Ballroom dancer

What do standard dancers do?

Standard dancers are dancers who master the ten techniques of ballroom dancing, which is originally an English dance tradition. The ten dances can be roughly translated as couple dancing, and the ten dances are divided as follows:

Standard dance

• Modern Waltz
• Viennese Waltz
• Tango
• Quickstep
• Slowfox

Latin American dance

• Cha-Cha-Cha
• Samba
• Rumba
• Paso Doble
• Jive

The profession is strongly associated with competition, and the discipline is therefore also known as ballroom dancing, which is a dance sport. In its competitive form, dance couples perform the various dance styles to a jury that specializes in ballroom dancing. The dance is performed in couples or groups in extraordinary attire on a large dance floor. Originally it was danced in the ballrooms of London, hence the British name Ballroom.

The BBC has had great success with its television program Strictly Come Dancing, in which celebrities compete in ballroom dancing and are judged by a panel of judges, who are voted on by viewers. In Germany, RTL has an equally successful counterpart in Let's Dance.

Outside of ballroom dancing, the dance disciplines are also practiced as pure ballroom dancing. In Germany, ballroom dancing can be complemented by another dance style: the Foxtrot. 

What do Standard/Latin dancers need to know?

Standard dancers/Latin dancers must have the talent to dance many different dance styles and need a lot of attention to detail and perfection. Many dance schools offer classes in ballroom dancing, both for children and adults. Dancers who dance ballroom dances often have a foundation in classical ballet and other traditional dance styles. Since ballroom dancing is primarily a dance sport that is hard to make a living from, the profession of dancer is the next best thing. If you want to compete in ballroom dancing, it is an advantage to be a competitive person.

Source: StagePool, Wikipedia, BallroomDance