All of these dances all have their own rhythms, tempos and styles, but have one thing in common in that they are all danced in the ‘Ballroom Hold’. Ballroom is about motion and movement of the dance, and there is more of a formality about it. There is a sense of one body moving together in harmony, with the man moving the lady.

There are five ballroom dances which are danced all over the world in both social dancing and in competitions; the Waltz, the Tango, the Foxtrot, the Viennese Waltz, and the Quickstep.

The main difference between Ballroom and Latin dancing is how close a couple is to one another and surprisingly, in Latin, you are further apart. In Latin, the bodies will move together but not with as much harmony as you see with the ballroom dances, and Latin dancing is often seen as being more of a story. There is more interaction between the couple in Latin American dancing – you actually look at one another!

There are five Latin American dances which are also dances in both social and competition dancing; the Cha Cha Cha, the Rumba, the Jive, the Samba, and the Paso Doble.