What is DanceSport?

DanceSport is the reference to competitive ballroom dancing. However, because many people still associate ballroom with dances such as the waltz and tango, a more creative name was developed to give a more appealing image that encompasses all 19 of the ballroom dances. DanceSport recently made its Olympic debut in the summer games.

What is Ballroom dance?

Ballroom dance is broken up into two styles; American and International. Within the American style, there are the “Rhythm” dances and “Smooth” dances. Within the International style there are the “Latin” dances and the “Standard” dances. Rhythm and Latin styles are similar, as are Smooth and Standard. Ballroom dancing entails both the fancy and elegant dances as well as the fast Latin dances.

Ballroom dance can be a social dance because it encourages social interaction between dance partners. Social dance classes are taught on virtually all college campuses throughout the United States and draw hundreds of students each semester. At Boston University you can find lessons every Tuesday and Thursday night in the GSU Alley.

The principles learned in ballroom dancing can be applied to any type of music, whether you listen to rock, disco, or classical waltz. This is because ballroom dancing follows strict tempo. For the beginner dancer, this means that the music follows and even pattern of beats, mainly ¾ or 4/4. Suffice it to say, you’ll be amazed at how many of your favorite songs are perfect for dancing to a Waltz,  Foxtrot, or Swing.

Many people pursue ballroom dancing not for the social aspect but rather for the competitiveness. Hundreds of competitions are stagesd all over the world every year and more and more amateur competitions are being formed. To give you an idea of how popular ballroom dancing is in Europe, the competitions generate a higher rating then the NCAA March Madness Tournament does here. Competitions cater to dancers of all levels, including those who have been dancing for just a number of months.