Name: Samba
Music rhythm: 2/4 beats
Style of Dance: lively, rhythmical dance
Country of Origin: Brazil

Samba was originated in Africa and came to Brazil at the beginning of the 20th century and danced to music of the same name. Samba may be danced individually or with a partner. Dancers move forward and backward, shifting weight between feet. It is a fast-paced dance, with three steps for every two beats, although the overall speed varies according to the music.

Name: Cha Cha
Music rhythm: 4/4
Style of Dance: Light, Fast and lively pace
Country of Origin: Mexico, Cuba

Cha Cha is very often performed by couples, with a signature 3-step motion. At the start of the dance, one partner moves 3 steps forward while the other one moves 3 steps back. This is followed by 3 steps to the side, all of which are counted by the words 'Cha Cha Cha' giving this dance its name. Cha Cha is often danced in Cuban music, Latin pop or Latin rock.

Name: Rumba
Music rhythm: 4/4, start off at the second beat, about 30-40 steps per minute
Style of Dance: Slow soft and romantic pace
Country of origin: Cuba

Rumba is the slowest of the five Latin dances. Rumba steps are kept compact and the Rumba is danced generally without any rise and fall. This style is authentic, as is the use of free arms in various figures. Rumba music tends to be more slow and a sad kind of music making it one of the more romantic style of Latin Dance.

Name: Paso Doble
Music rhythm: 2/4 beats
Style of Dance: Lively, fast pace, Spanish bullfight style
Country of origin: Spain

In Paso Doble, forward steps are taken with the heel lead, the frame is wider and more strictly kept up, and there is significantly different and less movement. The Paso Doble is performed more as a competition dance than as a social dance. The bold, inspiring music has a simple 1-2-1-2 march rhythm, with very few rhythm changes. The tempo of Paso Doble music is usually a brisk 60 beats per minute.

Name: Jive
Music rhythm: 4/4, 44 bars per minute
Style of Dance: cowboy dance, live, rock and fast pace
Country of Origin: United States

Jive may also be known as the cowboy Dance. Originated in the United States in 1040, Jive is a lively and uninhibited variation of the Jitterbug, a form of Swing dance. Jive is a very happy type of dance and the lifting of knees and bending or rocking of the hips often occurs. Jive is among the fastest of the 5 Latin dances. It incorporates lots of kicks and flicks, even twirling of the woman, and doesn't move around the dance floor like other dances.

Name: Waltz
Music rhythm: 3/4 beats
Style of Dance: smooth, romantic, and elegant
Country of Origin: Germany

Waltz rhythm has a strong first beat followed by two lighter beats. These coincide as steps and you dance. This is a slow and elegant dance in which you and your partner move as if you are one. It was originated a kind of folk dance by the Germans and then when it became more popular, it spread out to other European countries which changed the name to Waltz.

Name: Tango
Music rhythm: 2/4, around 30 bars per minute
Style of Dance: close embrace, small step, sync footwork
Country of Origin: Rio de la Plata (Mexico)

Tango is a dance that has influences from Spanish and African culture. The dance developed in response to many cultural elements, such as the crowding of the venue and even the fashions in clothing. The styles are mostly danced in either open embrace, where lead and follow have space between their bodies, or close embrace, where the lead and follow connect either chest-to-chest or in the upper thigh, hip area. Tango is a passionate, staccato dance with definite movement. Tango music is often sharp music types.

Name: Fox Trot
Music rhythm: 4/4 beat, 28 bars per minute
Style of Dance: Beautiful, Elegant style
Country of Origin: Exact origin unclear but became popular in United States

Fox Trot is the most difficult of all ballroom dance. It is beautiful, graceful and requires full control and style. Some famous Big-Band music ensures this is very popular dance to learn. From the late teens through the 1940s, the foxtrot was certainly the most popular fast dance and the vast majority of records issued during these years were foxtrots. Fox Trot is built around a slow-quick-quick rhythm at the slowest tempo, and the social American style using a slow-slow-quick-quick rhythm at a somewhat faster pace.

Name: Quick Step
Music rhythm: 4/4 beat, 50 bars per minute
Style of Dance: fast pace
Country of Origin: British

Quick step is somewhat a faster pace version of Fox Trot. It is a fast moving bubbly dance full of life comprising walks and chasses. With steps including the "Running Right Turn", "V6", and "Fishtail" you'll be zooming around the floor in no time. Quick Step has the fastest tempo out of all the ballroom dances. The pattern of the dance are normally "quick-and-quick-and-quick, quick, slow".

Name: Viennese Waltz
Music rhythm: 3/4 beat, 56 bars per minute
Style of Dance: fast pace, whirls around the dance floor
Country of Origin: German

Viennese Waltz is the oldest of all ballroom dances.The Viennese Waltz is a rotary dance where the dancers are constantly turning either in a clockwise (natural) or anti-clockwise (reverse) direction interspersed with non-rotating change steps to switch between the directions of rotation. A true Viennese waltz consists only of turns and change steps. Other moves such as the fleckerls, American-style figures and side sway or underarm turns are modern inventions and are not normally danced at the annual balls in Vienna. Furthermore, in a properly danced Viennese Waltz, couples do not pass, but turn continuously left and right while travelling counter clockwise around the floor following each other.