B Is For Ballroom

Do you know your Botafago from your Volta Cross? Ever wondered how the Foxtrot got its name? Why is the Quick Step so quick? Which is easier, the standard Ballroom dances or the Latin ones? If you don't know the answer to most of these questions but fancy yourself as something of an armchair aficionado when it comes to Ballroom dancing, this book is for you. It will lead you into the wonderful world of Ballroom and teach you everything you need to know, without, if necessary, you even having to reach for your dancing shoes. As you'll soon discover, B is for Ballroom does exactly what the title suggests. Set out in an A to Z format it's the ultimate companion for anyone interested in Ballroom - whether you're nine years old or over ninety. It will teach you everything you need to know about this most beloved form of dance without you even having to take a class, break a leg or be dragged across the floor.

This book presents an engaging sociological investigation into how gender is negotiated and performed in ballroom and Latin dancing that draws on extensive ethnographic research, as well as the author’s own experience as a dancer. It explores the key factors underpinning the popularity of this leisure activity and highlights what this reveals more broadly about the nature of gender roles at the current time. The author begins with an overview of its rich social history and shifting class status, establishing the context within which contemporary masculinities and femininities in this community are explored. Real and imagined gendered traditions are examined across a range of dancer experiences that follows the trajectory of a typical learner: from finding a partner, attending lessons and forming networks, through to taking part in competitions. The analysis of these narratives creates a nuanced picture of a dance culture that is empowering, yet also highly consumerist and image-conscious; a highly ritualised set of practices that both reinstate and transgress gender roles. This innovative contribution to the feminist leisure literature will appeal to students and scholars of anthropology, dance, sport, gender, cultural and media studies.