WHAT IS BALLROOM DANCING?
Thanks to dance shows like ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” and increased opportunities in the salsa club scene ballroom dancing has seen a resurgence in popularity. So the question one may ask is what exactly is “ballroom dancing”? While historically ballroom dancing may refer to any form of formal social partner dancing the development of competitive dance networks (i.e. DanceSport) has led to the development of a more refined ballroom dance nomenclature. Since many of us are just looking to have fun and socialize with friends we will consider ballroom dancing as the collective group of social and competitive partner dances enjoyed around the world by dancers young and old, professional and amateur. However, as ballroom dance becomes more and more a part of your life there is a good chance that you will likely hear many of the dance terms and concepts provided below. So, whether you are dancing to compete, looking to burn up the floor at the local salsa club, or just enjoying the comfortable social dance environment of your local Arthur Murray we hope this provides some perspective for you in your new adventure. |
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INTERNATIONAL VS AMERICAN
Within the competitive ballroom arena there are two primary dance style categories - International and American. These two styles are, for the most part, the same with regards to technique but the International Standard bracket allows for only closed dance position, whereas American Smooth allows for closed, open and separated dance movements. Also noted, is the difference between International Latin and American Rhythm, which have different styling and dance patterns in their respective syllabi. |
LATIN VS STANDARD
Within the two primary style categories are the two secondary style categories of Latin (aka Rhythm) and Standard (aka Smooth). The Latin style of dance is a category term used under the International dance style whereas Rhythm is the term used under the American dance style. You may also hear the terms Standard, Modern and/or Smooth in relation to the ballroom dances and wonder how they differ. In general all three represent the dances with the man and woman in dance frame and where the dances progress around the dance floor. In recent times the term "Standard" has replaced "Modern" as the name for the International dance style standard and “Smooth” has remained as the term used for the dances under the American dance style standard. |
THE COMPETITIVE DANCER
One of the greatest benefits of the competitive ballroom dancer is that truly anyone can share in this experience no matter the age or skill level. The competitive dancer may choose to compete in one or more multi-dance categories. In general the competitive dancer will seek to learn the following dances - Bolero, Cha Cha, Foxtrot, Mambo, Rumba, Swing, Tango, Viennese Waltz. For those looking to take this further one may consider the following formal designations. International Style
International Standard Slow Waltz - Tango - Viennese Waltz - Slow Foxtrot - Quickstep International Latin Cha Cha - Samba - Rumba - Paso Doble - Jive American Style
American Smooth Waltz- Tango - Foxtrot - Viennese Waltz American Rhythm Cha Cha - Rumba - East Coast Swing - Bolero - Mambo |
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