Picture this: Tuxedoed men twirling bedazzled, long-gowned women around a large floor. Or, 18th century European royalty dancing the latest minuet with Bach or Strauss playing in the background. Or better yet, imagine dancing the jitterbug in '40s America or the rumba in Havana. Are these things that come to mind when someone mentions ballroom dancing?
All of these are considered ballroom dances and all of them are still taught today around the country. There are even international competitions where the best dancers in each category compete for top awards and titles. In an age where Americans are becoming more and more overweight, or paying insane amounts of money to gyms so they can force themselves onto a treadmill three times a week, many people are turning to the more traditional - and fun - method of exercise: dance! In the old days, everyone knew how to dance. It's a great way to meet members of the opposite sex and you can't beat the cardiovascular benefits. Dancing improves coordination, especially partner dancing where you need to work together on the dance floor. There's bound to be a dance studio somewhere in your local area and prices are usually fairly reasonable for group lessons. It's certainly cheaper than a night out at the movies, especially if you want to pay for a hot dog, soda and popcorn.
Meeting a lot of people is one great benefit to dancing. Because there are usually more men than women during these events, men will have to exchange partners frequently during the evening. For men, this is a plus since you can expect to meet many women. As for women, you can learn both the female and male parts (and hopefully teach it to a future boyfriend or husband) as you probably occasionally partner with another woman. Sometimes dance groups even schedule local dance outings so that students can meet more people and practice what they've learned.
There are many dances such as tap dancing and ballet that you can learn. However, you probably won't find a moment to tap dance or do Odette's solo from Swan Lake on a night out on the town. But you can look snazzy in your vintage clothes (which is half the fun) to swing and jitterbug. And if you learn to Cha-Cha or Samba like a pro you'll be sure to impress anyone at any nightclub
Experimenting after learning the basic steps of any dance just adds to the fun and joy of dancing. And by having a regular dance partner, you can create your own special moves and create your own individual style. All dances were developed from some previous style of dance so the next new dance craze could be created by you!
All of these are considered ballroom dances and all of them are still taught today around the country. There are even international competitions where the best dancers in each category compete for top awards and titles. In an age where Americans are becoming more and more overweight, or paying insane amounts of money to gyms so they can force themselves onto a treadmill three times a week, many people are turning to the more traditional - and fun - method of exercise: dance! In the old days, everyone knew how to dance. It's a great way to meet members of the opposite sex and you can't beat the cardiovascular benefits. Dancing improves coordination, especially partner dancing where you need to work together on the dance floor. There's bound to be a dance studio somewhere in your local area and prices are usually fairly reasonable for group lessons. It's certainly cheaper than a night out at the movies, especially if you want to pay for a hot dog, soda and popcorn.
Meeting a lot of people is one great benefit to dancing. Because there are usually more men than women during these events, men will have to exchange partners frequently during the evening. For men, this is a plus since you can expect to meet many women. As for women, you can learn both the female and male parts (and hopefully teach it to a future boyfriend or husband) as you probably occasionally partner with another woman. Sometimes dance groups even schedule local dance outings so that students can meet more people and practice what they've learned.
There are many dances such as tap dancing and ballet that you can learn. However, you probably won't find a moment to tap dance or do Odette's solo from Swan Lake on a night out on the town. But you can look snazzy in your vintage clothes (which is half the fun) to swing and jitterbug. And if you learn to Cha-Cha or Samba like a pro you'll be sure to impress anyone at any nightclub
Experimenting after learning the basic steps of any dance just adds to the fun and joy of dancing. And by having a regular dance partner, you can create your own special moves and create your own individual style. All dances were developed from some previous style of dance so the next new dance craze could be created by you!
About the Author:
Esther Frances has been dancing for her entire life and runs New York City's premier latin and ballroom dance center For more information on the history of different dances make sure you check her site here