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MANUEL S. ENVERGA UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION Document Title: Course Module Template
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HISTORY OF BALLROOM DANCING
Ballroom dancing is a world of class, tradition, and passion. There is a great history behind ballroom
dancing, both competitively and recreationally speaking. The world ‘ballroom’ denotes a room where
balls may be held; that is – formal social dances. Balls were important social events in the days before
radio, television, and internet (as is ‘having a ball’). The word “ball” is derived from the Latin ‘ballare’
meaning ‘to dance’.
Ballroom dance is a set of partner dances, which are enjoyed both socially and competitively around
the world, mostly because of its performance and entertainment aspects. Ballroom dancing is also widely
enjoyed on stage, film, and television.
Ballroom dance may refer, at its widest definition, to almost any recreational dance with a partner.
However, with the emergence of dance competition (now known as DANCE SPORTS, two principal
schools have emerged and the term is used more narrowly to refer to the dances recognized by those
schools.
Two Principal School
American School
Also called North American School, is most prevalent in the United States and Canada, where it's
regulated by USA Dance and Canada Dancesport (CDS) -- the respective national member bodies of the
WDSF. It also consists of two categories analogous to the Standard and Latin categories of the
International School, respectively called Smooth and Rhythm.
The Smooth category consists of only four dance:
1. American Waltz
2. American Tango
3. American Foxtrot
4. American Viennese Waltz, omitting American Peabody (the American School equivalent to Quickstep)
While the dances selected for competition in the Rhythm category are:
1. American Cha Cha Cha
2. American Rumba
3. American East Coast Swing (the American School equivalent to International Jive)
4. American Bolero
5. American Mambo
International School
Originally developed in England and now regulated by the WorldDance Council (WDC) and the World
Dance Sport Federation (WDSF), is most prevalent in Europe. It encompasses two categories, Standard
and Latin, each of which consist of five dances.
A "Standard" or "Latin" competition encompasses all five dances in the respective category, and a "Ten
Dance" competition encompasses all ten dances. The two styles, while differing in technique, rhythm, and
costumes, exemplify core elements of ballroom dancing such as control and cohesiveness.
The Standard category consists of five dance:
1. Slow Waltz
2. Tango
3. Foxtrot
4. Viennese Waltz
5. Quick Step
While the dances selected for competition in the Latincategory are:
1. Cha Cha Cha
Document Code: CED–F–CMT
MANUEL S. ENVERGA UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION Document Title: Course Module Template
An Autonomous University Page No.: Page 2 of 5
LUCENA CITY Revision No.: 0
Effectivity Date: 15 August 2022
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION Prepared by: Instructor
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QUALITY FORM
Approved by: Dean
2. Rumba
3. Samba
4. Paso Doble
5. Jive
SLOW WALTZ
The real origin of the Modern, or Slow, Waltz is rather obscure, but a dance of turns and glides, leaping
and stomping appeared in various parts of Europe at the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th
century. In Italy it was the Volta, France has its Volte, Germany the Weller, and Austria has its Landler.
These were round dances but at the end of the dance itself, there was a short period in which the circle
would break up into couples who would whirl madly round and round and finish with a jump in the air.
The Waltz regained its real popularity in the 20th century. The dance blossomed in a form called the
Hesitation Waltz in 1913. Until the development of the hesitation, couples had waltzed in one direction
until dizzy and then reversed until ready to drop. It had degenerated into an endurance contest. The
Hesitation resulted in the Waltz as it is danced today.
§ “weller” or “spinner”
§ Is a slow feeling dance with long gliding steps to music.
§ It is characterized by its graceful movements and gracious turning.
§ Smooth progressive dance
§ Graceful and elegant
§ Rise & fall and sway
§ Heel lead
§ “smooth” frame
It was the first men and women were seen holding each other “so closely that their faces touched”
(Mintaugne, 1580)
TANGO
There are basically three types of Tango — Argentine Tango, American Smooth Tango, and International
Style Tango. We teach only the International Style, which is a little more subdued but has the benefit of
being danced exactly the same way no matter where you go in the world.
Argentine Tango (Arrabalero) was created by the Gauchos in Buenos Aires. It was actually an attempt on
their part to imitate a Spanish dance except that they danced it in a closed ballroom position. The Tango
caused a sensation and was soon to be seen the world over in a more subdued version.
Unlike the Argentine Tango, in which the dancer interprets the music spontaneously without any
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 which incorporate a particular freedom of expression that is not present in the International
style. This version had its origins in the popular dance musicals and show performances of the 1930’s.
International Tango is a highly disciplined and distinctively structured form of the Tango which is
accepted worldwide. It was developed to give a sense of common structure for teaching and judging the
Tango around the world. The dancers remain in traditional closed position throughout and expresses both
legato and staccato aspects of the type of music appropriate to this.
VIENNESE WALTZ
Originating in the lavish balls of Austria during the 1700’s, the Viennese Waltz actually predated the
slower Modern Waltz. It took advantage of the large hems of the ladies’ ball gowns as the couples rotated
around the floor to create a swirling pattern of colorful circles around the dance floor, a characteristic that
still makes this dance a favorite in competition events worldwide.
FOXTROT
The Foxtrot is said to have been originated by performer Harry Fox in Boston in 1913. He developed
some steps that are borrowed from the Quickstep and other popular dances of the day, but were smoother
and more controlled. It caught on like wildfire and is now a standard ballroom dance the world over. Its
clear and easy movements make Social Foxtrot the easiest of the ballroom dances to learn. However, the
control needed for higher level versions known as the Slow Foxtrot makes that the hardest of the ballroom
dances to master.
QUICKSTEP
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As Ragtime music evolved into Swing through 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 Islands. 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 1922 in a black revue by George White. It became popular in white society after inclusion in the stage
show 'Running Wild' in 1923 by the Ziegfeld Follies, which toured U.S.A.
It was popularized in Europe by Josephine Baker in Paris in the 1920's. It was danced with wild swinging
arms and sidekicks to music at 200 to 240 beats per minute. It subsequently became very popular
worldwide, but the wild character of the dance induced many sedate ballrooms either to ban it altogether,
or to put up notices saying simply 'PCQ', standing for "Please Charleston Quietly”. The Charleston step
and the Scatter Chasses were introduced into the Quickstep by Wally Fryer and VI Barnes in London in
the 1940's.
DANCE POSITIONS
Position refers to the placement of the two dancers to each other. The most fundamental dance position is
the closed position.
CLOSED POSITION is the normal hold where the man and lady standing facing each other with their
arms lifted together in frames.
PROMENADE POSITION is a V- shaped dance position where both man and lady move forward in the
same direction.
OPEN POSITION refers to any position where the man and lady stand apart or slightly apart with one or
two hands in contact.
APART POSITION is when the man and the lady have no body contact.
RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE POSITION is an open position where the lady is to the right or left of the
gentleman.
DIFFERENCE OF SLOW AND VIENNESE WALTZ
The main difference between Slow Waltz and Viennese Waltz is speed.
SLOW WALTZ
Ø It is commonly referred to as the American Waltz, English Waltz or simply just Waltz.
Ø weddings and other social occasions
Ø It is romantic, elegant
Ø easier than the Viennese version
VIENNESE WALTZ
Ø Consist only of turns “Rotary Waltz”
Ø one of the more complicated types of the dance
Ø considerably more demanding
Ø can be so fast that it can cause motion sickness.
Introduction to Ballroom Dancing
LATIN CATEGOTY
The international dance sport championship in Latin-American dances are: Samba, Rumba, Cha Cha,
Jive, and Paso Doble. The first three dances originated in Latin America while Paso Doble is from Europe
and Jive from North America.
SAMBA
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Samba is a lively rhythmical dance of Brazilian origin in 2/4 time danced under the Samba music.
However, there are three steps to every bar, making the Samba feels like a 3/4 timed dance. There are two
major streams of Samba dance that differ significantly: the modern Ballroom Samba, and the traditional
Brazilian Samba. Rio de Janeiro is the type of Samba seen in Brazilian Carnival parades.
The ballroom Samba is danced to music in 2/4 or 4/4 time. The basic movements are counted either 1-2
or 1-a-2, and are danced with a slight downward bouncing or dropping action. This action is created
through the bending and straightening of the knees, with bending occurring on the beats of 1 and 2, and
the straightening occurring on the "a".
As a ballroom dance, the samba is a partner dance. Ballroom samba, like other ballroom dances, is very
disconnected from the origins and evolution of the music and dance that gives it its name. It is a form
created for its suitability as a partner dance. The dance movements, which do not change depending on
the style of samba music being played, borrows some movements from Afro-Brazilian traditional dances.
CHA CHA CHA
Originally called the Cha-cha-cha, this dance evolved from the Mambo and the Rumba on Cuban dance
floors in the 1950’s. It is danced to Latin music with strong African and Cuban rhythms. The Cha-cha has
a 4/4 syncopation where 5 steps are danced in 4 beats of music. Its unmistakable counting “one, two, cha-
cha-cha” requires that the dancers use small steps. The Cha-cha is a very flirtatious dance filled with a
catch- me-if-you-can attitude between partners. Hip movements and bending and straightening of the
knees give the Cha-cha the classic Cuban motion. Partners work together to synchronize their movements
in perfect parallel alignment.
Cha cha is a fun, flirtatious dance with playful energy. It is a blend of other Latin dances, especially
mambo and rumba. The major difference between cha cha and mambo/rumba is a triple step (cha cha cha)
that replaces the slow step.
Cha cha is widely recognizable by its catchy rhythm – one, two, cha, cha, cha. It is easy to learn and fun
to dance.
Like so many Latin dances, it originates from Cuba. It was developed by the Cuban composer and
violinist Enrique Jorrin in the middle of 1950s. Originally, it was known as a slowed-down mambo or
"the triple mambo", because of the three quick steps. It gained instant popularity due to its simplicity. In
time, it evolved into a separate dance and although it was originally known as the cha-cha-cha, the name
was shortened to the cha-cha.
Did you know: Bruce Lee, the famous movie star and one of the greatest legends in martial arts, was also
an accomplished Latin dancer? He won the Hong Kong Cha Cha Championship in 1958, when he was 18
years old. Cha cha can be danced to almost any music with a good beat, from traditional Latin rhythms to
club music, from country to pop. Its popularity can be heard in the music of Ricky Martin, Jennifer
Lopez, Marc Anthony, Tom Jones, Carlos Santana, and many others. Cha cha is very much a dance of
today.
RUMBA
The Rumba, widely considered the most romantic and sensual of the Latin dances, has a magnetic
interplay between its partners. Sometimes called the Grandfather of the Latin dances, the Rumba made its
way from Cuba to the United States in the early 1920’s. Rumba music is in 4/4 time and there are four
beats in each measure. Two measures of music are required for a full basic step. In four beats of music,
three steps are taken. Essential to Rumba is the Cuban motion achieved through knee- straightening,
figure-eight hip rolls and swiveling action of the feet. Strong and direct walks lead by the ball of the foot
are also a characteristic of the Rumba.
PASO DOBLE
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Paso Doble originated in France, but is reminiscent of the sound, dramas and movement of the Spanish
bullfight. Paso Doble means "two step" in Spanish. It is a dance for the man, which allows him to fill the
"stage" with strong three- dimensional shapes and movements danced with "Pride and Dignity".
The woman's role varies depending on the interpretation of the dance. The woman can take the role of the
matador's cape, the bull or even the matador at different times within the dance. The characteristics of the
Paso Doble are the "marching" flavor given to the steps and the cape movements creating tension between
both dancers.
The CHASSEZ CAPE is when the man uses the woman as the cape in order to turn her around. APEL is
when the man stamps his foot as if trying to attract the bulls' attention. During the dance, the use of
castanets is simulated. The ARPEL is a commencement of a movement with the stamping of the feet
where the man and woman walk in different directions.
Because of its inherently choreographed tradition, ballroom Paso Doble for the most part is usually only
danced competitively, almost never socially – unless there is a previously learned routine.
JIVE
Jive is a faster version of swing and shares many things with it, from footwork to underarm turns, swivels,
etc. It evolved from early swing dances like Boogie-Woogie and Jitterbug. During WWII, American
soldiers introduced it to Europe, especially UK, where it became very popular with the youth. In 1968, it
was added as the fifth Latin dance in international competitions.
Jive is generally danced to a music in 4/4 time in a wide variety of tempos from slow to very fast. The
great thing about it is that it can be danced to all sorts of music - old, new, Swing, Rocknroll, Country,
electronic, pop, etc. It is a dance for everyone, easy to learn, relaxed, lots of fun, and extremely social. It
is the fastest of the Latin dances and will give you a great cardio workout.
