From Ballroom to Dancesport: Aesthetics, Athletics, and Body Culture

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Ballroom dancing and DanceSport serve as reflections of broader social, political, and cultural tensions, according to Caroline Joan S. Picart. With a resurgence in popularity and debates about Olympic inclusion, these dance forms highlight how bodies are racialized, sexualized, and classed. Writing from her experience as a participant-critic, Picart examines the evolution of choreography and costuming, emphasizing their commercialization and theatricality. The narrative of competitive melodrama enhances audience engagement, revealing deeper societal implications within the dance community.