The History of Ballroom Dancing

Ballroom Dancing is when a couple performs any of the various social dances that follow a pattern of predictable steps. Examples of these dances are the tango, waltz, fox trot and quick step. It has an immensely amplified popularity spreading across Europe, the Americas and Asia. Ballroom dancing has had a relatively short but interesting history and has evolved from a recreational activity to a worldwide sporting event.

Ballroom dancing originated in England in the late 18th and early 19th centuries in which these dances, such as the waltz, were performed by the upper and elite classes of society in balls and parties. During the late 19th to the early 20th centuries, it became a trend among the working and middle class where they would go to gatherings and events in public dance halls. In the early 1920s, ballroom dancing competitions started to boom that in 1924, an organization was formed called the Ballroom Branch of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing. The objective of this organization was to standardize and formalize ballroom dancing techniques, sets of steps and music to which it was danced to.

Dancing

In legitimate Dance Sport competitions and in social events, there are five standard dances. These are the Modern and the Viennese Waltz, the Tango, the Slow Foxtrot and the Quickstep. These dances are standardized and categorized into segregated teaching levels and utilize vocabulary, rhythm and tempo and techniques which are accepted internationally.

The History of Ballroom Dancing

Although these dances come from very different backgrounds and have special techniques, aesthetics, rhythms and tempos, they do share common qualities. All ballroom dances, as with all forms of dance, are expressions of feelings, thoughts and emotions. These dances may be stricter than other forms of dance and may limit the range of steps and body movement involved, but it is still one of the best expressions of love, joy and pain between two people.

Also, all ballroom dances are performed by only two people, usually a man and a woman. These dances are performed in a certain position termed as the "Closed Hold". In this position, the couple strictly remains in contact in five different points or places. These five points consists of three hand contacts, one elbow contact and one chest contact.

The first hand contact occurs when the man's left hand holds the lady's right hand. Second is when the lady's left hand is placed at the top of the man's right upper arm. In the tango, the lady's left hand is placed behind the man's arm, not on top of it. The third contact is when the man's right hand is placed under the left shoulder blade on the lady's back. The fourth contact is when the lady's left elbow rests on the man's right elbow and both arms are kept in a horizontal line. The lady's arms are held comfortably by the man's and permit her to follow the man's lead with ease. This also gives the couple the appearance of having a bearing of royalty. This is an important characteristic in the ballroom dances that came from Western Europe because these dances were performed in the royal courts. The last point of contact is where the right area of the chest of one touches the right area of his partner. This closeness allows very little room between the partners' faces thus contributing to the dance's romantic appeal.

The History of Ballroom Dancing

History and Origins of Pole Dancing

This has been around a lot longer than many of us would think, but how did pole dancing originate and where did come from? The form of pole dance we know today and its origins can be traced back to exotic performance dance arts.

The first recorded striptease dates back to a myth from ancient Sumerian times involving Inanna, the Goddess of Love, and her descent into the underworld to find her lover Damouz. At each of the seven gates, she removed an article of clothing or a piece of jewellery. As long as Inanna remained in hell, the earth was barren. When she returned, the earth again became abundant and fruitful. Some believe this myth evolved in the 'Dance of the Seven Veils' of Salome from the bible.

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The bible records Salome's dance but the first mention of removing veils rises from Oscar Wilde's play of 'Salome' in 1883. Some have claimed this to be the origin of modern striptease, but other influences may have come from Parisian times and the Moulin Rouge striptease through to Middle Eastern belly dancing and American burlesque.

History and Origins of Pole Dancing

Today many women learn the arts of Belly Dancing and dancing with Veils. Belly Dancing has been carried over from these legendary events. The skill have traveled from ancient Sumeria and into the Asia counties. It is understood to have been picked up by the gypsies who brought Belly Dancing through Europe.

The ancient Middle Eastern belly dance was thought to induce fertility in women and to strengthen their bodies in preparation for childbirth.

Throughout history there have been many forms of dance emerging. Many formed from sensual roots and bringing with them much controversy.

Another sensual form of dance, Rumba, is a dance of enticement and teasing. The tango originated in brothels of ancient Argentina. 'Gouchos' would arrive after working in the fields and the girls would entice them into going upstairs through dancing with their heads turned slightly to avoid the smell.

In the early 1900s the strip tease dance was added to burlesques shows to entice men to return. These featured famous strippers including Gypsy Lee Rose. Traveling tent shows had strip tease acts. The smaller tent dancers started to use the pole in the tent's centre to dance around. These tents became known as the dance pole tents.

Another idea of where pole dance actually started is linked to the Maypole. This Pagan ritual was seen by some as a phallic symbol which may explain why some link it to the pole dancing we know now.

The earliest recorded pole dance was in 1968 with a performance by Belle Jangles at Mugwump strip joint in Oregon.

Today's pole dancing craze is believed to have started in Canada in the 1980's in exotic table dancing and lap dance clubs. Fawnia Mondey, originally from Canada, is one of the worlds first pole dancing champions. During the 1990's Fawnia started teaching pole dancing to every day women. She produced the very first instructional pole dancing DVD.

Pole dancing quickly spread to the US followed by the rest of the world, helped by multi corporations such as Spearmint Rhino. Pole dancing is recognized throughout the world including Europe, Australia and even parts of China.

Lap dancing clubs in the UK grew in 1990's featuring pole dancing on stage. Since 2000 onwards pole dancing has become more acceptable by the general public.

Pole dancing as we know it today involves dancing around a vertical pole. The old ancient strip tease became a forerunner to the modern updated variation. Pole dancing provides a display of acrobatics and strength, combined with a combination of sensual, flowing, feminine dance movements to form the art of pole dancing we now know and recognize.

The modern form of pole dancing has only been documented since the 1980's, yet the origins appear to go back many years prior to this. Only in recent years has pole dancing become more acceptable. The stigma attached to this art may be one of the reasons why the dance appears to have little history documented and appears to have been 'underground' for many years.

History and Origins of Pole Dancing

The History of Bachata

Bachata which literally means "party" is a dance and music style from the Dominican Republic often centered around subjects of heartbreak, romance, and loss. Equivalent to the Blues in the U.S., thematic similarities and resolution are prevalent such as loss of a love and looking for ones self at the bottom of the bottle. The main melody is predominantly played by an electric guitar, which plucks out an eight note pattern. Bachata has had much success in clubs in the last decade. 

This music form had a rough and "nefarious" history. Born in the brothels and bars of the lower class, Bachata shares a common ancestry to Merengue.  Conversely, while the Trujillo dictatorship in the Dominican Republic, was responsible for the overwhelming success of Merengue, the government was also  responsible for the censorship, denigration, and almost extinction of Bachata. Trujillo himself felt Bachata was a backwards, lower art form for  country-people unfit to embolster his nation. After the Trujillo dictatorship ended, censorship feel away and bachata started to flourish again. Yet  high society still resisted its influence; branding bachata as unfit and immoral for society. Irregardless Bachata was still popular amongst the  countryside even as Merengue became highlighted as the Official Music of the country.

Salsa Dancing

Eventually Bachata permeated through the socio-political barriers and is now a popular music style from the Dominican Republic. Pioneers like Luis  Vargas and Antony Santos were part of the first generation of pop stars for bachata. One of the most popular songs in the style of Bachat is Aventura's  single "Obsesion", which has had worldwide success.

The History of Bachata

The dance, by the same name, which accompanies Bachata music is composed of 4 steps with a tap or pop on the 4th beat. The motion is from side to side  with both a closed and open frame (handhold). The proximity of the partners follows the idea that they are "brushing belt buckles". This can be a much  more intimate dance, and unfortunately has sometimes received a reputation of being "just grinding". The nature of the dance cause some gyrating motions  yet the natural movements of your hips should not be confused with or compared to "grinding". In fact your hips should move in unison, i.e. no grinding,  which comes from opposing motion. Cuban Hip Motion, the underlying technique in this dance, is all about shifting your weight by bending and  straightening your knee such that your hip naturally pops. The movement does not come from a focused attempt at popping ones hip from side to side.

The basic step, starts with partners facing each other. The leader extends his left hand holding the followers right hand and completes the frame by  placing his right hand on the followers back, the follower then drapes her hand on his shoulder. This is the known as the frame (for most latin dances).  The couple mirrors each others footwork as such this explanation will come from the leaders point of view. 

The leader steps to his left on 1. On the 2 the leader brings his right foot to meet his left foot. On 3 the leader steps to the left with his left  foot. On the 4 the leader taps his right foot next to his left foot. Next the leader steps to his right on 5. On the 6 the leader brings his left foot  to meet his right foot. On 7 the leader steps to the right with his right foot. On the 8 the leader taps his left foot next to his right foot.

Three things to remember:

1) The follower mirrors the leader's footwork during these steps.

2) There is no crossing of the legs during the basic, traditionally.

3) Remember to get close "Brushing Belt Buckles"; arms length apart is too far away.

The History of Bachata

Ballroom Dancing - A Brief History

When you think of Ballroom dancing, you generally think of flowing gowns and dark tuxedos. You also think of beautiful, willowy, women and tall, dark, handsome men waltzing their way around the dance floor. However, ballroom dance is not just the Waltz, it is a lot more. From the elegant and stately waltz, a hot, sultry and sexy Tango or Paso Doble, or a good bit of lively fun like the Fox Trot, Jive or Quick Step, ballroom dancing is all of these.

Technically, ballroom dancing is defined as "Any of various, usually social dances in which couples perform set moves". However, the word "ball" (not the child's toy) comes from the Latin "ballare" meaning to dance and forms the base for the word ballroom (a room for dancing), ballet (a dance), and ballerina (a dancer).

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Ballroom dancing was very popular among the gentry (or upper class) of England, in the late 18th and early 19th centuries and didn't really catch on with the working class until the late 19th and early 20th century.

Ballroom Dancing - A Brief History

It wasn't until the early 1920's that competitive ballroom dancing began gaining popularity. As a result, the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (formerly known as The Imperial Society of Dance Teachers) formed a Ballroom Branch whose function was to standardize the ballroom dances.

Today, modern ballroom dancing revolves around five dances comprising: the Modern Waltz; the Viennese Waltz; the Slow Foxtrot; Tango; and the Quickstep.

Latin American ballroom is short for Latin and American - not a reference to Latin countries and its dances are the Samba; Rumba; Paso Doble; Cha-Cha; and the Jive.

The modern ballroom dances all involve a couple dancing in a closed hold and vary in tempo (beats per minute) and rhythm (structure). A closed hold involves 5 bodily points of contact between the couple. Three of these points involve the hands, the males left hand holding the females right, the females left hand on top of the males right upper arm (for the Tango the females hand would go behind his arm) and the males right hand on the females back resting on her left shoulder blade. The other two points of contact are the females left elbow resting on the males right elbow and the right side of the females chest touching the right side of the males chest. This dance posture provides a very elegant look as the couple floats across the dance floor and has its origins in the European royal courts.

There is some conjecture that the right side-to-right side contact of the closed hold may have originated from a time when men danced while wearing their swords, which were hung on their left sides. Additionally, this theory would also explain the counter clockwise movement around the dance floor as the man would've stood on the inside of the circle so he wouldn't inadvertently hit any of the people watching the dancers with his sword as he danced past.

The dancing posture for Latin American ballroom varies from dance to dance with some dances using the closed hold and others where the partners hold each other with only one hand.

Both Modern Ballroom and Latin American Ballroom has been standardized for teaching purposes and has a set, internationally recognized vocabulary, technique, rhythm and tempo.

Ballroom Dancing - A Brief History