Our evolving dance

Exhibition ballroom dance has remained popular in Britain and continental Europe throughout the 20th century, particularly in semi-invitational settings, such as resorts and hotels. In the 1960s, ballroom dance gained a strong following in Asia, mostly in the International Style. Popular interest and scholarly research, moreover, brought new appreciation to both ballroom and social dance as valuable reflections and embodiments of a community’s social values.

"We should be thankful of all those people in our lives that have shown us exactly

what we do not want to be"

Palolo Valley or Manoa. Either place would be nice to avoid the traffic.

Meanwhile, the regulations governing competitive ballroom dance became more exact as dance teachers switched their focus from inventing new dances to codifying existing ones. This was specially true in the competitions. There had to be a fair way to judge. Those “official” versions of fox-trots, waltzes, and tangos—all with specified steps, postures, and head positions—have been maintained in European televised competitions.

In the early 21st century, an alternative form of competitive ballroom dance thrived in Europe, North America, and South America in television shows such as Dancing with the Stars. This was with judges in the public fields generally. "I know what I like." These elimination series focused largely on the personalities of the contestants, with individualization earning more points than strict adherence to the rules.

"Release Me" by Englebert Humperdinck

Once an expression of elite society, ballroom dance has continued to expand its appeal and has adapted its approach in response to the ever-changing aesthetics of contemporary culture. There are more dances coming in and most are in the fad section catering to the young. The older more seasoned dancer will rely on the oldies but goodies in the music and the dance. We must recognize the differences and merely accept them. No hu hu.