Let me start off by explaining the purpose of this thread. I am not here to damage the reputation of any other form of dancing (no matter how vulgar I may find them), nor am I here to attempt to convince anyone of taking up ballroom dancing.
[B]HOWEVER[/B]
There is quite a bit of personal bias up ahead, and if you're not okay with me ripping into what some people may call dancing nowadays, don't even bother moving on with the thread. I am here to attempt to educate people a little bit about what dancing in public used to be like, the beauty behind it, and offer up a little blurb as to why I think we should bring the beauty of ballroom dancing back into the public eye. I might even go on a rant or two about romance, so keep your wits about you. I don't think I have enough room to actually do every single type of ballroom dancing, so I'll try and keep it short(er).
Now that we've gotten the disclaimer out of the way, let's learn a little bit about [B]Ballroom Dancing[/B], shall we?
Let's go over some basic information before we hit the types of dancing.
The term 'ballroom dancing' is derived from the word ball, which in turn originates from the Latin word ballare which means 'to dance' (a ballroom being a large room specially designed for such dances). In times past, ballroom dancing was social dancing for the privileged, leaving folk dancing for the lower classes. These boundaries have since become blurred, and it should be noted even in times long gone, many ballroom dances were really elevated folk dances. 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.
[IMG]http://www.dancing4beginners.com/images/cha-cha-steps.gif[/IMG][IMG]http://www.centralhome.com/id/basic-forward-foxtrot.jpg[/IMG]
[B]These[/B] are called dance charts. When you are learning the basic, rudimentary steps to a type of ballroom dancing (or really any type of formal dance in general), these are very handy to have. However, don't think for a second that they are even close to replacing professional/formal instruction, as learning one-on-one between you and a partner is the best way to learn.
The Cha Cha is a more modern style of dance, dating back to the early 1950's. The modern style of dancing the cha-cha-chá comes from studies made by dance teacher Monsieur Pierre (Pierre Zurcher-Margolle), who partnered Doris Lavelle, another famous dance instructor. Pierre, then from London, visited Cuba in 1952 to find out how and what Cubans were dancing at the time. He noted that this new dance had a split fourth beat, and to dance it one started on the second beat, not the first. He brought this dance idea to England and eventually created what is now known as ballroom cha-cha-cha. Cha Cha is danced to a variety of Latin music, including Cuban music, Latin rock, and Latin Pop.
Here are a few examples of the sort of music Cha Cha is danced to, as well as actual examples of professionals dancing Cha Cha:
[QUOTE][MEDIA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxupuUimByY[/MEDIA]
[MEDIA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISmOGkAniZ4[/MEDIA][/QUOTE]
The [B]Foxtrot[/B] is one of the more widely known types of ballroom dancing. The exact origin of the name of the dance is unclear, although one theory often cited is that took its name from its inventor, the vaudeville actor Harry Fox. The dance was premiered in 1914, quickly catching the eye of the talented husband and wife duo Vernon and Irene Castle, who lent the dance its signature grace and style. Foxtrot is also widely known as the "quick-step". It is most often danced to by big band music, and during the second half of the 20th century was even danced to by rock and roll music.
Here are a few examples of Foxtrot:
[QUOTE]
[MEDIA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkJHsRWxZrw[/MEDIA]
[MEDIA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjtABZSAv0U[/MEDIA][/QUOTE]
The Tango seems to be only of the only dances that people can accurately pinpoint the location of it's origins. Personally, I think it's also one of the most sensual dances, but moving on! The Tango and tango music originated in the area of the Rio de la Plata, in between the borders of Argentina and Uruguay. Early tango was known as tango criollo, or simply tango. Today, there are many tango dance styles, including Argentine tango, Uruguayan tango, Ballroom tango (American and International styles), Finnish tango, and vintage tangos. The origin of the Tango can be traced back to the mid-19th century to the early 20th century, and in 2009, Argentina and Uruguay suggested that the Tango be inscribed onto the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists, and in October of the same year UNESCO approved it.
Here are a few examples of Foxtrot:
[QUOTE]
[MEDIA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXhQNRsH3uc[/MEDIA]
[MEDIA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-taUfmQL4-w&feature=related[/MEDIA][/QUOTE]
And now, ladies (hopefully) and gentlemen, we reach my favorite type of dance,
The Viennese Waltz is, in my opinion, possibly one of the romantic dances you could ever learn. The Viennese Waltz is a rotary dance where the dancers are constantly turning either toward the leader's right (natural) or toward the leader's left (reverse), interspersed with non-rotating change steps to switch between the direction of rotation. A true Viennese waltz consists only of turns and change steps. Other moves such as the fleckerls, American-style figures and side sway or underarm turns are modern inventions and are not normally danced at the annual balls in Vienna. Furthermore, in a properly danced Viennese Waltz, couples do not pass, but turn continuously left and right while travelling counterclockwise around the floor following each other. [B]In Viennese Waltz, you never break with your partner[/B]. The Viennese Waltz, so called to distinguish it from the Waltz and the French Waltz, is the oldest of the current ballroom dances.
Here are some examples the Viennese Waltz, along with different songs that may accompany the dance:
[QUOTE]
[MEDIA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4J0MKsG_is[/MEDIA]
[MEDIA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYhZVqODYsI[/MEDIA]
[MEDIA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icME9133EvM[/MEDIA]
Only video I could find of a mass waltz, which also happens to be happening at the world-famous Vienna Opera Ball.
[/QUOTE]
Now, I realized that I've only touched the surface of ballroom dancing in all of it's splendor, but to honest, I could go on for pages about it. Now, remember how I said that this was both an informative thread and a bit of a rant as well? Well...
What I don't understand is why ballroom dancing, along with almost every other type of dancing out there, elegant or otherwise, has given in to what people are doing today. I mean, how the [B]fuck[/B] is it that the only sort of dancing most kids know how to do today is grinding? Humping your dance partner on the floor? When did that become popular? The question I find myself asking is, does anyone care about this sort of elegance, this sort of poise, or this sort of beauty anymore? What happened to the romance of hitting the dance floor with your partner? Dancing used to be a thing of beauty, and a thing of romance, where you knew that you would have a chance at getting very close to your partner and love interest in a way that was both sensual and artistic at the same time. In my opinion, [B]we've lost something in the public eye that never should have been lost[/B].
Dancing used to be about the most romantic thing you could do, and now it feels like every party you could go to as an individual in a modern world lacks everything that is ballroom.
So, I think that's about it for me, if you dig up any information or types of dances that you'd like me to add to the OP, just tell me.
Oh, I almost forgot, if you have any videos of you or friends dancing, feel free to post them and I'll add them to the OP as well.
I love ballroom dancing, it's classy as fuck.
My grandma was great at dancing, she won many awards.
Also, the thing is, back then, you had to be chaste, so, naturally, either you had to be in love or fake it, and the type of dance that better fit love is ballroom dancing.
Lust, however, isn't censored upon on these days, so, people just grind their asses together (literally).
Shiiit, my logo's are fucked. Editing
We've lost nothing. Culture changes, becomes more simple, becomes more complex, but the people are always the same.
The bigoted petty scum who slithered across the wooden floorboards of their palatial estates with their vapid human furniture a hundred years ago are no more or less detestable now that they're getting drunk from the fumes emanating from the surrounding mob of their ilk as they gyrate senselessly in spittle stained dives. And a respectable and empathic person who loves and lives honestly is no less fulfilled should they go to their dying day not knowing a thing about dancing.
So please don't pull the whole "the world was better back when . . ." shtick.
Though otherwise, I can respect a proper Tango.
[editline]3rd September 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=MountainWatcher;32086703]Also, the thing is, back then, you had to be chaste, so, naturally, either you had to be in love or fake it, and the type of dance that better fit love is ballroom dancing.
Lust, however, isn't censored upon on these days, so, people just grind their asses together (literally).[/QUOTE]
I cannot think of one hour of one day in one culture in any age in which the vast majority of people were "chaste". And the closest anyone has ever come to fulfilling such a pipe dream involved whipping and the death penalty.
[QUOTE=Mr. Scorpio;32086806]We've lost nothing. Culture changes, becomes more simple, becomes more complex, but the people are always the same.
The bigoted petty scum who slithered across the wooden floorboards of their palatial estates with their vapid human furniture a hundred years ago are no more or less detestable now that they're getting drunk from the fumes emanating from the surrounding mob of their ilk as they gyrate senselessly in spittle stained dives. And a respectable and empathic person who loves and lives honestly is no less fulfilled should they go to their dying day not knowing a thing about dancing.
So please don't pull the whole "the world was better back when . . ." shtick.
Though otherwise, I can respect a proper Tango.
[editline]3rd September 2011[/editline]
I cannot think of one hour of one day in one culture in any age in which the vast majority of people were "chaste". And the closest anyone has ever come to fulfilling such a pipe dream involved whipping and the death penalty.[/QUOTE]
What the fuck is wrong with you? This is a thread about dancing. This is no place for some sort of communist rant.
Apparently we have a ballroom club on campus, check it: [url]http://www.devildancesport.com/[/url]
[QUOTE=Mr. Scorpio;32086806]We've lost nothing. Culture changes, becomes more simple, becomes more complex, but the people are always the same.
The bigoted petty scum who slithered across the wooden floorboards of their palatial estates with their vapid human furniture a hundred years ago are no more or less detestable now that they're getting drunk from the fumes emanating from the surrounding mob of their ilk as they gyrate senselessly in spittle stained dives. And a respectable and empathic person who loves and lives honestly is no less fulfilled should they go to their dying day not knowing a thing about dancing.
So please don't pull the whole "the world was better back when . . ." shtick.
Though otherwise, I can respect a proper Tango.
[editline]3rd September 2011[/editline]
I cannot think of one hour of one day in one culture in any age in which the vast majority of people were "chaste". And the closest anyone has ever come to fulfilling such a pipe dream involved whipping and the death penalty.[/QUOTE]
Go ask your grandma how many boyfriends she had.
I remember this quote distinctively from mine. "You couldn't have more than 2 or 3 boyfriends or no man would want you afterwards".
Go further back and you have weddings done as fast as possible so they could fuck.
The only thing I remember about my ballroom dancing class is these two chicks asked me and my friend if we wanted to be in a foursome with them.
It was fun, though. I'd definitely pick it back up again.
[QUOTE=lulzbocksV2;32086868]What the fuck is wrong with you? This is a thread about dancing. This is no place for some sort of communist rant.[/QUOTE]
Who the hell said anything about communism?
[QUOTE=Mr. Scorpio;32086912]Who the hell said anything about communism?[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Mr. Scorpio;32086806]The bigoted petty scum who slithered across the wooden floorboards of their palatial estates with their vapid human furniture a hundred years ago[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=MountainWatcher;32086890]Go ask your grandma how many boyfriends she had.
I remember this quote distinctively from mine. "You couldn't have more than 2 or 3 boyfriends or no man would want you afterwards".
Go further back and you have weddings done as fast as possible so they could fuck.[/QUOTE]
My grandmother has told me the names of about four, two of which she dumped because they groped her. And by her word everyone she knew was far more promiscuous than that, culminating in College, which was, by her account, nothing more than a pointlessly cruel and inclusive club of drinkers and adulterers.
Not that I think that's an [I]entirely[/I] bad thing of course, but take it as you wish.
[editline]3rd September 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=lulzbocksV2;32086939][/QUOTE]
Yes, rich people can be bigoted scum. As can the poor. The hell does that have to do with putting production in the hands of the workers?
[editline]3rd September 2011[/editline]
though if you don't wish to follow my grandmothers testimony at face value you can always just check out the teen pregnancy rates for that decade
At the risk of sounding like an ass, I never got dancing.
It isn't particularly sexy, fundamentally uninteresting and boring. YMMV.
Not that I don't appreciate the finer things in life, I'd just rather be sat down, in a black suit and tie, than be scooting around with a woman wearing the most ridiculous things.
Ball room dancing is nice, but I like today's dancing so much more. It's more expressive and sexy, plus there's more interaction between partners.
I must say, there is a certain element to these high-class and complex forms of dancing that just feel so, well interesting. It just carries with it a sense of respect, rather than... Randomly flailing your limbs.
I would love to take a girl to one of these dances
[QUOTE=ElChrisman99;32087539]I must say, there is a certain element to these high-class and complex forms of dancing that just feel so, well interesting. It just carries with it a sense of respect, rather than... Randomly flailing your limbs.[/QUOTE]
If you randomly flail you're limbs your probably not going to like dancing because no one will think you're a good dancer.
[QUOTE=Rubs10;32087622]If you randomly flail your limbs your probably not going to like dancing because no one will think you're a good dancer.[/QUOTE]
I don't know how to dance anyways, I just think that dancing you do normally see now just involves pelvic thrusts and waving your arms...
[QUOTE=wallyroberto_2;32087584]I would love to take a girl to one of these dances[/QUOTE]
In the spirit of being classy as balls, I do believe you'd call her a lady.
I tried Salsa once
[QUOTE=FalcoLombardi;32087856]I tried Salsa once[/QUOTE]
And? Did you like it?
Nah, too spicy for my tastes.
[QUOTE=No Party Hats;32088328]Nah, too spicy for my tastes.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, Salsa strikes me as something you shouldn't start out with.
[QUOTE=ewitwins;32088290]And? Did you like it?[/QUOTE]
I think I'll stick to breaking, but I am interested in ballroom again. The first time I tried it was when I was 12 or so.
[editline]3rd September 2011[/editline]
By the way there is a Dance Thread in the Witness the Fitness subforum. We need more ballroom dancers posting in there.
My girlfriend and I occasionally like to Waltz when no one is looking.
When I was really little I honestly thought couples that did the Waltz and ballroom dancing were in love. A few years later I barely saw anyone doing it, and it really ruined my perception of what love was for a while (me thinking that because people danced together, they were truly in love.) I feel really stupid thinking about it, but I do agree that it's becoming a rarity.
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