For me, the best dance music is the great Big Band music that was written for dancing.

Music that was written for the great musicals of the Fifties and Sixties was also great dance music. (It too was written to be danced to.)

Unlike the strict tempo music of today, millions of people actually bought this music.

This music was danced to by far more people than the dance music of today.

Another factor is that during the depression, a lot more people were trying to break into the music business.

So, you have my opinion, what's yours?

Hard to argue with your take on this. Suppose it depends a little on your favorite style of dance. You can't leave out Sinatra and Darin, of course, for their contributions to social dance scene. You can go way back to the early 30's as well to find a gem like "Isn't It Romantic?" for doing a nice Fox Trot.
But anytime Astaire was doing his thing with an orchestra behind him, it's tough to imagine something would ever be better.

You can't beat the likes of Sinatra & Darin, but from an earlier generation, one of my all-time favourite Quicksteps is Tuxedo Junction performed by Ken 'Snakehips' Johnson and his West Indian Dance Orchestra. They don't make 'em like that anymore - and what a wonderful name?

You can go further back than that. The "Rags" of one hundred years ago are almost all great for Quickstep.

Furthermore, the music of Scott Joplin and the rest is no longer under Patten protection, therefore, you can use it at will!

Some smart Dance instructor might someday start a Studio and use only music that is no longer protected.

QuickSteps, Rags, The Old American Two Steps, and many other dance musics that were once popular, are out there for the using.

If I were younger, I would consider starting a new type of dancing that would use only free music. There would be less rules, and more fun in the dancing.

My dance form would be all about playing and flirting and having a good time.

Do you think there are still people who would want to dance just for fun?

The current form of Q.step is primarily based on 4/4 .. music prior to the 40s( by and large ) that would fit the defintion of QS, was written in 2/4

There are quite a few people who just want to dance for fun, unfortunately you see them mostly at wedding receptions. I'm referring to those instances in which 10 or more women will flood the dance floor and just "dance for fun" together without their reluctant husbands or boy friends. They don't hold back, but unfortunately there are too many amongst the male species who won't join in.
I encountered such an instance recently and was so tempted to be the only man out there, but figured in these circumstances, you let the ladies get their yea-yea's out on their own.
I know this isn't the type of "fun dancing" you were wondering about, but my point is that it remains a fact of life that the ladies are more likely to dance for fun, and the guys haven't quite figured out what to make of it all.

According to Victor Silvester. The Quickstep was first danced in competition at the Star Championships in 1929 and was won by Frank Ford and Molly Spain.... Quote from the book. In 1927. Miss Bradley lecturing at one of the Imperial Society's Technical Schools said." The Quickstep is now also done smoothly. The rise and fall is obtained from the ball of the foot instead of the flexing of the knees. A good deal more ground is covered with this type of Quickstep ".
My own obsevations are that long before 1940 in the music by the likes of Gershwin ( I've got Rhythm 1931 )Rogers ( the lady is a Tramp 1940 ) )Kern ( A fine Romance 1936 Berlin ( Putting on the Ritz 1930 ) All 4/4 Tempo. Plus the instructions from Alex Moore 1936 which gives us 4/4 tempo at 48 to 52 bars a minute.

polka the true granddaddy of them all

pivotingfool wrote: Furthermore, the music of Scott Joplin and the rest is no longer under Patten protection, therefore, you can use it at will! Some smart Dance instructor might someday start a Studio and use only music that is no longer protected.

I don't think that would be too smart. I think you will find that you will have to wait until the year 2067 before you can be sure any song is in the public domain (unless the owner declares it to be).

If there had never been Rogers. Berlin. Kern. Gershwin and many others around that era I wonder what tunes we would be dancing to today. Those guys wrote music in the main for Broadway Shows . They must have had it in their mind that their music would not only be for a musical but also it was to be danceable for the general public. I wonder how many people, who will go dancing tonight will, realize they are dancing that Quickstep to a tune written some eighty years ago.