Hi,
I am a violinist and contractor for a professional string quartet that provides music for weddings, receptions, and events.
We have a gig coming up and our client has requested music for ballroom dancing. Their family is full of ballroom dancers and they will have a dance floor, etc.
I want to make sure we have enough of the right kinds of music. Currently we have a few waltzes and tangos, but we need more. I'm pretty unclear on which meters belong to which dances, but I would like to provide a variety which includes swing, cha-cha, rumba, polka, foxtrot, etc. I'm wondering if you ballroom dancers out there could help me by listing names of musical selections (pop or classical) that you like to dance to, and also include next to them which dance they fit.
Thanks so much!
~Emily

Hi Emily,

Please go to "Shopping" section, under "music store" you can hear some of the ballroom tunes. That might help.

Emily. Foxtrot. 4/4 at 28 bpm. "New York New York ". Rumba The Lady in Red at 25. 26. bmp. Quickstep 4/4 Hello Dolly" played at about 48 bpm. The Tempo will break or make or make. Too fast or too slow will be no good to a ballroom dancer , they will want to sit down. I chose thoes above because everybody seems to know them. Play both your Waltz and Foxtrot at about 28 bpm. One of the most famouse strict tempo orchestra leader Victor Silvester used a Megatron, not sure about that spelling, all the time. In a Dance Instruction book the Tempos for all dances should be listed. Best of Luck

It's not so much the songs as the tempi, just as Onlooker stated. Make sure that your tempi are not too slow or too fast. Each dance has its own tempo, and there are slow and fast versions of some (i.e. slow foxtrot vs quickstep, slow waltz vs Viennese, bolero vs rhumba). With Foxtrot in particular, it is easy to make the mistake of going far too slow, and then the dancers sit down and make remarks like "they're playing a buckle polisher".

But also you need to have a sense of what dances are preferred. Most ballroom dancers like a mix. I would say something like this: foxtrot, mambo (salsa), tango, waltz, chacha, quickstep, bolero (=slow rhumba), swing (jive), Viennese waltz, rhumba.

Maybe over represent foxtrot and slow waltz, but your particular group might really be into swing. Or Samba. Or Paso Doble. You might want to ask them.

Jerry

Look at the cd's sold on this website, New York,New York is a line dance not a foxtrot you dance a foxtrot to?

Emily there is nothing worse than a band that can't keep time. Many bands start of slow and then towards then end pick up speed. There are so few bands that can keep time,thats why most goods dancers prefer to dance to CD's.Jerry's advice is sound,no pun intended.

Again- I agree- I would far prefer to dance to CD's because the tempi dont vary and they're predictable.

Jerry

Emily, let me introduce myself.
I am 76, a former teen-age 'ballroom class-room instructor. (1948 thru 1965)
For your older generation of ballroom dancers, may I suggest: Poor Butterfly/foxtrot/slow jive., You Turned The Tables On Me/slow foxtrot, C'EST SI BON/quick step, You'er Dancing On My Heart/quick step, Miami Beach Rumba/rumba, Siboney/rumba, Besame(kiss me)Rumba/rumba, Here My Song Violetta/Tango, By The Sleepy Logoon/waltz, Destiny/vieneese waltz, and Marie/fast foxtrot is an all time favorite for ballroom dancers. Do not forget to close the night (last set), with: Goodnight Sweetheart A good CD is available: Victor Silvester plays Ballroom Dancing (a master of ballroom dancing/who won national attention with his orchestra during the late 1920's & until the late 1940's (before my time).
I am not a muscian but the beat (temi) is of the up most importance for true (everyday) ballroom dancer's.
Fifty year's before Dancing With The Stars was every heard of, ballroom dancing was 'my world'. Please do however remember that Exhibition Ballroom Dancing is entirly different. (as recently seen with the TV show.
It has been my most cherished dream, that ballroom dancing & the big-band era, will make a return for the younger generation to enjoy. This may be the start. Thank you so much, for your time, and for my generation may i leave you with this: The Dancing Has Ended>But The Beat Goes On.
Also, we thank those who have and had the talent to supply the great music for us to 'dance-by'. An excellent opener would be: Come Dance With Me.
Sincerely;
The Ballroom Kid of 1948.
Eddie C.

John. Frank Sinatra singing New York New York. Does not get any better than this.

Frank Sinatra singing most ANYTHING.

Jerry