Shall we ...?

In the ballroom it’s all about leading and following | Janie B. Cheaney

Associated Press/Photo by Jim McKnight

It seems an ingrained part of culture to us, with a history stretching back to the recesses of time. From Dancing with the Stars, to Fred-and-Ginger, to Johann Strauss, to . . . hmm.

Actually the pedigree of what we call "ballroom dancing" isn't that long, and it began in scandal. The waltz outraged traditionalists when it first appeared around the turn of the 19th century. Such public intimacy had never been permitted, when any young man could approach any young lady—even one he didn't know—and spin away with her in his arms. But apparently the scandalized got over it, or else the appeal of the new style overwhelmed all opposition. "May I have the pleasure of this dance?" was here to stay, the bane of little boys forced to dress up and propel icky girls around a polished wood floor in charm school.