What is Blues Dancing?
There are many definitions of Blues Dancing and blues music. We are primarily interested in the forms of music and dance that are occurring in the social partnered dancing scene of today. This form of Blues has been exploding as a dance in its own right across North America and is starting to hit the other continents.improvising their own variations."
Jazz Dance: The Story of American Vernacular Dance
by Marshall Winslow Stearns, Jean Stearns, page 153
What does it look like?
The type of Blues Dancing that we do is centered on very strong partner connection with the basis being a weight change. It originally stems out of Swing/Jazz partner dancing, though it's connection and weight change share some similarities to Tango. Unlike Tango, however, Blues is driven by a deep pulse found in the music, and this pulse drives the movement as well as the feel or spirit of the dance, which is much "earthier" than the "airy" and light feel of Tango. We have often described Blues Dancing as similar to a slow swing dance where "hyperconnectedness" is the focus rather than "moves" or footwork. This is, of course, an oversimplification. Better than words, it might help to actually view some of our video examplesWhat does it sound like?
With that in mind, here are some samples of some of our favorite songs to hopefully give you an idea of the "Blues" that drives us. Some of it fits in the canonical definition of "Blues Music" and some of it just feels wonderful to Blues Dance to.Absolute Favorites
- Feeling Good, Nina Simone
- The Thrill Is Gone, B.B. King
- Summertime, Gene Harris with Ray Brown
- Dr. Feelgood, Aretha Franklin
- St. James Infirmary, Lou Rawls
- I Live The Life I Love, Buddy Guy
- Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives, Sidney Bechet
- Night And Day, Ray Charles
- Ain t No Sunshine, Bill Withers
More Choices
- I Put A Spell On You, Nina Simone
- I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free, Nina Simone
- Tobacco Road, Lou Rawls
- Down Home Blues, Gene Harris & Jack McDuff
- Dope, Clarence Gatemouth Brown
- Son of a Preacher Man, Bobbie Gentry
- The Vibrator.samp, Down Home Style
- Night Time Is The Right Time, Joe Turner with Count Basie
- Midnight Train to Georgia sam, Gladys Knight
- Got My Mojo Workin, Asylum Street Spankers
- I d Rather Go Blind, Etta James
- Green Onions, Booker T. & The MGs
- You Got Me Runnin, Joe Turner-Jimmy Witherspoon
- Travelin Shoes, Chambers Brothers
