Standard Ballroom Dances

Slow Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz, Slow Foxtrot, and Quickstep, are the five International Standard Dances:-

The key feature of International Standard, often called simply “Standard”, is the closed hold. Partners are expected to keep a steady frame throughout the whole dance, only breaking it at the end to bow when the music finishes.

Many dancers feel that Standard has the steepest learning curve of all the styles. Even fans of Standard agree that you need some basic knowledge of it before you can really enjoy watching or dancing it.

Advanced Standard dancers work for years to create a shared position with their partner that reduces tension and lets both bodies move as one. This level of control needs long training and a clear understanding of movement, mechanics, and balance. It also calls for strong body awareness, both of your own posture and of the person you are connected to, as you stay in contact at all times. That constant connection, combined with the smooth gliding action and formal look, is what makes Standard so addictive for many dancers.

At a social level, Standard can feel exciting, stylish, and very rewarding. It often brings to mind the golden age of ballroom, with couples sweeping across grand floors in the 1920s and 1930s. Many people see International Standard as the most elegant of all five ballroom styles.