Calories Burned Dancing: Every Style Compared

Dancing is real exercise. Here is how every style compares, using metabolic-equivalent (MET) values from the Compendium of Physical Activities — the reference researchers use to estimate energy cost.

Calories burned per hour by dance style

Compendium dance activities

• Ballroom DanceSport competition (Standard and Latin)MET 13.0 · code 03039
• Ballroom dancing, competitive, generalMET 11.3 · code 03038
• Musical theater, singing and dancingMET 10.3 · code 03080
• Nightclub or folk dancing, vigorous (disco, line dancing, Irish step, polka, contra)MET 9.8 · code 03031
• Polynesian dance, Samoan slap, TahitianMET 8.8 · code 03087
• Flamenco danceMET 8.5 · code 03075
• Aerobic dance, general (e.g. Zumba-style classes)MET 7.3 · code 03015
• Aerobic dance, high impactMET 7.3 · code 03021
• Chinese square dance, aerobic danceMET 7.3 · code 03029
• Polynesian dance — fast hula, Samoan sasa, tiniklingMET 7.0 · code 03086
• Ballet, modern or jazz — performance, vigorous effortMET 6.8 · code 03012
• Ballet exercises (pliés, tendus, jetés, rond de jambe, grand battement)MET 6.3 · code 03011
• Salsa dancing to a videoMET 6.3 · code 03091
• Afro-Cuban salsa (cha-cha-cha, mambo, Afro rumba, son steps)MET 6.0 · code 03005
• Ballroom dance, recreational (waltz, foxtrot, cha-cha, swing)MET 6.0 · code 03042
• Polynesian dance — slow hula, haka, TonganMET 5.8 · code 03085
• Ballroom dancing, fastMET 5.5 · code 03030
• Anishinaabe jingle dancing and other traditional American Indian dancingMET 5.5 · code 03050
• Square dancing, American Western, countryMET 5.5 · code 03093
• Chinese square dance, Ballet & Tibetan danceMET 5.5 · code 03028
• Ballet, modern or jazz — general, rehearsal or classMET 5.0 · code 03010
• Aerobic dance, low impactMET 5.0 · code 03020
• Folk dancing, moderate effortMET 5.0 · code 03033
• Tap dancingMET 4.8 · code 03014
• Salsa dancing with a partnerMET 4.8 · code 03090
• Ethnic or cultural dancing (e.g. salsa, merengue, flamenco, belly, hula, swing)MET 4.5 · code 03025
• Jazz dancing, generalMET 4.5 · code 03078
• Contemporary dancing, nightclubMET 4.3 · code 03072
• Contemporary dancing, generalMET 3.8 · code 03070
• Caribbean dance (Abakua, Beguine, Bellair, Jonkonnu and others)MET 3.5 · code 03060
• Ballroom, slow (waltz, foxtrot, slow dancing, samba, tango, rumba, mambo, cha-cha)MET 3.0 · code 03040

kcal/hour = MET × body weight (kg) × 1.05. MET values: Compendium of Physical Activities (Ainsworth et al.). Estimates for healthy adults; actual burn varies with intensity and fitness.