Ballroom dancing

Thinking Allowed

BBC

Society & Culture, Science

4.4 • 997 Ratings

🗓️ 1 June 2022

⏱️ 30 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Ballroom dancing: Laurie Taylor explores its social history and sexual politics with Hilary French, Professor of Design Studies at Bath Spa University and author of a new book which charts the evolution of a form of dance which originated in upper class, private balls but became a mass, working class pastime in the early 20th century. From Hollywood movies to Mecca dance halls. What explains its rise and fall and rise again, in the current moment? They're joined by Vicki Harman, Reader in Sociology at University of Surrey, who unpacks the intriguing appeal of ballroom in the light of changing gender norms which question the notion that a man should 'lead'.

Producer: Jayne Egerton

Transcript

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0:00.0	Take some time for yourself with soothing classical music from the mindful mix, the Science of
0:07.0	Happiness Podcast.
0:08.0	For the last 20 years I've dedicated my career to exploring the science of living a happier more meaningful life and I want
0:14.4	to share that science with you.
0:16.1	And just one thing, deep calm with Michael Mosley.
0:19.4	I want to help you tap in to your hidden relaxation response system and open the door to that
0:25.4	calmer place within. Listen on BBC Sounds.
0:30.3	BBC Sounds, music, radio podcasts.
0:36.6	This is a Thinking Loud Podcasts from the BBC, and for more details and much, much more about
0:42.4	thinking aloud, go to our website at BBC.co.uk. UK. Hello there everyone good evening and welcome to another
0:57.3	our programs from the Television Dancing Club. During the next half hour we shall endeavor to bring the glamour and the elegance and good ballroom
1:06.3	dancing into your homes and right now our club members are dancing a quick step.
1:21.3	Hello, well that clipper Victor Sylvester, the silky smooth band leader who presented BBC's television dancing club in the post-war years.
1:24.8	Well it may lack the protein of a Madeline Biscuit, but it's quite enough to spark kaleidoscopic
1:30.2	memories of my own teenage dancing years. The nights I spent hoping that my
1:35.2	inadequate waltz, one, two, three together, might help me make out with teenage
1:40.4	girls at Reese's Dance Hall in, or the floral whor in Southport, or indeed
1:46.3	the Tower Ballroom New Brighton, where the need for self-control at all times was emphasized
1:51.9	by a large sign warning patrons against the mortal sin of
1:56.9	jitter-bugging. Well in those teenage years being able to dance having a bronze
2:02.1	or silver or even gold medal from a dancing school lifted you
2:06.0	clear above the clod hopping heavy drinking men who restricted their ballroom participation to little more than a lurching attempt at the last
	...

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