Ballroom vs Dancesport

[QPO]

The thing is that there has to be a distinction between BR and DS. They are not the same; never were; never will be. Yet, there are they who are constantly and consistently trying to umbrella the two. DS all but destroyed BR because of this. BR has found a niche back, and will continue to evolve into a wonderful social thing equal to its prior heydays. SG speaks of evolution in DS, which is very true, but very different.

this was posted by Tango dancer and it find it very interesting.

Can Tango dancer or someone eleborate more on what the difference is between ballroom and dancesport as I thought they were one and the same, only branding it as Dancesport for the purpose of seeing it as a sport....

[elisedance]

Good idea for a topic - but there was also some good discussion on the question after that post.... I'll moive it over when I have a chance...

[emeralddancer]

Ballroom versus DanceSport ARE 2 different birds yet in the same species. or two different fruits yet both are fruits. (heheee) Make sense?

Ballroom is strictly social, much more relaxed.

DanceSport is strictly competitive, more structured.

(and anything varying in between, because many people coexist in both ballroom and dancesport)

Both coexist and depending on the area or groups or what have you can coexist rather well or not.

Oft times there are major disagreements in the dance community on such things as:
social versus competitive ...
amateur versus amateur whether in USA Dance or NDCA
IDSF or WDC
etc and so forth ...

Who is better
Who serves the dance community better
who has better governing bodies
blah blah blah

I do not believe in such arguments (politics really piss me off, especially in something such as dance ... its an art, its an sport, it's this no it's that ... so the F what it is as long as each individual is getting their needs, wants, desires met.)

I believe to each their own and work together regardless of all of these things. Once people come together and stop arguing about well this is apple no this is orange and realize it is all fruit, then well... we can make PARTNER DANCING in ALL of it's forms much more enjoyable and more productive for ALL in EVERY respect.

Jumping off soap box now. =D

[Some guy]

You jumped off your soapbox while I fell off my chair!  Where've you BEEN?!  Great to have you back!  I missed your posts!  

Great idea for a topic as I know nothing of this division either.  I want to learn more.

[emeralddancer]

Um .... I am here. ever presently lurking in the shadows, watching over my lovies. =) Consider me a protector of sorts. 

SG .... really you want to know more. LOL I wish I did not know so much of it and respectfully decline to want further involvement precisely because of politics. (Though I do stay up on the 'news' to make sure I am not in the dark when situations, or changes occur)

Personally, while I am not currently dancing (and not seeing it in the future), I am all about cultivating BR for the love, beauty, harmony, benefits, etc .... in my community. DS also receives my attention but to a lesser degree other than to support my lovies. (ie: going to comps, volunteering at comps, to see my distant lovies at comps,  that kind of thing) 

[drj]

OK, so if BR is all about beauty/expression, and DS is athletic, then what is the performance of Giampiero and Anna at Embassy? Pure art, gorgeous musicality, true beauty, at the highest level of athletic ability?

Other than a seemingly-unreachable goal to aspire to, of course.

[emeralddancer]

BR in it's simplest is social
DS in it's simplest is sport

I find personally NO competing professionals (at the moment) that demonstrates BR at all.

Now DS yes.

Even G and A. But then again when watching G & A I only see G not A. AND I actually like A as a person.

[emeralddancer]

can we make a term that is NEW if BR and DS come together in holy matrimony?

[Some guy]

Let's not call it BS!

[drj]

Let's not call it BS!

be ashamed... be very ashamed...

lolz

[drj]

BR in it's simplest is social
DS in it's simplest is sport

I find personally NO competing professionals (at the moment) that demonstrates BR at all.

Now DS yes.

Even G and A. But then again when watching G & A I only see G not A. AND I actually like A as a person.

Wow, would I disagree with that. I think they are magnificent ballroom dancers.

[samina]

Hmmm.... weeeellll... at my home and my second-home studios, there are quite a few competitive amateur, i.e. Dancesport, dancers who regularly attend socials, and this significantly influences the culture of those ballroom socials... for the better, IMO.

International style, in both Standard and Latin, is not at all uncommon at socials because of this. And those originated as competitive styles, not for social dancing. So... there again we have the positive influence and intersection of Dancesport with Ballroom. I know that it's usually far more common for American style social dancing to prevail, so the fact that this has changed within a very DS-heavy demographic is very telling, I think.

Plus, at my home studio there is a weekly 2-hr Standard practice, with a competition-style "final round" at its close, followed by a 1-hr Latin practice, and this draws regular older amateur Dancesport couples who enrich the ballroom community at the studio. And as they also often go to the second-home studio, that energy and community branches out.

I can go to a social at either place and spend quite a bit of time social dancing International style with dancers who have been at it for several years... or more than that. The upsurge of DS in the local area has had, IMHO, an excellent effect on ballroom there. I pray that DS continues to penetrate the culture, because I know that ballroom options will  strengthen as well.

So, I'm afraid I'm definitely not weighing in on agreement with the DS/BR divide.

[TangoDancer]

Emerald Dancer's post #2 is quite good. It not only explainas the differences, but shows the paradoxes that cause teh problems, as well. In her description, she explains that BR is social, and DS is competive and more structured. True, Yet, here comes the problems. Br is, in fact, the one with the rules, i.e. syllabi. etc. DS is less pure being composed of BR with elements of ballet, jazz, hip hop, pop, and everything else. This is the inital dissention with DS. It is not BR, but something made up by persons with, sometimes, no BR training at all. Jazz danced with a 2 hand hold is not BR... it's jazz dance with a 2 hand hold. But, it is DS. A rumba basic danced with an endule is not BR, but is is DS, and, yet, we have tried to structure it, asemerald noted in an attempt to keep it somewhat controlled.



Didn't work. Now, it's a mess. I still stand that the only way to correct the problem is to change the way in which we do comps. We must go to a short form (technical element) and long form (free dance) format. This is the only way to bring BR back and seperate it from DS.

[QPO]

great posts everyone! very enjoyable.

[emeralddancer]

TD awesome. Completely understood that and by the explanation ... AGREE!

SG .... smartie pants.

Samina .... my take on BR/DS is very very different than most. From dancers I like to well everything. I tend to be more against the norm.

Ex.

At Capital there was a pro/am couple. A couple that took my breath away and brought me to tears. He must have been in his 70s or 80s. Doing Int'l standard ALL 5 dances. He was shaking (like parkensens (sp?) kind of shaking). He could barely move around the crowded split floor. Couples whirling in and out of where he was dancing. His partner was a beautiful young thing, maybe in her 20s. He did not make big lines, he did not dance as fast or as large as the other couples, This was silver no less too. He dance this easy full of self confident simple figures. He methodically maneuvered the young lady around and just was as happy as a lark smiling and not once playing to the audience or the judges.

When the quickstep came on .... out of all those couples in 2 age divisions in split floors, HE was the ONLY ONE dancing the quickstep (with I believe a bit of charleston added in for good measure) he had the place rocking with applause. Out of all of those people he brought what ballroom is and what dancesport is together. (for me)

It was the simplicity of the steps, the precision of where he placed his feet, the proper frame that did not falter, the smile on his face. So not the athleticism you may see but he personified to me what BALLROOM is in DANCESPORT, the old world meeting the new. Just was so dignified andmagnificent to watch.

Actually went up to my instructor who was watching him and pointed and said THIS is WHY I dance and THIS is what I want to look like at his age. Still dancing, still enjoying myself and still challenging myself. =D