2557  Origins of Ballroom Standardization

Date: Sat, 17 Jul 2004 11:40:06 -0600
From: Tom Stermitz <Stermitz@TANGO.ORG>
Subject: Origins of Ballroom Standardization

Stephen Brown pointed out a nice website by Richard Powers, the
Stanford professor of dance who doe a lot of historical research on
social dance forms. His website contains several nice "musings":

https://dance.stanford.edu/syllabi/musings.htm


Here are some of his comments on how some social dances became defined
as set sequences. First he pointed out that most 19th century dances
were either set dances (quadrilles, contradances) or turning couples
dances (waltzes, schotisches, etc)

Richard Powers:

< Different populations of dancers had different preferences, and by
1910 there was a strong class division between those who preferred
freestyle vs. sequence dances.  The upper classes in London preferred
freestyle dancing while the working class in the outskirts preferred
the sequence dances, and would hold weekly balls where hundreds would
gather to learn and perform a large and rapidly growing number of
sequence dances.

< The creation and standardization of these sequence dances was
controlled by several organizations which appeared at this time, most
notably the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing and the British
Association of Teachers of Dancing.  Today's "international" (a
euphemism for British) competition ballroom dancing is overseen by the
Imperial Society, which was founded in London in July 1904 for "The
fraternal co-operation of properly qualified teachers of dancing in the
British Empire and foreign countries for the safeguarding of our mutual
interests." (Quoted from their charter)

< The blue-collar work ethic embraced the mastery of sequence dances,
which soon evolved into competition ballroom dancing, as ways to
elevate one's social position through perseverance and hard work, and
these roots are still visible today.


Tom Stermitz
2525 Birch St
Denver, CO 80207
h: 303-388-2560

Date: Sat, 17 Jul 2004 14:00:23 EDT
From: Mallpasso@AOL.COM
Subject: Re: Origins of Ballroom Standardization

I particularly like his advice on floorcraft and manners:

https://dance.stanford.edu/syllabi/dancing.htm

This subject vexes me since at many of our milongas here in the SF bay area
floor craft is practically non-existing!

El Bandito de Tango




In a message dated 7/17/2004 10:41:09 Pacific Daylight Time,
Stermitz@TANGO.ORG writes:
Stephen Brown pointed out a nice website by Richard Powers, the
Stanford professor of dance who doe a lot of historical research on
social dance forms. His website contains several nice "musings":

https://dance.stanford.edu/syllabi/musings.htm

Date: Sat, 17 Jul 2004 11:29:20 -0700
From: Michael <michael@TANGOBELLINGHAM.COM>
Subject: Re: Origins of Ballroom Standardization

Mallpasso@AOL.COM wrote:

> I particularly like his advice on floorcraft and manners:
>
> https://dance.stanford.edu/syllabi/dancing.htm
>
> This subject vexes me since at many of our milongas here in the SF bay area
> floor craft is practically non-existing!
>
> El Bandito de Tango

He also says: "Don't give an impromptu lesson unless asked."

Huh-uh. Nope. Not even if asked. Leave it for the practica.

Michael
Tango Bellingham
www.tangobellingham.com

Date: Sat, 17 Jul 2004 15:40:36 EDT
From: Mallpasso@AOL.COM
Subject: Re: Origins of Ballroom Standardization

Absolutely... we have a leader here who loves to teach during a milonga...


In a message dated 7/17/2004 11:30:35 Pacific Daylight Time,
michael@TANGOBELLINGHAM.COM writes:
Mallpasso@AOL.COM wrote:

> I particularly like his advice on floorcraft and manners:
>
> https://dance.stanford.edu/syllabi/dancing.htm
>
> This subject vexes me since at many of our milongas here in the SF bay area
> floor craft is practically non-existing!
>
> El Bandito de Tango

He also says: "Don't give an impromptu lesson unless asked."

Huh-uh. Nope. Not even if asked. Leave it for the practica.

Michael
Tango Bellingham
www.tangobellingham.com