Dance Moves Glossary (38 Terms)
38 dance moves with plain definitions and links between related steps. Filter the list or jump to a letter.
A
B
Ball change
Ball change is a movement where the dancer shifts the weight from the ball of one foot to the other and back. This is mostly used in jazz an…
Basic (step / figure / movement / or pattern)
A basic figure is the very basic step that defines the character of a dance. Often it is called just thus: "basic movement", "basic step" or…
Body roll / body wave
In this the dancer moves the body like a wave in standing position from head to legs, like this .
Box step
The box step is a dance figure named so because the steps rest in the four corners of a square. It is used, e.g., in American Style ballroom…
C
Chaînés / chainé turns / chaines turns
French for "chain", a series of quick turns starting from second position going to first position alternating on either flat feet or on rele…
Closed change
Closed change is a basic step in the waltz. The leader steps forward on either foot whilst the follower steps backward on the opposing foot …
Cross-body lead
Cross-body lead is a common and useful move in Latin dances such as salsa , mambo , rumba and cha-cha-cha . Basically, the leader, on counts…
D
Dos-à-dos / dosado
Dosado is a circular movement where two people, who are initially facing each other, walk around each other without or almost without turnin…
Double reverse spin
The double reverse spin is a full left (counter-clockwise) turn in one measure of music. It is danced in waltz, quickstep and tango.
E
F
Feather step
The feather step is a basic figure in International Style foxtrot , in which the leader makes three or four steps forward, with the third on…
Free spin
In lead and follow dance, a dance turn performed without partner contact.
G
Gancho
" Gancho " means "hook" in Spanish and describes certain "hooking actions" in some dances of Latin American heritage, in Argentine tango (le…
Grapevine
The grapevine or vine starts with a side step, then the working leg goes behind, then stepping to the side, then join.
H
I
Impetus
The impetus is a kind of leader's heel turn used in Standard dances. In case of the open impetus, it brings the couple from a closed positio…
Inside partner step
A step taken forward into the space occupied by the partner, while the partner steps backwards. During this step feet tracks of both partner…
Inside turn
The term is applied to an individual turn of a partner in the couple. Basically, it denotes a turn where the arm of the partner doing the tu…
K
L
M
N
O
Open turn
A ballroom dance figure in which during the last step the moving foot passes the support foot , rather than closes to it.
Outside partner step
A step taken with the partner beside the moving foot (e.g., to the left of the left moving foot). During this step feet tracks of both partn…
Outside turn
Cf. Inside turn . The term is applied to an individual turn of a partner in the couple. Basically, it denotes the lead/follow connection dir…
R
Reverse turn
Reverse turns and some other figures are those in which the dance couple rotates to the left (counter-clockwise).
Ronde
See Rond de jambe . A toe of the straight leg draws a semicircle on the floor. In ballroom dances the direction is usually from the front to…
Running man
The running man is a dance move in which the person stays in the same place and creates an illusion like a running man by dragging his feet.
S
Spin turn
The natural spin turn is a common right-turning move in international standard waltz and quickstep. It can be used, for example, to navigate…
Sprinkler
The sprinkler is a dance move that simulates the motion of a garden irrigation sprinkler .
Suzie Q
Suzie Q or Suzy Q is a step where the feet perform alternating cross steps and side steps with swivel action .
T
Thunder clap
The thunder clap is a form of dance that incorporates clapping in the air with a sliding motion. [ citation needed ] To perform this dance o…
Time step
In tap dancing , the time step is a recognizable rhythmic tap combination. The term comes from the time of great tap dancers that used their…
W
Walk
The walk is probably the most basic dance move. It exists in almost every dance. Walks approximately correspond normal walking steps, taking…
Whisk
The various kinds of whisk are dance moves in International Standard and American Smooth dances. They are characterised by the partners cros…
Wing
The wing is a move in waltz and other Standard dances. Both partners take a step forward, and then the lady walks in a half-circle in front …
Worm
The worm is a move in which the person makes rhythmic wave like movements lying on the ground.
Definitions adapted from the Wikipedia article “Glossary of dance moves” (CC BY-SA 4.0).