Final answer:
Protestant reformers in the 16th and 17th centuries viewed ballroom dancing as sinful and morally inappropriate, reflecting a broader condemnation of traditional festive practices that were seen as vanity and excess.
Step-by-step explanation:
16th and 17th century Protestant reformers generally had a negative view of ballroom dancing and other forms of social dance, often associating them with sin. These reformers, influenced by the austerity of Calvinist and Puritan doctrines, emphasized modesty and self-control. They condemned ballroom dancing, which was a popular social activity that included physical closeness and frivolity, as incompatible with their religious principles. The reformers viewed it as an expression of vanity and excess, and thus, outside of the acceptable moral conduct expected from the faithful.
Both Martin Luther and John Calvin, prominent leaders of the Protestant Reformation, called for reforms that reflected a more personal and direct relationship to faith and scripture, which in turn led to the disapproval of many traditional festive practices. The Puritans, for example, were especially critical of such activities. Their view not only targeted dancing but extended to other forms of entertainment such as theaters, suggesting that these were places of moral decay.
Similarly, the sentiment against dancing was evident in the early development of Black colleges in the United States, where dancing was prohibited by many administrators. Moreover, artworks and cultural depictions from the period of the Reformation, such as paintings that showed somber, modest clothing, reflect the era's prevailing attitudes towards modesty and the frowned-upon aspects of the former festivities.