| While watching ballroom dancers gracefully sway to | | | | are held both horizontally by the man who also |
| the beat of various tunes ranging from waltz and | | | | maintains a suitable placement of both his hands and |
| tango to foxtrot and quickstep, have you ever | | | | arms. This not only makes the lady comfortable while |
| wondered when these modern standard ballroom | | | | following the man's lead but also gives the couple a |
| dances conquered the dance floor? | | | | semblance of regal appearance. This stance |
| The term "ballroom" denotes a room where balls or | | | | characterizes western European dances found in |
| formal social dances are normally held. Before radio | | | | modern ballroom dances in Europe's royal courts. |
| and television came into our lives, balls were | | | | The first record of a dance following the three |
| considered important social events. It came from the | | | | quarters rhythm is a peasant dance held in the |
| Latin word "balare," which means "to dance," which | | | | Provence area of France in 1559 using the "volta," a |
| later gave birth to other modern words such as | | | | piece of folk music that means "to turn" in Italian. Thus, |
| ballerina, ballet, and ballad, to name just a few. | | | | dance in its earliest days involves the couple turning |
| At present, the figures in modern ballroom dances now | | | | while dancing. |
| follow a standard category for various teaching levels. | | | | The waltz is performed to music with three beats to |
| It now has international standards in terms of | | | | one bar. If a step is taken on each beat, each bar |
| vocabulary, techniques, tempos, and rhythms. | | | | starts with the opposite foot with that of the previous |
| Standard ballroom dances have various origins, | | | | bar. This may be difficult for a beginner but looks |
| tempos, rhythms, and aesthetics but share one thing: | | | | relatively easy when mastered with delightful romantic |
| they are normally danced by a couple (male and | | | | tilts every now and then. |
| female) in "closed hold" position. Ballroom dances | | | | So when you see a couple gyrating on the dance floor |
| maintain five areas of contact between the couple as | | | | with such ease and grace, you know what their |
| they perform all dance figures. | | | | predecessors might have looked like while dancing to |
| In the closed ballroom hold, the woman's upper arms | | | | the same beat. |
