Ballroom Dance Fitness Activity

Ballroom Dance as a Fitness Activity

• Ballroom dancing is a partner dance, using step patterns, to express the rhythm and characteristics of music.
• Two main styles: Smooth/Standard and Rhythm/Latin.
• Smooth style focuses on elegance, grace, and fluidity of movement.

American Rhythm Dances

• Cha Cha Cha: A fast dance with quick foot actions and sharp movements. It has a fun and cheeky feeling with emphasis on hip and body actions, referred to as "Cuban motion."
• Rumba: A slow dance with sensual character that emphasizes hip and body actions. It's the slowest of the international Latin dances and embodies a Brazilian 'Carnival' feeling.
• Paso Doble: A dramatic dance with challenging partner interaction, showing a lot of energy and personality. It is characterized by challenging dynamic actions of male and female partners.
• Jive: A quick dance with lots of kicks and energy, showcasing lots of personality.

American Smooth Dances

• Waltz: A slow, elegant dance focusing on smooth rise and fall movements.
• Foxtrot: A smooth gliding dance with lots of passing footwork, emphasizing slow and elegant movements.
• Tango: A dramatic dance with sharp movements, often with bent knees.
• Viennese Waltz: A quicker waltz with continuous turning.

International Styles

• International Latin: The Cha Cha Cha, Rumba, Samba are included. It's known for specific syllabus, strict technique, and competitive style.
• International Standard: These dances include specific standards of technique with a high-level of mastery and complex movements.

General Observations

• Ballroom styles vary globally, potentially with slight regional differences.
• Dances within each category share characteristics but can also have unique features.
• Specific techniques, like body actions and sharp movements, are integral to each dance.
• Musicality and rhythm are key parts of all styles.