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ballroom dancing

ballroom dancing

14 3.4
Two people dance together using set steps, like the waltz and tango, often at social events or competitions
  • noun
  • /ˈbɔːlruːm ˈdænsɪŋ/
translation icon : baile de salón
  • I signed up for ballroom dancing lessons to improve my skills for the upcoming competition.
  • ballroom dancing lessons
  • ballroom dancing competition
  • ballroom dancing class

Examples

  • I would like to try ballroom dancing classes.

  • We met Nona in a ballroom dancing class at our health club.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • You know we have ballroom dancing after dinner, care to join me?

  • And from then on, I knew that ballroom dancing would be my life.

  • Now, ballroom dancing is about two bodies moving as one.

  • ...if you would accompany me to ballroom dancing on Tuesday nights.

  • I admit to loving the show and loving ballroom dancing.

    Blog text (12)
  • Do you think Celia would enjoy ballroom dancing lessons?

    Fiction book (1998)
  • I took ballroom dancing for half of my time in college and won trophies in competitions.

    Blog text (21)
  • Okay, everybody, I know tonight isn't about me, but my beautiful girlfriend, Stephanie, and I recently won a ballroom dancing competition.

Synonyms

ballroom dance
vsballroom dancing
3 3.2

A formal activity where couples move together in set steps to music like the waltz

covers various partnered styles done socially or competitively beyond formal hall events

How Formal

ballroom dancing
14 3.4
clubbing
  • Informal
5 3.4

Surface Forms

Morphology

ballroom + dancing

The meaning 'dancing performed in a ballroom or formal dance venue' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'ballroom' (a venue for formal dances) with 'dancing' (rhythmic movement to music). This noun–noun composition follows ordinary English compounding and has clear cross-linguistic parallels, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Ballroom dancing comes from the picture of couples doing dancing in a large ballroom at a 'ball', which was a formal party. That's why it now means the 'partner dances' people do together, like the waltz or tango.