Glossary of partner dance terms


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:

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" 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.
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 ; 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 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, the center point of balance 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 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 of contact directed towards the contact point 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 and Smooth 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 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 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 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

  1. A formation or dance formation is a team of dance couples.
  2. Formation of a dance team is the specification of
  3. * positions of dancers or dance couples on the floor relative to each other and
  4. * directions the dancers face or move with respect to others.