FYF 101

Tuesday, October 20, 2009



For discussion: Is this sexist? Offensive? Accurate? Is ballroom dancing a sport? (these guys think so.)

posted by Anthony at 6:59 PM

10 Comments:

  • This article doesn't really seem that sexist. It does sort of objectify women, but not needlessly. In traditional ballroom dancing, women are meant to be the followers. I know a lot of girls might have a problem with that, but that's the way it used to go. And I'm pretty sure that a lot of girls would not be so delighted if a guy made the mistakes mentioned in the article. And while this article may not bear as much merit when it comes to today's modern dancing, it's not completely useless. Ballroom dancing is still alive and kicking, even with some younger people. Heck, I even had to learn to waltz at the end of my senior year. And I wish I had been able to read this article back then (might have saved me a lot of trouble). Finally, yes I believe ballroom dancing CAN be considered a sport (it involves physical activity and can even be played competitively).

    By Blogger Thomas Mike, at Tue Oct 20, 07:55:00 PM 2009  

  • I do not think this article is sexist for two reasons. First of all, it was co-written by a man and a woman. Second of all, it simply seems to tell it like it is when it comes to ballroom dancing. True, males are commonly looked upon as the leaders on the dance floor, but that doesn't mean they can't be intimidated by women who are superior in their ballroom dancing skills (as the article illustrates. If anything, I believe this article harbors a keen respect for women on the dance floor; for example, it discusses that men should not "show off" and correct their female partners, because it can ultimately be degrading and distasteful. It also mentions that male dancers should be kind and compliment their female partners and reach out to the women who are not frequently asked to dance, despite what their skill level may be. In this respect, it sheds light upon how ballroom dancing can be made an enjoyable experience for both men and women. So no, I don't see why this article can be looked upon as sexist or offensive, and while this article is a "dance strategy for men," it's simply a method by which men can help make the overall experience enjoyable for both parties.
    Can ballroom dancing be considered a sport? Football team...field hockey team...ballroom dancing team? For me, it just doesn't seem to fit. True, it involves physical activity and a competitive nature, but I would consider it more of an art than a sport, which I would define as a medium for gaming. In sports, there exists opposition; in ballroom dancing, communication between partners and a common motive are a rhythmic undertaking. No real opposition, just expression.

    By Blogger ToddOravic, at Tue Oct 20, 08:55:00 PM 2009  

  • I do not believe that this article is sexist. Like Todd said, it is written by both a man and a woman, so both of their inputs were most likely put into it. Some may be concerned about the "for men" part of the title, but there are many articles that are specifically for women too. It is simply an article teaching men the best way to dance with a woman. The issue also comes up about women being the followers when dancing, but this is how it always was and I as a girl do not find this offensive. Also, the article includes a part for if the woman is a better dance, equal, or worse. If it was to say that men are always the better dancer, then yes, it would be offensive. This article did not do that, however. Also, I believe that ballroom dancing is a sport. A sport is defined as an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature. Any type of dancing does require skill and even though it is not always, some people do dance competitively.

    By Blogger rachelzomerfeld, at Wed Oct 21, 02:29:00 PM 2009  

  • The argument that something is not sexist because both a man and a woman wrote it is not sound. Don't lead with this!

    By Blogger Anthony, at Wed Oct 21, 02:38:00 PM 2009  

  • I think that the article is not sexist because it puts the common courtesies of ballroom dancing into it's original (and traditional) perspective. Since ballroom dancing requires that one dancer is the leader and one is the follower, it does not seem sexist to explain the role of the male dancer in these terms, especially when the male is more often the leader than the follower. In fact, the article actually seems chivalrous because the author is suggesting that men should be good leaders to impress and showcase their partner, instead of using dancing as a way to show themselves off. The article also mentions that the leader should not try to correct or give suggestions because these may be taken the wrong way and end up insulting their partner. It does not seem like the author is being sexist but instead explaining to men how to be a good leader when dancing. For example, when he says that the leaders need to adjust themselves to the skill level of the partner, this is not because the follower is a lesser but because it makes the dancing more enjoyable when both people are cooperating on a similar level. After putting some thought into the topic, I think that ballroom dancing can be considered a sport because it is a physical activity with a set of rules and guidelines that one can train and acquire a certain level of physical and technical skill.

    By Blogger Melissa Caprio, at Wed Oct 21, 03:59:00 PM 2009  

  • After reading this article, I don’t feel it is sexist or offensive whatsoever. I don’t feel this due to the fact the authors were a female and male, no matter who wrote it, it was very well composed and covered the aspect for both men and women in ballroom dancing. Yes, the topic of women and their roles are heavily discussed, as so are men’s to. The authors explained what women are expected to do, and what men are expected to do. I do not necessarily feel that women are followers because it takes two people to ballroom dance. if it weren’t for women, men themselves wouldn’t have anyone to even dance with. So, hypothetically speaking, men could also be considered followers. Although men may have more demanding or 'manly' roles in ballroom dancing, women have just as important roles too. Like some of the above comments, that’s just the way ballroom dancing it. It can somewhat be considered tradition. Although it has changed very much over time, the idea and practice of ballroom dancing cannot be forgotten. I like how the article gave advice to both women and men on how to compliment your partner during a dance as well as not to correct your partner. I feel that dancing with someone could be considered an art if anything, vs. a sport. So why correct your partner? Dance to dance. It's not a game or a competition (However there are game shows such as dancing with the stars), but those shows originated from the original concept of dancing. Even those dancers aren't correcting one another. They work together to dance and complement one another. All in all, I feel that women and men play equal roles in ballroom dancing, and without one, the dance would not be complete.

    By Blogger Nicole.Najaka, at Wed Oct 21, 07:41:00 PM 2009  

  • I don't believe that this article is sexist at all. Throughout the article women are referred to as "ladies". They go on to say how women play such an important role. The woman can also cover up the mans mistakes and make them look good. It is an equal effort. I believe that this article is accurate. Ballroom dancing is most DEFINITELY a sport!!! Dancers must practice just as any other athletes do. They compete against other dancers and are judged for their performance. Some SPORTS that are also judged would be ice skating, gymnastics, cheerleading, and horseback riding. A perfect example of how ballroom dancing is a sport would be the movie Take The Lead with Antonio Banderas. Dance deserves to be placed in the same category as any other sport.

    By Blogger christina emmer, at Wed Oct 21, 08:29:00 PM 2009  

  • I think ballroom dancing is to be considered a sport. Each athlete has preparations and techniques to display their skill and the dancers contribute time to perfect their skill. Ballroom dancers may not always perform in front of tens of thousands of fans but may attend competition with others who enjoy the same activities. There for competing in their sport, like other sports, so why not consider ballroom dancing a sport.

    By Blogger kaitlin barrett, at Thu Oct 22, 04:25:00 PM 2009  

  • This comment has been removed by the author.

    By Blogger kaitlin barrett, at Thu Oct 22, 04:25:00 PM 2009  

  • This comment has been removed by the author.

    By Blogger kaitlin barrett, at Thu Oct 22, 04:26:00 PM 2009  



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