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Ballroom dancing is a form of expression, passion and hobby for some, and a profession and a demanding tournament sport for others. Ballroom dancing has many different varieties and types, so every dance enthusiast will surely find something for himself. Ballroom dances differ from each other in technical aspects, such as pace, tact and steps, and practical ones, such as the nature of the dance, clothing or music.

Ballroom dancing is certainly an effective and emotional form of movement. Some people consider it a sport, while others treat it as a hobby or passion. One thing is certain - every ballroom dance, regardless of whether it is Latin American, functional or sports, requires a lot of work and commitment.

To express yourself in dance and convey your values ​​and feelings through movement, you need not only perfect technique, but also your heart, which you should definitely put into the dance. There is no place for soloists here, both people should form unity and for this dance whole they are judged at tournaments, competitions or other dance performances. Get to know ballroom dancing better and maybe you will find the style closest to your heart?

Ballroom dancing - what is it?

Ballroom dancing is a dance performed in a pair, in which the man leads the woman. Its origins go back to the era of court dances, i.e. salon dances, folk dances and games. Currently, ballroom dancing is divided into tournament dances: Standard Dances and Latin American Dances.

Another classification also allows for the distinction between the so-called functional dances, which are a very large group of dances, but are not presented and judged by judges at dance tournaments. Each particular type of ballroom dance differs from one another in the following components: the pattern of steps, the nature of the dance routine, the music, tact, clothing, and origin of the dance.

Ballroom dancing is also a discipline in which dance competitions and tournaments have been organized for years thanks to the International Dance Associations. In Poland, these are: Polish Dance Society (PTT), Sports Dance Federation (FTS) and Polski Taniec S.A.

Ballroom dancing - story

The history of ballroom dancing officially began at the beginning of the 20th century, when this dance proudly entered the salons of the upper social classes and served in thosetimes a form of court entertainment. It was the beginning of the 20th century that could be considered the heyday of various types of ballroom dancing, but its full development took place only after World War II.

The 1920s can be considered a breakthrough in the heyday of ballroom dancing. This is closely related to the rise of jazz music.

However, the beginnings of ballroom dancing go back much, much earlier, when the peasants and the lower classes created games and the first folk dances. So it can be said that ballroom dancing came from the periphery to the cities and that's where it fully developed.

The 1920s can be considered a breakthrough in the heyday of ballroom dancing. This is closely related to the emergence of jazz music, to which new dance styles were created. Ballroom dancing was then formed in small and climatic clubs, where the leading dances today known as w altz, twist, boogie-woogie, rock and roll or swing.

Ballroom dancing - breakdown

Ballroom dancing is divided into tournament dances: standard, Latin American and functional dances. Each ballroom dance has different characteristics, origins and purpose. Here is a brief description of the most important ballroom dances.

Tournament Dances - Standard Dances

These include the Viennese w altz, English w altz, tango, quickstep and foxtrot. They are distinguished by a dignified character and elegant clothes - men usually dance in tailcoats and patent leather shoes, and ladies in long, wide dresses. Standard dances from Europe, i.e. the Viennese w altz and the English w altz, are considered the first salon dances.

  • Viennese w altz: this is a faster version of the English w altz at a rate of 60 bars per minute. It is characterized by a large number of turns and smooth transitions of individual figures. The Viennese w altz is considered the most elegant form of ballroom dancing. It was first presented in 1815 at the Congress of Vienna.
  • English w altz: this is the second type of tournament w altz, it comes from England and is closely related to the Viennese w altz. However, it is a bit slower as its tempo is 30 bars per minute. The English w altz was presented for the first time in 1921 in England. Figures of the English w altz are, among others centrifuge, chasse, wing, boardwalk, clockwise and counterclockwise rotation, whisk and fallaway.
  • Tango: comes from Argentinian Buenos Aires and Montevideo, Uruguay. Tango has developed into several varieties, such as tango vals, tango milonga, American tango, international tango or Finnish tango.The development of tango took place in the second half of the 19th century, and this dance was inspired by Spanish flamenco and Cuban habanera.
  • Quickstep: It was created in the 1920s in the United States, and came to Europe in the second half of the 20th century. Its tempo is 48 bars per minute, making it a fairly fast standard dance. Quickstep is one of the swing dances, and its characteristic figures are numerous jumps resembling running on the dance floor and giving the effect of floating steam dancing above the ground.
  • Fokstep: also called "the hardest walk in the world", just like quickstep, it is part of the group of swing dances and consists in alternating the tempo from fast to slow and with high flow of dance. The name foxtrot comes from the surname of Harry Fox, who introduced the so-called "trotting steps" to this dance. The tempo of the dance is typically 30 bars per minute and is considered fast.

Tournament dances - Latin American dances

They include samba, cha-cha, rumba, paso doble and jive. Latin American dances are considered the most electrifying and energetic dances performed in a pair. They are distinguished by dynamics and effective dance arrangements. During the dance competition, couples delight on the dance floor with richly decorated and colorful costumes. Gentlemen usually wear one-piece, tight and shiny outfits, and ladies wear short dresses full of colorful accessories, fringes and sequins. Latin American dances developed in Latin America in the last century.

  • Samba: is a Brazilian dance and has its roots in the African dances of the Bantu peoples of North and Central Africa. Samba is danced in a circle, and its pace is extremely fast - it is 56 bars per minute! This dance is characterized by energetic movement of the hips and feet, which give it dynamics. At dance tournaments, samba is usually danced as the first Latin American dance.
  • Cha-cha: comes from Cuba and comes from two other Latin American dances (but not tournament ones), i.e. rumba and mambo. The main stopper here is the chasse, i.e. the set aside-deliver-set aside step. The entire strength of the dance is based on vigorous and strong legs, which in turn contribute to good hip function. Cha-chy figures include the lockstep, in which knee hyperextension and eights, timesteps and brims are important. Cha-cha is danced at a rate of 32-33 bars per minute.
  • Rumba: it is also called "dance of love" and "dance of passion". Rumba comes from Africa from small folk communities called "solares". The basic step time signature is slow-fast-fast. Rumba is all about walking with overstretched legs and working your hips hard. The rumba partner is supposed to tempt, seduce and deceive the partner by playing a game with him. Rumba can be counted in two rhythms: square and cubana, but only the square rhythm is valid for dance competitions.

A well-known variety of jive is boogie-woogie, which in turn is often confused with rock and roll. Interestingly, both jive, boogie-woogie and rock and roll were danced primarily by soldiers at military dances and parties.

  • Paso doble: this is a dance that has its roots in Spain and resembles bullfighters' fights, the so-called bullfight. There is a strict division of roles in the pasodoble: the man is a bullfighter, and the woman interprets the role of the sheet he uses. The paso doble story consists of three parts: entering the arena, fighting the bull and killing it, and the parade after the fight is over. The music is responsible for the nature of the dance, and is played at a marching pace with increasing tension. The paso doble tempo is 60 bars per minute.
  • Jive: This dance was created in 1910 and reached Europe thirty years later. Jive's steps are extremely dynamic and expressive. They rely on quick kicks, the so-called kicks and dragging positions at the end of the performed figures. The basic figures in jiva are chasse to the right, chasse to the left, rock step, chicken walk, american spin, and fall away rock. A well-known type of jive is boogie-woogie, which in turn is often confused with rock and roll.

Ballroom dancing - functional dances

Applied dances are all ballroom dances that are not included in the tournament dances. There are really many of them, they come from different parts of the world, and their varieties are constantly developing and evolving to new styles in the already known ballroom dances.

Usable ballroom dances include:

  • bachata
  • kizomba
  • salsa
  • mambo
  • calypso
  • conga
  • madisona
  • boogie-woogie
  • reggaeton
  • charlestona
  • american smooth
  • rock and roll
  • argentinian tango
  • twista
  • swing

Ballroom dancing - dance tournaments

There are two professional ballroom dancing organizations in the world which are divided into the World DanceSport Federation and the World Dance Council. They set the rules and make sure that the dance tournaments are fair and regularly held. These federations take care of the development of the ballroom dance discipline and ensure that the tournaments are played in the following categories:recreational, sports, hobby and for seniors, as well as by age categories and dance classes.

There are three competing dance organizations in Poland: Sports Dance Federation, which belongs to the World DanceSport Federation, and Polski Taniec SA, and the Polish Dance Society, which is part of the World Dance Council.

In sports tournaments there is a division of age and sports classes. The classes from the weakest to the best are: "E", "D", "C", "B", "A" and "S", in order.

Tournaments organized by the Polish Dance Society are characterized by the fact that each dance category is assessed separately. The contestants first dance Latin American dances in the following order: cha-cha, samba, rumba, paso doble, jive, and then standard dances, i.e. English w altz, tango, Viennese w altz, foxtrot and quickstep.

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Dance