BALLROOM DANCE

Ballroom dance, type of social dancing, originally practiced in Europe and the United States, that is
performed by couples and follows prescribed steps. The tradition was historically distinguished from folk
or country dance by its association with the elite social classes and with invitational dance events. In the
21st century, however, ballroom dance is present in many parts of the world and has practitioners in
virtually all segments of society. It is performed in various contexts, including invitational and public
dance events, professional dance exhibitions, and formal competitions. Standard ballroom dances
include the waltz and the polka from the 19th century and the fox-trot, the two-step, and the tango,
among others, from the 20th century. Other popular dances—such as the Charleston, swing dancing, the
mambo, the twist, and disco dancing—have also visited the ballroom repertoire at various points in the
tradition’s history. Owing to the social and stylistic breadth of the ballroom tradition, the term ballroom
dance has often been loosely applied to all sorts of social and popular dancing.

A Brief History of Ballroom Dancing

“Ballroom dancing” as a term hails from the Latin word “ballare” which, coincidentally, means “to
dance.” Thus, a ballroom is a room in which to dance. Makes sense, right? Centuries ago, ballroom
dancing was primarily for the privileged and well-to-do, while the commoners had to make do with folk
dancing; however, these boundaries have since disappeared, leaving ballroom dancing a fun hobby for
everyone. Today, ballroom dancing applies to numerous dances in which a “leader” and a “follower”
dance together in close proximity, usually with some degree of physical contact. This closeness is to
permit the leader to get the follower to, well, follow along.

Early Ballroom Dancing

The first documented authority of early ballroom dancing is Jehan Thoinot’Arbeau’s Orchesographie
(1588) that discussed 16th-century French social dance. In 1650, Jean-Baptiste Lully introduced the
Minuet to Paris—a dance that would dominate ballroom until the end of the 18th century.

The Waltz came about in England in the early 1800s despite initial opposition to the closed dance hold.
By 1840, the Polka, Mazurka, and Schottische emerged.

Ballroom Dancing Emerges in the US

In the early 20th century, ballroom dancing experienced massive popularity in the US with the extremely
successful dancing of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Even though most of their numbers were
meticulously choreographed, staged, and oft-rehearsed, they influenced greatly ballroom dancing’s
acclaim and acceptance.

Ballroom versus Latin Dances

Although commonly classified together as “ballroom” dancing, there are notable differences between
ballroom and Latin dance. The “ballroom” dances are generally “smooth” dances like:

Waltz

Foxtrot
Tango

Quickstep

Viennese Waltz

“Latin” dances are more rhythmic and include:

Rumba

Swing/Jive

Samba

Cha Cha

Mambo

Merengue

Bolero

Salsa

Regardless of their "proper" classification, they are all extremely fun and fairly easy to learn.

Competitive Ballroom Dancing

In addition to its wide appeal as a hobby, competitive ballroom dancing has also emerged. Competition
enables less advanced dancers of different levels to compete against their peers with a professional
partner/instructor. The fame of television shows like Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can
Dance highlights the growing trend of competitive ballroom dancing.

Four dynamics of dance:

Weight

An easy way to play with this dynamic is to just stand in front of a mirror and raise your arms. Just raise
them, don’t think about it. The way you raised them would probably be considered neutral on the
weight spectrum. Now raise your arms again but imagine you have 20 pound weights strapped to them.
You probably raised them slower and engaged your muscles more. That’s the heavy end of the
spectrum. Now raise your arms one more time, imagining you have helium balloons underneath them.
They can just float up with hardly any effort. That is the light end of the spectrum. You can play with
changing the weight as you move as well. Start crouched on the floor and imagine you are a seedling just
starting to sprout. As you rise up, at first you will be on the heavy end of the spectrum because you are
still buried beneath the soil. But as you break through the soil’s surface, the movement should become
lighter as you stretch up toward the sun. In ballroom dance, this dynamic is reflected in the general
character of different dances. Waltz is generally on the lighter side, whereas paso doble is very heavy.
Energy

The energy dynamic moves between positive and negative. I have also heard this dynamic described as
flow that goes between free and bound. In ballroom, applying positive energy to a move usually means
moving in an upward or forward direction, while negative energy brings the movement down or
backward. For example, if you want to exhibit a positive energy in your arm styling, you keep the arm
movement at shoulder height or above. You can also play with how you release the energy, whether it
be in a smooth, steady stream or in bursts. Apply that to ballroom dancing and you will find that the
energy in cha cha is kept much more bound than in bolero. Shorter movements require a different
energy than larger movements.

Space

Space can refer to the space between you and your partner or the space you yourself take up. Making
this space larger or smaller changes the relationship between the dancer(s) and the surroundings.If you
want your dance character to exude excitement or openness, you might, for example, take up a larger
space by holding your arms wide open instead of wrapping your arms close around you. Partners
dancing very close to each other could create feelings of passion or even conflict, versus dancing farther
away from each other.

Time

The time dynamic ranges from fast to slow. This one is pretty self-explanatory. If you run toward
something versus walking, you can create a feeling of intensity or aggression instead of calm or passivity.
In the ballroom world, a dance like tango plays a great deal with the time dynamic using a combination
of slow and sudden steps to create a dramatic performance.

Top 10 Health Benefits of Ballroom Dancing

Uplifting and Fun

Not many activities are as joyful as these artistic dance moves. Low energy, gloominess, and negativity
are not allowed on this fun-filled dance floor. Concentrating on moving your body to the beat of the
music instantaneously puts you in a positive headspace. While newcomers may spend extra time
concentrating on getting their moves right, the instruction is always given in a lively and upbeat manner.
Not to mention, you will be surrounded by joyful individuals and uplifting melodies. After you get the
moves down, it’ll be pure fun and laughs.

Muscle Toning

You will most definitely develop more strength and muscle definition as you dance along to Mozart.
Ballroom dancing contributes to muscle toning by forcing the dancers to resist their partner’s’ body
strength. The fast turns, spinning and two-stepping all contribute to muscle building. Men, in particular,
have instances of lifting their lady partners- which requires a great deal of strength! If you plan on
joining in on these highly intensive dance moves, be prepared for sexy and toned legs!
Bones and Joints

Since dancing is a weight-resisting activity, it can help protect bone density and prevent osteoporosis. It
can also help speed up knee recovery after surgery since it’s a lower impact exercise than jogging or
biking. If you have weak knees or are gradually introducing your body to exercise, ballroom dancing is a
great low-impact activity that can promote a fit lifestyle while also decreasing your chances of an
exercise-related injury.

Flexibility

Flexibility is a major benefit of ballroom dancing. Women may already be a bit more flexible than their
male partners- but both parties cash in on this appealing health benefit. Most ballroom classes start by
stretching and warming up. This is important because stretching can protect against dance-related
injuries and allow your body to dance at ease. Ballroom dancing itself contains plenty of stretching and
bending. Therefore the more you dance, the more flexible you will become.

Brain Food

In a 2016 study published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, it was concluded that ballroom dancing, as
well as other forms of social dancing, can help prevent the onset of dementia in elderly patients. It was
revealed that “dance improved one of the cognitive domains (spatial memory),” which is vital for
learning dance (Dafna Merom, et al., 2016). A lifestyle highly infused with partnered dancing can
produce even stronger mental health benefits. The partnered benefits can also decrease loneliness for
the elderly.

Burns Fat

Dancing is a low-impact aerobic activity that can boost your metabolism. In just thirty minutes of
dancing, you can burn anywhere between 200-400 calories. That’s roughly the same amount burned by
running or cycling. Burning an extra 300 calories a day can help you lose between 0.5-1 pound a week.
While that may not sound too drastic, 1 pound a week adds up pretty quick!

Creative Outlet

Ballroom dancing is an amazing creative outlet! Not only does it allow you to move your hips at ease to
the beat of the music- but it also allows you to release your emotions and thoughts through those
artistic moves. The art of dancing is something that comes naturally to people. This makes it an easy
activity for anyone to partake in. After a little bit of practice, you will easily find yourself getting lost in
the music. You will also unlock a beautiful rhythm your body may have been hiding.

Conditioning

Engaging in just about any cardiovascular or aerobic activity can help improve your heart health, lower
obesity and type 2 diabetes risk, and also promote lung capacity. These full body-conditioning benefits
can be elevated by engaging in dance for at least half an hour, four days a week. While that may sound
like a big commitment to make, it’s one that your body will thank you for it in the long run!
Endurance

Dancing an effective way to improve general endurance. As the dance sessions get longer and longer,
your muscles will be working harder and for a longer period of time. In turn, you will find yourself being
able to go on with little to no fatigue. Every time you brush up on your moves dance to improve your
two-steps, lifts or speedy turns, you are also training your body to go on for longer periods of time with
less succumbing.

Social Connectivity

Joining a ballroom dance class will expose you to a sea of new people who may potentially share
common interests with you. Instead of spending your evenings glued to your television screen, you can
engage in uplifting conversations and strengthen your social connections by trying this partnered
activity. It’s been proven that being more social can help improve self-esteem, lower stress levels,
increase sense of purpose, and promote a positive outlook on life.