Is ballroom dancing sexist?
“Lead” (usually performed by the male) and “Follow” (usually performed by the female) is a theme specific to ballroom dancing. Actually, in an effort to be more politically correct, leading today is often called “indicating.” However, that doesn’t change the general pattern.
Yes, I know, on the one hand, it has historical reasons: in old Europe, where the origins of ballet and ballroom dance lie, the roles of men and women were clearly defined according to gender differences (the reasons are partially realistic, partially chauvinistic).
And what, we could say. Who cares what the historical roots are. Don’t we have women presidents, astronauts and combat soldiers today? So why can’t we do well on the dance floor?
Well, being a women’s rights advocate and a ballroom dancer at the same time, I can see that it’s not that simple. There’s a good reason for the lead and follow pattern, or whatever you call it.
The reason is that the ultimate goal of partner dance is to be in sync to the point where two become one. The pair are then “in flight” as a single unit, which is a beautiful sight. That can’t be achieved with two people doing the same thing, but only by having clearly defined roles as natural opposites, and adhering to them (and yes, it can be two women or two men, but they have to be in the feminine/masculine). papers).
Any woman who anticipated a move before the man indicated it, stepped forward with her left foot, or was forced to drag a man across the dance floor because she didn’t know how to direct him knows how awkward, if not disastrous, What can be.
However, there can be an emotional reaction to all of this. For example, I do feel resentment when I see dances that are too macho, where the woman can end up decoratively lying on the floor holding onto the man’s ankle, while he looks down at her, all excited. (She could be the CFO of a Fortune 500 company, and he’s probably a complete jerk who can’t hold a minimum-wage job…okay, I’m getting carried away here.)
On the other hand, women sometimes lead ballroom dances, for example when they go forward and the man back, or when they do their own intricate moves with the man serving as a “pole” for leverage (usually done in Latin American style). ). Also, dancing backwards is no less demanding since the woman has to move with the same force. So yes, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, only in reverse and in high heels.
The beauty and elegance of ballroom dancing may seem old-fashioned to us, but the effect is mesmerizing.
