Fun Facts About Ballroom Dancing from Phoenix, AZ

"Ballroom" dancing is an umbrella term, most often referring to partner dancing in general. Often thought of as elegant and sophisticated, ballroom dancing can include the sexy salsa, the steamy Argentine tango and the playful swing dance as well. Are any of these traditional "ballroom" dances? Absolutely not! But they are very popular social partner dances that are distinguishable from other styles of dancing like Line dancing or Ballet, etc..

In this blog, we will share a fun fact about a dancer, a fun and easy Latin dance and the sassy authentic Argentine Tango. Did you know that...

When Argentine tango was popular in the brothels of Buenos Aires, Argentina, men danced primarily with other men and not women. Any ideas as to why? From what we have learned through champion dancers who live in Argentina, these men danced together not out of homosexual tendencies, but because the ratio of men to women was 5 to 1. In order for a man, then, to win over the affection of a woman, he would attempt to impress her with his tango skills. If she in fact liked what he had to offer on the dance floor, that would lead to more in the underground world of brothels.

When Fred Astaire had his first screen test, a Hollywood executive commented this on paper that he (Astaire) "Can't act, can't sing, slightly bald. Can dance a little." I love this quote! This is a true testament to the fact that dancing really is subjective. (How wrong this person was!)

The Merengue, a fun and easy Latin dance, has a very interesting history indeed! Two suspect theories help to explain the creation of the Merengue. First, it is said that the Merengue was born from a group of slaves that were chained together. Out of necessity, the slaves were forced to drag a leg to the beat of drums as they cut sugar.

Another interesting story alleges that the Merengue  started when a hero was wounded in the leg during one of his great and many battles in the Dominican Republic. When he came back from one of the revolutions, he was welcomed by villagers who limped and dragged one foot in sympathy of his wounds.

Both stories provide a colorful origin to the Merengue. We may never know which, if either, is accurate.

There are many fun and interesting facts to explore in regards to ballroom dancing. For ballroom dancing lessons or to learn more about all of the popular social ballroom dances, visit Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona. We offer social dancing for the everyday person to enjoy!