Case 1: Serious dancers or Ballroom dancers - Not necessarily competitive dancers, the competitors I know do not do any social dancing - they are either competing or practicing.
Case 2: Social dancers - can be fun, but they can be frustrating because they don't observe the line of dance and generally don't move well (or much) around the floor.
I would rather attend Case 1 - I like to be with serious dancers who move and are interesting to watch. More fun for my husband and I who dance international standard and want to move. We do not compete but take our dancing seriously. We concentrate on technique, posture as well as steps.

So Case 2 is best referred to as "social dancing". This also gets my vote even though Case 1 would have elements of social dancing as apposed to private practice or actual competition.

I still have a problem with Case 1.

As ladydance pointed out competitive dancers will not be attending many Case 1 or Case 2 dances.

Also many Case 2 dancers are also "serious" but not "orthodox" or "formal". Should Case 1 dancers have the exclusive title of "ballroom" even though many Case 2 dances are held in a ballroom with ballroom music?

If you that concerned about a venue, anything with Dancesport in the name will be for competitive dancers.

Any other type of venue can have a mixutre of both types of dancers.

I don't think anyone should have exclusive use of the word 'ballroom'. If Case #2 - social dancers - want to call their dancing 'ballroom' then so be it. I like the rules of 'ballroom and latin' and I want to dance where they are observed. So if people suddenly go against the line of dance or do a rumba during a waltz then it is going to annoy me and I won't dance there anymore. You can't make up your own rules when you aren't the only people on the floor. So what do you mean by unorthodox? What is formal to you? Often people say they don't want to be formal when they really mean that they don't want to dance properly. They just want to learn a few steps, and won't take the time to learn proper footwork or posture. Well, you know what? They look like crap on the floor and because they are looking at the floor, they have no idea. Sometimes they suddenly realize they are horrible dancers and then resent all the money spent on learning steps but still looking like beginners. Others get all defensive and attack the good dancers because the good dancers make them look bad and they know it.

Given my nickname on here I feel I ought to contribute to this thread.
I am a social dancer because I dance for my own and my partner's pleasure. I hope we look attractive to anyone who may be watching but that is not our aim in life.

It's just a personal thing but I do not like competitions, although I have organised several and even judged at one.

The comments about dancing against the line of dance are interesting and there are obviously wide global variations. In my experiend only competitors deliberately travel against the LoD. Social dancers may do so accidentally or as a result of bad teaching. The whisk would be a good example or underturning a figure leading to a poor exit line. My beginners suffer from this sometimes but they are programmed so that alarm bells ring in their heads immediately and they correct themselves as best they can. I have never collided with a social dancer but I have been hit by competitors, once while standing off the floor waiting to join in!

Getting back to the original question, ballroom dancing like any other sport or hobby is practiced at many levels like a huge pyramid. There are a few champions at the top, lots of very keen wannabees just below them, then come the serious hobbyists and at the bottom, supporting the whole lot are millions of people doing it for fun.

So I would call Case 2 social dancers and Case 1 Hobby dancers

This is my final post on this subject.

Case 2: "regular social dance" or "social dance" for short

Case 1: "social dance with competition (or ballroom) style"
or
"competition style dance" for short
or
"ballroom style dance" for short

See my next post on "A Perfect Dance"

I'd say Case 1 is a Terrific Dance for Social Ballroom Dancers and Case 2 is a group of people who enjoy dancing. I was just at a "social dance' but the majority of people had decent technique with about 40% very good dancers. Mixed in were a few instructors and competitive dancers. I've been dancing for about two years and in the last 6 weeks have added private lessons to my group ones, to give you some idea of my ability. I love it, am improving and am am the mid-lower level of social dancing.

At this dance during our mixer I danced with about 10 different men. I couldn't figure out why I struggled with the waltz with 5 of them. I asked advice of a friend a bit more advanced than I, she explained that they probably had their tempo off, so it was a struggle for me. When I danced with the 4 gentlemen who had proper technique and tempo it was (obviously) so much more enjoyable. (the 10th leader was very sweet, but didn't realize he was doing a polka instead of a waltz). I'll be happy to dance anywhere and I'm always willing to learn, but being in a social group where people are adhering to the basics of technique is more fun and less stressful.

I seem to exist in another world.

My friends and I dance, some compete (two have competed in the Nationals and placed in their division), some compete at lesser venues, most of us have competed in more fun arenas (such as "team matches").

But, competitions are not that frequent, and we like to dance. So, we dance at street fairs, in honkytonks, at monthly ballroom events. I have even been known to do a little West Coast Swing in a coffee shop when the song was right.

I am mostly a social dancer, I don't like the competitiveness of competition.

So, I may dance with a complete 2-left-feeter or medalists. All I know is that I enjoy the dance.

Oh, to add one more note the Social Dance / Ballroom debate, where does street dancing come in? and when part of that dancing includes Zydeco or other local dances?

To paraphrase a song: "It's all about the dance, 'bout the dance. It's all about the dance".

I'm with Swamp. That's similar to our experience here in WI. I know there are some venues where the VERY good dancers go. Maybe I'll stop in some time, but I want to enjoy dancing, not feel intimidated. I'm happy to be in the middle of the pack. With a good lead I can look down right awesome, with someone my own level, it's acceptable. But EVERY time I dance with someone, I learn something-even if it's compassion and respect for someone willing to dance no matter what others think of them.