Ballroom dancing has a rich and varied history that dates back many centuries, as people have long enjoyed moving rhythmically and also showing off to each other. Its origins can be found in the 16th and 17th century European courts, where it was mainly performed by the nobility and aristocracy as a unique form of entertainment. At this time, dance styles such as the minuet and polonaise, which are open-style court dances of nobles, were popular.
At the end of the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th century, the first semi-close-grip dances appeared – the allemande and the landler with turns, something similar to the modern waltz. It is believed that the origins of the waltz can be traced back to 1787.-1797. in Austria, which is why this dance was called the Viennese waltz. Later, around 1810., the waltz also became popular in Germany, where it was danced at a faster pace and is considered a direct predecessor of the modern waltz. That is why in Europe it is often called the round waltz. About half a century later, the waltz reached England, where the conservative English began to dance it at a significantly slower pace, which is why today it is called the slow waltz, or English waltz. However, both of these waltzes can be danced in 3/4 time, only at different temps.
The middle class was not satisfied with the fact that only the nobility could have fun like this, so they invented their own close-grip dance – the polka. As far as is known, its origins can be traced to Bohemia (now the Czech Republic) around 1830. Later, the polka also became popular in Poland, and the mazurka also came along. Around 1850., the polka was also danced in Germany and the USA.
At the end of the 19th century, other ballroom dances also gained popularity outside the aristocracy and became more accessible to the middle class. They were gradually supplemented with more complex figures, where dancers demonstrated their skills as best they could and learned. The emergence of this type of competition led to the standardization of ballroom dance styles and techniques, the creation of various dance organizations and societies.
In 1924., the International Dance Sport Federation (IDSF) was founded, which became the governing body for competitive dance. IDSF provided a platform for dancers from all over the world to compete and set standards for various dance styles. It still continues to organize international dance competitions and popularize ballroom dancing as a sport, which is why it got the name – sport dances. The first of the competitive ballroom dances were the waltz, tango, foxtrot and quickstep, a little later the slow waltz, rumba, cha-cha-cha and samba were also added to them. As the last, jive and passadoble entered the sport dance competitions.
In the second half of the 20th century, Latin American dances such as rumba, samba, cha-cha-cha and Argentine tango began to be danced at balls and clubs, as well as dances such as jive, reggae, rock-n-roll, swing, etc., but many still do not consider them to be real (proper) ballroom dances.
I have often heard the question – what exactly is the difference between modern ballroom dancing and sports dancing!? In my opinion, there are not that many differences, but there are some and I will mention them here. Ballroom dancing (in any of them) involves dancing simpler dance figures and does not involve long rehearsed sequences of dance steps, if only for the reason that it is impossible to dance such dances at a ball, because there is simply not enough space on the dance floor for everyone. The technical execution of the dance is also simpler, but artistically nothing prohibits expression, of course, if it does not interfere with other dancers. Some dances, such as foxtrot and rumba, also have different basic dance steps, which is why there are ballroom foxtrot and ballroom rumba and, accordingly, sports versions of these dances. There is also an unwritten rule of ballroom dancing that a man does not rotate around his axis (as in sports dancing) when dancing ballroom dancing – that is, he never turns his back on his lady (he can only turn halfway, keeping his gaze on the lady). Ladies, of course, are allowed to twirl and highlight their beauty in every possible way. 🙂
In recent decades, ballroom dancing has gained wide popularity and recognition both as a competitive sport (called sports dancing) and as a recreational dance (called ballroom or party dancing). These close-grip dances can be learned at countless dance schools and studios that cater to dance enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels, and then danced at social events, public dance evenings, or private, prestigious balls and parties.
Today, ballroom dancing is danced with its elegance, grace, and artistic expression that captivates both spectators and dancers.
The ballroom dance enthusiasts club with the somewhat magical name “Butterfly Effect” also wants to contribute its part to the popularization of ballroom dancing and a form of cultural recreation, and if you are passionate about dance and dancing, then you have come to the right place. May you succeed in dancing as easily and beautifully with us as butterflies in spring! Catch that feeling!