This book presents an engaging sociological investigation into how gender is negotiated and performed in ballroom and Latin dancing that draws on extensive ethnographic research, as well as the author’s own experience as a dancer.

Chapter 1: Who Cares About Ballroom Dancing?.- Chapter 2: A Social History of Ballroom and Latin Dancing.- Chapter 3: Starting to Dance.- Chapter 4: Building a Serious Leisure Career in Ballroom and Latin American dancing.- Chapter 5: Social Networks and Team Spirit.- Chapter 6: Performing Serious Leisure: Competitions.- Chapter 7: Gender, Ideals and Body Image- Chapter 8: Conclusion.

This book presents an engaging sociological investigation into how gender is negotiated and performed in ballroom and Latin dancing that draws on extensive ethnographic research, as well as the author’s own experience as a dancer. It explores the key factors underpinning the popularity of this leisure activity and highlights what this reveals more broadly about the nature of gender roles at the current time. The author begins with an overview of its rich social history and shifting class status, establishing the context within which contemporary masculinities and femininities in this community are explored. Real and imagined gendered traditions are examined across a range of dancer experiences that follows the trajectory of a typical learner: from finding a partner, attending lessons and forming networks, through to taking part in competitions. The analysis of these narratives creates a nuanced picture of a dance culture that is empowering, yet also highly consumerist and image-conscious; a highly ritualised set of practices that both reinstate and transgress gender roles. This innovative contribution to the feminist leisure literature will appeal to students and scholars of anthropology, dance, sport, gender, cultural and media studies.  Vicki Harman is Senior Lecturer in Sociology at University of Surrey, UK. She received the ISA Young Leisure Scholar Award for research that forms part of this book (2016).

“In the post-Strictly world, this book makes a most valuable contribution to the leisure studies literature and to feminist work more widely. It provides a well-researched, fascinating qualitative study of dance and in particular of the attraction of ballroom dancing, why people do it and of ballroom dancing as a cultural phenomenon. Vicki Harman really gets inside the field and demonstrates how social and gender relations play out on the dance floor.” (Kath Woodward, Emeritus Professor, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, The Open University, UK)“This is a unique insight into the sociological problem of ballroom dancing, as gender, culture and leisure. Vicki Harman provides an excellent combination of rich ethnographic data and critical analysis to situate the practice in the lives of its participants.” (Karl Spracklen, Professor of Music, Leisure and Culture, Leeds Becket University, UK) “In this engaging, ethnographic account Vicki Harman gives us an insight into the many ways in which gender matters -- and is contested -- in the world of amateur Ballroom and Latin American dancing. In doing so she makes an important contribution to the sociology of culture, feminist leisure studies, and gender studies.” (Sarah Moore, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, University of Bath, UK) “Vicki Harman has produced a wonderful ethnography of gender and ballroom dancing as serious leisure. She shows how to do a broad study of gender by getting the ‘big picture’ of its fit with the activity itself.” (Robert A. Stebbins, FRSC, Professor Emeritus, Department of Sociology, University of Calgary, Canada)

Offers fresh insights into the current popularity of ballroom dancing and what this reveals about contemporary gender roles Combines serious leisure and feminist leisure studies with nuanced analysis of ethnographic material Demonstrates how personal practices are marked by a culturally informed attempt to recreate aspects of an imagined past Examines gender, social change and tradition in ballroom and Latin American dancing as an example of contemporary leisure practices