Ballroom dancing is a word used to the form of dancing men and women perform in formal suits on the dance floor during a grand event or special occasion. These types of dance can be slow and fast according to the kind of move they are doing.

This definition by Webster of ballroom dancing – “any of various, usually social dances in which couples perform set moves” reveals that the nature of ballroom dancing encompasses a wide variety of moves. The term ballroom dancing has its root in the Latin word “ballare” which literally means to dance. This is the base for ballroom (a room for dancing), ballet (a dance), and ballerina (a dancer).

History reveals that this is a form of dance famous among the people from the upper class in England back in the late 18th and 19th century. This is not a common practice of the working class until late 20th century. In the early 1920′s competitive ballroom dancing was gaining popularity so 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.

Modern dancing revolves around five dances, the Modern Waltz, the Viennese Waltz, the Slow Foxtrot, Tango and the Quickstep. The American Latin ballroom dance can be classified as Samba, Rumba, Paso Doble, Cha-Cha and the Jive. The word Latin America actually refers to Latin and America and not in reference to the Latin countries.

The modern ballroom dances vary in tempo (beats per minute) and rhythm (structure), however, they all involve a couple dancing in a closed hold. There are five points of contacts between couples. Her right hand would be holding his left hand obviously while her left hand would rest on the top of his right arms. Other point come close as her right side of the set touches his left chest and the elbow, her left touches his right touch each other as they glide round the dance floor. The member of the European Royal Court had long used this posture to dance.

The time when men danced while still wearing their swords placed on their left side will help explain why the strange right to right point of contact between the women and the men. This 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. It would be interesting to note that the posture change from one dance to another in the American Latin ballroom. The American Latin version has been standardized as much as the Modern ballroom dances.