Introduction to Ballroom and Related Dance Forms

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, dances, positions, and concepts from the lecture on ballroom and related dance forms.

Dance

Purposefully selected sequences of human movement with aesthetic and symbolic value recognized by a culture.

Ballroom Dance

Partner dance genre performed socially and competitively that emphasizes control and coordination; today it mainly refers to five International Standard and five International Latin dances.

International Standard

Competitive ballroom category that includes Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz, Foxtrot, and Quickstep.

International Latin

Competitive ballroom category that includes Cha-Cha, Samba, Rumba, Paso Doble, and Jive.

American Smooth

U.S. ballroom style combining closed and open work; features Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, and Viennese Waltz.

American Rhythm

U.S. ballroom style blending Latin figures with other influences; features Cha-Cha, Rumba, East Coast Swing, Bolero, and Mambo.

World Dance Council (WDC)

International organization that governs professional ballroom dance competitions.

World DanceSport Federation (WDSF)

International body regulating amateur dancesport competitions worldwide.

DanceSport

The competitive form of ballroom dancing, organized in graded proficiency levels up to world championships.

Choreography

A planned sequence of dance movements and figures.

Cha-Cha

Flirtatious Cuban-derived Latin dance with syncopated “cha-cha-cha” rhythm and pronounced hip action.

Jive

Lively swing dance variation of the jitterbug, danced to fast big-band music with kicks and triple steps.

Samba

Brazilian national dance featuring bouncing knee action; adapted as an International Latin partner dance.

Rumba

Slow, romantic Cuban dance marked by Cuban motion, figure-eight hips, and expressive lead-and-follow.

Paso Doble

Dramatic dance emulating a bullfight, with the leader as matador and partner as cape or bull.

East Coast Swing

Energetic American swing style with triple-step rhythm, spins, and under-arm turns.

Bolero

Slow American Rhythm dance combining rumba patterns, tango body flight, and waltz rise-and-fall.

Mambo

Fast Cuban dance created in the 1940s with syncopated breaks on beat two; ancestor of salsa.

Waltz

Smooth ballroom dance in 3/4 time featuring rise and fall and graceful rotary figures.

Viennese Waltz

Fast, continuously turning waltz dating to the 16th century; considered the oldest ballroom dance.

Argentine Tango

Intimate tango from Buenos Aires featuring close embrace and walking steps that brush at ankles and knees.

Foxtrot

American ballroom dance in 4/4 time with smooth walking steps labeled “slow-slow-quick-quick.”

Quickstep

Fast, light International Standard dance combining foxtrot and Charleston elements with hops and runs.

Latin Dances (Ballroom)

Collective term for Cha-Cha, Samba, Rumba, Paso Doble, and Jive in competition.

Standard Dances

Collective term for Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz, Foxtrot, and Quickstep in competition.

Personal Grooming (Ballroom)

Guidelines for dancers: comfortable clothes, proper shoes, secured long hair, and no sharp accessories.

Leading (Ballroom)

Initiating and guiding movements with a firm, relaxed hold, clear signals, and musical timing.

Following (Ballroom)

Responding to leader’s cues while maintaining personal balance, frame, and footwork without back-leading.

Cuban Motion

Characteristic hip action in Latin dances produced by alternating knee bending and straightening.

Chassez Cape

Paso Doble figure where the leader turns the partner as if swirling a cape.

Apel

Paso Doble step in which the leader stamps a foot to challenge the bull.

Promenade Position

Partner hold where both dancers face the same direction forming a V-shape.

Closed Position

Traditional partner hold with bodies facing each other and slightly offset.

Open Position

Partners face each other at arm’s length while connected by one or both hands.

Semi-Open Position

Variation of closed hold where leader opens body slightly to lead traveling steps.

Wrap Position

Hold in which the follower is wrapped in the leader’s arm, bodies close, facing the same direction.

Shoulder-Waist Position

Hold with leader’s hand on follower’s shoulder and follower’s hand on leader’s waist.

Challenge Position

Partners face each other at a distance with no hand contact, used for solo styling.

Back Cross Position

Hold where one dancer crosses behind the other while maintaining connection.

Conversation Position

Partners stand side by side facing opposite directions as if talking.

Swing-Out Position

Open swing hold allowing rotational moves and breakaways.

Pigeon Wing Position

Styling in which dancers lift elbows outward like wings while holding hands.

Varsovienne Position

Also called escort; partners side by side with joined hands draped over shoulders.

Reverse Varsovienne

Mirror image of Varsovienne with opposite hands joined over shoulders.

Right Parallel Position

Side-by-side hold with partners’ right sides adjacent moving on the same track.

Left Parallel (Side Car) Position

Side-by-side hold with left sides adjacent, follower slightly ahead of leader.

Butterfly Position

Partners face each other with both arms extended sideways at shoulder level.

Escort Position

Side-by-side hold with outside hands joined and inside hands at follower’s waist or arm.

Line Dancing

Choreographed dance where individuals perform repeated sequences in rows without partners.

Salsa

Energetic club dance related to mambo, featuring fast spins, sharp breaks, and regional style variations.

Merengue

Fast Dominican dance with simple marching side steps and constant hip motion.

Choreographic Sequence

A combination of dance steps arranged to fit musical phrases.

Ball

Social gathering for dancing; the root of the term “ballroom.”