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Full-Text Articles in Musicology
Why We Don’T Just Dance To A Metronome: Examining The Musical Characteristics Of American Rhythm And Smooth, Tommy Endicott
Why We Don’T Just Dance To A Metronome: Examining The Musical Characteristics Of American Rhythm And Smooth, Tommy Endicott
Musicology and Ethnomusicology: Student Scholarship
American Smooth and Rhythm are the fastest growing styles of ballroom dance in America, and as new ideas for how to perform the dances flood the dance floor, so do new ideas for what music best expresses the character of the dance. The music of American Smooth is trending towards electronic forms of the tango and towards pop ballads in place of traditional Viennese Waltzes; meanwhile, the music of American Rhythm is trending away from its Cuban roots and towards hip hop. These innovations could potentially revitalize ballroom dance music for new audiences and also help dancers to reach a …