The Language of Smooth Dance
The earliest form of ballroom dancing, that we know today, first appeared in the 17th Century in the form of Waltz. But, where did the word “ballroom” come from and what does it mean. Let’s break down the etymology of some dance words and find out its original mean.
Ballroom: Firstly, what do words such as “ballroom” and “ballet” have in common? That’s right “ball”. The word “ball” comes from 15th century French word meaning “dance party, or social gathering for dancing”. This derived from the Old French word “baller” meaning “to dance”. But that’s not where the word originated from. It can be traced back through late Latin (“ballare”) to it’s Greek origin “ballizein” (to dance/jump about). A more literal translation of the Greek word would be “to throw oneself around” as Ancient Greek dancing was very vigorous and highly athletic. These origins can be seen in other languages such as Spanish (bailer), Italian (ballo/ballare) and other Romantic languages.
It doesn’t matter what language you speak, we can all agree that if there was a universal language it would be dance. Arthur Murray studios are able to transcend language barriers and teach dance all over the world.