Tyler Bridgewater Mr.

Borrero ENGL 1101 24 August 2012

Ballroom Dance Literacy The purpose of this ethnographic study is to explain the literacy within Ballroom dance and how to become a better dancer. To conduct this discussion, I will discuss the way literacy is provided when a couple are dancing, the different kinds, and what you need to become a better dancer. Through discussing these points, I hope to grab your attention to go learn how to dance and impress any girl you may get a chance with. My ethnography took place in the cone center observing and participating with the 49er Ballroom and Social dance club.

Ballroom dancing is all about you and your partner. Its how you two join together and make a art of a certain through footwork, emotions, and posture. When you have a partner you really like or you both are very good dancers you can share a connection with each other and how you to provide literacy to each other.. You know each other so well you can have a eye gesture that could mean pick it up or your doing a great job. Those connections and eye gestures are part of the literacy of ballroom dance. You can transform that into developing a dance to

make it seem you guys are one big motion sweeping across the floor.

The basic literacy knowledge of ball room dance are that you can not talk to each other all you can do is eye contact, emotions and yours body motions, you provide. The way you and your partner have to connect is knowing that the male is the lead and the girl always follows. The male keeps the masculine role and dictates where the girl must go. The male is a gentlemen so he invites her to do what he wants next, and the female can choose to accept. It is exactly like how you ask a girl to dance and she accepts then it is like that throughout the time they dance. Some of the basics that a guy does are movements with his arms and hands to guide the female along. The front arm where you lead as a guy its posture dictates how he wants the girl to move. So if he raises his arm that means he wants her to spin underneath his arm. If he lets go of her hand that also mean he wants her to stand beside her to perform a move. The back arm is like a guide also for a little push on her back to perform another move. From Dennis Fallom's, The Art of Ballroom Dance, "Good leading requires firm control and proper position. Basically, the man leads with his bod, moving his upper body before his feet. His right hand plays a significant role in leading the woman, while his left hand is used to guide and balance her" (Fallom 10). He hits every point needed for the male to be a great lead. When you have experience with your partner they know every little thing about you. Everything you

and your partner transfer from one another through touch, sight or emotions are all types of literacy in ballroom dancing.

There are tons of dances for every kind of mood or celebration your in. The best thing about ballroom dance for whatever mood you are in there are dances out there for you. If you go slow and be very elegant there is the waltz, and if you want to be feisty and shake your butt theres the tango. The young lady I interviewed, Vanna her favorite thing about ballroom dance is "There is a dance for every mood.."(Vanna K 1). You can't go wrong with what mood you want, you'll enjoy it not matter what. Whatever you would like to do there aren't limitations to how you'd like to dance.

The hardest part is getting those dance steps in order, from experience its really tough. If as a football player i would do foot drills and other workouts to get rhythm down, but its not like dancing. You have to get your moves right and so does your partner. If your partner is messing up it throws your flow off as well. Dancers like to practice by them selfs first getting the motions and step down pact before you join your partner. If you aren't comfortable with your self, then you will have a much harder task trying to fix it with a partner.

Ballroom dance is growing larger and larger, and some of the best

dancers are athletes themselves. Just as Jane Winearls has said, "Body Language has been operating since life began and we share with animals an inbuilt faculty for reading signs given by body movement and texture" (Winearls P 31). On dancing with the stars most of the winner have been athletes like Emmitt Smith(retired running back), Hines Ward(retired wide receiver), and soon to be this year Donald Driver for the Green Bay Packers. No one should be afraid to dance, a lot of boys think its feminine but some of the best athletes are very good at dancing because of there work ethic and they have good foot work and rhythm. People also need to know that ballroom dance is not just dancing and what ever comes to you, there is a lot of getting to know your partner and practicing. Practice, practice, practice you know what they say practice makes perfect.

Works Cited Body Language has been operating since life began and we share with animals an inbuilt faculty for reading signs given by body movement and texture" (Winearls Pg 31). Fallom, Dennis and Kuchenmeister, Sue. The Art of BallroomDance. Minneapolis. Burgess Publishing Company. 1977. Print. Lawrence, Mary Sue. "Shall We Dance?" Charlotte Place January 2012. Pages 54-58. Print Winearls, Jane. The Art of the Body. London. St Edmundsbury Press, Suffolk. 1990. Print. Kruz, Vanna. Personal Interview. 1 April 2012.

Kruz, Vanna. Personal Interview. 15 April 2012.