Professional Documents
Culture Documents
“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.
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.
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.
Waltz
Foxtrot
Tango
Quickstep
Viennese Waltz
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.
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