Social Dancing: Dancing for Pleasure and Recreation

Dancing is believed to be an expression of one's soul. And one of the earliest and most popular forms of dancing all over the world is social dancing.

Put simply, social dancing is group dancing for pleasure and recreation. Its early beginnings were in the balls and social events of the upper class in England during the 18th and 19th centuries. It is only in the 19th and 20th centuries, however, did social dancing reach the masses and become popular among them. The working class then was fond of attending public dance halls or what they called "popular assemblies".

From then on, social dancing reached wider audiences and transcended time. It was in 1995 when the Olympic Committee gave ballroom dancing or dance sport a provisional recognition.

One of the most popular forms of social dancing is ballroom dance. Ballroom dancing is a type of couple or set dance because it is performed with a partner. Other forms of social dance are chachacha, foxtrot, waltz, rumba, tango, paso doble, swing, soca, samba, reggae, mambo-salsa, and jive.

Swing became a dance craze when the swing music took the airwaves by storm during the Second World War. This dance became the "escape valve" against tension during the war. Samba, on the other hand, originated from Brazil and was often danced in street festivals. Some distinguished characteristics of samba are its colorful costumes and non-stop choreography that brings out a carnival mood. It is different from other Latin American dances because of its particular tilting pelvic action that produces a bouncing effect.

Mambo-salsa originated from Latin America and the Caribbean and was said to be an adaptation of the traditional Afro-Cuban religious music. Chachacha evolved from the triple step variation of mambo in Cuba and came from the tapping sounds of the feet on the floor. It evokes a cheeky, gay, and carefree mood. And lastly, rumba came from Spain and Africa and was developed in Cuba. In the early times, it was a fertility dance that displayed the courtship patterns of animals.

Social dancing does have lots of benefits to offer. Aside from being a great way of socializing and fostering relation, it also encourages weight control and overall fitness. Plus, dancing helps in the circulatory system of the body and speeds up the pumping of the heart.

So go ahead! Get those dancing shoes out and express your soul through social dancing!

Sources:

"History of Social Dance", LoveToKnow.com
"IDSF and Dancesport Now Fully Recognized by IOC", Dancesport.lv