Montaigne, a 16th century French philosopher, provided one of the earliest references to the waltz. Many considered the waltz vulgar and even sacrilegious, as some considered that the quick movement and close proximity of the dance partners suggested intimacy. The dance is a two-person dance, one partner leading and the other moving in reaction. Cultures have used multiple variations of the original dance. Some variations use alterations from the original step, such as a slower step, faster step and exaggerated arm gestures. Other styles use larger movements, such as breaking contact during the dance and spinning one of the partners.
The Tango developed around the end of the 19th century amongst lower-class Latin American cultures in Buenos Aires. The dance spread quickly throughout lower European cultures. Dance variations existed between different cultural versions of the dance. An open embrace Tango has partners stand with their bodies separated by a few inches of space during the dance. A closed embrace Tango has partners stand with their chests together, hips together and upper thighs together. The Tango is a physically demanding dance and observers often refer to it as provocative.
Classical Indian dance styles began development in approximately 400 BC, as performers developed new forms of expression. Indian classical dance refers to a number of differing dance forms that include Karhak and Bharatanatyam. These dances have religious and artistic historical significance. Artistic expression influenced the development of these dances as performers often demonstrated them for royal entertainment. Religiously, dancers performed these demonstrations in temples as part of religious gatherings. Classical Indian dances are colorful, lively and expressive.
Ballet began in the 15th century Italian courts as a form of performance dance expression. People still learn the techniques from ballet schools around the world as a popular classical dance tradition. Ballet dance is a choreographed presentation of movement that uses specific steps and forms to tell a story. Traditionally, ballets are set to classical music, which provides a visual interpretation of the music through the complicated dance techniques.