Ballroom dance
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Ballroom dance
Tango | Waltz
Gaskell BallBallroom dance, refers collectively to a set of
partner dances, which originated in the
Western world and are now enjoyed both socially and competitively around the
globe. Its performance and entertainment aspects are also widely enjoyed on
stage, in film, and on television. While historically ballroom dance may refer
to any form of formal social dancing as recreation, with the eminence of
dancesport in modern times the term has become much narrower in scope, usually referring
specifically to the International Standard and International Latin style dances
(see dance groupings below). In the United
States, two additional variations—"American Smooth" and "American Rhythm"—have
also been popularized and are commonly recognized as styles of "ballroom dance".
Definitions and history
1914 dance illustration
The term "ballroom dancing" is derived from the word ball, which in
turn originates from the Latin word ballare which means "to dance".
The definition of ballroom dance also depends on the era. Balls have featured
Minuet, Quadrille, Polonaise, Pas de Gras, Mazurka, and other popular dances of
the day, which are considered to be historical dances.
In times past, ballroom dancing was "social
dancing" for the privileged, leaving "folk
dancing" for the lower classes. These boundaries have since become blurred,
and it should be noted even in times long gone, many "ballroom" dances were
really elevated folk dances.
Ballroom dancing has been in continual use as a social art form since its
inception with one exception in the 20th century. Dance historians usually mark
the appearance of the Twist in the mid
1960s as the end of social partner dancing, and they credit what was then called
the Latin Hustle for bringing it back in the late 1970s.
Rogers and Astaire
In the early 20th century, the on-screen dance pairing of
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers greatly influenced ballroom dancing in the USA.
Although both actors had independent projects and careers (Astaire had many
other partners and Rogers won an Academy Award for a dramatic role), their
filmed dance sequences have reached iconic status. Much of their work portrayed
social dance, although their performances were highly choreographed (often by
Astaire or Hermes Pan), meticuously staged, and continually rehearsed. Ballroom
dance historians note their portrayal of early 20th-century dancers Vernon and
Irene Castle.
Their work has greatly influenced the American-style ballroom syllabus.
American Smooth style was influenced greatly by the work of franchises such as
Arthur Murray and Fred Astaire Dance Studios where 'Fred & Ginger' classes and workshops
remain popular.
Modern ballroom movements
Classic and
vintage dance societies are dedicated to the performance and preservation of
ballroom dances of the past. These companies perform at special events attired
in traditional dance costume. Some instructors specialize in the dances of one
place or time, or in fad dances: short-lived, time-specific dances that may be
associated with the music or style of an era (such as The Twist) or a particular
song (such as YMCA or La Macarena).
Competitive dancing
In spite of its historical image as a pastime for the privileged; formal
competitions, sometimes referred to as
DanceSport,
often allow participation by less advanced dancers at various proficiency
levels.
In the United States, amateur dance proficiency levels are defined by
USA Dance (formerly United States Amateur Ballroom Dance Association, USABDA) as Bronze->Silver->Gold for syllabus dancers, and
Novice->Prechampionship->Championship for open competitors. These levels roughly
correspond to the "E" to "S" levels in Europe and Australia. Among
professionals, levels classify into Rising Star and Open Professional.
Eligibility and "leveling up" requirements will vary greatly between
countries and sometimes within. For instance, in addition to USA Dance
competitions, amateur dancers in the United States often participate in
competitions sanctioned by NDCA or YCN (Youth Collegiate Network), each with its
own distinct culture in addition to differing definitions of level and
eligibility requirements.
The
International Olympic Committee now recognizes competitive ballroom dance. It
now appears doubtful that it will be included in the Olympic Games espcially in light of efforts to reduce the number of
offerings, but the application has not been permanently rejected.
Ballroom dancing competitions in the former USSR also included the Soviet
Ballroom dances, or Soviet Programme. Australian New Vogue is danced both
competitively and socially. In competition there are 15 recognised New Vogue
dances, which are performed by the competitors in sequence. Internationally, the
Blackpool Dance Festival, hosted annually at Blackpool, England, is
considered the most prestigious event a dancesport competitior can attend.
Elements of competition
Intermediate level international style latin dancing at the 2006
MIT ballroom dance competition. A judge stands in the foreground.
In competition ballroom dancers are judged by multifarious criteria such as
connection, frame, posture, speed, proper body alignment, proper usage of
weight/ankles/feet, and grooming. Judging in a performance-oriented sport is
inevitably subjective in nature, and controversy and complaints by competitors
over judging placements are not uncommon. The scorekeepers—called scrutineers—will
tally the total number recalls accumulated by each couple through each round
until the finals, when the
Skating system is used to place each couple by ordinals, typically 1-6,
though the number of couples in the final can vary.
Medal examinations
Medal examinations enable dancers' abilities to be recognized according to
conventional standards. In medal exams, each dancer performs two or more dances
in a certain genre (e.g., International Standard) in front of a judge. In North
America, examination levels include Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Each level (i.e.
Bronze, Silver, Gold) may be further subdivided into either two or four separate
sections.
Dances
Commonly, "ballroom dance" refers to both International Standard and
International Latin, though in some cases its meaning can be restricted to only
the international standard dances. In the United States, the American styles
(American Smooth and American Rhythm) are also included. Less commonly, other
dances are also included under the umbrella "ballroom dance". Such dances
include
Nightclub Dances such as
Lindy Hop,
West Coast Swing, and
Hustle. Others are called
street
dances, including
salsa and merengue. Nightclub dances are danced differently in different places, and
club/street styles differ from the styles taught in ballroom studios.
In Europe,
Latin Swing dances include
Tango Argentino, Mambo, Lindy Hop, Swing Boogie (sometimes also known as
Nostalgic Boogie), and Disco Fox. Country and Western dances are danced both
competitively and socially at Country & Western bars, clubs, and ballrooms.
There is also a Rock 'n' Roll dance variant accepted as a social dance. A
related category is regional social dances. One example is the subcategory of
Cajun dances that originated in New Orleans, with branches reaching both coasts
of the United States.
Standard/Smooth dances are normally danced to Western music (often from the
mid-twentieth century), and couples dance counter-clockwise around a rectangular
floor generally following the
line of dance. In competitions, competitors are costumed as would be
appropriate for a white-tie affair, with full gowns for the ladies and
bow tie and tailsuits for the men; though in American Smooth it is now conventional for
the men to abandon the tailsuit in favor of shorter tuxedos, vests,
and other creative outfits.
Latin/Rhythm dances are commonly danced to contemporary latin music, and with
the exception of a few travelling dances (e.g. Samba and Paso Doble) couples do not follow the line of dance and perform their routines more or less
in one spot. In competitions, the women are often dressed in short-skirted latin
outfits while the men outfitted in tight-fitting shirts and pants; the goal
being to bring emphasis to the dancers' leg action and body movements.
International Style
- International Standard
- Slow Waltz -
Tango -
Viennese Waltz - Slow Foxtrot - Quickstep
- International Latin
-
Cha cha - Samba - Rumba - Paso Doble - Jive
American Style
- American Smooth
- Waltz -
Tango -
Foxtrot -
Viennese Waltz
- American Rhythm
-
Cha-cha - Rumba -
East Coast Swing -
Bolero -
Mambo
Other dances occasionally categorized as ballroom
- Nightclub
-
Nightclub Two-step - Hustle - Modern Jive / LeRoc / Ceroc - and the whole swing variety:
West Coast Swing /
East Coast Swing (always included in the "American Rhythm" category) /
Lindy Hop
/ Carolina Shag / Collegiate Shag / Balboa
- Latin nightclub
-
Salsa - Merengue - Cumbia - Bachata - Cha-cha - Samba
- Country/Western
- Polka -
Cha-cha - Two-step
- Waltz...
- also referred to as "Country and Western" or C/W:
- C/W Polka
-
C/W Cha-cha - C/W Two-step -
C/W Waltz...
- Cajun dances
-
Cajun One Step - Cajun Two Step - Zydeco - Cajun Waltz - Cajun Jitterbug
- Other
-
Argentine tango
- Polka
External links
Home | Up | Ballroom dance | Latin dance | Novelty and fad dances | Partner dance | Square dance | Swing dance
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This guide is licensed under the GNU
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