Ballroom Dancing - The Origins Of

I believe that the Samba is a true Latin dance. The Samba is thought to originate from Brazil's Rio Carnival, and is a composition of several different South American dances that were practiced by slaves bought into Portugal in the 16th century, like the Catarete, Embolada and the Batuque.

The Europeans thought that these dances were incredibly inappropriate, as the dancers were close enough to have their navels touching.

The Batuque, was an incredibly popular dance - so much so that it was outlawed. The Batuque was danced in a circle with steps resembling those of a Charleston with a solo dancer in the center of the circle. Eventually, carnival steps were added and the dance was modified to use the closed ballroom position and Europeans deemed The Batuque to be a proper dance.

It is thought that The Samba is a combination of all these dances (and probably others).

The Samba is generally danced to a heavy hitting rhythm and its main moves are walking and side steps and incorporates a lot of hip action. For this reason, it is thought that The Samba a perfect party dance.

When assessing The Samba, Ballroom Dancing Judges prefer the Volta (crossing in front of the body), the Samba Roll (moving the upper body in a circular motion while going through a six step turn) and the Botafogo (traveling walk that includes a direction change). Ballroom Dancing Judges always look for outstretched arms and the distinctive climax of the Samba where the dancers throw their heads back and their arms are splayed out to the side.

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.

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

Technially, ballroom dancing is defined as "Any of various, usually social dances in which couples perform set moves". However, the word "ball" (not a childs 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).

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.

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 dance hold is a closed hold that requires the right side of the females chest to touch the right side of the males chest. It is thought that this hold evolved from a time when men danced while wearing their swords, which were hung on their left sides. Additionally, this could 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.

So when you think of Ballroom Dancing and picture the flowing gowns, dark tuxedos, beautiful, willowy, women and tall, dark, handsome men waltzing their way around the dance floor remember that it is a lot more than just the Waltz, it is a lot more.

With shows like Dancing With The Stars, many of us have decided we would love to learn how to Ballroom Dance. We really just want to strap on those dancing shoes and boogey, jive and waltz our way through life.

Perhaps you've decided that Ballroom Dancing is a great way to get in shape and you don't like the whole gym scene.

It doesn't matter what your motivation is, deciding to learn ballroom dancing is an excellent decision but you're could be a little nervous, or even confused, about how and where to start.

When learning to Ballroom Dance, you can take instruction at a local dance "academy" in either personal instruction or group instruction. Although group instruction may be a little overwhelming if you are a little shy. Certainly personal instrution is the best option, 1 on 1 coaching ensures that you are "up and dancing" in no time, but it isn't the only option.

The focus that the media has provided to Ballroom Dancing means that there are now even more options available for you to learn to dance. For example, you can find several instructional DVD's and videos on ballroom dancing which you can watch in the comfort of your own home and practice at any time. These may also be a more affordable option than ballroom dance lessons.

Instructional ballroom dance websites also exist. This may be a better option for you if you are on a budget, as many of these websites are free of charge and all you need is access to the internet. Most of these sites even break down every type of ballroom dance, and some that even have videos you can watch.

However, if you feel you are ready to "brave the dance floor" and attend ballroom dance lessons in person, a dance studio (or dance academy), in your local area is the best option. Do some investigation and look for local dance studios in your area. Be sure to do your research and make sure they they offer ballroom dance lessons for adults; several dance studios only instruct children or certain types of dance such as ballet or jazz. However, there are some dance studios that offer ballroom dance camps or programs that last for a specified amount of time and aren't expensive.

A local college or university is an excellent place to look for ballroom dance lessons as several colleges now offer ballroom dancing as a credit for physical education. Often the public is invited to attend the classes. Generally, classes are typically about one hour long, conducted once or twice a week, and last for about four to five months. The cost depends on the particular institution, ballroom dance classes offered here are usually very inexpensive or free.

To truly enjoy the ballroom dancing experience, encourage a friend or partner to attend with you, this could also reduce your costs as well. Certainly most studios or classes will pair you up if you are single.

Learning to Ballroom Dance is a great experience and there has never been a better time to learn, so why wait? Start learning to ballroom dance today!