Dancesport
Dancesport denotes dance as a sport activity.
Initially this term was applied to competitive ballroom dancing, in its International Style.
DanceSport is a team sport.
It requires technique, floor craft and artistic interpretation
to produce a highly disciplined dance performance.
It’s generally defined as partner dancing between a man and a woman.
The currently recognized sections in the International style are:
The Standard section and Latin American section.
International dance is the widely accepted style of
competitive ballroom dance developed in Europe.
The Latin dances include:
Cha-Cha, Rumba, Samba, Jive, and Paso Doble.
The Standard dances include:
Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, Quickstep, and Viennese Waltz.
Latin
Rumba
The Rumba requires a good sense of rhythm and also persistence to master the technical niceties which tend to be skipped by less skilled dancers. These niceties come as a result of good balance and coordinated movement of the ankles, knees and hips. Continual training will enable dancers to perform the Rumba in unison.
Cha Cha Cha
The Cha Cha Cha is a fairly recent dance that is a combination of the Rumba and the Mambo. It gained rapid popularity because of its simplicity. As a competition dance it appeared later than other Latin-American dances. Since its introduction it has been subjected to various modifications enabling dancers to perform it in several ways. It can be danced in pairs or at a distance.
Samba
Samba - this dance is of Brazilian origin. It enjoyed popularity in its simplified variant - two even lobes - but skilled dancers prefer its typical rhythm - uneven and interrupted.
Jive
The Jive was brought to England from the United States during the Second World War. It significantly changed the image of dancing, making it more exciting and carefree. The dance was considered obscene and consequently banned in ballrooms. As a competition dance it went through several stages and acquired different names such as the Lindy, West Coast Swing, American Swing and Rock and Roll. The most distinctive feature of the dance is that the man leads the lady in dancing the turning and spinning figures. Rock and Roll bares some resemblance to the Jive but it is less energetic. The dance does not require much space and can be danced in small, crowded rooms.
Paso Doble
This dance is a stylisation of the main movements performed by a toreador in the bull-fighting arena. Every move has a name: veronica, cloak, ronda, cross turn. The character of the Paso Doble requires brisk but clear movements and slowness and lifelessness do not bring out the essence of the dance.