Who is your audience and what points are you trying to make?

A class full of 14 and 15 years olds and I'm trying to show that dancing can be interesting

catherine. You could mention that the Modern Waltz was born in December 1922 at the first World Championship held in London . When the Natural Turn as we know it today was first introduced by Victor Silvester and partner. They won the title.For anybody who knows what a Reverse Turn in the Waltz looks like. Might be interested to know that 1922 the first three beats had a cross in front followed by a Heel Pull for the man. The Foxtrot which is 4/4 time at 30 beats per minute. In 1927 was being danced at 48 bars a minute. That must have been hard to do. The first ever Star Championship sponsord by a London evening Newspaper kicked off in 1927 , and ran to the mid 50's, was won by Frank Ford. I was at a lecture that he gave. He said that in that first Star Championship in the Grand Final, apart from himself, was a young actor and later Oscar winner Ray Milland He won best actor for the film The Lost Weekend in the early 50's. Most of this information comes from Modern Ballroom Dancing by Victor Silvester. Hope this helps.

we should also note that it was consider quite scanalous when it was introduced. A part, it was closed dance. Another fact was that I guy actually touched a womans back. Here is another website http://www.steponedanceshoes.com/featured_dance displays a dance style and a little bit of the history of dance. They change their dance is longer then this one.

The tango was first publically performed in Europe by George Grossmith who was a principal in the Gilbert & Sullivan company making famous the songs "When I Was a Lad" and "Modern Major General".

If you saw the movie Topsy Turvy, by Mike Leigh, Grossmith is the character shooting up at the end.

Also, the person playing the choreographer in the movie played Golem in the Lord of the Rings movies.

OB

Wow! I"m a long time G&S fan, and I never knew Grossmith did the tango. Any place I can find out more?

Jerry

Jerry,

Not sure which "definitive" G&S tome I read it in.

OB who has played

Sir Joseph Porter
Major-General Stanley
Don Alhambra

and

Sir Roderick (Roddy-Doddy) Murgatroyd

in countless productions.

Thanks for all the facts people, also has anyone got any jokes on dancing? preferably not cheesy! :) I'm doing my talk on wednesday! Wish me luck!!! I've include facts about the dances, basic steps and positions, anything else you think i should include?

Hey, get them interested.
I would mention that the rumba is the dance of love, seduction, and using the audience as your partner, show interest then quickly turning away knowing that HE is watching. If you are comfortable, show the walk or have a visual.
Then mention that the tango is the dance of passion. You can mention the quick movements, the mastery of the man as the woman hugs his hip.
You might want to talk to the teacher first so he doesn't fear that the talk will be Xrated. Ask if video equipment or an overhead is available. Overhead transparencies are available at office supply stores if your teacher doesn't give you a few free.
This can lead into a talk on the five smooth and the five latin dances, how each arose, each unique's history and of course references to movies.
Dancing is on TV now so give them the characteristics so they know what to look for and an incentive to try. Fun, not dry facts.

Another thing you might mention is New York City's "American Ballroom Theater's Dancing Classrooms," the subject of a documentary "Mad Hot Ballroom." You can find info about the documentary here:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000ADS6DA/qid=1129651184/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-7916685-6784806?v=glance&s=dvd
by reading the reviews, or doing appropriate web searches. The American Ballrrom Theater's Dancing Classrooms" website is at
http://americanballroomtheater.com/dancingclassrooms.htm

Basically, it is the story of the impact ballroom is making on the lives of youth in NYC public schools. From my experience growing up, many kids think anything their "city" counterparts are doing is is automatically cool...

R