Formation dance
Encyclopedia
Formation dance is a style of ballroom dancing. It is pattern or shadow team dancing by couples in a formation team. The choreography
may be based on a particular dance or a medley of dances. Formation dancing may be done for exhibition or for competition between teams.
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Formation team contests began in the 1930s in England, and spread to many other countries. International matches have taken place. Formation dances were an important part of the BBC TV program Come Dancing
when Frank and Peggy Spencer
's formation teams competed against Constance Millington's team. The peak of popularity was in the 1960s, and is now growing from strength to strength with formation teams from all over the world competing against each other.
of a dancesport
routine of an individual couple and the overall pattern of movements of the couples on the floor. All couples are expected to follow the beat of the music and movements should be executed simultaneously. Teams are marked on their synchronicity
Latin Dancesport
formation is a medley of dances that include the 5 International Latin dances: Cha Cha
, Rumba
, Jive
, Paso Doble and Samba
.
Standard or Ballroom
formation is a medley of the 5 international ballroom dances Waltz
, Quickstep
, Tango
, Viennese Waltz
and Foxtrot.
The routines generally feature at least some free-form choreography
in the walk on and walk off, which may include movements from jazz dance
, ballet
, or any other type of dance. This is clearly marked by a gong.
A complete routine usually lasts a total of 6 minutes.
Formation routines allow dancers to show off their own technique in addition to their ability to move as a team.
Unlike individual competitions tricks such as "round abouts", "chain reactions" form a large section of the choreography.
Shapes (also known as patterns or images) that are an accepted part of choreography are diamonds, squares, diagonals, circles and lines. The routine is judged by the distribution of competitors across the floor, how "readable" the patterns are and the transitions between these patterns.
Specialist formation choreographers include Ona Skaistutė Idzelevičienė, Roberto Albanese, Horst Beer, David Mallabone and Rachael Holland.
(IDSF) (which has Olympic
recognition). Competing teams must be a member of one of its member organisations such as the English amateur dancesport association ltd (EADA)
The following is a summary of the IDSF rules for European and World Formation competitions.
In early rounds, judges mark if they believe teams should go through to the next round. In final rounds teams are ranked and the skating system
applies.
Other competitions of note are the Blackpool Dance Festival
and the Donaupokal Invitational Competition Vienna
.
Germany is notable in having several leagues of formation teams, and holds several competitions each year.
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
may be based on a particular dance or a medley of dances. Formation dancing may be done for exhibition or for competition between teams.
International Style Ballroom: Dancesport
History
Formation dancing originated in 1932 in London's Astoria Ballroom. It was Olive Ripman who introduced it under the name "pattern dancing". Soon it became a competitive dance form.Formation team contests began in the 1930s in England, and spread to many other countries. International matches have taken place. Formation dances were an important part of the BBC TV program Come Dancing
Come Dancing
Come Dancing was a BBC TV ballroom dancing competition show that ran on and off from 1949 to 1998, becoming one of television's longest-running shows....
when Frank and Peggy Spencer
Peggy Spencer
Peggy Spencer MBE is a British professional ballroom dancer, choreographer, competition adjudicator and organiser....
's formation teams competed against Constance Millington's team. The peak of popularity was in the 1960s, and is now growing from strength to strength with formation teams from all over the world competing against each other.
Choreography
The choreography of a formation team includes both choreographyChoreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
of a dancesport
DanceSport
Dancesport denotes competitive ballroom dancing, as contrasted to social or exhibition dancing. It is wheelchair dancesport where at least one of the dancers is in a wheelchair....
routine of an individual couple and the overall pattern of movements of the couples on the floor. All couples are expected to follow the beat of the music and movements should be executed simultaneously. Teams are marked on their synchronicity
Latin Dancesport
DanceSport
Dancesport denotes competitive ballroom dancing, as contrasted to social or exhibition dancing. It is wheelchair dancesport where at least one of the dancers is in a wheelchair....
formation is a medley of dances that include the 5 International Latin dances: Cha Cha
Cha-cha-cha (dance)
The Cha-cha-cha is the name of a dance of Cuban origin.It is danced to the music of the same name introduced by Cuban composer and violinist Enrique Jorrín in 1953...
, Rumba
Rumba
Rumba is a family of percussive rhythms, song and dance that originated in Cuba as a combination of the musical traditions of Africans brought to Cuba as slaves and Spanish colonizers. The name derives from the Cuban Spanish word rumbo which means "party" or "spree". It is secular, with no...
, Jive
Jive (dance)
In Ballroom dancing, Jive is a dance style in 4/4 time that originated in the United States from African-Americans in the early 1930s. It was originally presented to the public as 'Jive' in 1934 by Cab Calloway. It is a lively and uninhibited variation of the Jitterbug, a form of Swing dance...
, Paso Doble and Samba
Samba
Samba is a Brazilian dance and musical genre originating in Bahia and with its roots in Brazil and Africa via the West African slave trade and African religious traditions. It is recognized around the world as a symbol of Brazil and the Brazilian Carnival...
.
Standard or Ballroom
Ballroom
A ballroom is a large room inside a building, the designated purpose of which is holding formal dances called balls. Traditionally, most balls were held in private residences; many mansions contain one or more ballrooms...
formation is a medley of the 5 international ballroom dances Waltz
Waltz
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
, Quickstep
Quickstep
The quickstep is a light-hearted member of the standard ballroom dances. The movement of the dance is fast and powerfully flowing and sprinkled with syncopations. The upbeat melodies that quickstep is danced to make it suitable for both formal and informal events...
, Tango
Tango (ballroom)
Ballroom Tango is a ballroom dance that branched away from its original Argentine roots by allowing European, American, Hollywood, and competitive influences into the style and execution of the dance....
, Viennese Waltz
Viennese Waltz
Viennese Waltz is the genre of a ballroom dance. At least three different meanings are recognized. In the historically first sense, the name may refer to several versions of the waltz, including the earliest waltzes done in ballroom dancing, danced to the music of Viennese Waltz.What is now called...
and Foxtrot.
The routines generally feature at least some free-form choreography
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
in the walk on and walk off, which may include movements from jazz dance
Jazz dance
Jazz dance is a classification shared by a broad range of dance styles. Before the 1950s, jazz dance referred to dance styles that originated from African American vernacular dance. In the 1950s, a new genre of jazz dance—modern jazz dance—emerged, with roots in Caribbean traditional dance...
, ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
, or any other type of dance. This is clearly marked by a gong.
A complete routine usually lasts a total of 6 minutes.
Formation routines allow dancers to show off their own technique in addition to their ability to move as a team.
Unlike individual competitions tricks such as "round abouts", "chain reactions" form a large section of the choreography.
Shapes (also known as patterns or images) that are an accepted part of choreography are diamonds, squares, diagonals, circles and lines. The routine is judged by the distribution of competitors across the floor, how "readable" the patterns are and the transitions between these patterns.
Specialist formation choreographers include Ona Skaistutė Idzelevičienė, Roberto Albanese, Horst Beer, David Mallabone and Rachael Holland.
Competitions
The international governing body is the International DanceSport FederationInternational DanceSport Federation
The World DanceSport Federation , formerly the International DanceSport Federation , is the international governing body of dancesport and Wheelchair DanceSport, as recognised by the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee .Originally founded in 1957 as the...
(IDSF) (which has Olympic
Olympic sports
Olympic sports, as defined by the International Olympic Committee, are all the sports contested in the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. The Summer Olympics, as of 2012, will include 26 sports, with two additionall sports due to be added in 2016...
recognition). Competing teams must be a member of one of its member organisations such as the English amateur dancesport association ltd (EADA)
The following is a summary of the IDSF rules for European and World Formation competitions.
- Each member country may send 2 formation teams to compete in each of the 2 international styles (Latin and Standard).
- These are selected by national competitions, such as the British National Championships at the Blackpool Dance FestivalBlackpool Dance FestivalThe 8-day Blackpool Dance Festival is the world's first and most famous annual ballroom dance competition of international significance, held in the Empress Ballroom at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool, England since 1920. It is also the largest ballroom competition: in 2003, 1539 couples from 54...
. - International competitions have a minimum of 4 countries
- The usual sporting anti-doping rules apply.
- All competitors must be amateurs.
- Each team must contain between 6 and 8 couples.
- In the standard section Men's dress must be black or midnight blue.
- In Latin men may wear coloured shirts but all men must dress the same.
- In standard formation, solo work is restricted to 8 bars. This does not apply in Latin where solo work usually plays a part.
- Lifts are not allowed in the main "judged" part of the routine, but are usually allowed in the walk on and walk off, which is clearly marked by a gong.
- A routine is a maximum of 6 minutes long including entry to and from the floor (a walk on and walk off). Only 4 and a half minutes of this is judged so a gong is used to clearly signify which sections are to be judged.
- Competing teams are judged by those experienced in formation.
In early rounds, judges mark if they believe teams should go through to the next round. In final rounds teams are ranked and the skating system
Skating system
The Skating system is a method of compiling scores in ballroom dance competitions. It was introduced by the British Official Board of Ballroom Dancing in 1937...
applies.
Other competitions of note are the Blackpool Dance Festival
Blackpool Dance Festival
The 8-day Blackpool Dance Festival is the world's first and most famous annual ballroom dance competition of international significance, held in the Empress Ballroom at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool, England since 1920. It is also the largest ballroom competition: in 2003, 1539 couples from 54...
and the Donaupokal Invitational Competition Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
.
Germany is notable in having several leagues of formation teams, and holds several competitions each year.
Current Formation Teams
This is a list of Adult Formation Teams currently competing in the IDSF World Ranking Competition. There are currently 22 Latin Teams and 18 Standard teams that compete annually in the World Cup| Country | Latin Formation Team | Standard Formation Team |
|---|---|---|
| Austria Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... |
HSV Zwölfaxing, TSC Schwarz-Gold | |
| Belarus Belarus Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,... |
DC Mara DC Mara The Dance Club Mara is the official IDSF formation team representing Belarus in IDSF world ranking competitions. It was created in 1991. The team manager is Lydia Kats-Lazareva. The team competes both in Standard and Latin categories. So far the highest achievement for the team is finals.... , Minsk Minsk - Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened... |
Univers Formation-team, Minsk |
| Bulgaria Bulgaria Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east... |
Ogosta Dance | |
| Czech Republic Czech Republic The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest.... |
TK 1976 Most, TKG Hlinsko | TK CHVALETICE |
| England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
XS Latin XS Latin XS Latin is a formation dance team based in Cambridge, UK.It is currently ranked 1st in the UK and 13th in the World as a Latin Formation Team.- Creation :... , Fever Dance Company Fever Latin Team Preston |
|
| Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
Grün-Gold-Club Bremen, TSZ Velbert | TC LUDWIGSBURG, BRAUNSCHWEIGER TSC |
| Hungary Hungary Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The... |
Valcer Dance Studio, Botafogo Dance Ensemble | SZILVER TSE, KODMON TSE |
| Lithuania Lithuania Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark... |
Klaipėda University DSC "Žuvėdra Žuvedra Žuvėdra is a dancesport formation dance team currently affiliated with Klaipėda University, Klaipėda, Lithuania. It was founded in 1965 by the veterans of Lithuanian ballroom dance Skaistė Idzelevičienė and Romaldas Idzelevičius.... " (A and B) |
|
| Moldova Moldova Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part... |
DSC CODREANCA | |
| Netherlands Netherlands The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders... |
Dance East Oldenzaal, Double V Latin Formation Team | MOVING ACTION, Step in Time Formation Team |
| Poland Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north... |
KS Kamion Dance Warsaw, Dance Formation A-z Przemysl, Dance Formation SPIN Wodzislaw Slaski | LOTOS-JANTAR, KADRY |
| Romania Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea... |
Floris Dance Team | FLORIS DANCE TEAM |
| Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... |
Vera Tjumen, DSC Tsveta Radugi | IMPULSE |
| Serbia Serbia Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans... |
Dance Club Aurora | |
| Slovakia Slovakia The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south... |
KTS INTERKLUB MADIT, TC KOSICE |
Results
Below are the First and Second Place results for the IDSF World Championships| Year | Venue | Standard Result | Venue | Latin Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Stuttgart | Braunschweiger TSC, TC Ludwigsburg | Berlin | TSG Bremerhaven, Germany, TSC Schwarz-Gelb Aachen, Germany |
| 1996 | Berlin | TC Ludwigsburg, Germany, Braunschweiger TSC | Vilnius | TSC Schwarz-Gelb Aachen, Germany, Klaipėda University Žuvėdra team, Lithuania |
| 1997 | Kishinev | DSC Kodryanka Kishinev, Moldova, Ludwigsburg, Germany | Munich | TSC Schwarz-Gelb Aachen, Germany TSG Bremerhaven, Germany Deutschland Germany |
| 1998 | Berlin TC | Allround Berlin, Germany, DSC Kodryanka Kishinev, Moldova | Gothenburg | TSC Schwarz-Gelb Aachen, Germany,TD TSC Düsseldorf Rot-Weiß, Germany |
| 1999 | Elbląg | Jantar Elblag Jantar Elblag Poland, TC Allround Berlin Germany | Vilnius | Klaipėda University Žuvėdra team, Lithuania, TSG Bremerhaven, Germany |
| 2000 | Brunswick | Braunschweiger TSC, Germany, DSC Kodryanka Kishinev, Moldova | Wels (Stadt) | TSG Bremerhaven, Germany, Klaipėda University Žuvėdra team, Lithuania |
| 2001 | Berlin | DSC Kodryanka Kishinev, Moldova, Braunschweiger TSC, Germany | Bremerhaven | TSG Bremerhaven, Germany, Klaipėda University Žuvėdra team, Lithuania |
| 2002 | Kishinev | DSC Kodryanka Kishinev, Moldova, Vera Tyumen, Russia | Vilnius | Klaipėda University Žuvėdra team, Lithuania, TD TSC Düsseldorf Rot-Weiß, Germany |
| 2003 | Stuttgart | DSC Kodryanka Kishinev, Moldova, Braunschweiger TSC, Germany | Essen | Klaipėda University Žuvėdra team, Lithuania, TSZ Aachen, Germany |
| 2004 | Brunswick | Braunschweiger TSC, Germany, DSC Kodryanka Kishinev, Moldova | Minsk | Klaipėda University Team Žuvėdra Lithuania, Grün-Gold-Club Bremen Germany |
| 2005 | Elblag | Braunschweiger TSC, Germany, DSC Kodryanka Kishinev, Moldova | Munich | Klaipėda University Žuvėdra team Lithuania, Grün-Gold-Club Bremen Germany |
| 2006 | Moscow | Vera Tyumen, Russia, DSC Kodryanka Kishinev, Moldova | Bremen | Grün-Gold-Club Bremen Germany, Klaipėda University Žuvėdra team, Lithuania |
| 2007 | Stuttgart | TC Ludwigsburg, Germany, Vera Tyumen, Russia | Bremerhaven | TSG Bremerhaven, Germany, Grün-Gold-Club Bremen,Germany (joined first), Klaipėda University Žuvėdra team, Lithuania |
| 2008 | Kishinev | DSC Kodryanka Kishinev, Moldova, TC Ludwigsburg, Germany | Wiener Neustadt, Austria | Žuvėdra Klaipėda University, Lithuania, Green-Gold-Club Bremen Germany Deutschland Germany |
| 2009 | Ludwigsburg Germany | TC Ludwigsburg Germany, Vera Tyumen Russia | Bremen, Germany | Grün-Gold-Club Bremen Germany, Žuvėdra Klaipėda University, Lithuania, |
| 2010 | Elblag, Poland | FS LOTOS-Jantar (Poland), Braunschweiger TSC(Germany) | Moscow, Russia | Vera Tyumen, Russia, Žuvėdra Klaipėda University, Lithuania, |
See also
- List of DanceSport dances
- Ballroom danceBallroom danceBallroom dance refers to a set of partner dances, which are enjoyed both socially and competitively around the world. Because of its performance and entertainment aspects, ballroom dance is also widely enjoyed on stage, film, and television....
- DancesportDanceSportDancesport denotes competitive ballroom dancing, as contrasted to social or exhibition dancing. It is wheelchair dancesport where at least one of the dancers is in a wheelchair....
- International DanceSport FederationInternational DanceSport FederationThe World DanceSport Federation , formerly the International DanceSport Federation , is the international governing body of dancesport and Wheelchair DanceSport, as recognised by the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee .Originally founded in 1957 as the...
- ŽuvėdraŽuvedraŽuvėdra is a dancesport formation dance team currently affiliated with Klaipėda University, Klaipėda, Lithuania. It was founded in 1965 by the veterans of Lithuanian ballroom dance Skaistė Idzelevičienė and Romaldas Idzelevičius....
- XS LatinXS LatinXS Latin is a formation dance team based in Cambridge, UK.It is currently ranked 1st in the UK and 13th in the World as a Latin Formation Team.- Creation :...
- Swedish Dancesport FederationSwedish Dancesport FederationSwedish Dancesport Federation administers all dancesport in Sweden. The association was formed on February 25, 1968 and is one of 68 different sports federations in Sweden. DSF became member of Swedish Sports Confederation in 1977, which administers all sports in Sweden...
- Blackpool Dance FestivalBlackpool Dance FestivalThe 8-day Blackpool Dance Festival is the world's first and most famous annual ballroom dance competition of international significance, held in the Empress Ballroom at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool, England since 1920. It is also the largest ballroom competition: in 2003, 1539 couples from 54...
External links
- current IDSF Latin Formation Results
- XS Latin, Currently the Englands Top Latin Formation Team
- Fever UK
- TSG Bremerhaven Latin Formation Team Germany
- International Governing body
- Information about formation dancing in The Netherlands
- Double V Netherlands
- Formation Dance on YouTube
- Examples of Historical Costumes