| It's impossible to say exactly when early men and | | | | rarely satisfied with their performances. They are |
| women first started dancing, but it is reasonable to | | | | constantly trying to improve their moves, to loosen |
| say that we probably have been doing it ever since | | | | their sweeps and twirls to make the whole routine a |
| we were able to. The 9,000 year old Bhimbetka cave | | | | smoother, more sophisticated, elegant and more |
| paintings in India depict the earliest dancing images | | | | sublime experience. |
| we have. It wasn't modern ballroom dancing back | | | | This is how it becomes a life long challenge, for as |
| then, but it was the beginnings of what has become | | | | long as health and fitness allows, they continue to |
| modern dance. | | | | tweak a move here and tighten up one there. The |
| Ballroom dancing is known as social dancing. It has its | | | | end result gets them closer and closer to perfection |
| origins in the 16th century balls held by the upper | | | | while never actually achieving it. Perhaps that is the |
| classes. The word "ball" comes from the Latin | | | | allure of ballroom dancing; the ultimate prize may |
| "ballare," meaning "to dance." It has no connection | | | | never be achievable, but there's a lot of fun and |
| with a round inflated object used in games. | | | | satisfaction in the attempt to get there. |
| Social dancing is broadly defined as dancing that | | | | For those who have never had the pleasure of |
| involves a couple who are in direct contact with each | | | | stepping on to a ballroom floor, to go where the |
| other. The twist craze of the early 1960s where | | | | music leads and to be caught up in the heady |
| each partner stood and danced alone without | | | | intoxication of the dance, it may all seem a little |
| touching the other is often said to mark the first | | | | daunting. This shouldn't be so for there are many |
| break from social dancing. | | | | clubs and organisations throughout the length and |
| Modern ballroom dancing has many and varied dances | | | | breadth of the United Kingdom where you can learn |
| and styles. The five dances normally part of ballroom | | | | at your leisure. Lots of people have already done so |
| dancing are: the tango, the slow foxtrot, the | | | | and many more will follow them. |
| quickstep, the modern waltz and the Viennese waltz. | | | | Weekend breaks where modern ballroom dancing is |
| Waltzing in Vienna wasn't always seen as a simple | | | | the focus are plentiful too. You will be made to feel |
| and healthy pursuit. A pamphlet published in 1797 that | | | | welcome, even if you think you have two left feet. |
| considered waltzing to be an immoral practice | | | | It's all about having fun and trying your best. Then |
| declared: "... waltzing is a main source of weakness of | | | | when you start to get the hang of it you'll discover |
| the body and mind of our generation." That view | | | | that dancing in a ballroom, with perhaps the dazzle of |
| apart, most people now see waltzing in any form to | | | | lights from a mirror ball, becomes something more |
| be a popular and completely acceptable stable of | | | | than a habit. It becomes a challenge that never gets |
| modern ballroom dancing. | | | | boring. At that point you are hooked, and glad to be |
| Those who are into modern ballroom dancing are | | | | too! |