BALLROOM

BALLROOM DANCING
 Ballroom dancing began in the 18th and 19th
century.
 is a set of partner dances, which are enjoyed
both socially and competitively around the
world.
 Its performance  and entertainment aspects, is
enjoyed on stage, film, and television.
 Originated from the word “Ballare” which
means “to dance”.
 The definition of ballroom dance also depends
on the era: balls have featured popular
dances of the day such as
the Minuet, Quadrille,  Polonaise,
Polka, Mazurka, and others, which are now
considered to be historical dances.
The polonaise is a dance of
Polish origin, in time. Its name
is French for "Polish". The
polonaise has a rhythm quite
close to that of the Swedish
semiquaver or sixteenth-note
polska, and the two dances
have a common origin. The
polonaise is a widespread
dance in carnival parties.
A minuet is a social dance of French
origin for two people, usually in time.
The word was adapted from Italian
minuetto and French menuet, possibly
from the French menu meaning slender,
small, referring to the very small steps, or
from the early 17th-century popular
group dances called branle à mener or
amener. 
A four-handed popular
dance, especially in the
18th century. 2 : a square
dance for four couples
made up of five or six
figures chiefly in ⁶/₈ and
²/₄ time also : music for
this dance.
The polka is originally a Czech dance and
genre of dance music familiar throughout
all of Europe and the Americas. It
originated in the middle of the nineteenth
century in Bohemia, now part of the Czech
Republic.
The Mazurka (Polish: mazurek or mazur) is a Polish
folk dance in triple meter, usually at a lively tempo,
and with "strong accents unsystematically placed on
the second or third beat". Originally from the
cultural region of Mazovia, it is one of Poland's
national dances.
Competitive Ballroom Dance
 Ballroom dance is also called “Partner dance”.
 Dance Sport (Competitive dancing) has revived
the interest for ballroom dance.
 Competitive ballroom dancing is a style of dance
in which dance competition is the main focus.
Couples perform several different dances in
front of judges who evaluate and score each
routine. In recent years, this style of dance has
come to be viewed as a sport, demanding high
levels of strength, stamina, and flexibility.
 DanceSport DanceSport is the official name for
competitive ballroom dancing.
 DanceSport is a stylized form of ballroom
dancing in which the main emphasis is on
performance and appearance.
 In a DanceSport competition, couples dance
together on the same floor while being judged
on their speed, elegance, body action, and
dramatic movements.
Recreational Ballroom dance
 Recreational dance refers to any form of
dancing that is done primarily for its social,
educational or health benefits; it includes social
dance and amateur dance instruction and
performance.
 Example of recreational dance Ballroom, cajun
and country, western
“FAMOUS TYPES OF
BALLROOM DANCES”
CHA CHA
 The Cha Cha is a lively, flirtatious ballroom
dance full of passion and energy.
 The classic "Cuban motion" gives the Cha Cha
its unique style.
 Partners work together to synchronize each
movement in perfect alignment.
FOXTROT
 The foxtrot is a smooth, progressive dance
characterized by long, continuous flowing
movements across the dance floor. It is danced
to big-band (usually vocal) music. 
 The dance is similar in its look to waltz,
although the rhythm is in 4/4 time signature
instead of ¾.
JIVE
 Jive is a ballroom dance style that originated in the
United States from African-Americans.
 It is a lively form of swing dance and a variation of the
Jitterbug.
 popularized in the 1930s by the publication of a
dictionary by Cab Calloway, the famous jazz bandleader
and singer. 
 Danced in 4/4 time. In competition, 44 bars per minute.
1-2-3a-4-5-a- 6
 The counting begins with a rock step ( left foot step
back, right foot in place). Followed by two triple steps
(chasse) that are counted 3-a-4-5-a-6.
PASO DOBLE
 The Paso doble is one of the liveliest ballroom
dances, originating in southern France.
 It is modelled after the sound, drama, and
movement of the Spanish bullfight.
 Paso doble is a fast-paced Spanish military
march used by infantry troops.
 Its speed allowed troops to give 120 steps per
minute. This march gave rise to a traditional
Spanish dance
QUICKSTEP
 The Quickstep is a quick version of the Foxtrot.
 It is a ballroom dance comprised of extremely
quick stepping, syncopated feet rhythms, and
runs of quick steps.
 The Quickstep is exciting to watch, but among
the most difficult of all the ballroom dances.
RUMBA
 The Rumba is considered by many to be the
most romantic and sensual of all Latin
ballroom dances.
 It is often referred to as the "Grandfather of the
Latin dances.”
 Originally, "rumba" was used as a synonym for
"party" in northern Cuba, and by the late 19th
century it was used to denote the complex of
secular music styles known as Cuban rumba.
SAMBA
 Possibly the most popular of all Brazilian
ballroom dances, the Samba is popular with
young people as well as older generations.
 The Samba can be performed solo or with a
partner.
 Samba is a lively dance of Afro-Brazilian origin
in 2/4 time danced to samba music whose
origins include the Maxixe. Samba was created
by African people in Brazil from the music and
dance culture they brought from Afric
TANGO
 Tango is a partner dance, and social dance that
originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata,
the natural border between Argentina and
Uruguay.
 It was born in the impoverished port areas of
these countries, in neighborhoods which had
predominantly African descendants.
 The Tango is one of the most fascinating of all
ballroom dances. This sensual ballroom dance
originated in South America in the early twentieth
century.
WALTZ
 The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance,
normally in triple time, performed primarily in
closed position.
 The Waltz is one of the smoothest ballroom
dances. It is a progressive dance marked by
long, flowing movements, continuous turns,
and "rise and fall."
 The dance is so graceful and elegant; Waltz
dancers appear to glide around the floor with
almost no effort.
VIENNESE WALTZ
 The Viennese Waltz is a quick rotating
ballroom dance with a subtle rise and fall.
 It is considered by most to be one of the most
difficult dances to learn.
 The simple and elegant rotational movement
characterizes the Viennese Waltz.
Difference of the former and the latter:
 The dance that is popularly known as
the waltz is actually the English or slow waltz,
danced at approximately 90 beats per minute
with 3 beats to the bar (the international
standard of 30 measures per minute), while
the Viennese waltz is danced at about 180
beats (58-60 measures) per minute.