A History of Modern Ballroom Dancing

Passionate Partners: A History of Modern Ballroom Dance

Apart from being a world-class classification of dancing, the ballroom has a great history that fascinates even the modern person. The word itself, "ball", was derived from the Latin word "ballare", which means "to dance". Over the course of its history, the art gave rise to five variations that we know today. These are:

• Slow Foxtrot
• Vienesse Waltz
• Modern Walts
• Tango
• Quickstep

These five categories are known and practiced in the whole world. And it is not unusual to see competitions about it.

We can trace its origins as far as the 20th century. As early as 1904, a group was formed dedicated to it. It was called the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing. It was the biggest organization that was joined by notable people like GK Anderson and Josephine Bradley. Other known figures are Lady Humphries and Alex Moore, a person who contributed to the book Technique of Ballroom Dancing.

Today, the moves in the dance have a standard. At present, the dancer must pass several levels of expertise before being recognized as a master. The reason behind this is the intricacy of the steps and the execution.

The dance requires choreography in tempo and rhythm. It takes a long while to learn the various techniques, yet there is a common aspect in all forms of the dance. This thing is called the close hold.

In it, the couple is required to have five physical contact areas. These are:

• Man's left hand to touch the woman's right hand
• Woman's left elbow rests on the man's right elbow
• Woman's left had on the upper arm of the man's right
• Man's right hand on the woman's shoulder
• Right parts of chests touching each other

This is one of the classic styles, and it is included in the international Style category. The rhythm is slow, and the songs are performed to around 90 beats per minute.

As such, one step is taken at every beat, but it has advanced techniques and requirements that will make dancers perform six steps per measure. Waltz usually the first singles dance in a competition.

This type hails from Argentina, and there are two major sub-categories in the dance style. These two are American and International styles. Both are highly popular in the world of ballroom dancing, yet the International version is the preferred style by professionals when they join competitions.

With the American style, the dancers have more room for creative freedom, and this is why you can observe alternate hand holds and other choreography execution in this dance.

This is also called the Wiener Walzer. It is a version of waltz that adds rotary dance moves like turning clockwise or counter-clockwise. Steps are simple to execute yet they require quickness and grace. Most of the time, the dancers use a non-rotating step to change directions.

This dance was made famous by a man named Harry Fox. For a time, it was usually performed alongside big bands. When the song Rock Around the Clock came out in the 1950s, the dance became associated with rock and roll. Many years later, the dance was split into. One was called slot foxtrot, and the other is the fast version. Today, the fast dance is called quickstep.

As a foxtrot variant, you will see similarities between the quickstep and its original foxtrot version. However, times have changed this, and you will also be able to observe that the patterns are different.

The quickstep pattern uses an extra half measure than that of the foxtrot, but it sometimes also uses multiple extra steps. The beat where this dance is usually applied to is in the 2/4 and 4/4 range. Today, the quickstep is known to have been developed for jazz, so the movements are fast.

• A History of Ballroom Dancing – this resource will show you the history of the dance.
• Vienesse Waltz – here, you will learn how this ballroom dance came to be, what the friction measurement is, etiquette when executing it, and so much more.
• Quickstep – this article elaborates on this division of ballroom dancing. Here, you will learn its history, the basic actions need to perform it, and the distinctive steps that will help you understand how it differs from the other ballroom dances.
• Argentine Tango – this is a resource that will help you get a background about this ballroom dance. Apart from the history lesson, you will also read about the different styles that apply to it.
• Foxtrot Tutorial – here is a video that will show you how the foxtrot moves are executed.
• Slow Waltz Steps – learn the basic steps if the slow waltz with this resource.
• ISTD – this is the official website of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing.
• Competitive Ballroom Dancing – from this resource, you will learn the mechanics of joining a competition.
• New York Dance Studios – if you are looking for a venue or a place where you can learn, check this resource.
• Ballroom Music – this is a site that shares a collection of music that is best used for ballroom dancing.
• Dance Lessons – here, you will see a list of forms and resources that can help you get started with ballroom dancing.

Music and dance steps make a very good combination. And added to the closed hold, it makes an entertaining impact when executed properly. This is why ballroom dancing is one of the most sought-after activities for dating couples. It allows them to communicate and have the same goal, while both are also learning in a romantic way.