| Ballroom Dancing is when a couple performs any of | | | | qualities. All ballroom dances, as with all forms of |
| the various social dances that follow a pattern of | | | | dance, are expressions of feelings, thoughts and |
| predictable steps. Examples of these dances are the | | | | emotions. These dances may be stricter than other |
| tango, waltz, fox trot and quick step. It has an | | | | forms of dance and may limit the range of steps and |
| immensely amplified popularity spreading across | | | | body movement involved, but it is still one of the |
| Europe, the Americas and Asia. Ballroom dancing has | | | | best expressions of love, joy and pain between two |
| had a relatively short but interesting history and has | | | | people. |
| evolved from a recreational activity to a worldwide | | | | Also, all ballroom dances are performed by only two |
| sporting event. | | | | people, usually a man and a woman. These dances |
| Ballroom dancing originated in England in the late 18th | | | | are performed in a certain position termed as the |
| and early 19th centuries in which these dances, such | | | | "Closed Hold". In this position, the couple strictly |
| as the waltz, were performed by the upper and elite | | | | remains in contact in five different points or places. |
| classes of society in balls and parties. During the late | | | | These five points consists of three hand contacts, |
| 19th to the early 20th centuries, it became a trend | | | | one elbow contact and one chest contact. |
| among the working and middle class where they | | | | The first hand contact occurs when the man's left |
| would go to gatherings and events in public dance | | | | hand holds the lady's right hand. Second is when the |
| halls. In the early 1920s, ballroom dancing competitions | | | | lady's left hand is placed at the top of the man's right |
| started to boom that in 1924, an organization was | | | | upper arm. In the tango, the lady's left hand is placed |
| formed called the Ballroom Branch of the Imperial | | | | behind the man's arm, not on top of it. The third |
| Society of Teachers of Dancing. The objective of | | | | contact is when the man's right hand is placed under |
| this organization was to standardize and formalize | | | | the left shoulder blade on the lady's back. The fourth |
| ballroom dancing techniques, sets of steps and music | | | | contact is when the lady's left elbow rests on the |
| to which it was danced to. | | | | man's right elbow and both arms are kept in a |
| In legitimate Dance Sport competitions and in social | | | | horizontal line. The lady's arms are held comfortably |
| events, there are five standard dances. These are | | | | by the man's and permit her to follow the man's lead |
| the Modern and the Viennese Waltz, the Tango, the | | | | with ease. This also gives the couple the appearance |
| Slow Foxtrot and the Quickstep. These dances are | | | | of having a bearing of royalty. This is an important |
| standardized and categorized into segregated | | | | characteristic in the ballroom dances that came from |
| teaching levels and utilize vocabulary, rhythm and | | | | Western Europe because these dances were |
| tempo and techniques which are accepted | | | | performed in the royal courts. The last point of |
| internationally. | | | | contact is where the right area of the chest of one |
| Although these dances come from very different | | | | touches the right area of his partner. This closeness |
| backgrounds and have special techniques, aesthetics, | | | | allows very little room between the partners' faces |
| rhythms and tempos, they do share common | | | | thus contributing to the dance's romantic appeal. |