Have you ever heard of Ceroc? Well if you have the success and popularity has obviously reached your senses! Ceroc it has to be said has over the last few years achieved remarkable success and the dance style has franchises all over the world from the United States to the UK to Australia. Dance sure has been championed by Ceroc and Ceroc has become very popular in the UK and is found in every major town throughout the land.
So what is Ceroc dancing exactly I hear you say? Well Ceroc is best described as blend of various dance styles, specifically Salsa, Jive, Ballroom and Rock & Roll but unlike Salsa and other Latin dance styles does not contain the complex footwork which means it is easier to focus on the rest of your body. Ceroc is also sometimes dubbed "Modern Jive" due to its mixing of Jive tempos in conjunction with other Latin based tempos and movements.
Ceroc was first seen as a dance format in London around 1980 and is attributed to the work of James Cronin who held the first Ceroc event in the Porchester Hall in London in 1980. It must be said that the roots of what was to become Ceroc are found in post WW2 France, while the modern form of Ceroc lies more within the 1980's. By the late 1980's and early 1990's Cronin and a Sylvia Colmen had set up Ceroc Enterprises and Ceroc was then made a trademark. By 1994 Ceroc teachers were starting to be taught and subsequently licenced and by about 1994 "Taxi Dancers" were introduced into events to assist beginner dancers. In 2004 Ceroc Enterprises were running over 100 different venues and in 2006 started to run "weekender" events. So you will not be surprised to hear that Ceroc Enterprises has franchises in France, Italy, Canada, USA, Ireland and Hong Kong, there are also related Ceroc organisations in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Dubai.
Anyway that is the brief history lesson, Ceroc is one of the newer dance forms like Zumba and akin to Zumba has spread dramatically in a short space of time and has become a very popular way to dance, achieve fitness, have fun and meet new people.
So heh I guess you're wondering what this Ceroc dance is all about! You have had the brief history and an the introduction and if your still reading (of course you are) you must be wondering how this Ceroc dance stuff works right. Just so you know I personally do Ceroc myself from time to time so have some direct experience. Ceroc is as mentioned earlier a blend of Salsa, Jive, swing and even some would say dirty dancing and like many Latin based dance styles is a male lead dance which can be danced to music as wide ranging as 50's swing, 80's pop, Blues, to modern pop music. The tempo can vary considerably to be honest speaking from experience; you can be dancing to some slow 80's love ballad, then dancing to some funky salsa tune and within the next song be dancing to Lady Gaga! For those of you who have tried Salsa then you will know that within Salsa footwork is seen as a core component of the dance style. Footwork takes a backseat in Ceroc and unlike Salsa footwork is simpler and not as ridged. That said Ceroc has footwork and steps like any other Latin based dance style, the footwork is based on an in-and-out style with either foot stepping back and the weight being transferred onto that foot before either the same foot returning to the original stance or the other foot moving to complete a move.
You can be forgiven for feeling that due to Ceroc being a partner dance that you need to bring along a partner or friend, well rest assured this is not the case as you can simply turn up! A regular Ceroc night works by people rotating along during lessons so everyone gets the chance to dance and during freestyles the floor is yours, freestyles work by either asking other people to dance or being asked to dance yourself. Ceroc is a very social and fun dance and is a great way to meet new people and achieve dance fitness at the same time, believe me it will get you in shape and also keep your joints in tip-top condition.
How easy is it to learn and pick-up Ceroc dancing I hear you cry! Well that depends on you, having other dance experience can help but it is not a requirement as when you start Ceroc you can learn at your own pace and begin with beginner moves before you learn the more harder moves. I would say that the moves generally have similarities with other Latin based dances notably Salsa and Jive and vary from being one handed to double handed moves. What is great about taking part in Ceroc as a beginner is that you are given a special extra helping hand in the form of "Taxi Dancers". Taxi Dancers are instructors that specifically teach new dancers and teach them in smaller groups away from more experienced dancers and are able to offer advice and guidance in a more relaxed setting. Taxi Dancers during freestyle segments on regular dance nights also are solely available for new dancers so if you're a newbie seek them out, if you don't they will find you so do not be shy and go for it!
I would say that getting fit and improving your dance abilities is a real distinct possibility with Ceroc as the moves can be learnt by anyone as Ceroc is highly accessible as a dance form and its popularity and success is evidence of this!
So what are you waiting for give Ceroc a go, you will not regret it trust me!
I am speaking from experience here too! I have every confidence that you will enjoy yourself and achieve dance success.
I am the website manager of healththroughdance.com I have set this site up due to my passion and interest in dance and its many physical and social benefits. I dance the Salsa and Ceroc personally and am keen to share my experiences and promote dance where I can as it has changed my life and most certainly for the better! For information on Zumba, Salsa, general dance, modern Jive look no further!
http://www.healththroughdance.com/
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