Ballroom Dancing 101
The term ballroom comes from the Latin word ballare, which means, “to dance.” For much of history, ballroom dancing was known as “social dancing,” for the privileged, with folk dancing reserved for the lower classes. Thankfully, boundaries have been blurred in the modern era, with ballroom dancing now completely accessible to people of all ages, cultural backgrounds and social stations to enjoy.
Dances
In common usage, "ballroom dance" refers to the ten dances of International Standard and International Latin (See chart for more detail on dance styles). In the United States and Canada, there is also the American Style, which includes American Smooth and American Rhythm.
While the technique used for International and American styles is similar, International Standard allows for only closed dance positions, whereas American Smooth allows closed, open and separated movements. International Latin and American Rhythm have different styling and dance patterns of their own.
The question of which dances fall under the umbrella of ballroom dance is a fluid one that evolves with trends and over time, with nightclub dances such as the Hustle, Salsa, Merengue and Lindy Hop sometimes grouped with the more traditional ballroom standards.
Music & Attire
Standard/Smooth dances are normally danced to Western music, often from the mid-twentieth century, with couples dancing counter-clockwise around a rectangular floor following the line of dance. Traditionally, competitive dancers in this style were costumed as would be appropriate for a white tie affair. In American Smooth, however, it has become common for men to choose shorter tuxedos and vests over full tailcoats.
Latin and Rhythm dances are commonly danced to contemporary Latin American music, and with the exception of traveling dances such as Samba and Paso Doble, couples perform their routines mostly in one spot. In competitions, women often dress in short-skirted costumes with Latin flair, while the men wear tight-fitting shirts and pants, all of which is meant to emphasize the dancers' leg action and body movements.
Competition
While there is much to be enjoyed about ballroom dance outside of the competitive realm, many dancers enjoy the excitement and challenge of competing. At these events, dancers are judged by criteria such as poise, the hold or frame, posture, musicality and expression, timing, body alignment and shape, floor craft, foot and leg action, and presentation.
Ballroom Now
From its decline in the early 1960s until just a few years ago, social partner dancing was largely relegated to competitive dance-sport and formal affairs ranging from quinces to high society masquerades. Recently, however, ballroom dance has experienced a revival, thanks to the wild popularity of dance-entertainment such as Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance? Thankfully, this renewed spotlight has introduced the joys and excitement of ballroom dancing to a whole new generation, positioning the sport for a new Golden Age.
About Jacksonville Dance Alliance
The Jacksonville Dance Alliance is a cooperative effort of Jacksonville-area ballroom dance studios with the goal of promoting ballroom dance among the general public and contributing to the resurgence already being felt within the sport. By doing so, we hope to share the many joys and benefits of ballroom dance – including physical fitness, stress relief, increased self-confidence, positive social interaction, escape from the everyday and improved mental and physical agility – with a wider audience.
Learn about the studios and dance instructors in the Jacksonville Dance Alliance