Dancesport
Dancesport denotes competitive ballroom dancing, as contrasted to social or exhibition dancing. In the case of wheelchair dancesport at least one of the dancers is in a wheelchair.
Dancesport events are sanctioned and regulated by dancesport organizations at the national and international level, such as the World DanceSport Federation.
The name was invented to help competitive ballroom dancing gain Olympic recognition. The physical demand of dancesport has been the subject of scientific research.
History
The first unofficial world championship took place in 1909, and the first formation team was presented in 1932 by Olive Ripman at the Astoria Ballroom, London. Dancesport was first broadcast on TV in 1960.
Styles
The term dancesport applies to the International Style, as well as American Style of competitive ballroom. It includes the following categories:
International Standard
International Latin
American Smooth
American Rhythm
These categories apply to both individual couples and formation dance.
