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Glossarypartner dance terms

This islistdance terms thatNOT namesdances or typesdances. See ListdancesListdance style categoriesthose. See Abbeviationsthose.

Actually, this glossary lists terms usedother typespartner dances, leaving out termshighly evolved or specialized dance forms, such as ballet, tap dancing,elaborated terminology.

Unless theremuchsay aboutspecific term, thereno reasonput eacheverythem intoseparate article.

Related links

Listdance organizations - Glossaryballet terms - Musical terminology - Listmusical topics - Requested articles: Dancedancers

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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

Abbreviations

American Smooth

A categorydances#American Style ballroom competitions. It includes Waltz, Tango, FoxtrotViennese Waltz. Previously Peabody was also included.

This category loosely corresponds to#Standard category#International Style ballroom.

American Rhythm

A categorydances#American Style ballroom competitions. It includes Cha Cha, Rumba, East Coast Swing, Bolero, Mambo. Sometimesmay include SambaWest Coast Swing.

This category loosely corresponds to#Latin category#International Style ballroom.

American Style

The term describesparticular styleBallroom dances developed inUSA, as opposed toInternational Style. Innarrower sense,denotesgroupdances dancedAmerican Style ballroom competitions. The group consististwo categories: #American Smooth#American Rhythm.

B

Backleading

In social dancing strongly relying on Leadingfollowing, this term means thatfollower executes steps without waitingor contrary tolead ofleader. Thisalso called anticipationusually considered bad dancing habit. Sometimes this termused inmeaningHijacking, whichnot exactlysame.

Basic figure

Oneseveral step patterns that characterizedanceconstitute its basis. Sometimes thereno strict agreement astheir number. Usuallyareones taught atbeginner level.

Basic movement

Basic movement isvery basic step that definescharacter ofdance. Often itcalled just thus: "Basic Movement" or "Basic Step". For some dances itsufficientknowbasic step performeddifferent handholdssdance positionsenjoysocially.

Basic step

''Same as Basic movement.

Body contact

Body contact isstyleclosed positionpartner dancing ("closed positionbody contact"); italsotypephysical connection.

C

Center

When indicatingdirectionmovement duringdance,term "center" meansdirection perpendicular toLOD pointing towardscenter ofroom. If one stands facingLOD, thencenter direction istheir left.

Chaines

Chainé turns

Chaines turns

See Glossaryballet terms#Chaînés.

Chasse

Anythree-step patterns, steps going basically side-together-side. The word came from ballet terminology.

There ishuge varietythemmany dances:

Closed dance figure

The term has at least two meanings: regarding dance positionregarding footwork.

Closed position

A positionwhich partners hold each other while facing each other.

Connection

A meanscommunication between dancers incouple. Physicalvisual typesconnectiondistinguished.

Contra body movement

In termsbody rotation duringstep, this actionoppositeSide lead.

Contra body movement position

The dancer's upper bodyrotated towardsleading foot.

Compression

The term has two meanings.

Cuban hip motion

See #Latin hip motion.

D

Dancesport

An official termdenote dance as competitive, sport activity.

Dance move

Dance pattern

See Dance move.

Dance step

For one meaning, see Dance move,another one, see "Step".

Directionmovement

See Directionmovement.

Directionstep

See Directionmovement.

E

F

Follower

See Leadfollow.

Footwork

Innarrow sensetermuseddescibebehavior offoot whenmeetsfloor. In particular,describes which part offootin contact withfloor: ball, heel, flat, toe, high toe, inside/outside edge, etc.

Inwider sensedescribes other dance aspects relatedfeet: foot positionfoot action.

Frame

Dance frames areupper body positions ofdancers. A strong frame provides connectionyour partnerconveys intended movement. A strong framewhere your armsupper bodyheld firmlyplace without relying on your partnermaintain your frame nor applying force that would move your partner or your partner's frame.

Major typesdance frameslatin, smooth,swing.

G

H

Handhold

Handholdan elementdance connection:iswaypartners hold each other by hands.

Heel Lead

When takingstepdance,heel leadwhere you land onheelyour foot first before putting weight onremainder offoot.

Hijacking

In social dancing strongly relying on Leadingfollowing, this term means temporary assumingleading role byfollower. Also known as stealinglead. CompareBackleading.

I

Inside partner step

A step taken forward intospace occupied bypartner, whilepartner steps backwards. During this step feet tracksboth partners overlap. See also Outside partner step.

Inside turn

The termappliedan individual turn ofpartner incouple. Basically,denotesturn directed "inside" ofcouple. The meaningintuitively clear, butmay be performednumerous waysin different handholds, so that even accomplished dancersconfused. Most often itunderstood that an inside turnan underarm turn underright arm if turning leftunderleft arm if turning right.

See Directionmovementmore detail.

International Style

The term describesparticular styleBallroom dances, as opposed toAmerican Style. Innarrower sense,denotesgroupdances dancedInternational Style ballroom competitions. The group consististwo categories: #Standard#Latin.

J

JackJill

JackJill (J&J) isformatcompetitionpartner dancing, wherecompeting couples areresultrandom matchingleaderssfollowerss. Rulesmatching vary. The name comes frompopular English nursery rhyme, JackJill.

In dance competitons J&Jincluded asseparate division (or divisions,additional gradations). J&Jpopular at Swing conventions, as well as at ballroom dance competitions inUSA.

K

L

Latin

As applieddances,term has two meanings.

This category loosely corresponds to#Rhythm category#American Style ballroom.

Latin dance

See #Latin.

Latin hip motion

A characteristic typehip motion found intechniqueperformingstepLatinRhythm dances. Sometimes italso called Cuban hip motion, although some preferdistinguishtwo.

Lead stealing

See Hijacking.

Leader

See Leadfollow.

Leadingfollowing

See Leadfollow.

Leverage

The term describes typephysical connection, oppositecompression,whichstress exists atpoint(s)contact directed away fromcontact point(s). The termfrequently used, e.g.,swing dance community.

Linedance

Linedance (LOD)an imaginary circular line going arounddance hallcounterclockwise direction. To help avoid collisions, itagreed thatgeneral directionmovementtravelling dancessalonglinedance.

Linedance isuseful linereference when describingdirectionsssteps taken, e.g., "facing LOD", "backing LOD". See also center, wall.

Linefoot

An imaginary straight line passing throughfoot inheel-toe direction.

M

Moving foot

Musicality

N

O

Open dance figure

The term has at least two meanings: regarding dance positionregarding footwork.

Open position

Outside partner step

A step takenpartner besidemoving foot. During this step feet tracksboth parners do not overlap. See also Inside partner step.

Outside turn

Cf. Inside turn.

The termappliedan individual turn ofpartner incouple. Basically,denotesturn directed "outside" ofcouple. The meaningintuitively clear, butmay be performednumerous waysin different handholds, so that even accomplished dancersconfused. Most often itunderstood that an outside turnan underarm turn underleft arm if turning leftunderright arm if turning right.

See Directionmovementmore detail.

P

Physical connection

A dance connection by meansphysical contact. Typesphysical connectionbody contact, compression, leverage.

Promenade position

"V" shaped dance position withman's right hip andlady's left hipcontact atpoint of"V". The dancer's heads faceopen portion of"V" wheredancers' bodiesslightly apart.

Q

R

Replace

In brief descriptionsdance figures, replace means replacingweight toprevious support foot while keepingin place. For example"rock back" figure may be described as "step back, replace". Notice thatdoesn't require"replace"moving foot toplace from wherecome inprevious step.

Rhythm

Rond

See Ballet glossary#Rond de jambe.

S

Shadow position

Both partners facesame general direction, onethem squarely behindslightly shifted sideways ("inshadow"). Handholdss vary.

Side lead

A body position or action duringstep, sometimes also called Same side lead. Side leadingtaking same side ofbody insame direction ofmovement ofmoving foot. The word "taking" means that ifsteptaken squarely forward or backward', e.g., byleft foot, thenleft side slightly rotates toright or toleft'' respectively, as ifside ofbody "leads"step.

In termsbody rotation, this actionoppositeContra body movement.

Slot

In slotted dancess,slotan imaginary narrow rectangle along whichfollower moves backforthrespect toleader, whomore or less stationary. The asrule,leader mostly stays inslot as well, leavingonlygive way forfollowerpass him. The leader almost never makesfollowercircle around when passing by. They may go intocommon rotational figure whenfollower happenscome close, but such figuresusually intight positiondo not changeoverall "slotted" appearance.

Slotted dance

A dance stylewhichcouple movementfenerally confined toslot. The most typical slotted danceWest Coast Swing. Some other dances, e.g., HustleSalsa may be dancedslotted style.

Smooth

See #American Smooth.

Spot dance

Cf. Travelling dance.

Spotting

A technique used during turns. The general idea ischoosereference point (e.g., partner ordistant point alonglinetravel)focuseyes onasas possible. When duringturn itno longer possiblesee it,head flips as fast as possible"spot"reference point again.

Standard

A categorydances#International Style ballroom competitions. Sometimes incontextcompetitions itcalled Ballroom or International Ballroom, confusing asmight be. It includes Waltz (also called Slow Waltz), ) Foxtrot (also called Slowfox), Quickstep, Viennese Waltz. This category loosely corresponds to#Smooth category#American Style ballroom.

Stealinglead

See Hijacking.

Step

Sometimes itimportantdefineexact limitsone (foot)step, i.e., exactly whenbeginsends. In describingdetailed techniqueStandardSmooth dances (Waltz, Tango,...) itagreed thatfigures wheremoving foot doesn't stop atsupport footstep begins (andprevious step ends) atmoment whenmoving foot passessupport foot. Notice that accordingthis agrrement such steps do not begin/end at"counts" 1, 2, etc. which normally match musical beatss.

Standing foot

Same as Supporting foot.

Supporting foot

Italso called support foot.

Syncopation

In dancing,term has two meanings: The first onesimilar tomusical terminology. The second onemaking more (and/or different) steps than required bystandard descriptionfigure,address more rhythmical nuances ofmusic.

T

Three Ts

Technique, Timing, Teamwork. The criteriaevaluationdance masterySwing dancing community.

Timing

The relation ofelements ofdance step or dance figurerespectmusical time: barssbeatss.

Toe Lead

When takingstepdance,toe leadwhere you land onballyour foot first.

Trackfoot

The trajectory ofmoving foot visualized asnarrow imaginary track, rather thanline. Forstanding foot, its trackusually assumedbe parallelthat ofmoving foot. If both feetstanding, their tracks aretracks forintended step.

Travelling dance

Cf. Spot dance.

U

V

Visual connection

A dance connection by meansvisual awarenesspartners incouple. Visual connection by no means should replacephysical connection,some consider itbe an inferior formconnection. Howeverdoes have its proper usages. Most important arecoordinationstyles (arms, etc.)when dancing without physical contact. An important example oflatterspottingpartner during turns, especiall free spinss.

W

Wall

When indicatingdirectionmovement duringdance,term "wall" meansdirection perpendicular toLOD pointing towardswall ofroom (possibly imaginary). If one stands facingLOD, thenwall direction istheir right.

X

W

Z


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