cosmopolitan partner dance

Cosmopolitan partner dance is the name I am giving to the partner dance contexts that exhibit values from both the “local” and the “European professional” ends of the social dance tradition. These include the communal, expressive, life-affirming values of street dances rooted in African culture and music, and the artistic, performative, goaloriented, correctness-driven values of European ballroom dances. Cosmopolitan partner dance is not unique to a single style of partner dance. In my years of dancing I have engaged in this kind of partner dance in styles like blues, fusion, and Latin dance.

The main characteristics of the space are the audience’s focus on personal enjoyment and pleasure through artistry, the prevalence of dance educational offerings alongside non-moderated parties, and dance’s reduced role as a tool for finding romantic or sexual partners.

Below are some characteristics:

METROPOLITAN + INTERNATIONAL Exists in large international cities like New York, Toronto, and Los Angeles, where populations are diverse and constantly changing.

PARTNER DANCING ONLY

Specifically engaged in partner dancing, not other instances of social dance, like group or line dances.

AFFORDABLE + ACCESSIBLE

Commonly marketed for $10 - $20 (in New York City) with the pre-social class often being complimentary. In New York City, some of the main locations of classes and events are around Penn Station and Times Square.

CONSIDERED LOCATIONS

Practiced in considered spaces that facilitate dancing, such as dance studios with boarded floors, and spacious bars and restaurants cleared of tables.

EDUCATION-ADJACENT

A connected culture of dancing and training, whether that is in classes before the “social” or in the promotion and showcase of amateur performance troupes.

SPECIFIC DANCE STYLE

Events, classes, and even rooms are specific to one or two kinds of music, so the audiences they attract are niche.

PART OF AN INDUSTRY

Comprised of an international community of freelancing instructors and DJs, clothing brands, partner dance celebrities, and brand-name international dance festivals.

I identified the following stakeholders in the cosmopolitan partner dance space:

• Event organizers

• Managers on duty

• Promoters

• Front desk clerks/cashiers

• Instructors

• Community leaders

• Dancers

• Advanced

• Intermediate

• Beginner

• Observers

Depending on the event, one individual might engage in multiple stakeholder roles in a single night.