Ballroom dance

Lore & Background

Ballroom dance is a set of European partner dances enjoyed socially and competitively worldwide, valued for performance and entertainment. The term derives from the word "ball," from the Latin *ballare* meaning "to dance." Historically, ballroom dancing was social dancing for the privileged, while folk dancing was for the lower classes, though these boundaries have since blurred. The definition also depends on the era; balls once featured dances like the Minuet, Quadrille, Polonaise, Polka, and Mazurka, now considered historical dances. The first authoritative knowledge of early ballroom dances was recorded in 1588 with Thoinot-Arbeau’s *Orchésographie*, describing dances such as the solemn basse danse, livelier branle, pavane, and galliarde. In 1650, the Minuet, originally a peasant dance, was introduced to Paris and danced by King Louis XIV. Later, Louis XIV founded the Académie Royale de Musique et de Danse, which formulated specific rules for dance execution and the five positions of the feet, marking a split between ballet and ballroom. Two principal schools now dominate: the International School, developed in England and regulated by the World Dance Council and World DanceSport Federation, and the American School, common in the United States and regulated by USA Dance. The International School includes Standard (Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz, Slow Foxtrot, Quickstep) and Latin (Samba, Cha Cha, Rumba, Paso Doble, Jive) categories. The American School includes Smooth (Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, Viennese Waltz) and Rhythm (Cha Cha, Rumba, East Coast Swing, Bolero, Mambo) categories, with additional recognized dances like Peabody, Merengue, and West Coast Swing. Both styles exemplify core elements such as control and cohesiveness, though dances with the same name may differ considerably in permitted patterns, technique, and styling.

Reader's Guide

Modern ballroom dance emerged in the early 20th century through a shift from sequence dances to independent couple dancing, the rise of jazz music, and efforts to codify dances for wider teaching. Figures like Vernon and Irene Castle, Josephine Bradley, and Victor Silvester standardized dances, while organizations like the Arthur Murray organization and the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing promoted them. The on-screen partnership of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the 1930s further influenced ballroom dance globally. Competitive ballroom dance, or dancesport, is regulated by the World Dance Council and the World DanceSport Federation, with the International Olympic Committee recognizing the latter. The International School, prevalent outside the U.S., includes Standard and Latin categories with five dances each, while the American School, common in the U.S., includes Smooth and Rhythm categories with four and five dances respectively. Both schools share core elements like control and cohesiveness, though dances with the same name may differ in technique and styling.

Did You Know?

• The term 'ballroom' comes from the Latin 'ballare,' meaning 'to dance.'
• The International School includes ten dances: five Standard and five Latin, while the American School includes nine dances: four Smooth and five Rhythm.
• Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers' on-screen dance sequences in the 1930s significantly influenced ballroom dance in the U.S. and elsewhere.