10/26/02

  Ballroom, Latin & Swing Dance Music

(Listing by Dance)

NOTE: A percent value in parenthesis indicates the amount that the song has to be sped up or slowed down (negative = slow it down) for maximum danceability. A time in parenthesis indicates an (estimated) intro you'll want to skip over. This is all off the top of my head, so no warranty is expressed or implied :-).

WALTZES:
"Doug's Tearful Waltz" from the Strictly Ballroom soundtrack (intro of ~1:01)
"Fascination" from one of the Billboard Top Movie Hits cds
"I Wonder Why" by Curtis Stigers
"If It's Over" by Celine Dion
"If You Don't Know Me By Now" by Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
"If You Don't Know Me By Now" by Simply Red
"If You Had The Heart" by Ilse De Lange
"Love Ain't Here Anymore" by Take That
"Paris Nocture"and "Isle Au Haut" by Dan Fogelberg and Tim Weissberg
"Run For The Roses" by Dan Fogelberg (intro of ~1:00)
"When I Need You" by Celine Dion (-6.5%)

FOXTROTS: 
"A Nightingale Sang in Berkely Square" by Brian Setzer (-3.5%)
"Cruel Spell" by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
"Fever" by Jeanie Bryson
"Five Minutes More" by Frank Sinatra
"Head Over Heels" and "Miles Away" -- one is Basia, the other Matt Bianco. I can never remember which is which."That Old Black Magic" by Frank Sinatra
"They Can't Take That Away From Me" by Danny DeVito! (off the soundtrack for Living Out Loud)
"Who Wouldn't Love You" by Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme
"Witchcraft" by Robert Palmer

TANGOS: 
"La Cumparisita" - Julio Iglesias
"La Media Luy" - Julio Iglesias
"The Tango Project" - everything on the album is danceable but some is more Argentine than DanceSport. Try them out on an experienced dancer first (Yira Yira is definitely okay).
"Tango the Night" by Falco

VIENNESE WALTZ: 
"Caribean Blue" by Enya (+4.5%)"Hijo de la Luna" by Mecano (fade aroun 2:45!!)
"That's Amore" by Dean Martin
"Tiempo de Vals" by Chayanne (0:20)

QUICKSTEP: 
"American Beauty Rose" by Frank Sinatra
"Jumpin' Jive" by Joe Jackson
"Mister Sandman" from the Rhino "Let's Dance" CD
"No me voy sin bailar" by Ana Belen
"Put a Lid On It" by the Squirrel Nut Zippers

RUMBA: 
"Bachata Rosa" and "Burbujas de Amor" by Juan-Luis Guerra (both a bit fast)
"Bird Boy" from the Wild Orchid Soundtrack.
"Cerca de Ti" by Lucero
"I Just Want To Dance With You" by George Strait (also a Country Cha Cha)
"Sign Your Name" by Terrence-Trent D'Arby
"Sway" by Dean Martin

BOLERO: 
"All Out of Love" by Andru Donalds
"Casi Un Bolero" by Ricky Martin
"Chains" by Tina Arena
"Falling Into You" by Celine Dion
"Historia de un Amor" by Eydie Gorme
"La Mentira" by Ana Belen
"Primitive" by Annie Lennox

CHA-CHA: 
"Boom-Shack-A-Lak" by Apache Indian (on the Threesome soundtrack)
"Cantaloop" by US3
"Gigolo" by Los Umbrellos
"Guajira" by Chayanne
"In These Shoes" by Kirsty MacColl
"Lets Get Loud" by Jennifer Lopez
"Look At Me" by Geri Halliwell (watch out for the break)
"Magic Carpet Ride" by the Mighty Dub Cats
"Marcia Baila" by Ricky Martin
"Mean-Spirited Sal" by Buster Poindexter
"Mucho Mambo (Sway)" by Shaft
"Rico" by Barrio Boyz
"Smooth" by Santana
"Walkin' On The Sun" by Smashmouth

SAMBA: 
"Agua Dulce, Agua Sala" by Julio Iglesias
"Hell" by Squirrel Nut Zippers (some think it's a swing)
"I Wanna Be Like You" by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (-6.5%)
"La Magalenha" by Sergio Mendes (-10%!)
"Maria" and "La Bomba" by Ricky Martin
"Simarik" by Tarkan
"Tic Tic Tac" by Carrapicho

MERENGUE:
"Baila Baila" by Chayanne (-6%)
"La Bilirubina" by Juan Luis Guerra
"Maria Se Fue" by Oro Solido
"Suavemente" by Elvis Crespo

NIGHTCLUB TWO-STEP: 
"2 Become 1" by the Spice Girls
"Beautiful In My Eyes" by Joshua Kadison
"China In Your Hands" by Fusion
"Lady In Red" by Chris DeBurgh
"Rise" by Gabrielle
"Sailing" by N' Sync
"When I Die" by No Mercy
"Wo Bist Du" by Die Prinzen

HUSTLE:
"All Out Of Love" by Andru Donalds
"The Animal Song" by Savage Garden  (fast)
"Crush" by Jennifer Paige
"Everybody" - I'm pretty sure this one is by the Backstreet Boys
"I Wanna Kiss You All Over" by No Mercy
"I Want You Back" by  N' Sync
"I'm Outta Love" by Anastacia
"Kung Fu Fighting" by Bus Stop feat. Carl Douglas (there's a break in the middle, edit it out or fade first).
"Revolution in Paradise" by Heath Hunter and the Pleasure Company
"Sex Bomb" by Tom Jones and Mousse T.
"We've Got It Goin' On" by the Backstreet Boys
"What Is Love" by Haddaway (-3.5%)
A note on Hustle: the preferred tempo varies a _lot_ depending on where you are. In New York, 28mpm is comfortable and 30mpm verging on too fast. In the SF Bay Area, 30 is comfortable and 28mpm verges on boring. Check with your local dancers to find out what tempo you should be looking for.

WEST COAST SWING:
"Are You Jimmy Ray?" by Jimmy Ray
"Kiss" by Tom Jones
"I Feel Lucky" by Mary Chapin Carpenter
"I'm On A Bender" by Candye Kane
"(If You're Not In It For Love) I'm Outta Here" by Shania Twain
"Mother-In-Law" by Huey Lewis and the News (not recommended for weddings)
(Also look for Swingin' The Blues I-V)

  Great selection, great prices!

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