In this article we will explore the differences between the Ballroom Dancing that you might see in a social setting, TV or a stage and competitions.
Social Ballroom Dancing
Social Ballroom Dancing is the act of going out to a party or club and dancing with a variety of partners, in a variety of styles, to a variety of different music genres. There’s no choreography involved – all moves are purely based on leading and following, with freestyle and styling added in at your discretion.
The general rules of social dancing are: don’t hurt anyone, have fun, and try to smell good because crowded socials tend to get very sweaty very quickly.
Being a great social dancer requires:
- being a good leader/follower
- being adaptable and fun to dance with so you can dance with anyone in the room
- managing your space so you don’t bump into or step on anyone
- being able to think on the fly
- having a good grasp of musicality so you can interpret each song and keep your dancing fresh
- being a generally pleasant person to be around
Ballroom Dancing on Stage or TV
Ballroom Dancing on Stage or TV are performance pieces. They are choreographed to specific music and performed in front of an audience for their entertainment. Good dance routines follow general choreographic principles, but the style of the dance is determined by the dancer(s)/choreographer(s).
Learning and performing choreography is very different from social dancing: instead of leading/following moves on the fly, you now have to learn an entire routine by heart, and do it the exact same way every time you’re on stage.
You need to have a strong trust connection with your partner and, if it’s a group routine, you also have to worry about keeping formations, about spacing and about how you’re moving in relation to others on stage.
But being a good performer also requires you to be an entertainer – you need to have stage presence, catch and keep the audience’s attention, and connect with them.
Ballroom on Stage
If you’ve ever been to a play, a musical or seen a show on stage (excluding stand-up comedy), chances are that if any dancing was involved, it was probably ballroom (excluding ballet). So if you are a fan of the theatrical arts, ballroom dancing is closely tied to those performances. In fact, a ballroom dance performance can be quite the show stopper when performed correctly.
So if you’d like to learn ballroom dancing, it’s never too late to start. Performers and actors are usually picked for their role based on their overall abilities. Ballroom dancing is an incredible asset to have if you want to become a successful performer or actor. In fact, some of the students at CareToDance professionally perform their ballroom dance routines for a living!
Ballroom on TV
Whether it’s reality TV like Dancing With the Stars or your favourite TV show, ballroom dancing is simply everywhere. TV shows and movies will generally have that one powerful dance scene that the viewer will always remember. The dances that you see performed on TV can be taught at any good ballroom dance school.
CareToDance offers a comprehensive range of ballroom dance styles with Sydney’s best dance instructors. That means you’ll be dancing like the stars in no time!
Competitive Dancing
Competitive Dancing is also a different beast. Competitions are regulated and each level and division of competition has its very specific rules.
While great social dancers can easily adapt to different partners while maintaining their personal flair, competitive dancers are specialists – they focus on one style and train rigorously with their partner for years to master the specific requirements of their division. Dancers who choose to compete at the professional level are the pro athletes of the dancing world.
While CareToDance has the utmost respect for the training and dedication of competitive dancers, we don’t feel that the strictly regulated competition style reflects the rich history and diversity of social dancing.
To us, the beauty of dancing lies in its variety, in its ability to bring people from all walks of life together with a common passion, and in the fact that it allows for a wealth of self-expression by developing your own style.
Final Thought
Hopefully, this clears up any lingering questions you may have about the difference between these ballroom dance styles.
For more information, please feel free to checkout our other articles (see below) or contact us .
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