3 Tips to Master Timing and Music in Ballroom and Latin

balance technique timing & music

The short answer: good timing in Ballroom and Latin comes down to three things. Master your balance, because you can't stay in time when you're not in control. Master your base time and then your phrase timing. And master your melody: count the way you want to dance.

What do time signature and tempo mean in dancing?

The time signature tells you how many beats are in each bar. Waltz is in 3/4 time, Quickstep and Jive are in 4/4, and Samba and Tango are in 2/4. Tempo is the speed of the music. Most music is measured in beats per minute, but in dancing we measure tempo in bars per minute. Put eight bars together and you have a phrase of music.

What is an accent in dance music?

An accent is a strong emphasis on a particular note. Paso Doble has an accent on every beat, which is why it's such a strong dance. Waltz has a strong accent on one. Rumba has a strong accent on one and a percussive accent on four. When you're starting out, listen for the drums, because they hold the time.

Why does timing matter in a partnership?

A really quick way to ease problems in a partnership is for both of you to count at exactly the same time. Often one person is counting something different from the other, and neither is in sync with the music.

What are the 3 tips to master your timing?

Master your balance (from 4:41): as soon as you lose balance you're not in control, and you can't be in time. With perfect balance you dance when you want to dance. With poor balance you dance because you have to. Weight control and posture are the foundations.
Master your base time, then your phrase timing (from 5:57): base time is what you learn first, like 1, 2, 3 in Waltz or slow, slow, quick, quick, slow over two bars in Quickstep. Phrase timing counts the bars of an eight-bar phrase (1 2 3, 2 2 3, 3 2 3, up to 8 2 3), so you have to listen for where the phrase really starts.
Master your melody (from 9:30): count how you want to dance. Count long, short, with tone, colour, accents and softness. If you count like a mouse, you'll dance like a mouse.

From 10:20 I count along to Quickstep and Samba music, first with just the drums and then with the melody, so you can hear the difference.

Common mistakes

Counting something different from your partner.
Trying to fix your timing while your balance is still poor.
Counting base time only, and starting your count on any old one instead of where the phrase begins.
Counting flat and quiet, so your dancing has no energy either.
Trying to count phrase timing before you know your steps well.

Try this in your next practice

Write out your routine with the real figure names. Next to each figure, write its slows and quicks, mark where it begins, ends or blends into the next, then add the phrase count. Now dance it to music, counting out loud with the energy you want to see in your dancing.

Frequently asked questions

Is dance tempo measured in beats or bars per minute?

In dancing we measure tempo in bars per minute, not beats per minute like most music.

How fast are Waltz, Quickstep and Samba?

WDSF competition rules set Waltz at 28 to 30 bars a minute, Quickstep at 50 to 52 bars a minute and Samba at 50 to 52 bars a minute.

How many bars are in a phrase of music?

A phrase is eight bars. When the eighth bar finishes, you go back to one.

Why is Samba timing trickier?

You can hear two beats in every bar, but there are eight different rhythms in Samba to learn. Once you have them, they let you express yourself in a unique way.

What if counting numbers doesn't work for me?

Try sounds instead, like "boom chicka, boom chicka" along with the drums. Many students find it easier to hear, and it's fun.

Related lessons

Vaughan Liddicoat is a 4 time World Professional 10 Dance representative for Australia, an accredited coach and the founder of Ballroom Mastery. He has a passion for dance and wants to help you become the best dancer you can be and have an amazing time doing it.

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