[Dixielandjazz] swing dancers/tempos

[Trumpetom at aol.com]

Dan Augustine had an interesting post requesting suggested tempos for swing  
dancers. Maybe things are different here in California, but I have noticed the 
 young swing dancers generally are not versatile ballroom dancers. They  can 
get real creative with medium swing/foxtrot tempos, BUT they what they  really 
want is loud, fast and faster! In addition, they are looking for a  strong 
beat and a real loud bass. At a local street fair, I noticed lots of  dancers 
and a full donation pot for a 2-piece band(?) consisting entirely  of a loud 
drummer and a loud fender bass player! 
 
If this is of any value to anyone, in my regular dance band for ballroom  
events, tempos are generally as follows: fast swing: 160-240, swing: 120-160,  
samba 220, bossa/rumba/bolero: 113, waltz: 100, foxtrot: 110-140, cha cha: 120,  
polka: 220, tango: 100, line dance: 120, mambo/salsa: 150. Slow dancing:  
anything with sweet harmonies in 4/4 time without a strong beat 110 or  slower.
 
An important point from my uncle who was a bandleader for 60 years: "if the  
dance floor is not full of dancers, YOU'RE WRONG! (even if the same tempos  
worked for dancers the night before)."
 
Tom Loeb
_www.hotsytotsyboys.com_ (http://www.hotsytotsyboys.com) 
 
 
 
 
 



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