"It was unbelievable how many times I hit Nirvana in my social dances at this weekend! Fusion managed to create the perfect storm of social dance: great classes all weekend, amazing dancers to share with, and awesome DJs to create the space to share in...EVERYONE should have the privilege of experiencing this event. Thank you for your generosity in putting on this event."
About the Dances
How formal?
The Fusion Exchange is generally an informal event during the day and slightly more upscale at night during the dances. Most FX dancers reserve Saturday night for dressing up. FX dancers come from a variety of backgrounds and most are trying to cross-over or blend dance genres. There is no standard fusion attire or attitude (other than openness). We encourage our attendees to dance with everyone regardless of dance background, skill level, age or gender. There's always something new and valuable to learn or experience! To better understand attendees from different dance backgrounds who may be attending FX for the first time, we've provided some information to help bridge the gap. Keep in mind that these are generalizations, not strict categorizations.
In general, the Blues community takes a very relaxed approach to dancing; Tango and Ballroom take a more formal approach; West Coast Swing and Lindy Hop are somewhere in between. The underlying motion of Blues originates from the hips, and with Tango from the chest. Blues dancers and Lindy Hoppers usually wear flat, comfortable shoes with hard leather or suede soles; other attire is generally very relaxed. Tango follows generally wear high heels; for both leads and follows, business casual is generally the minimum threshold for other attire. West Coast Swing dancers tend to dress up with follows wearing dressy heels. Depending on the athleticism of each dance, attire (and attitude) can range from quite formal to very casual. Shoes run the gamut from sneakers to stilettos. In general, try to be comfortable and clean, and you should be ok. As a side note, consider bringing several shirts so that you can change if you sweat through what you're wearing.
In all dances, there are varying degrees of physical separation/connection, and different partners may have different comfort levels. We're asking everyone to be sensitive to the difference in backgrounds, and be particularly aware of how they can make their partners more comfortable. Try starting in a more open embrace with someone you've just met, and move closer if both partners are comfortable doing so. It's typically the follow's responsibility to move in closer if she so desires.
While it is customary in traditional tango to dance a "set" of songs together, most other dances do not. Don't be surprised if a tango dancer asks for multiple songs in a row, and tango dancers: please don't be offended if your partner declines.
Argentine Tango
A style of Tango which originated in the streets and salons of Buenos Aires, Argentine Tango is essentially walking with a partner and the music. Argentine Tango relies heavily on improvisation; although certain patterns of movement have been codified by instructors over the years as a device to instruct dancers, there is no "basic step."
Musicality (i.e. dancing appropriately to the emotion and speed of a tango) is an extremely important element of tango. Also, dancers generally keep their feet close to the floor as they walk, the ankles and knees brushing as one leg passes the other. Argentine Tango is danced in an embrace that can vary from very open, in which leader and follower connect at arms length, to very closed, in which the connection is chest-to-chest, or anywhere in between. Close embrace is often associated with the more traditional styles, while open embrace leaves room for many of the embellishments and figures that are associated with Tango Nuevo.
Blues
As with blues music, blues dancing finds its origins in West African rhythms and movement combined with Western European structure and partnering concepts. The spectrum of blues music is large, and consequently there are as many different forms, interpretations, and styles of traditional blues dance as there are music. A freestyle form of partnered dancing - usually at slower tempos – blues dancing is based on the principles of partner connection, aesthetics and approaches to rhythm and timing. This burgeoning form often combines elements of Lindy Hop, West Coast Swing, Foxtrot, Argentine Tango, and general club dancing.
Lindy Hop
Lindy hop is an African American dance that evolved in New York City in the late 1920s and early 1930s. It was an organic fusion of many dances that preceded it, and was predominantly based on jazz, tap, breakaway and Charleston. In its development, lindy hop combined elements of both solo and partner dancing by using the movements and improvisation of African dances along with the formal eight-count structure of European partner dances. This is most clearly illustrated in lindy's basic step, the swingout. It is an unabashedly joyful dance, with a solid, flowing style that closely reflects its music -- from the late 20's hot Jazz to the early 40's Big Bands.
West Coast Swing
West Coast Swing (WCS) is a partner dance derived from Lindy Hop. It is distinctive in that it is danced in a slot; the follower travels back and forth along a shoulder-width rectangle. The leader is more stationary but will move in and out of the slot depending on the pattern. A general rule is that the leader leaves the slot only to give way for the follower to pass him.
West Coast Swing does not have a single basic step and has various styles including open and closed position (six-count), and the whip (which is an eight-count that resembles Lindy Hop and Hollywood-style Lindy Hop). Within the spectrum of partner dances, WCS is one of the most improvisational.
Hip Hop
Hip hop refers to street dance styles which are primarily danced to hip hop music, or have evolved as a part of the hip hop culture.
The first dance associated with hip hop was breakdance, which appeared in New York City during the early 1970s and truly became a cornerstone of hip hop as a culture. In the 1990s, hip hop music took new forms, and new dance styles appeared, most danced in an upright manner in contrast to breakdance's many ground moves.
Ballroom Dances (Smooth and Rhythm)
Ballroom dancing encompasses a broad range of dances that are performed socially and competitively, and have two main styles—American and International. American style smooth dances are Foxtrot, Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz, and Peabody; International standard dances are Slow Foxtrot, Slow Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz, and Quickstep.
American rhythm dances include Rumba, Cha cha, Mambo, Samba, Merengue, East Coast Swing, West Cost Swing, Hustle, Night-Club two-step, and Polka; International Latin dances include Rumba, Cha cha, Samba, Paso Doble, and Jive.
African Dance
African Dance throughout history has played a tremendous role in the lives of tribal people. The driving rhythm is often derived from drums, mimicking a heartbeat. Used prominently in religious rituals, African Dance expresses emotion, celebrates births and marriages, and brings everyone together as a community. It is an exuberant affirmation of life through movement, using every part of the body.