Dance as a Competitive Sport – Erika Wießner

Dance as a Competitive Sport by Erika Wießner is a practical teaching resource designed to introduce students to Standard and Latin American dances while placing them in the context of performance and competitive sport.

The theoretical section introduces dance posture, the characteristics of Standard and Latin American dances, and the competition system. The practical lesson then uses two representative dances to demonstrate important differences between the two disciplines.

The Slow Waltz represents the Standard dances. Students learn the basic step and the Quarter Turn, while developing rhythm and familiarity with dancing with a partner. The Latin section uses the Cha-Cha-Cha, introducing the basic step together with three figures: Wiper, Promenade, and Extended Promenade.

The lesson concludes with a dance competition in which students apply the steps they have learned in a new situation. The overall teaching approach combines theoretical knowledge with practical experience, emphasizing rhythm, posture, partner awareness, and the application of dance skills.

Contents

1. Topic
2. Subject
   • Posture
   • Standard Dances
   • Latin American Dances
3. The Competition System
4. The Teaching Demonstration
5. Lesson Plan
6. Sources

Lesson Structure

Introduction
A theoretical introduction to dancing and the subject of the lesson.

Part 1 – Slow Waltz
Students develop their sense of rhythm and learn the basic step and Quarter Turn while becoming familiar with partner dancing.

Part 2 – Cha-Cha-Cha
Students work with the Cha-Cha-Cha basic step and the Wiper, Promenade, and Extended Promenade figures.

Part 3 – Dance Competition
The learned steps are applied in a new situation, with the dancing evaluated visually.

Conclusion / Reflection
The lesson content is reviewed and evaluated.

Learning Objectives

The lesson is designed to help students:

• Understand basic differences between Standard and Latin American dances
• Learn about competitive dancing and its competition system
• Develop a sense of rhythm
• Learn basic Slow Waltz and Cha-Cha-Cha movements
• Become more comfortable dancing with a partner
• Apply learned dance steps in a competition-style situation

Who Is This E-Book For?

This e-book is particularly suitable for dance teachers, physical education teachers, coaches, educators, students, and trainee teachers looking for a structured lesson plan for introducing Standard and Latin American dancing.