While the historically significant "big events" of the past are no doubt important, understanding how people of the past lived, worked and played can often provide valuable insight into the political and social climate of the time. As unlikely as it might seem at first glance, I believe that this is especially true when studying the history and evolution of ballroom dance.
It is impossible to pinpoint the exact origins of ballroom dancing, but most scholars seem to place the initial appearance of male/female partner dancing during the Renaissance period that existed between the 15th and 17th centuries.
In the Middle Ages, the period immediately preceding the Renaissance era, music, art, literature, architecture, work, social interaction and politics were either focused upon, or heavily influenced by the interests of the Church. Partner dancing appears to have been virtually unknown during the Middle Ages and the form of dance most often mentioned during this period; Burgundian Dance, definitely reflects the religious overtones that were reflective of this time. A late 15th century manuscript known as the Les Basses danses de Marguerite d'Autriche, describes the "dance" as more of a formal processional, not unlike the entrance that priests and altar servers utilize today. The absence of "dancing for pleasure" seems very much in keeping with the focus on faith that dominated this period in history.
With the Renaissance, however, the focus shifted and Europe began to expand its horizons both literally and figuratively. As the compass began to gain credibility as a navigational aid, travel became more commonplace. As travelers began to share their diverse cultures and ideas and the European monarchy began to replace the Church as a major source of power and influence, these changes were reflected in new approaches to lifestyle and entertainment, including dance.
Like the official state visits of modern times, in which presidents and prime ministers merge official talks with formalized social events like parades, concerts and state dinners, that may include dancing, European royalty of the Renaissance period also seemed to recognize the potential networking opportunities that the intimacy that both community and partner dancing could provide.
There were group dances, like the Branle which suggest something akin to what we would probably refer to as Square Dancing today. The inclusive nature of this dance could have been used to draw foreign visitors in, in an effort to build rapport and strengthen alliances with neighbors, which the government would surely have preferred to count as allies rather than enemies.
More athletic dances like the Galliard, designed to show off the prowess of male dancers might also have served as a subtle suggestion of a country's strength and military power. Perhaps, the subliminal message of, "If our men are this strong on the dance floor, just think of how well they will perform in battle," was the underlying intent of these displays.
As the Renaissance period of rebirth gave way to the "Age of Reason", the Baroque style of dance came into vogue. Beautiful, elegant dances like the Minuet were popularized in the court of Louis XIV and were marked by intricate, symmetrical patterns. This order and symmetry may have been a reflection of the advances in scientific thought and exploration, which were achieved during this period of history, as well as the dedication to logical thought and precision. However, the disparity between the precision and elegance of dances, like the Minuet, the Bouree and the Courante, among others, which were enjoyed mainly by nobility and the more down to earth "country dances," like the Gavotte or the English Hornpipe dances of the lower classes, seems to fit with the widening gulf between the social classes, which eventually culminated in the violence of the French Revolution and, to a lesser extent, the American Revolution.
By the early 19th century the Waltz began gaining in popularity. It's relatively simple steps did not require extensive instruction by dance masters or hours of practice, making it readily accessible to all social classes as a form of recreation. The egalitarian nature of the Waltz seemed to fit with the social climate of the times as the lower classes became increasingly impatient with wide disparities between their own lives and those of the wealthy that existed both in pre-Revolutionary France and Victorian era England.
The Waltz was not enthusiastically embraced by everyone, however. The sense of propriety, which some might say crossed over into prudishness, that defined the Victorian era, was inevitably revealed in the negative reactions that the dance received even as it continued to grow in popularity. Condemned as scandalous for its close embrace and constant whirling motion, the resulting opposition appears to have invoked the same dire predictions about impending moral decay as did the gyrations of Elvis Presley did well over a century later.
The strict propriety of the Victorian Age was followed by the Edwardian era, characterized by its ostentatious and celebratory mood. The Dansant or "tea dance" became a popular pastime for young people of this era. The Edwardian era was seen as an age of optimism, gaiety and excitement generated by the proliferation of modern marvels such as electric lights and telephones. The Waltz continued to be a popular mainstay during this period, but was joined by its even livelier cousin, the Polka. In America, Ragtime music began to appear and, with its lively, syncopated rhythms, came a string of Castle Walk and the Argentinean flavored Tango. The Castle Walk is also thought to have been the pre-cursor to Henry Fox's Foxtrot, which remains popular even today.
The carefree atmosphere of the early 20th century was briefly interrupted by the seriousness of World War I, but at the conclusion of the war, the Jazz Age of the 1920s began in earnest. Dancing became as progressive as the times. The Womens' Suffrage Movement, which culminated with women receiving the vote in 1920, appears to have given birth to the "flappers"; young women with bobbed hair and short skirts who rejected the narrow roles that had been assigned to women in earlier eras. The independent spirit of the flappers was reflected in the fact that most of the popular dances of the day, such as the Charleston, the Shimmy and the Black Bottom, did not involve the woman being "led" by her partner. Dancers sometimes performed the moves side by side or even as solo "challenge" dances.
The Stock Market Crash of 1929, and the ensuing period of economic disaster known as the Great Depression of the early 1930s, brought an end to the party life of the Jazz Age. During the Big Band era of World War II, partner dancing seemed to make a comeback with dances like the Swing, the Jitterbug and the Lindy Hop
By the 1950s Latin influenced dances began to be in vogue. The Cha-Cha, the Rumba, the Mambo, the Samba, the Merengue and the Bossa Nova enjoyed a time of great popularity until the advent of Rock and Roll. Like the Jazz Age before it, the Rock and Roll era of the late 1950s and 1960s led to a serious decline in male led partner dances. Dances like the Twist, the Jerk, the Pony, the Watusi and the Swim usually involved partners facing one another but moving independently using largely improvised steps.
Partner dancing made somewhat of a comeback in the 1970s when the movie, Saturday Night Fever, brought disco dancing into the limelight. Partnerless line dances like the Hustle and the Electric Slide also started to appear, accompanied by the Break Dancing craze which gained popularity also as a result of popular movies like Footloose and Flashdance.
As the Waltz had shocked polite society in the late 1890's, the 1990's ushered in the equally shocking period of "Dirty Dancing", again popularized initially by a film of the same name. The Lambada, a dance of Brazilian origin, began to rise in popularity at this time. However, with its overtly sexual movements it did not prove to have the staying power of the once scandalous Waltz
Now, in the early 21st century, television programs like Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance have led to a revival of partner dancing. In much the same way that African-American music and culture exerted an influence on the dancing styles of the Jazz Age, Hispanic music and culture is entering the spotlight, resulting not only in a renewed interest in older Latin dances, like the Cha-Cha and the Rumba, but also in somewhat of a Salsa dancing craze that is proving to be much more than a passing fad.
Dancing styles, like the rest of culture, are exhibiting greater variety than ever before. Nostalgia for the past perhaps motivates young people to revive older dances like the Swing and the Lindy Hop, while our increasing ethnic diversity and exposure to other cultures through the proliferation of the Internet encourages people of all backgrounds to explore many different styles of dance from the Salsa to the Soulja Boy. Like the rest of our world, the world of social dancing has a long and fascinating history.
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