Introduction To Ballroom Dancing & Modern Waltz

Introduction to Ballroom Dancing

THE MODERN STANDARD DANCES

MODERN STANDARD The five ballroom dances are: Modern Waltz,
History of Ballroom Dancing Tango, Viennese Waltz, Slow Foxtrot, and Quickstep
Ballroom dancing is a world of class, tradition, which are danced in the world both socially and in
and passion. There is a great history behind ballroom Dance sport competitions. Collectively, they are now
dancing, both competitively and recreationally referred to as “Standard dances”.
speaking. The word ‘ballroom’ denotes a room where
balls may be held; that is –formal social dances. Balls SLOW or MODERN WALTZ
were important social events in the days before radio, The real origin of the Modern, or Slow, Waltz
television, and internet (as is ‘having a ball’). The is rather obscure, but a dance of turns and glides,
word “ball” is derived from the Latin ‘ballare’ leaping and stomping appeared in various parts of
meaning ‘to dance’. Europe at the end of the 17 th and beginning of the 18th
century. In Italy it was the Volta, France has its Volte,
Ballroom dancing trace its origin to the early Germany the Weller, and Austria has its Landler.
20 century, when the West End establishments were
th
These were round dances but at the end of the dance
developing the art of ballroom dancing. The world’s itself, there was a short period in which the circle
leading board for ballroom dance examinations, the would break up into couples who would whirl madly
Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD), was round and round and finish with a jump in the air.
established in 1904. They were instrumental in the
development and promotion of modern ballroom dance The Waltz regained its real popularity in the
including Josephine Bradley, the First Lady and world 20 century. The dance blossomed in a form called the
th
class champion of ballroom dance; GK Anderson who Hesitation Waltz in 1913. Until the development of the
founded the English style; Lady Humphries who hesitation, couples had waltzed in one direction until
helped establish the Modern Ballroom Dance faculty degenerated into an endurance contest. The Hesitation
of the Imperial Society; and Alex Moore who resulted in the Waltz as it is danced today.
contributed to the writing of Technique of Ballroom
Dancing. TANGO
There are basically three types of Tango –
Ballroom Dance Groupings Argentine Tango, American Smooth Tango, and
International Ballroom International Style Tango. We teach only the
The International ballroom dances are divided into two International Style, which is a little more subdued but
groups: has the benefit of being danced exactly the same way
1. Standard no matter where you go in the world.
 Slow Waltz
 Tango Argentine Tango (Arrabalero) was created by
 Viennese Waltz the Gauchos in Buenos Aires. It was actually an
 Slow Foxtrot attempt on their part to imitate a Spanish dance except
 Quickstep that they danced it in a closed ballroom position. The
2. Latin Tango caused a sensation and was soon to be seen the
 Cha Cha world over in a more subdued version.
 Samba
 Rumba Unlike the Argentine Tango, in which the
 Paso Doble dancer interprets the music spontaneously without any
 Jive predetermined slows or quicks, the American Tango
features a structure which is correlated to the musical
phrasing. The dance is executed both in closed position
and in various types of extravagant dance relationships became popular in white society after inclusion in the
which incorporate a particular freedom of expression stage show ‘Running Wild’ in 1923 by the Ziegfeld
that is not present in the International style. This Follies, which toured U.S.A.
version had its origins in the popular dance musicals It was popularized in Europe by Josephine
and show performance of the 1930’s. Baker in Paris in the 1920’s. It was danced with wild
swinging arms and sidekicks to music at 200 to 240
International Tango is a highly disciplined and beats per minute. It subsequently became very popular
distinctively structured from of the Tango which is worldwide, but the wild character of the dance induced
accepted worldwide. It was developed to give a sense many sedate ballrooms either to ban it altogether, or to
of common structure for teaching and judging the put up notices saying simply ‘PCQ’, standing for
Tango around the world. The dancers remain in “Please Charleston Quietly”. The Charleston step and
traditional closed position throughout and expresses the Scatter Chasses were introduced into the Quickstep
both legato and staccato aspects of the type of music by Wally Fryer and VI Barnes in London in the
appropriate to this. 1940’s.

VIENNESE WALTZ DANCE POSITIONS

Originating in the lavish balls of Austria during Position refers to the placement of the two
the 1700’s, the Viennese Waltz actually predated the dancers to each other. The most fundamental dance
slower Modern Waltz. It took advantage of the large position is the closed position.
hems of the ladies’ ball gowns as the couples rotated  CLOSED POSITION is the normal hold where the
around the floor to create a swirling pattern of colorful man and lady standing facing each other with their
circles around the dance floor, a characteristic that still arms lifted together in frames.
makes this dance a favorite in competition events
worldwide.  PROMENADE POSITION is a V-shaped dance
position where both man and lady move forward in
FOXTROT the same direction.
The Foxtrot is said to have been originated by
performer Harry Fox in Boston in 1913. He developed  OPEN POSITION refers to any position where the
some steps that are borrowed from the Quickstep and man and lady stand apart or slightly apart with one or
other popular dances of the day, but were smoother two hands in contact.
and more controlled. It caught on like wildfire and now
is a standard ballroom dance the world over. It’s clear  APART POSITION is when the man and the lady
and easy movements make Social Foxtrot the easiest of have no body contact.
the ballroom dances to learn. However, the control
needed for higher level versions known as the Slow  RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE POSITION is an open
Foxtrot makes that the hardest of the ballroom dances position where the lady is to the right or left of the
to master. gentleman
QUICKSTEP Modern Standard Waltz

As Ragtime music evolved into Swing through
WALTZ
the 1920’s, new dances such as the Charleston, the
Shimmy, and the Black Bottom became popular.
The Charleston was said to have originated in
the Cape Verde Island. It evolved into a vigorous
round dance done by Negro dock workers in the Port
of Charleston. It was first performed on stage in New
York in 1992 in a black revue by George White. It
The strains of the modern waltz often bring someone has to follow. Usually, the man will lead and
back happy and romantic memories to many people of the woman will follow.
ward summer evenings, beautiful languid music, and Men’s Steps:
all that make life worthwhile. Its gentle and lifting 1. Step forward with the left foot.
melodies have continues to capture the souls of 2. Right foot step sideways to the right.
generation, and the waltz today was firmly established 3. Bring your left foot next to tour right foot.
as a great favorite throughout the world. 4. Step back with the right foot.
The modern waltz is usually the first dance 5. Step back sideways with the left foot.
taught to beginners in dance school. The simple 6. Bring your right foot next to your left foot.
constructive of the basic figures, the regular, even
changes of weight required throughout the dance, and Lady’s Steps:
the slow tempo-coupled with the easy-to-hear 1. Step back with right
repetitive, unsyncopated basic rhythm – are ideally foot.
suited to put beginners at ease and help them gain 2. Left foot step
confidence. sideways to the left.
3. Bring your right foot
Confidence is the secret of success in all forms next to tour left foot.
of dance. If you can hear the music and count 1, 2, 3 – 4. Step back with the
you too, can join the club of quietly contented waltz left foot.
dancers. Knowing this dance is a great social asset. 5. Step forward sideways with the right foot.
6. Bring your left foot next to your right foot.
BASIC STEPS
The basic step for waltz is a box step. It is
named after a pattern it creates on the floor (box or
square) and forms the foundation of the dance.
A box step can be divided into two parts –

forward half box and a backward half box. Each half
box has three steps – a step forward or backward, a
step to the side, and a step to close the feet together.
The leader starts with the left foot and executes

a forward half box, followed by a backward half box.
The follower performs the opposite – she starts with
the right foot and executes a backward half box,
followed by a forward half box.
The basic box step pattern uses three counts –

slow, quick, quick, which is repeated twice to create
the box step. Timing is 1,2,3,1,2,3 or 1,2,3,4,5,6.
INSTRUCTIONS &
DIAGRAMS:
When dancing waltz,
someone has to lead and

Introduction To Ballroom Dancing & Modern Waltz

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Introduction To Ballroom Dancing & Modern Waltz

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Introduction To Ballroom Dancing & Modern Waltz

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Introduction to Ballroom Dancing

THE MODERN STANDARD DANCES

VIENNESE WALTZ DANCE POSITIONS

QUICKSTEP Modern Standard Waltz

A box step can be divided into two parts –

The leader starts with the left foot and executes

The basic box step pattern uses three counts –

You might also like