Dance – forms a human movement that follows the direction of the principals of the structure, body language, and meaning. It can be performing art, participatory work, and religious discourse as defined and accepted by the makers and viewers in a particular community or culture. Dance can be categorized and defined by a list of motion pictures, festival styles, historical period, and place of origin or event. Some forms of movement, especially sports, are said to have “dance-like” features.
Some of these activities, in fact, use vocabulary for dance and movement elements. Dance also uses movement and energy from other genres. These include: martial arts, capoeira, gymnastics, cheer squads, character skiing, aligned swimming, marching belts. There are also many forms of performance and the difference between them and the dance can depend on the context and identity of the performer.
The main dance vocabulary words are narrated as under for better understanding.
Dance English Vocabulary Words
Following are terms related to dancing and their different types along with their explanation:
Apache Dance: A violent fast dance in French vaudeville
Barn Dance : A dance party featuring country dancing
Bebop: Dance the bebop
Ballet : It is a classical type of dance
Ballroom Dance : It includes many styles such as waltz, tango, foxtrot, swing dance, samba, rumba, cha-cha, and mambo
Belly Dance : It is a Middle Eastern style of dance, which focuses on movements of the torso, abdomen and hips
Break Dance : Breakdancing is an acrobatic style of dancing that is associated with hip-hop music
Beguine: A ballroom dance that originated in the French West Indies
Bolero: A Spanish dance in triple time accompanied by guitar
Boogie: Dance to boogie music
Break: Do a dance performed to the rhythm of rap music
Bubble Dance: A solo dance similar to a fan dance except large balloons are used instead of fans
Buck And Wing: A solo tap dance emphasizing sharp taps
Bump: Dance erotically or dance with the pelvis thrust forward
Bunny Hug: A syncopated ballroom dance formerly popular in the US
Cakwalk: Perform the cakewalk dance
Cancan: A high-kicking dance of French origin performed by a female chorus line
Capriole: Perform a capriole, in ballet
Carioca: A lively ballroom dance that resembles the samba
Ceremonial Dance: A dance that is part of a religious ritual
Cha Cha: Dance the cha-cha
Charleston: Dance the Charleston
Chasse: Perform a chasse step, in ballet
Choreography: A show involving artistic dancing
Classical Ballet: A style of ballet based on precise conventional steps performed with graceful and flowing movements
Clog: Dance a clog dance
Clog Dance: A dance performed while wearing shoes with wooden soles
Comedy Ballet: A ballet that stresses the drama with features of comedy
Concert Dance: A theatrical representation of a story that is performed to music by trained dancers
Conga: A Latin American dance of 3 steps and a kick by people in single file
Contra Dense: Perform a contradance
Contradance: Perform a contradance
Corn Dance: A rain dance of Amerindians
Cotilion: A lively dance originating in France in the 18th century
A ball at which young ladies are presented to society
Country Dance: Perform a contradance
Courante: A court dance of the 16th century
Dance Of Death: A medieval dance in which a skeleton representing death leads a procession of others to the grave
Danse Du Ventre: A Middle Eastern dance in which the dancer makes sensuous movements of the hips and abdomen
Danse Macabre: A medieval dance in which a skeleton representing death leads a procession of others to the grave
Disco: Dance to disco music
Do-Si-Do: A square-dance figure
Duet: A dance for two people
Eightsome: A Scottish reel for eight dancers
Extension: The ability to raise the working leg high in the air
Fan Dance: A solo dance in which large fans are manipulated to suggest or reveal nakedness
Fancy Dress Ball: A ball at which guests wear costumes and masks
Farandole: A lively dance from Provence
Flamenco: A style of dancing characteristic of the Andalusian Gypsies
Formal: A lavish dance requiring full dress
Folk Dance : The category “folk dance” includes traditional dances that are part of a culture, danced by ordinary people, and usually learned in community.
Foxtrot: Dance the foxtrot
Gavotte: An old formal French dance in quadruple time
Ghost Dance: A religious dance of Native Americans looking for communication with the dead
Glissade: Perform a glissade, in ballet
Grind: Dance by rotating the pelvis in an erotically suggestive way
Gypsy Dancing: A style of dancing characteristic of the Andalusian Gypsies
Habanera: A Cuban dance in duple time
Hawaiian Dancing: A Polynesian rain dance performed by a woman
Heel: Perform with the heels
Highland Fling: A vigorous Scottish reel
Hoof: Dance in a professional capacity
Hop: An informal dance where popular music is played
Hornpipe: A British solo dance performed by sailors
Hula: A Polynesian rain dance performed by a woman
Interpretative Dance: A form of modern dance in which the dancer’s movements depict an emotion or tell a story
Interpretive Dance: A form of modern dance in which the dancer’s movements depict an emotion or tell a story
Jig: Any of various old rustic dances involving kicking and leaping
Jitterbug: Do the jitterbug
Jive: Dance to jazz played by big bands popular in the 1930s
Kick: Kick a leg up
Lancers: A quadrille for 8 or 16 couples
Landler: A moderately slow Austrian country dance in triple time
Lindy: An energetic American dance that was popular in the 1930s
Longways: Country dancing performed with couples in two long lines facing each other
Mambo: A Latin American dance similar in rhythm to the rumba
Masked Ball: A ball at which guests wear costumes and masks
Masquerade Ball: A ball at which guests wear costumes and masks
Mazurka: A Polish national dance in triple time
Minute: A stately court dance from the 17th century
Modern Ballet: A style of ballet that admits a wider variety of movements
Modern Dance: A style of theatrical dancing that is not as restricted as classical ballet; movements are expressive of feelings
Modern /Contemporary Dance : Modern or contemporary dance mixes elements of traditional ballet with other styles and new innovations
Morris Dance: Any of various English folk dances performed by dancers in costume
Mosh: Dance the slam dance
Nauch: An intricate traditional dance in India performed by professional dancing girls
Nude Dancing: Erotic dancing with little or no clothing
One Step: An early ballroom dance; precursor to the fox-trot
Pas De Deux: A dance for two people
Pas De Quatre: A dance for four people
Pas De Trois: A dance for three people
Pas Seul: A solo dance or dance figure
Paso Doble: A ballroom dance in fast duple time
Pavan: A stately court dance of the 16th and 17th centuries
Phrase: Dance movements that are linked in a single sequence
Polka: A Bohemian dance with 3 steps and a hop in fast time
Prom: A formal dance held for a school class
Quadrille: A square dance for four pairs of dancers
Quickstep: A ballroom dance with both quick and slow steps
Perform a quickstep
Rain Dance: A ritual dance intended to bring rain
Rave: A dance party with electronically synthesized music
Record Hop: An informal dance where popular music is played
Reel: A lively dance of Scottish Highlanders
Rhumba: A folk dance in duple time that originated in Cuba with Spanish and African elements; features complex footwork and violent movement
Ring Dance: A folk dance; dancers form a circle
Ritual Dance: A dance that is part of a religious ritual
Round Dance : A folk dance; dancers form a circle
Salsa : Salsa dancing has strong Latin American influence, especially from Cuba and Puerto Rico
Samba : Samba originated in Brazil and is famous for appearing in the Brazilian Carnival
Tango : Tango is a close partner dance that originated in Argentina
Tap Dance : Tap dancers use special shoes to make percussive rhythms when their feet hit the floor.
Quick Links
Common Art and Painting Terms for Artists
Words to Describe Song and Dance
Ballet Vocabulary Words for Beginners