Dance Styles

DANCE STYLES

This list of dances won't actually turn you into a master of the ballroom, but it may help you recognize and understand the differences between certain dances. It's rather difficult to define a complex dance in one line, and so we've a voided a lot of detail about specific steps, etc.

BOLERO — Spanish dance with sudden pauses and sharp turns

BOSSA-NOVA — Brazilian dance similar to samba

CANCAN — French woman's dance involving high kicks while holding up front of skirt

CHA-CHA — fast rhythmic ballroom dance

CHARLESTON — fast-paced 1920s dance characterized by energetic kicking

COTILLION — elaborate ballroom dance with frequent changes of partner

FANDANGO — lively Spanish dance performed by a couple

FLAMENCO — vigorous rhythmic dance originating with Gypsies

FOX-TROT — slow and complex ballroom dance

HABANERA — slow and seductive Cuban dance

HULA — sinuous Polynesian dance with rhythmic hip movements

HUSTLE — lively disco dance derived from swing elements with a plus-like pattern

JIG — springy and sprightly dance

JITTERBUG — jazz dance featuring vigorous acrobatic feats

JIVE — fast dance done to jazz or swing music

LIMBO — dance of the West Indies where dancers pass under horizontal pole

MAMBO — Cuban ballroom dance resembling the rumba or cha-cha

MAZURKA — Polish folk dance in moderate triple measure

PASSACAGLIA — slow solemn Italian or Spanish dance

POLKA — lively Bohemian dance for a couple

QUADRILLE — square dance for four couples

REEL — lively dance of the Scottish Highlands

ROUND — dance in a ring

RUMBA — Cuban ballroom dance with pronounced hip movements

SALSA — fast Latin American jazz-influenced dance

SAMBA — Brazilian dance of African origin

SHIMMY — jazz dance featuring rapid shaking of the body

SHUFFLE — dance featuring sliding or scraping of the feet

STOMP — jazz dance featuring heavy stamping of the feet

TANGO — Latin-American (orig. Argentinian) ballroom dance with long pauses

TARANTELLA — fast violent Italian folk dance

TWIST — dance featuring many gyrations of the hips

WALTZ — ballroom dance in 3/4 time

ZOUK — Caribbean disco dance and corresponding type of fast rhythmic music