Most Famous Ballroom

Dancers across the

World
Ballroom dance is a very artistic form of dance performed by two
people in a social or competitive setup. There are various types of
ballroom dances including Cha Cha, Lindy Hop, Mambo,
Quickstep, Rumba, Samba, Tango and many more. Different
dancers have mastered different dance forms and contributed
towards the evolution and popularity of that particular Art. So
here is a list of some of the most skilled and thus popular
ballroom dancers across the world who have through their
enormous skills, left the world amused.
One of the most popular
ballroom dancers of 1960s,
Peter Eggleton is a three-time
world champion. A truly skilled
artist, well known for his
quickstep, he has truly made a
sound image for himself in the
dance industry. Bringing in new
styles of ballroom dancing and
working hard to improve the
current skills, he has rightfully
contributed in the progress of
Ballroom dancing.
William Pino started dancing
in 1992 together with
Alessandra Bucciarelli for
Germany. Best known for
quirky choreography, this
artist introduced unique
styles in ballroom dancing to
the world. Though he never
won a World Title, yet for the
ballroom fans, he remains
one of the most adored
dancer.
Perhaps the first artist to bring about
the “modern” dancing to the art
form, Richard Gleve is fairly an
eight-time world champion. He
possessed a high degree of mental
toughness along with boundless
techniques, skills and muscular
abilities. What made him truly
unique and eventually popular was
the smoothness he carried with him
as he glided on the dance floor.
A popular television performer and a
professional Australian ballroom
dancer, Kym Johnson has appeared
several times in Dancing with the Stars
and eventually went on to serve as the
judge for the show’s Australian
version. She began acquiring the skills
of ballroom dancing from the age of 13
and retired from the competitive dance
space in 2001. A truly gifted dancer,
she along with her partner achieved the
second prize at the Australian
Dancesport Championships. Kym
Johnson has transformed the ballroom
dance genre and with her numerous TV
appearances, she is justly one of the
most popular ballroom dancer.
Charlotte Jorgensen is a Danish
ballroom dancer who started learning
dance at the age of two. Apart from
being a great ballroom dancer, she is
an expert in ballet who recently
retired and has since then become a
ballroom trainer. She contested
professionally in 1944 and won the
professional rising start
championship with her partner Jens
Werner. She was subsequently
awarded the second position at the
World Professional Ballroom
Championship with her partner
Andrew Sinkinson in 1999. Winning
numerous awards and shows for her
dancing skills, Charlotte Jorgensen is
a true inspiration for the new
generation of ballroom dancers
John Wood began dancing in 1987
with Anne Lewis and is famous for
being a physically imposing male
ballroom dancer. He has also won
the Professional World
Championship with Anne Lewis.
His postures and unique dancing
style is something that leaves every
viewer in admiration and wonder.
Working with several partners
throughout his professional career,
he has always proved that his skills
remain unharmed and sincere no
matter who the partner.
A very recent artist, Mirko Gozzoli is a
four-time world champion between 2005
and 2008. He combines technique,
authority, grace, charm and musicality like
no other. He has competed with some of
the most skilled ballroom dancers and
has graciously conquered every time. He
is one ballroom dancer every aspiring
dancer of this generation looks up to.
Ballroom dances are very famous- in
theatres, in films, in television and in
plays. It is an art form enjoyed by almost
everyone and several people across the
world have mastered this Art. This was a
list of some of the most notable ballroom
dancers from across the world. If you
think we missed someone prominent, let
us know in the comments section. 
1. The Foxtrot is an early 20th Century American dance that has
its origins in the one-step, the two-step, and syncopated
The five most ragtime dances (Norton). It was popularized in the USA
by dancers Vernon and Irene Castle in 1914, and it is believed to be
popular Ballroom named after Harry Fox, who was an entertainer (Bedinghaus).
dances in the world
are Foxtrot, Waltz, 
The Foxtrot is a smooth, progressive dance characterized by long,
Rumba, Cha Cha, continuous flowing movements across the dance floor. It is danced to
and Swing. Dancers big band (usually vocal) music. The dance is similar in its look to
Waltz, although the rhythm is in a 4/4 time signature instead of 3/4.
skilled in these five
dances can dance
with partners from The Foxtrot is composed of fairly simple walking steps and side steps.
The dance combines slow steps, which use two beats of music, and
any part of the world. quick steps, which use one beat of music. The Foxtrot is similar to
the Waltz in that it is danced smoothly, but in the American style
Foxtrot, more 'jazzy' movements are added.
2. Waltz is the oldest The original form of Waltz was first used by 13th century peasants in
of the current Germany, who devised rolling folk dance that was quite different from
ballroom dances. all court dances that were popular in that time.
First waltzes were
danced in the location
of today's Germany The romantic Waltz is one of the most popular ballroom dances of all
and Austria, back in time. Considered by some as the "mother of present day dances" and
the "backbone dance" of the ballroom dancing arena, the Waltz is the
13th century. The basis for many dances. A truly romantic dance, the Waltz is
style was immediately comprised of soft, round, flowing movements.
picked up by other
nations, who each
Due to its close-hold and quick rotations, Waltz was once named the
created it's own form "Forbidden dance". ... Its basic steps could be learned in no time, as
and style of opposed to other court dances like minuet, which took a fair amount of
the dance. time to learn and master. Before the Waltz, people danced around each
other with little or no contact at all
3. Rumba is a secular Originating in the late 19th century among the black population of the
genre of Cuban music eastern Cuban province of Oriente, the son is a vocal, instrumental, and
involving dance, dance genre also derived from African and Spanish influences. The
Afro-Cuban rumba developed in the black urban slums of Cuba in the
percussion, and song. It mid-19th century.
originated in the northern
regions of Cuba, mainly
in urban Havana and Rumba is a family of percussive rhythms, song and dance that
Matanzas, during the late originated in Cuba as a combination of the musical traditions. The name
derives from the Cuban Spanish word rumbo which means "party" or
19th century. It is based "spree".
on African music
and dance traditions,
namely Abakuá and The Rumba, or Ballroom Rumba, is not just a mere dance with steps
and standard accompanying music; it is storytelling. Rumba is
yuka, as well as the a dance that tells a tale of passion. Its movements show the flirtation,
Spanish-based coros de the teasing, the longing, and the ultimate connection between two
clave.. people in love.
Cha Cha originated in Cuba and evolved
4. The Cha Cha from a slow version of Mambo called “Triple
Mambo” or Mambo with guiro rhythm. ...
dance originated in Cuba Enrique Jorrin, a Cuban Violinist created the
and grew out of the Cuban first cha cha song in 1948. He named it after
the shuffling sound the dancers shoes made
Triple Mambo. During a when they dance to this type of music.
visit to Cuba in the early
1950s, an
English dance teacher The cha-cha-cha, or simply cha-cha, is a dance
named Pierre Lavelle of Cuban origin performed to the music of the
same name. It was originally introduced by
saw dancers performing Cuban composer and violinist Enrique
this triple step to slow Jorrín during the 1950s. This rhythm was
rumba and mambo music. developed from the beginning danzón-mambo.
The dance was first created by African-
5. The swing dance was American kids during the Harlem
discovered by a black Renaissance of the 1920s and 30s.
community during the 1920's Like swinging jazz, Lindy Hop is
through dancing to improvisational and playful, which is what
contemporary jazz makes social dancing fun and its
competitions so delightful to watch.
music. Swing dance was
inspired by a revolution of
jazz music that kept Swing dance is a lively style of
audiences dancing and thus social dancing in which a dancer often
music was known and lifts, spins and flips his or her partner.
described as 'Swing Jazz' to Considered both hip and cool, swing
dancing is a favorite among
befit the effect of the music to social dancers of all ages.
its audiences.