DanceMeTonight.com: American Ballroom Dance Tempos

Bolero || Cha Cha || Fox Trot || Hustle || Mambo || Merengue || Night Club Two Step
Peabody || Polka || Quick Step || Rumba || Samba || Swing || Tango || Waltz

For Band Leaders and Disc Jockeys

Dear Dance Music Provider (Dance Band Leaders, Disc Jockeys and others):
   We appreciate you!  It's obvious that we need each other. You play music to attract dancers. We come to dance. As always, we have a few requests.
   (1) Please play a variety of dance styles -- not just 90% slow and fast. To call yourself a dance band (or DJ), your "play list" should include (minimum) three each of the dance styles (listed above and below).
   (2) Please play the established, comfortable tempos evolved over the years via experiences of millions of dancers and the dance bands with the biggest followings (more gigs!). Many bands hit the correct tempos with a flashing LED metronome set at the applicable rate. Absent that (in rehearsal?), one can do a quick, 15 second count of the beats (times four = the BPM). If a song doesn't meet the standard, please adjust it.
   (3) Take dance lessons (from a "pro," not a "back-yard mechanic") and experience the pleasures of dancing to good tempos and the agony of bad ones. You'll see why tempos are so important.
   Result? If you want to please your audience of dancers and make them want to return, you will have succeeded. And, we'll appreciate each other more!   -- YOUR Dance Columbus WEBMASTER

Dance Style

Tempo

Measures per Minute

Beats per Minute

Bolero

4/4

24

96

Cha-Cha

4/4

28-30

112-120

Fox Trot

4/4

30-32

120-128

Hustle

4/4

28-30

112-120

Mambo

4/4

47

188

Merengue

4/4

29-32

116-128

Night Club Two-Step

4/4

16-22

64-88

Peabody

4/4

60-62

240-248

Polka

4/4

60-62

240-248

Quick Step

4/4

52

208

Rumba

4/4

27-32

108-128

Samba

2/4

54-56

108-112

Swing - East Coast Triple

4/4

34-38

136-152

Swing - East Coast Double

4/4

38-44

152-176

Swing - East Coast Single

4/4

44-48

176-192

Swing - Jive

4/4

44

176

Swing - Lindy

4/4

32-40

128-160

Swing - West Coast

4/4

28-32

112-128

Tango

2/4

30-32

60-64

Waltz - American

3/4

28-30

84-90

Waltz - Viennese

3/4

54-56

162-168

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© 1998 LYNN PARKS