Solo dance styles

Contemporary

Hip-Hop

Jazz

Couple Dance Styles

ETDS_LEVI-BARUCH-00129-1920x1280

Standard Ballroom

photo by Levi Baruch

ETDS2024_LeviBaruch_Zaterdag-0110-1920x1280

Latin Ballroom

photo by Levi Baruch

Standard Ballroom

Our Standard Ballroom classes introduce you to five classic dances: the Slow Waltz, Tango, Quickstep, Viennese Waltz, and Slow Foxtrot. Whether you’re just starting or advancing your skills, our classes are designed to guide you through every step of your ballroom journey.

We offer two different levels for the Standard Ballroom:

This level is perfect for those new to ballroom dancing. You’ll focus on learning the fundamentals: rhythm, balance, and movement. At this stage, you’ll also develop the ability to dance with a partner, working together as a team. By the end of this level, dancing should feel more natural—you’ll be able to talk and dance simultaneously, and you’ll start to recognize which dance style matches the music you’re hearing. The basic footwork, leading, and following techniques are core skills you’ll master at this stage.

Once you’ve progressed through the beginner level, you’ll move on to mastering more complex routines, improving your technique, and learning advanced moves for each dance style. In the advanced (gold) levels the dancer is expected to possess excellent balance, and the ability to play around with the timing of the music and more complicated steps.

2bc1d6cd8d1f6404f34c70915a4c
photo by Benoit Viguier

Latin Ballroom

Latin Ballroom offers five dynamic and vibrant dances: the Samba, Cha-Cha-Cha, Rumba, Pasodoble, and Jive. These dances are known for their energetic rhythms and expressive movements.

We offer three levels for the Latin Ballroom.

This is where your Latin ballroom journey begins. At the beginner level, you will focus on building essential skills: rhythm, balance, and body movement. You will also learn how to dance with your partner and work together as a team. By the end of this level, dancing will feel more natural, dancers should be able to recognize which dance fits the music they hear.

Once the student completes the bronze level, dancing should start to feel natural. At the intermediate (Silver) level, your movements become more fluid and expansive. By this stage, you should have a solid understanding of the basics, allowing you to focus on enhancing your style and adding flair to your dancing. This level emphasizes refining partnering skills, balance, and technique. While the beginning silver steps are more challenging than bronze, they are still fairly easy and most dancers can execute them with varying levels of success. 

At the advanced (Gold) level, dancers are expected to showcase exceptional balance and precision, mastering intricately steps and playing with musical timing. At this stage, your ability to execute complex patterns and maintain grace while performing difficult routines is key. A strong foundation from previous levels is essential, as gaps in technique will become evident when attempting more advanced choreography.

7be2ebc747c2acd340706e0e24f3
photo by Benoit Viguier

Bachata

Bachata is a genre of Latin American music from the Dominican Republic, blending Spanish guitar with indigenous Taino and African influences. 

At Erasmus Dance Society, we offer three levels of Bachata.

This level introduces the basics of bachata, focusing on footwork, timing, and partner connection. By the end of the beginner stage, you’ll feel comfortable with the rhythm and fundamental movements of the dance.

In the intermediate level, you’ll refine your technique, learn more intricate turn patterns, and start exploring musical interpretation. This stage helps you build smoother transitions and body movements.

Advanced dancers focus on perfecting detailed footwork, body isolations, and musicality. This level emphasizes creativity, improvisation, and mastering more complex movements with precision and fluidity.

IMG_2428

Salsa

Salsa originated in Cuba, with influences from African rhythms, and later spread to the American mainland, where it evolved before reaching Europe.

At Erasmus Dance Society, we teach the LA style at two levels.

At the beginner level, the focus is on learning the fundamental steps and basic extensions. A key element in our classes is ’El Corazón’ (the heart), meaning that enjoying the dance and having fun is just as important as learning the moves.

At the intermediate level, you’ll dive into more complex techniques, while still maintaining the playful and fun atmosphere of ’El Corazón’ . This stage helps you expand your dancing skills while keeping the joy of salsa alive.

© RH Fotografie

Hip-Hop

Hip-hop dance is characterized by its emphasis on rhythm and beats, performed to a variety of music, from old-school rap to modern Top 40 hits. The dance movements are dynamic, ranging from large, explosive actions to smaller, more controlled, and artistic motions.

At Erasmus Dance Society, our Hip-Hop classes are varied and engaging. We work on a new choreography every few weeks or months, expanding and refining it with each class. At least once a year, the chosen showcase team collaborates on a performance demo.

We offer three levels of Hip-Hop.

In the beginner class, dancers will learn the fundamentals of movement, including basic conditioning exercises, musicality, and introductory choreography. This class is ideal for beginners or dancers with a small amount of experience.

Intermediate dancers will already have a solid understanding of basic Hip-Hop moves. These classes introduce more complex, fast-paced routines to challenge dancers and help refine their skills.

The advanced class is designed for dancers seeking a high level of challenge. With fast and intricate movements, intense choreography, and upbeat routines, this level pushes dancers to elevate their skills and reach new heights in their dance journey.

hiphop2 (1)
photo by Joana Pinto

Contemporary

Contemporary dance emerged in the mid-20th century as a way to break free from the constraints of traditional dance forms. It is an expressive style that emphasizes the freedom of movement, enabling dancers to connect deeply with their minds and bodies.

In contemporary dance, dancers explore various ways to use their bodies to convey emotions and energy. Contrary to popular belief, flexibility is not a requirement to start dancing contemporary.
At Erasmus Dance Society, we two levels of contemporary dance classes.

Intermediate classes are designed for dancers with some experience in contemporary dance. At this level, the focus shifts to more complex movements and combinations, encouraging dancers to refine their technique. Improvisation exercises become more challenging, allowing dancers to explore new ways of expressing themselves, while the choreography incorporates a higher degree of difficulty and artistic interpretation.

The advanced class is aimed at experienced dancers looking for significant challenges. At this level, dancers will work on highly technical choreography. The class focuses on mastering intricate movement sequences, deepening expression, and perfecting the emotional precision required for advanced contemporary dance.

IMG-076
photo by Joana Pinto

Jazz

Jazz dance is a dynamic and versatile dance style that combines elements of classical ballet, contemporary movement, and rhythmic expression. Originating in the early 20th century alongside jazz music, it has evolved into a diverse art form that celebrates individuality, musicality, and energy.

In jazz dance, dancers focus on sharp, precise movements and fluid transitions, often infused with their unique style and personality. Known for its strong emphasis on rhythm and syncopation, jazz challenges dancers to connect with the music while maintaining technical precision.

At Erasmus Dance Society, we offer one advanced-level jazz dance class.

The advanced jazz class is tailored for experienced dancers looking to push their technical and artistic boundaries. The class focuses on mastering intricate jazz choreography, including leaps, turns, isolations, and complex rhythm patterns. Dancers will also refine their performance skills, learning to embody the energy and emotion that jazz dance demands. Whether it’s Broadway-inspired routines or modern jazz techniques, this class emphasizes precision, musicality, and personal expression.

IMG-174
photo by Joana Pinto