PM IST
When you think of partner dances, the first image that perhaps pops up in your head is slow-dancing or a sensual salsa session but acrobatic partner dances are also gaining popularity these days and studios are cropping up in various parts of the world for such dances which include the likes of Lindy Hop, Quebradita, Acrobatic rock 'n' roll and many more. Here's all you need to know about them.
Acrobatic partner dancing first wove its way into the Lindy Hop, which came into fashion in 1920s Harlem and has since spread to Europe and beyond. Derived from swing dancing, Lindy Hop soon gave way to boogie woogie and finally rock 'n' roll dancing in the days of Elvis Presley. The aeriel tricks of Lindy Hop are attributed to dance legend Frankie Manning who became famous for flipping his partner Frieda Washington over his shoulder during a ballroom competition in Harlem.
Today, lifts, dips, jumps, drops and balances can be seen in partner dances around the world, from the six count rock in Paris to swing dancing in North America to the quebradita in Mexico. Due to the physical demands and potential for danger, acrobatic tricks are not a standing obligation in any form of partner dancing, although there are plenty of moves easy to learn that pose little risk, yet are sure to be crowd pleasers.
Dancers who don't plan to travel this summer can sign up for free to learn Lindy Hop aerial moves like the hat trick at LindyHopMoves.com. Here, instructors point out that many acrobatic moves can be applied to a range of partner dances.
Acrobatic rock 'n' roll dancing became popular in Europe in the 80s, most notably among the French, who are well known to embrace 'le rock' with great exuberance. Notable studios offering classes in acrobatic rock in Paris include Acro'swing and the Vincennes Rock Club, which offer instruction in English.
Professionals from Acro'Swing are currently touring Sweden to teach Lindy Hop and boogie woogie although the studio is large enough for classes to continue in Paris. Nearby in Switzerland, the BCSwing acrobatic rock club is home to many champion competitors and offers classes for all ages and levels. London's 2Rock acrobatic rock club invites thrill seekers to defy gravity this summer in its Monday night series at the Westminster Academy Sport Dance Studio, which occurs weekly from 8pm to 10pm for 14.
Quebradita is thought to have been developed on the US-Mexican border and came into fashion in the late 1990s in Los Angeles. Danced to fast banda music, on a base of ultra-sporty trot steps, it emphasizes acrobatic tricks, of which it incorporates many, most of which can apply to other forms of acrobatic partner dancing. The dance is said to be learned on the spot and is rumored to have fallen out of fashion among studio owners for that reason, although many salsa studios may offer private lessons.
In Chicago, Latin Street Dance offers private quebradita lessons for $65 per hour. Although formalized competitions have increased the level of risk over the years, incorporating tricks like the double somersault, don't mistake the term acrobatic to imply tumbling and contortionism.
The moves in the aforementioned dances no not require unusual expertise but should be learned from an experienced professional instructor and when practicing in front of a crowd, dancers should take care to see that the coast is clear before trying out their moves in crowded areas.
With inputs from AFP
Image source: AFP Nikiforov Daniil/shutterstock.com
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