changes in dancesport with time

[millitiz]

"Why would dancesport athletes not continue to evolve beyond what people did 20, 30, 40 years ago?"

Ok, I am slightly confused, didn't you (and I) just agree that competitors evolved from 40, 50 years ago?

[phoenix13]

Yes, we did.  And I am still agreeing with you, especially about the showdance routines being flashy regardless of era. 

[QPO]

All areas of sports be it artistic or not change and rules also change along the way. Often changes happen due to a problem or an accident. So dancing would be no different. I think it is a good thing that things change. The underlying principles are still the same it is the presentation that has change. Richard Gleave introduced more physiological component to the sport/dance.

Thank goodness for change!

[elisedance]

I think ballroom dance has become very resistant to change.  Basically, if you don't do it the way its been codified then you are wrong.  Expression is really limited to emotions not actions.. The danger there is that it will be seen as a dead art form and new creative dancers will go elsewhere.

[phoenix13]

Must think about this a while before fully answering, BUT ... I think that ee's comment is exactly where there's the most vigorous debate, in a lot of dance forms other than just competitive ballroom.  (Several difference swing dances and AT come to mind.)  There are the purists who think that, at some point in time, the dance reached its peak and should remain in the form, frozen in time.  Then you have the proponents of evolution.

It's amazing how passionate people can be on either side of the argument.

[elisedance]

It's amazing how passionate people can be on either side of the argument.

NO THEY AREN'T