Competitive ballroom is much more than a style of dance. This book explores the intersection of dance cultures, dress and the body. It shows how dancing influences mind and body alike. It provides an ethnographic picture of how dancers and others live their lives both on and off the dance floor.

Competitive ballroom is much more than a style of dance. Rather, it is a continually evolving and increasingly global social and cultural arena: of fashion, performance, art, sport, gender and more. "Ballroom" explores the intersection of dance cultures, dress and the body. Presenting the author's experiences at an international range of dance events in Europe, the US and UK, as well as featuring the views of individual dancers, this book shows how dancing influences mind and body alike. For students of anthropology, dance, cultural and performance studies, "Ballroom" provides an ethnographic picture of how dancers and others live their lives both on and off the dance floor.

IntroductionPart 1: Setting the StageChapter 1: What is Competitive Ballroom Dance?Chapter 2: A Brief History of BallroomChapter 3: Judging DancesportPart 2: Performing DancesportChapter 4: Ballroom as SpectacleChapter 5: Ballroom as ArtChapter 6: Ballroom as SportPart 3: Ballroom Competitions as EventsChapter 7: Competitions as Festival and CelebrationChapter 8: Competitions as RitualPart 4: Costs, Consequences, and Outcomes Chapter 9: Costumes and ConductChapter 10: Performing GenderChapter 11: Living the Dancesport LifeConclusion