Dance Music In The Twenties:
Within the twenties, dance music became extremely popular. The night clubs were visited by a large number of people at which a particular form of jazz music was characterized by very fancy orchestras that had complex arrangements and string instruments, became the basic standards for music at the clubs. The fox-trot was particularly a very popular dance. It was at this time that this music was being referred to as jazz - even today, people refer to dance music as big band or white jazz.
Dance Music and Dances:
Through the ages, there have been dances and music named after them. So we have the waltz, the foxtrot, the samba, the cha cha, and many more dance styles and we have the dance music that typifies that beat called by that name as well.
70s and Later:
The seventies saw a resurgence in dance music with disco and the discotheques overflowed with teenagers dancing away to the new sound. The eighties saw dancing get even more popular with the music getting a bit harder hitting. Then came electronic music and dance went wild. Now the music was made with drum machines, synthesizers and sequencers. The tempo could be set to the speed you wanted. There was hardly any use of actual instruments but it was a call to the young to move their bodies and they answered the call and did. Electronic music fuelled the rave scene and this is the music that is currently most popular when it comes to dance music. |
