This is a list of dance terms that are not names of dances or types of dances. See List of dances and List of dance style categories for those.
This glossary lists terms used in various types of ballroom partner dances, leaving out terms of highly evolved or specialized dance forms, such as ballet, tap dancing, and square dancing, which have their own elaborate terminology. See also: Glossary of ballet terms Glossary of dance moves
Abbreviations
3T – Three Ts CBL – Cross-body lead CBM – Contra body movement CBMP – Contra body movement position COG – Center of gravity CPB – Center point of balance CPP – Counter promenade position DC – Diagonally to center DW – Diagonally to wall IDSF – International DanceSport Federation IDTA – International Dance Teachers Association ISTD – Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing J&J – Jack and Jill LOD – Line of dance MPM – Measures per minute NFR – No foot rise OP – Outside partner or open position PP – Promenade position Q – Quick S – Slow
A–C
Alignment Alignment can mean: the directions the feet face in relationship to the room. See Direction of movement. the positioning of the body's "building blocks" (head, shoulders, abdomen, hips) in top of each other.
Amalgamation A combination of two or more figures; more generally: a sequence of figures that a couple wants to dance.
American Rhythm A category of dances in American Style ballroom competitions. It includes cha-cha-cha, rumba, East Coast swing, bolero, and mambo. Sometimes it may include samba and West Coast swing.
This category loosely corresponds to the Latin category of International Style ballroom.
American Smooth
A category of dances in American Style ballroom competitions. It includes waltz, tango, foxtrot, and Viennese waltz. Previously Peabody was also included.
This category loosely corresponds to the Standard category of International Style ballroom. However, Smooth differs from Standard in its inclusion of open and separated figures, whereas Standard makes exclusive use of closed positions.
American Style
The term describes a particular style of ballroom dances developed in the United States that contrasts with the International Style. In a narrower sense, it denotes the group of dances danced in American Style ballroom competitions. The group consists of two categories: American Smooth and American Rhythm.
Backleading In social dancing strongly relying on leading and following, this term means that the follower executes steps without waiting for or contrary to the lead of the leader. This is also called anticipation and usually considered bad dancing habit. An exception would be to avoid a collision with another couple the leader hasn't seen (but this is usually just to stop the leader performing specific steps rather than the follower actively executing steps).
Sometimes this term is used in the meaning of hijacking, which is not exactly the same.
Ballroom
Body contact Body contact is a style of closed position in partner dancing (closed position with body contact); it is also a type of physical connection, mainly of the right-hand sides of the partners' costal arches.
Body flight Body flight is a property of many movements in dances such as the waltz and foxtrot. It refers to steps taken with momentum in excess of that necessary to arrive at a point of static balance over the new position, which suggests a carry through to another step in the same direction. Steps in these dances naturally flow one into another, in contrast to the tango and to the Latin and rhythm dances where many steps arrive to a point of static balance.
Body support Support of the partner's body is largely avoided in ballroom dancing. The exception would be "lifts" – often featured in some forms of swing dancing, and ballroom showdance presentations, but banned in ordinary ballroom competition and rarely seen in social dancing.
Call A call in square dancing is a command by a caller to execute a particular dance figure. In round dancing, calls are called cues. See "Caller" for the explanation of the difference. Voice calls may be complemented by hand signs. See also Voice cue.
Caller A caller or a cuer is a person that calls/cues dance figures to be executed in square dances and round dances.
Center When indicating a direction of movement during a dance, the term "center" means the direction perpendicular to the line of dance (LOD) pointing towards the center of the room. If one stands facing the LOD, then the center direction is to their left.
The term center may also be used as shorthand for the center point of balance.
Center point of balance Together with the center of gravity (COG), the center point of balance (CPB) helps the dancer to better understand and control their movements. CPB differs from the two other centers in two respects. The exact location of the COG is always well-defined, however it significantly depends on the shape the body assumes. In contrast, the CPB during normal dancing (head up, feet down on the floor) is always at the same place of the dancer's body, although defined in a loose way.
It is said that the CPB is in the general area of the solar plexus for the gentlemen, and navel for the women.
Chassé A chassé is a figure of three steps in which the feet are closed on the second step.
Check A pronounced discontinuation of movement through the feet. This is created by locking the back of one knee into the front of the other knee. A check position is created in Latin Ballroom dances such as rumba and cha-cha-cha, as well as in International Standard Ballroom dances such as quickstep locks.
Closed dance figure The term has at least two meanings: regarding dance position and regarding footwork. A figure performed in closed position. A figure in which at the last step the moving foot closes to rest at the support foot. Examples are box step in American Style waltz or natural turn in International Style waltz.
Closed position
The ordinary position of ballroom dancing in which the partners face each other with their bodies approximately parallel. In Standard and Smooth the bodies are also offset about a half body width such that each person has their partner on their right side, with their left side somewhat unobstructed; in tango, the offset is somewhat larger. Contrast promenade position and open position.
Compression The term has several meanings.
Compression is a type of physical connection, opposite to leverage, in which the dance partners lean together while being connected. In other words, a stress exists at the point(s) of contact directed towards the contact point(s) of the dance partner. The term is frequently used, e.g., in the swing dance community. Compression is lowering the body by bending the knees in a preparation for a step. The term is mostly used in describing the rises and falls technique of ballroom dances of Standard (International style) and Smooth (American style) categories: waltzes, tangos, foxtrots. Compression is a hip action in Latin dances. An action to achieve a graceful sway.
Connection
A means of communication between dancers in the couple. Physical and visual types of connection are distinguished. Physical connection, sometimes referred to as resistance or tone, involves slightly tensing the upper-body muscles, often in the context of a frame, thus enabling leader to communicate intentions to follower. See compression and tension, two basic associated actions/reactions.
Contra body movement
Refers to the action of the body in turning figures; turning the opposite hip and shoulder towards the direction of the moving foot.
Contra body movement position
Contra body movement position occurs when the moving foot is brought across (behind or in front) the standing foot the body turning. Applies to every step taken outside partner; occurs frequently in tango and in promenade figures.
Counter promenade position In ballroom dances, the dance couple moves (or intends to move) sidewise to the leader's right while the bodies form a V-shape, with leader's left and follower's right sides are closer than the leader's right and follower's left. In other dances, there are other definitions.
Cuban hip motion
Cue A signal to execute a dance figure. See Call and Voice cue.
D–J
Dance formation
Dance move
Dance pattern
Dancesport Dancesport is an official term to denote dance as competitive, sport activity.
Dance step For one meaning, see Dance move, for another one, see Step. See also Glossary of dance steps.
Direction of movement
Direction of step
Direction of turn
Fallaway Both dance partners take (at least) a step backwards into promenade position.
Figure A completed set of steps. More explicitly: a small sequence of steps comprising a meaningful gestalt, and given a name, for example whisk or spin turn.
Follower
Footwork In a wider sense, the term footwork describes dance technique aspects related to feet: foot position and foot action.
In a narrow sense, e.g., in descriptions of ballroom dance figures, the term refers to the behavior of the foot when it is in contact with the floor. In particular, it describes which part of the foot is in contact with the floor: ball, heel, flat, toe, high toe, inside/outside edge, etc. In the Smooth and Standard dances, it is common for the body weight to progress through multiple parts of the foot during the course of a step. Customarily, parts of the foot reached only after the other foot has passed to begin a new step are implied but not explicitly mentioned.
Formation A formation or dance formation is a team of dance couples. Formation of a dance team is the specification of positions of dancers or dance couples on the floor relative to each other and directions the dancers face or move with respect to others.
Formation dance Formation dance is a choreographed dance of a team of couples, e.g., ballroom sequence or ballroom formation dance/team.
Full weight Full weight or full-weight transfer means that at the end of the step the dancer's center of gravity is directly over the support foot. A simple test for a full weight transfer is that you can freely lift the second foot off the floor.
Frame Dance frames are the positions of the upper bodies of the dancers (hands, arms, shoulders, neck, head, and upper torso). A strong frame is where your arms and upper body are held firmly in place without relying on your partner to maintain your frame nor applying force that would move your partner or your partner's frame. In swing and blues dances, the frame is a dancer's body shape, which provides connection with the partner and conveys intended movement.
Major types of dance frames are Latin, smooth, and swing.
Guapacha Guapacha timing is an alternative rhythm of various basic cha-cha steps that are normally counted "<1>, 2, 3, cha-cha-1" whereas "cha-cha-1" is counted musically "4-&-1". In Guapacha, the step that normally occurs on count "2" is delayed an extra half-beat, to the "&" of 2, making the new count "<1>, <hold>-&-3, 4-&-1".
Handhold Handhold is an element of dance connection: it is a way the partners hold each other by hands.
Heel lead Landing on the heel of the foot in motion during a step before putting weight on the remainder of the foot. As in normal walking, much of the swing of the foot is accomplished with its midpart closest to the floor, emphasis shifting to the heel only as the final placement is neared.
Heel turn