How did competitive ballroom dance rules become more exact during the 20th century?

During the 20th century, competitive ballroom dance rules became more exact as dance teachers shifted their primary focus from inventing new dances to codifying existing ones. This process of standardization was driven by the need to establish "official" versions of dances, such as the waltz, fox-trot, and tango, which featured specified steps, postures, and head positions.1

England played a central role as an arbiter of taste, with organizations like the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing helping to formalize these movements. The development of authoritative handbooks, such as Victor Silvester’s Modern Ballroom Dancing (1928) and Alex Moore’s Ballroom Dancing (1936), provided the technical framework for the "English style," which established strict definitions for standard dances. These codified regulations ensured consistency in competitive settings, a practice that has been maintained in televised European competitions and, to some extent, in ice dancing.21