Dance Styles

Dance styles

At Blue Suede Shoes we dance several different styles. The pretty, elegant, and romantic Ballroom Standard, the catchy rhythm with swinging hips of Ballroom Latin, the pure passion and connection of Argentine Tango, and the happy tunes and quirky moves of Lindy Hop. Whichever style you prefer, partner dancing is a fantastic way to get to know people, and Blue Suede Shoes is the place to start.

 

Ballroom: Standard and Latin

Ballroom dancing is a style of partner dancing that is done all over the Netherlands and world. Ballroom consists of two different substyles: Ballroom Latin and Ballroom Standard. The Ballroom Latin dances are: Cha-cha, Rumba, Jive, (and the more advanced) Samba and Paso Doble. In general, Ballroom Latin dances are seen as more playful. The Ballroom Standard dances are: English Waltz, Tango, Quickstep, (and the more advanced) Viennese Waltz and Slow Foxtrot. Ballroom Standard dances have a more rigid frame and are all progressive dances, meaning you move around in the room.

Ballroom at Blue Suede SHoes

Blue Suede Shoes offers a large amount of ballroom activities. We organise various ballroom parties and a large gala every year. These are the best place to enjoy dancing, get to know new friends and enjoy the social part of your passion! As a Student Dance Association, we have plenty of sister associations in The Netherlands. Our sisters in Delft are SoSalsa and Dynamic, but we also go to dance parties and galas of associations in other cities, like SDA Leidance, SDV AmsterDance and Erasmus Dance Society!

Argentine Tango

Tango and diversity

“The Argentinian tradition of the Tango, now familiar around the world, was developed by the urban lower classes in Buenos Aires. Among this mix of European immigrants, descendents of African slaves and the natives of the region, a wide range of customs, beliefs and rituals were merged and transformed into a distinctive cultural identity. As one of the most recognizable embodiments of that identity, the music, dance and poetry of tango both embodies and encourages diversity and cultural dialogue.”
Source: UNESCO

Tango at Blue Suede Shoes

Being a social dance, Tango cannot be learned and understood without dancing socially at local or international events. D.S.D.A. Blue Suede Shoes aims at offering what X TU cannot: helping new dancers to develop as much as is within their will to grow by providing a social dancing community, weekly 90 minute practice opportunities followed by social dancing at Trabajando, a monthly Tango Café that often goes together with conveniently priced workshops, seminars and shows.


There are Tango parties (called: milonga’s) and festivals being organised all over the world. Our association is a great way to meet friends and go visit those tango parties and festivals in The Netherlands.

Lindy Hop

Lindy Hop is a partner dance that originated in the African-American communities at the end of the1920’s in Harlem, New York. It is danced to big band swing music made famous by the orchestras of Count Basie, Duke Ellington and many others. It is a hybrid of a few dance styles that were popular in that era like jazz, tap, or Charleston and is therefore considered to be part of the swing dance family. Lindy Hop is characterized by happy tunes, not taking things too seriously, and having fun. It is often danced in pairs, but can also be executed as a solo dance or in group routines. Improvisation is a central part of this social dance which is sometimes referred to as a street dance.

Lindy Hop at Blue Suede Shoes

Lindy Hop is a recent addition to the Blue Suede Shoes family. We’ve always had dancers with a passion for swing dancing and have recently taken steps to officially incorporate the dance.

Like with Tango and Ballroom, D.S.D.A. Blue Suede Shoes aims at helping new dancers develop their dancing and have an amazing time by providing a social dancing community and events,  as well as classes and practices.