The dances that make up the list of DanceSport dances are performed competitively at amateur and professional levels throughout the world. Ten international styleballroom dances—five Standard and five Latin—are defined by the World Dance Council (WDC), which has world-wide hip of all countries taking part in ballroom competitions. The WDC incorporates various groupings and former titles, such as the World Dance and DanceSport Council (former title). The WDC is the governing body for international professional and amateur DanceSport. The International DanceSport Federation is, to some extent, a rival body which issues rules [1] for amateur competitions. The list is supplemented by nine American style dances—four Smooth and five Rhythm—which are defined by United States dance organizations, such as USA Dance, (formerly USABDA, the United States Amateur Ballroom Dancers Association). Besides determining which dances are performed, these organizations specify many other aspects of their competitions, for instance, the tempo of music allowed and the duration of each competition round. Contents [hide]
1 WDC International style dances
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1.1 Ballroom
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1.2 Latin
2 American style
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2.1 Smooth
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2.2 Rhythm
3 See also
4 References
5 Notes
WDC International style dances[edit] Within World Dance Council international competitions are two categories of dances, Ballroom (also [2] called Standard or Modern) andLatin. In England (e.g. at the Blackpool Dance Festival), the categories are traditionally called Ballroom and Latin American dances respectively. In the Ballroom dances, men typically wear evening dress (coattails, waistcoats and white bow ties), while women wear gowns. Partners remain in closed position throughout the dance, and movements tend to be elegant and sweeping. The ballroom dances are progressive, moving anti-clockwise round the floor. The Latin dances are more overtly sensual, with skimpy costumes for women and tight-fitting ones for [3] men. More variation in movement is allowed than in the Standard dances. Close, semi-open and open figures are danced. Choreography is now extremely important. Hip action is common; and athletic and balletic maneuvers are common. Two Latin dances are progressive (samba and paso doble), but there is [4] no obligation to move in any pre-set manner round the floor.
Ballroom[edit] Name
IDSF tempo [5] (MPM)
WDC tempo [6] (MPM)
IDSF dancing time [5] (seconds)
WDC dancing time [6] (seconds)
Waltz
28–30
30
90–120
90–120
Tango
31–33
33
90–120
90–120
Viennese Waltz
58–60
58–60
90–120
90–120
Slow Foxtrot
28–30
30
90–120
90–120
Quickstep
50–52
50
90–120
90–120
Latin[edit] Name
IDSF tempo [5] (MPM)
WDC tempo [6] (MPM)
IDSF dancing time [5] (seconds)
WDC dancing time [6] (seconds)
Cha-cha-cha
30–32
30
90–120
90–120
Samba
50–52
50
90–120
90–120
Rumba
25–27
27
90–120
90–120
Paso Doble
60–62
62
90–120
90–120
Jive
42–44
44
90–120
90–120
American style[edit] The Smooth and Rhythm categories of American style DanceSport roughly correspond to the Standard and Latin categories of International style. In Smooth, dancers wear costumes not greatly dissimilar to those worn by their counterparts in Standard---Standard dresses often have prominent floats embellishing the arms and fuller skirts which are typically absent in Smooth, due to the open movement and changing
arm positions requiring less restriction on the body; however, the dances themselves are significantly different as a result of influence by dancers like Fred Astaire and Arthur Murray in the years following World War II. While elegance and flow remain the goal, as in International Standard, dancers do not remain in closed position exclusively, instead breaking away from each other periodically and experimenting with open footwork. The Rhythm dances were also influenced by American dancers of the post-WWII era, but the differences between it and International Latin are more subtle. Costumes are similar, and while step patterns are not identical, movements are as free and explicitly sensual as in [7] Latin.
Smooth[edit] Name
USABDA USABDA dancing time [8] [9] tempo (MPM) (seconds)
Waltz
28–30
90–120
Tango
30–32
90–120
Foxtrot
30–32
90–120
Viennese Waltz
54
90
Rhythm[edit] Name
USABDA USABDA dancing time [8] [9] tempo (MPM) (seconds)
Cha-cha-cha
30
90–120
Rumba
32–36
90–120
East Coast Swing
34–36
90–120
Bolero
24–26
90–120
Mambo
47–51
90–120
See also[edit]
Soviet Ballroom dances
References[edit]
"IDSF Competition Rules 2005" (Microsoft Word document). International DanceSport Federation. Retrieved October 10, 2006.
Picart, Caroline Joan (2006). From Ballroom to Dancesport: Aesthetics, Athletics, and Body Culture. Albany: State University of New York. ISBN 978-0-7914-6629-2.
"WD&DSC Competition Rules". World Dance and DanceSport Council. Retrieved October 10, 2006.
"2006-2007 USA DanceSport Rulebook" (PDF document). United States Amateur Ballroom Dancers Association. Retrieved October 10, 2006.
Notes[edit] Dance portal
1.
Jump up^ See the linked pages for details.
2.
Jump up^ This is the present WDC terminology.
3.
Jump up^ Originally, 1930–1960, clothing for latin dance was similar to ballroom, with at least dinner jackets and black tie for men, and simple dress for women, with skirts shorter than the ballroom gowns.
4.
Jump up^ Picart, 89-90, 92-96
5.
^ Jump up