Blues Dancing

Blues dancing is an entire family of dance styles enjoyed to blues music–in particular slow blues. Dancers enjoy the emphasis on amazing partner connection, as well as rhythm and flow.

The blues dance styles are closely related to swing and jazz styles through common African-American vernacular dance heritage. What that really means is that a lot of dance ideas survived from West Africa and were applied differently by African-American dancers according to the style of the music. As a result, you can see similar movements in the original West African dances, the blues and jazz dances, and even modern hip hop.

Blues dancing is also related to swing dancing since many dancers of swing styles such as Lindy Hop often enjoy slow blues dancing as a change of pace, especially at the end of the night.

Often blues dancing is loosely divided into three categories:

1. Jook Joint Blues — also known as “rent party blues,” this flavour of blues dancing favours closed position and emphasizes movement over moves.
2. Ballroomin’ — also known as Savoy Blues or Ballroom blues, this is a fancy-schmancy version of slow dancing that uses more space, quicker movements, and more elaborate movements.
3. Modern Blues — modern blues dancers adapt new ideas, in many cases from other dances such as Tango or West Coast Swing–to blues music and integrate them into their blues dancing.

Blues Dancing in Victoria

Currently the only place to take progressive blues dance lessons in Victoria is Red Hot Swing. See their schedule of swing lessons for details.

More Blues Dancing Info

• About blues dancing
• Blues dance history
• Blues Blast is Canada’s premiere event for authentic blues dancing
• Blues Shout is North America’s top blues dance event.