SOCIAL DANCE
Social dances are dances that have a social functions and context.
Social dances are intended for participation rather than performance.
They are often danced merely to socialise and for entertainment, though they may have
ceremonial, competitive and erotic functions.
History of Social Dance
You can trace the history of social dance back as far as primitive cultures dancing to
celebrate a birth or mourn a death. In later years, social dance continued to develop and
evolve, mingling the dances of other cultures such as the Middle East, Africa, and
Europe.
The Development of Ballroom Social Dance
The early social dances of the fourteenth to mid-sixteenth centuries involved
processional dances with subtle, relatively simple steps. The dances usually involved
couples interacting with each other, or long lines of dancers. The dances were lively,
filled with flirtations, conversations, and even "poaching," where partners would switch
in the middle of the dance. Groups such as the Society for Creative Anachronism still
enjoy these dances at their gatherings.
The Rage of the Seventeenth Century: The Waltz
The popularity of this dance has lasted for centuries, and it is still one of the first dances
taught by ballroom teachers. It began in Vienna, where, by focusing on the graceful
movements of the couple instead of large group patterns, the Waltz set people free
from the restricted movements and set poses of the earlier courtly dances. However, it
also was considered "...riotous and indecent" well into the 19th century, which only
proved to make it even more popular. You can still see the Waltz performed in social
dance halls today.
Social Dances of the Late Eighteenth Century
In England and the United States the late eighteenth century witnessed a beginning of a
blend between the rigid group dances and the intense coupled dances like the Waltz.
Called "contra dances," "cotillions" or just "square dances," the lively music would
include "calling," as the moves were announced just before they happened. The flirting
and partner-swapping made these amazingly social happenings, and they survived into
the modern day, both in their original form and in country line dances and hip-hop such
as "Unk 2 Step."
The Many Dance Forms of the Nineteenth Century
During the early part of the nineteenth century, group dances remained extremely
popular. The English Country Dance grew more popular throughout the first half of the
nineteenth century. In addition to the Waltz, there were many other popular dances of
the period, including:
Scottish Reel and the Quadrille
Polka
Pavan
Mazurka
Polonaise
Two Step, referred to as the Washington Post
