The Jive (also commonly referred to as the MacJive) has been around for ages, most commonly danced at weddings. A variation of swing & rock n roll, this dance was first introduced in Europe by Americans during WWII as American soldiers brought Lindy Hop to Europe around 1942, where this dance swiftly found a following among the young. In the United States, it was called Swing. In the UK, variations in technique led to styles such as the Boogie-Woogie and the Swing Boogie, with “Jive” gradually emerging as the generic term.

This fun couple dance became popular in India as it became the go-to-dance for young couples at Catholic weddings. It’s style is fun, peppy and involves quick feet with spins and twirls for the lady!

The Jive is a very happy, boppy, energetic dance, with plenty of knee-lifting, bending, and rocking of the hips.

One of the easiest dances to learn, this is a must know dance, especially for beginners.

The Waltz, a highly popular ballroom dance evolved from the Ländler in the 18th century. Characterized by a step, slide, and step in 3/4 time, the waltz, with its turning, embracing couples, at first shocked polite society.

The waltz allowed partners to be close and place their arms around one another as they spun around the floor, which outraged many. In 1818, Madame de Genlis, a governess of the briefly restored French royal family, said that the waltz would corrupt any honest young woman who performed it: “A young woman, lightly dressed, throws herself into the arms of a young man,” she wrote. “He presses her to his chest and conquers her with such impetuosity that she soon feels her heart beat violently as her head giddily swims! That is what they call waltzing!” In 1833 a British manual of good manners recommended only married women should dance it, as it was too immoral for the unwed.

None of this outcry, however, prevented the waltz from spreading.

Cha Cha is a lively, fun, cheeky and playful dance. It is a non-progressive dance that emphasizes Cuban motion, distinguished by the chasses (cha-cha-cha) typically danced during the 4&1 counts of the music.

Enrique Jorrin, a Cuban Violinist created the first cha cha song in 1948. He named it after the shuffling sound the dancers shoes made when they dance to this type of music.

Cha Cha is an offshoot of the Mambo.

When the English dance teacher Pierre Margolie visited Cuba in 1952, he realised that sometimes the Rumba was danced with extra beats. When Pierre returned to Britain, he started teaching these steps as a separate dance.