From simply gracing social events, the art of ballroom dancing is now a sport that has attracted even the youngest of competitors. Derived from the Latin word ballare, which means to dance, ballroom dancing is performed by a pair with one person leading the other. There are five main styles of ballroom dancing: Slow Waltz, Viennese Waltz, Quickstep, Slow Foxtrot and Tango. Latin dance variations that are also categorized as ballroom include the Cha-Cha, Samba, Rumba, Paso Doble and Jive.

Slow Waltz or Boston Waltz is a romantic dance performed in closed position in ¾ music time. Characterized by smooth floor glides and pendulum swing body action, this is a slow dance in which the pair moves as one. The waltz is danced at 90 beats per minute while its fast-paced whirling version, the Viennese Waltz, is danced at about 180 beats a minute.

Invented by vaudeville actor Harry Fox in 1914 in New York City, the Foxtrot was a fast dance that involved stagger slow-slow-quick-quick steps. It was the most popular fast dance until the 1940s, when it gradually split into Slow Foxtrot and Quickstep variations. A difficult yet versatile ballroom dance, Slow Foxtrot works perfectly with a wide range of music styles and tempo.

Originally performed by Caribbean and African dancers, the Quickstep is a fast-moving upbeat dance comprising of hops, runs, turns and chasses or three-step glide patterns. Complex light footwork is essential to doing the famous “Running Right Turn”, “V6″, and “Fishtail” quick steps.

A sensual dance, the Tango can be controversial at times with its passionate intensity on the dance floor. Argentine tango is danced in an embrace where leader and follower move while in a chest-to-chest position. American style ballroom tango, however, allows partners to dance side by side or apart from each other.

The slowest of the five Latin dances, the Rumba is popular in Cuba where it is performed to a rhythm called the bolero-son. Competition moves are extremely complex as compared to social ballroom rumba.

Social cha-cha is danced to Cuban music which is sensual and involves complex polyrhythms, while ballroom cha-cha music is energetic with a steady beat. Cuban cha-cha uses the two-three-chachacha step, whereas Western cha-cha counts one-two-chachacha or chachacha-three-four.

The Jive is a slower, more elegant version of the highly popular boogie of the 1940s. Ballroom jive is a very bubbly dance characterized by lifting of knees and bending or rocking of hips.