Name: _______________________________________ Section: ________________

QUARTER 2
DANCE 9
Week 1

Topic: Ballroom Dance

Instruction: Study the different types of Ballroom Dance.

Ballroom Dance defines......

 as a variety of social dances performed by couples in which there is a conventional pattern of steps.
 also known as social dance because it encourages social interaction between dance partners.
 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.

Benefits of Ballroom Dancing

1. Ballroom Dance is a great workout.

a. Burn Fat / Lose Weight / Increase Metabolism. Ballroom dancing is a low-impact aerobic activity that burns
fat and can boost your metabolism. In just thirty minutes of dance, you can burn between 200-400 calories –
that’s roughly the same amount as running or cycling! Burning an extra 300 calories a day can help you lose
between 1⁄2-1 pound a week (and THAT can add up quickly). In fact, a study in the Journal of Physiological
Anthropology found that dance as exercise is just as effective for weight loss as cycling and jogging. Dance
training is also an excellent form of maintenance exercise, to stay healthy and toned once you’ve reached your
goal weight. And since ballroom dance is so much fun, you’re getting these benefits without feeling like you’re
working out!
b. Increase Flexibility. A reputable ballroom dance class will typically begin with a few stretching exercises, to
get you prepped to execute dance steps with comfort & ease, and to protect against dance-related injury.
Beginner dancers especially will notice that the more you dance, the more flexibility and range of motion your
body develops. Increased flexibility will help your dance abilities, decrease joint pain and muscle soreness
after exercise, and improve core strength and balance. Yoga and ballet stretches can be extremely beneficial
as pre-ballroom dance warm-ups, but be sure to talk with your Fred Astaire Dance Studios instructor about a
recommended warm-up regimen.
c. Increase Muscle Strength & Endurance. Ballroom dancing contributes to the build- up of muscle strength
because the act of dancing forces a dancer’s muscles to resist against their own body weight. The use of quick
steps, lifts, twists and turns, will help you develop more muscle strength in your arms, legs and core as your
lessons continue. Endurance (in this context) is the capability of your muscles to work harder and longer
without succumbing to fatigue. Ballroom dancing as exercise is particularly effective at building up your
endurance – so as you work on your dance steps, you are conditioning your muscles to perform these feats
with less and less fatigue. And the added benefit is that you’ll look and feel strong, toned and sexy
d. Great for All Ages. Ballroom dance is a fun activity for everyone – from children to senior citizens, which is
another reason it’s such an effective form of exercise. At Fred Astaire Dance Studios, we work with students of
all age groups, physical abilities and skill levels – and will create a custom dance program that’s comfortable
yet challenging, and will help you attain your dance AND exercise goals.

2. Physical Health
Ballroom dance can decrease blood pressure and cholesterol, improve cardiovascular health, strengthen
weight-bearing bones, help prevent or slow bone loss related to osteoporosis, lower the risks of obesity and
Type 2 Diabetes, and promote increased lung capacity. It can help speed up recovery after orthopedic surgery
since it’s a lower impact exercise than jogging or biking. The posture and fast movements required in ballroom
dance help enhance balance and stability, especially among older people (which can help prevent falls and
stumbles). Ballroom dance can even help sharpen your intellectual and mental abilities. A New England
Journal of Medicine report looked at adults for 21 years, and found that dance was one of the only activities
that improved both cardiovascular fitness and reduced the risk of cognitive impairments like dementia. To
reap the full body-conditioning benefits of ballroom dance, dance for at least 30 minutes, four days a week.
3. Mental Health

Research has found that ballroom dancing improves mental acuity throughout a dancer’s life – and that there
are also substantial benefits to those who start ballroom dance as adults. Ballroom dancing can help enhance
memory, alertness, awareness, focus, and concentration. It can prevent the onset of dementia and
significantly improve spatial memory in elderly patients. Participating in an activity like ballroom dance helps
create more intricate neural pathways, which can ward off weakening synapses that often come with old age.
Among younger dancers, the results can also be significant. Swedish researchers studying teenaged girls with
stress, anxiety and depression saw a decrease in anxiety and stress levels among those who took up partner
dancing. They also saw marked improvement in mental health and patients reported being happier than those
who did not participate in dancing. Partner dancing can also decrease loneliness among all age groups,
because it’s a goal-oriented social activity that brings like- minded people together.

4. Develop Confidence

Every opportunity to dance – whether during a lesson or a social event, whether with your significant other or
a new dance partner – will help improve your comfort level, confidence and communication skills on the
dance floor. As your dance technique improves and you feel more at ease with other people, your sense of
accomplishment, motivation and confidence will continue to increase. And even better... you will notice these
new attributes taking root in other areas of your life as well.

5. Develop Self- Expression and Creativity

Dancing comes naturally to people, and it’s an easy activity for anyone to partake in. Dance provides an
emotional outlet to express your feelings through body movements, with passion and flair. Ballroom dancing
can be a wonderful creative outlet to enhance your ability to permanently use these expressive qualities even
when you are not dancing, and to share that creativity with others. After only a few lessons, you will start to
find yourself moving more and more seamlessly through your dance steps, while you get lost in the music. You
will unlock a beautiful rhythm your body may have been hiding. It can also help with your motivation and
energy.

6. Reduces Stress and Depression

In today’s fast-paced world, we sometimes forget to take a moment for ourselves. Dance lessons provide an
enjoyable escape from your normal daily routine, plus a chance to relax, relieve stress, and concentrate just on
yourself. Our students often tell us that even if they’re “not feeling it” when they arrive for a lesson, once they
stretch and start dancing, they’re able to forget about the day’s triggers, simply b-r-e-a-t-h-e and let the dance
take over. There’s also a growing body of evidence to indicate that dancing has a positive effect on the
treatment and prevention of depression.
• Group activities such as ballroom dance lessons can expand your sense of social “connectedness”, which is
beneficial to lowering stress and depression levels
• Ballroom dance is similar to the practice of mindful meditation (which has been shown to significantly
reduce levels of depression and stress) in that it requires you to fully focus
your attention, and be present in the moment. This meditative state can help you “switch off” the negative
thought patterns associated with depression or stress. For those who are not interested in traditional
meditative practices, ballroom dance can be a great way to reap the same benefits.
• The physical act of dancing releases endorphins, and lowers the levels of stress hormones in our bodies. This
produces a sense of alert calm, and improves mood and energy levels
• Ballroom dance as anxiety or depression treatment is more likely to be voluntarily continued by participants
than some traditional forms of therapy, which can further increases its effectiveness.

7. Promotes Social Fun & Gain Friendship

One of the best aspects of ballroom dancing is its ability to bring people together. Ballroom dance lessons
offer you a great opportunity to expand your social circle, build connections and engage with people in a low-
pressure environment, where there are no expectations. It’s perfect for younger singles who want to step up
their dating game, couples looking to reconnect, and for adults interested in discovering something new and
inspiring, just for them. Learning to dance does take focus and dedication, but you will be surrounded and
encouraged by artistic, positive and cheerful people who make learning enjoyable and rewarding. In group
lessons, weekly practice parties, regional and national competitions and studio events and outings, you’ll meet
a melting pot of people of all ages, with varied cultural and occupational backgrounds. And the best part?
Since they all share your passion for dance, these meetings often transition into lasting friendships.

DO’s in Ballroom Dancing

1. Wear comfortable clothing.

2. Wear appropriate footwear to prevent injuries.
3. If the hair falls below the shoulder, be careful that it does not fly into contact with
your partner. Long hair should be put up or tied in a pony tail.
4. Accessories like watches, rings and bracelets can be dangerous they can scratch
your partner’s hand and arm.
 
 General Rules for Following  
1. Whatever you do, don’t lead.
2. Be alert to your partner’s lead.
3. Support one’s own weight. Learn to keep good balance when moving backwards.
4. Step straight backward with reaching motion so as to give him room to reach straight ahead.
5. Pass the feet close together.
6. Hold your own frame (arm positions) against gravity (versus resting weight on your partner’s arms).
7. Maintaining your frame so as to provide gentle feedback to define your space. (avoid very rigid or very limp
arms, sometimes called “spaghetti” arms.)
8. Keep your weight over the ball of your feet to keep a good balance.
9. Execute the turn (after the leader  signals when to start and stop the turn).
 
General Rules for Leading
1. Hold partner firmly but not tensely.
2. Listen to the music before starting to step out on the accented beat.
3. Start with the new step with a left foot leading.
4. Start with the easy steps before going into variations, be sure partner can follow.
5. Signal a turn by lifting your hand above your partner’s head.
6. End a turn by lowering your hand below your partner’s head

Ballroom Dance Styles

Ballroom dance is enjoyable both socially and competitively worldwide. It also refers to a set of partner
dancers, which originated in the Western world. The International style contains two categories: International
Latin and International Standard, each of these sub-categories contain five different dances. The specific
categories are as follows; Standard, Latin and Club dances or Freestyle dance.
Standard (ballroom) dance are elegant and have strong emphasis on posture, more formal than Latin Dances.
They are generally dance in a closed position. It consists of the following dances such as: Waltz, Quickstep,
Foxtrot, Tango, and Viennese waltz.
On the other hand, Latin style prepared for hot, flashy movements, sexy poses and fire-consuming passion.
Latin dances are generally faster-paced, more sensual and have more rhythmic expression. Latin dances such
as: Cha-cha-cha, Mambo, Rumba, Samba, Jive, Paso Doble.
Club dances include: Swing, Line dance, Salsa and Merengue.
To give an overview in the styles of ballroom dance, the following table shows the characteristics of each
ballroom dance.
 
STANDARD DANCES

Waltz is one of the smoothest ballroom dance. It is a progressive dance marked by long, flowing movements,
continuous turns, and "rise and fall." The dance is so graceful and elegant; Waltz dancers appear to glide
around the floor with almost no effort.
Tango is one of the most fascinating of all ballroom dance. This sensual ballroom dance originated in South
America in the early twentieth century.
Quickstep is a quick version of the Foxtrot. It is a ballroom dance comprised of extremely quick stepping,
syncopated feet rhythms, and runs of quick steps. The Quickstep is exciting to watch, but among the most
difficult of all the ballroom dance.
Foxtrot is a smooth dance in which dancers make long, flowing movements across the floor. Foxtrot has lots of
fun and simple to learn an excellent dance for beginners.

LATIN DANCES

Cha cha cha is a lively, flirtatious ballroom dance full of passion and energy. The classic "Cuban motion" gives
the Cha cha cha its unique style. Partners work together to synchronize each movement in perfect alignment.
Mambo is one of the most sensual and emotional Latin American ballroom dances. Swaying hip movements,
facial expressions, arm movements and holds  add to the sensuality of the dance.
Jive is an American dance that evolved from a dance called the Jitterbug by removing the lifts and acrobatic
elements. Dancers use a more bouncy type movement using the balls of the feet. A lot of kicks are used in jive.
Jive is a very fast, energy-consuming dance.
Rumba is considered by many to be the most romantic and sensual of all Latin ballroom dance. It is often
referred to as the "Grandfather of the Latin dances." A moderately slow Latin dance with plenty of wraps,
under arm turns and a truck load of flirtation.  It is often called as the “Dance of Love”.
Samba is popular with young people as well as older generations. Samba can be performed solo or with a
partner. Possibly the most popular of all Brazilian ballroom dance.
Paso Doble is one of the liveliest ballroom dance, originating in southern France. It is modeled after the sound,
drama, and movement of the Spanish bullfight.

CLUB DANCES

Swing dance is a lively style of social dancing in which a dancer often lifts, spins and flips his or her partner.
Considered both hip and cool, swing dancing is a favorite among social dancers of all ages.
The beauty in the simplicity of line dancing steps is that they are so adaptable that they can be reworked and
reused in a variety of different dances and dance styles. The steps are very basic and are often repeated
numerous times in the line dance. Adding small twists or variations on the core steps or utilizing them as
transitions in other dances will be an ideal use of the steps.
Salsa is a very energetic Latin dance, with spins, sharp movement, and crisp turns, very popular in Latin clubs
along with merengue.  A style varies depending on where you are from. This dance is also similar to Mambo.
Merengue is a fast Latin dance that never slows down. It’s very easy to learn and often refer to this dance as
the “marching with style”.