Dancing as a Performance & Competitive Sport – Erika Wießner

Dancing as a Performance & Competitive Sport by Erika Wießner is a practical dance education e-book that explores Standard and Latin American dancing through the principles of performance, technique, and competitive dance. Combining theoretical background with a structured teaching demonstration, this resource introduces dance posture, rhythm, partner coordination, basic steps, selected figures, and the organization of ballroom dance competitions.

Originally developed for an introductory dance course at Ruhr University Bochum, the lesson is designed for students with little or no previous experience in Standard or Latin American dancing. It uses the Slow Waltz and Cha-Cha-Cha to illustrate the distinctive characteristics of the two dance styles and demonstrate how fundamental dance skills can be introduced in an educational setting.

Standard and Latin American Dance Fundamentals

The theoretical section introduces all five International Standard dances—Slow Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz, Slow Foxtrot, and Quickstep—and the five International Latin dances—Cha-Cha-Cha, Samba, Rumba, Paso Doble, and Jive.

It examines differences in posture, movement, rhythm, and partner interaction. The e-book also explains the competitive ballroom dance system, including age divisions, competition classes, preliminary and final rounds, and judging procedures.

Practical Teaching Demonstration: Slow Waltz and Cha-Cha-Cha

The practical section focuses on two representative dances:

Slow Waltz: Students are introduced to the basic step, dance hold, and Quarter Turn, with emphasis on rhythm, movement coordination, and developing confidence in partner dancing.

Cha-Cha-Cha: The lesson covers the basic step and selected figures, including the Wiper and Promenade. The teaching outline also identifies the Extended Promenade as part of the planned instruction, helping students explore Latin dance rhythm and coordinated movement.

Structured Lesson Plan and Dance Competition

A dedicated lesson plan organizes the class into five phases: introduction, Slow Waltz practice, Cha-Cha-Cha practice, a dance competition activity, and final reflection.

The competition activity allows students to apply their newly acquired steps while being observed and evaluated. This connects theoretical understanding with practical dance experience and encourages awareness of rhythm, posture, and partnership.

Designed as a compact academic teaching resource, this PDF e-book is particularly useful for dance teachers, physical education instructors, sports science students, coaches, and trainee educators seeking a structured introduction to Standard and Latin American dancing.

Contents

1. Topic
2. Subject

• Posture
• Standard Dances
• Latin American Dances

1. The Competition System
2. The Teaching Demonstration

• Cha-Cha-Cha Basic Step
• Cha-Cha-Cha Wiper
• Cha-Cha-Cha Promenade
• Slow Waltz Basic Step
• Slow Waltz Right Turn

1. Lesson Plan
2. Sources