History of Ballroom Dance

Series Summary

Ballroom dancing is now a competitive sport, encouraged by voracious participants, popular television shows, and some of the best Latin music. In the 1920s new forms of music were coming into American cities from Latin America, bringing new life to ballroom dance floors. In the 19060s and '70s another wave of Latin music changed ballroom dancing again, resulting in the many modalities we see today. Rumba, Salsa, Cha Cha, tango, and merengue have become increasingly popular. Swing dancing blends many of the styles in a syncopated rhythm ballroom dance. Salsa is considered by some to be the most popular dance in the world; its catchy beat and potential for creative improvisation have spread it throughout the globe in competitive and recreational circles.

In this free ballroom dancing video series, professional instructor and performer Rosario Nene Ortega teaches you many dances of the modern ballroom. Rosario explains the history of ballroom dance and the evolution of the dances that now make up the popular sport. She includes the origins of the different music, giving you tips on how to feel the beat when you dance. Rosario covers both the lead and follower part for each dance, including the tango, salsa, rumba, waltz, and more.

Video Transcript

"Hi, in this clip, we're going to talk about the history of the ballroom dancing. It all started in the late 1800's in the royal court and the opera classes with the waltz in England. Then, it became more popular in Europe with the tea and the dances places, where people would start dancing swing, foxtrot and the Charleston. It's in the 1920s when the ballroom dancing starts to be standardized. I mean by this the vocabulary, the technique, the music, the tempo was put together so people would know which steps danced to which music. And then it evolves in America in the late 40s with the Big Bands and the swing after the war in Europe and in America. It's in the 1950s, with the Cuban influence and the Brazilian influence with Carmen Miranda, that the ChaCha, the Merengue, the Salsa, becomes a new vocabulary and a new dimension for the ballroom dancing. This is the history of the ballroom dancing so far."