Ballroom dancing is accepted as one of the best social and competitive dance forms worldwide. It evokes a sense of mystique and elegance when performed socially and a great amount of energy and passion when performed competitively. The word ‘ball’ in Ballroom Dancing comes from the Latin word ‘ballare’ which means dance. It was popular among the English upper class people during the late 19th century; however, in early 20th century, it started grabbing the attention of the working and middle class people.

Today ballroom dancing is a name of international dance style, which includes different types and variations. The following are the most popular types of ballroom dancing:

Cha Cha: Cha Cha is a name of the liveliest and flirtatious ballroom style which is full of passion and energy. The “Cuban motion” provides this dance type a unique style and emotion. This is a dance type where the partners apply their unique effort to synchronize each movement in perfect alignment.

Foxtrot: It is a ballroom dance form that evokes lots of fun and amazement. It is simple to learn and hence can be an excellent choice for beginners.

Jive: This dance style originated in the US, particularly from the Afro-American community. It can be considered as a lively form of swing dance.

Lindy Hop: Lindy Hop is the father of all Swing dance forms. It is popular for its unique style, athletic nature and contains a good show of aerial jumps, twists, and flips.

Mambo: It is considered as the most emotional and sensual style of Latin American dances. This dance style involves a good deal of hip movements, facial expressions and limb movements.

Paso Doble: Paso Doble is another lovely ballroom dance style which was originated in Southern France. The specialty of this dance style is that it is modeled after the Spanish bullfight.

Samba: It is possibly the most popular of all Brazilian ballroom dance styles. It is mainly practiced by the young people and older generations. One can perform Samba with a partner or solo.

Waltz: Waltz is synonymous with the finest and smoothest ballroom dance. This dance style consists of long, flowing movements and continuous body movements. It is the most graceful and elegant ballroom dance style.

Tango: Tango is another sensual ballroom dance form. It was originated in South America in the early 20th century.

Rumba: It is noted as the most romantic and sensuous ballroom dance style. It is popular among the Latin American dancers, as well as in the other parts of the world. Rumba is exciting to watch but is a bit difficult to learn. Occasionally it is also referred as “The Father of all Latin dances”.

This content was originally published here.

Author: dancesteps