Ballroom dance refers collectively to a set of
partner dances, which originated in Germany 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
categories
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".
The term "ballroom dancing" is derived from the word
ball, which in turn originates from the
Latin word ballare which means "to dance". 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.
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.
Today, the term applies to any one of the several dances in which two
individuals, a "leader" and a "follower," dance with physical contact
through their upper or lower bodies, or simply their arms depending on
the particular variety of dance. Since most social dancing is
unchoreographed, this contact is necessary for the leader to communicate
the next dance move to the follower, and for the follower to respond to
this insinuation. This stands in stark contrast with the style(s) of
dance seen in clubs and other social gatherings where physical contact
tends to be optional and the individuals in question can move freely
without any such restraints imposed by firm physical contact or by the
necessity to follow the rhythmic pattern present in the music. Some
knowledge of known step patterns is essential for both the leader as
well as the follower for ballroom dancing. As most ballroom style dances
require some knowledge and practice, they have lessened in popularity
among the public in the recent decades. Dance historians usually mark
the appearance of the
twist in the early 1960s as the end of social partner dancing.
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 separate projects and careers, they are associated for their filmed
dance sequences together, which included portrayals of early 20th
century dancers
Vernon and Irene Castle and have reached iconic status.
[1]
Much of Astaire and Rogers' work portrayed social dancing, although the
performances were highly choreographed (often by Astaire or
Hermes Pan), and meticulously staged and rehearsed.
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 especially 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 competitor can attend.
In competition ballroom dancers are judged by diverse criteria such as
connection, frame, posture, speed, timing, 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 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 Newcomer,
Bronze, Silver, Gold and Championship. Each level (i.e. Newcomer,
Bronze, Silver, Gold, Championship) may be further subdivided into
either two or four separate sections.
Ballroom dancing isn't mainly enjoyed by only adults but it is taught to
youngsters at an early age of 10-11 in the 5th grade in some US states.
Not only are they taught, but they participate in city wide
competitions. They are taught dances randomized from tango, rumba,
swing(jitterbug), foxtrot and the merengue as a celebration to their
senior year in elementary school. This competition is called "colors of
the rainbow".