Language of Dance
Shared vocabulary for ballroom, Latin, Argentine Tango, swing, and historic dance traditions.
161 terms across 4 categories. Entries with arrows link to the full history page for that dance.
Study Tool
Dance Flashcards
Test your knowledge of dance terminology with interactive flashcards. Filter by category, shuffle the deck, and track your progress.
Cross-System Comparison
Lingo of Dance
The same figure can have different names across different syllabus systems. Select a dance to compare how each organization names the movements — so you can translate between studios and traditions.
Currently comparing: DVIDA, ISTD, NDCA, and USA Dance syllabi, with more systems being added regularly.
Technique
A
Abrazo→ Argentine Tango
The Argentine Tango embrace. Can be close (apilado / pecho-a-pecho) or open (abierto). Both partners share weight and balance through the upper-body connection rather than the arms.
Adornment (Adorno)→ Argentine Tango
A small decorative movement — a tap, a circle, a foot caress — added by the follower (and sometimes the leader) in Argentine Tango while keeping the partnership's axis and timing intact.
Alignment
The direction the dancer's body faces relative to the room and the line of dance. Standard alignments are described as facing or backing a wall, a diagonal, or the centre.
Amalgamation
A combination of standard figures arranged into a routine for practice, demonstration, or competition.
Anchor Step→ West Coast Swing
A grounding step that keeps the follower in place at the end of a West Coast Swing pattern, allowing the leader to set up the next move.
B
Banjo Position
A closed-hold variation in which the partners are offset slightly to the leader's right so that the leader's right hip aligns with the follower's right hip. Useful for outside-partner work.
Banquet Frame
An informal teaching name for a side-by-side promenade-style hold. Not a codified syllabus term — most curricula simply call this a promenade or open position.
Basic / Basic Step
The foundational step pattern of a dance — the Box Step in Waltz, the Forward-Side-Together-Back of the Rumba Box, or the 1-2-3 chassé-3 of the Cha-Cha basic.
Body Flight→ International Standard
The continuous, balletic motion of the body through space generated by leg drive and swing rather than by simply stepping. A hallmark of high-level Standard ballroom dancing.
Body Rise
Rise produced by lengthening through the spine and core without rising on the toes. Used in Standard dances to lengthen movement before adding foot rise.
Bounce Action→ Samba
A vertical, knee-driven pulse used in Samba and several Latin dances. Different from the elastic rise & fall of Standard — Bounce Action keeps the feet in contact with the floor.
Break→ American Rhythm
A two-step unit in which the second step replaces weight in the opposite direction from the first. Common breaks include forward, back, side, open, opposition, crossover, and fifth position. Breaks are the engine of Rhythm and Latin patterns.
C
CBMP (Contra Body Movement Position)
A foot position rather than a body action: a step taken across the standing foot, in front or behind. Common in Tango walks and Promenade Position figures.
Center
An imaginary point in the core of the body, roughly at the solar plexus, from which a dancer moves and connects with a partner. Placing the center correctly over the standing foot improves balance, tone, and connection.
Chase→ Cha-Cha-Cha
A Cha-Cha or Mambo figure in which the leader and follower dance variations of the basic in tandem position without hold, either matching each other's steps or improvising until the leader reconnects.
Check
A lead action that stops the follower's movement and redirects them — typically from forward to backward or vice versa. Also describes a forward walk with the front knee turned out and body weight only partially committed.
Chassé
A side-together-side action where the trailing foot closes to the leading foot before the leading foot moves again. Counted Quick-Quick-Slow in Quickstep and 4-and-1 in Cha-Cha-Cha.
Closed Embrace→ Argentine Tango
The traditional Argentine Tango hold in which partners share an upper-body connection, often chest-to-chest, with little or no space between them.
Compression
A lead through the handhold or frame in which both partners have their weight poised forward, creating spring-like energy that sends the follower away. Related to check, extend, and contract.
Closed Position
A frame in which the partners face each other, with the leader's right hand on the follower's back below the shoulder blade and the leader's left hand holding the follower's right hand at roughly eye level.
Connection
The two-way communication of weight, timing, and intent transmitted through the partners' frame. Good connection lets the follower respond to a lead before the leader has finished it.
Contract
A lead action in which the leader uses tone in the center to draw the follower toward them through the handhold or frame, creating a gentle pull. Also refers to an abdominal tightening used to produce rhythmic hip action in Latin dances.
Contra Body Movement (CBM)
A rotation of the body in which the opposite side leads the moving leg — stepping forward with the right leg while rotating the left side of the body forward. The engine of natural- and reverse-turn entries.
Counter-Promenade Position
The mirror image of Promenade Position: the couple opens toward the leader's left side rather than the right. Used in figures such as the Outside Spin and certain Tango variations.
Cross-Body Lead→ Salsa
A signature Salsa, Mambo, and Cha-Cha figure in which the leader steps back, opens a 90-degree gate with the left hand, and walks the follower across the leader's body to swap places.
Cuban Motion→ American Rhythm
The hip and knee action characteristic of American Rhythm Latin dances. Created by alternating straight and bent knees that settle the hip onto the standing leg, not by intentional hip wiggle.
D
Direction
The compass direction in which a step is taken — forward, back, side, or one of the diagonals (e.g., Diagonal Wall, Diagonal Centre).
Dip
A figure in which one partner lowers the other off-axis, supporting their weight. Common as a closing pose in Tango, Bolero, and showcase routines.
Double Frame
An open hold in which both partners use both hands. Common in Salsa, Bachata, and Lindy Hop transitions.
E
Eleven O'Clock Position
An informal teaching cue used by some instructors to describe a slight angling of the leader's body relative to the follower (rather than facing 12 o'clock dead-on). Not a codified syllabus position.
Embellishment
Same as adornment — small decorative movements added by either partner without disturbing the partnership's axis or musicality. Especially associated with Argentine Tango but used across all partnered styles.
Extend
A lead action in which the leader uses tone in the center to signal the follower to step away, generating a gentle push through the handhold or frame that lengthens the arm connection. Extending often produces leverage or catch. Opposite of contract.
F
Fallaway→ International Standard
A figure in which the couple steps back in promenade position, retreating from line of dance while staying connected. The Fallaway Reverse and Fallaway Whisk are signature Standard figures.
Feather Step→ Foxtrot
A characteristic Foxtrot figure in which the leader walks forward with the right foot crossing slightly outside the follower (in CBMP), creating a soft, gliding line. Named for its light, feathered quality.
Flick
A sharp, staccato extension of the lower leg in which the foot is softly pointed. Related to tap. Used as an embellishment in Latin and Rhythm dances.
Follower
The dance partner who responds to the leader's invitations and interprets them through their own movement. Traditionally the woman's role; modern teaching frames it as a role rather than a gender.
Foot Position
The relationship of one foot to the other — open (apart), closed (together), or crossed (one in front of or behind the other). Recorded in syllabus charts alongside footwork and alignment.
Foot Rise
Elevation achieved by pushing up through the ankles onto the balls or toes of the feet. Used in Samba and Bolero. Distinct from body rise, which comes from the spine and core without lifting the heels.
Footwork
The part of the foot in contact with the floor for each step — heel (H), toe (T), ball (B), heel-toe (HT), or whole foot (WF). Codified in every ballroom syllabus.
Frame
The shape and posture maintained between partners — including arm position, body tone, and the spatial geometry of the hold. Frame transmits the lead and shapes the line.
Free Foot
The foot that is not currently bearing the dancer's weight. Opposite of standing foot.
G
Giro→ Argentine Tango
A turn in Argentine Tango in which the follower walks around the leader (or vice versa) in a circular pattern of forward, side, and back steps.
Grapevine
A travelling side-step pattern — forward, side, back, side — in which the feet and hips swivel while the upper body stays square. Must have at least three steps to be considered a grapevine. Common in Merengue, Cha-Cha, and line dances.
H
Heel Lead
Stepping with the heel making first contact with the floor. The default footwork for most forward walks in Standard dances.
Heel Turn→ International Standard
A turn executed by closing the free foot to the standing foot and rotating on the heel of the standing foot, transferring weight to the closed foot at the end. Common in Foxtrot, Waltz, and Quickstep.
Hip Action→ International Latin
The settling of the hip over the standing leg created by leg straightening — the source of the look of Cuban Motion in Latin dancing.
Hold
Synonym for frame — the arm and body position maintained between partners.
K
Kinetic Connection
An informal way of describing the moment-to-moment communication between partners through weight, tone, and timing. The technical literature usually calls this connection or partnering tone.
L
Lead
The way the leader communicates to the follower what should be danced. Good leading originates from the center of the body, not muscular force. The four main types are weight change, physical (through contraction and extension), shape (changing the frame to guide direction), and visual (the follower mirrors the leader without hold).
Leader
The dance partner who initiates and shapes the figure being danced. Traditionally the man's role; modern teaching frames it as a role rather than a gender.
Line of Dance (LOD)
The counter-clockwise direction of travel around the perimeter of a ballroom floor. Most progressive figures move along LOD; failure to follow it is a common floorcraft issue.
Lock
A triple step (chassé) in which one foot crosses in front of or behind the other rather than closing beside it. Forward and backward locks are common in Cha-Cha and East Coast Swing. Thighs close on the second step for a clean lock.
Locked Step→ International Standard
A travelling figure in which one foot crosses tightly behind (or in front of) the other in a locked position. The Foxtrot Three Step and Quickstep Lock Step are textbook examples.
M
Momentum
The weight-driven flow of motion that carries the body from one step into the next. Cultivating momentum is the difference between dancing the steps and dancing the music.
Musicality
The capacity to express the music with the body — phrasing, dynamics, accents, and the architecture of a song — beyond simply staying on the beat.
N
Natural Top→ International Latin
A Latin figure in which the couple turns to the right around a shared axis with the follower walking around the leader on the spot. Found in Cha-Cha-Cha and Rumba.
Natural Turn→ International Standard
A rotational figure that turns to the right (clockwise — away from the line of dance into the room). The Natural Turn appears in nearly every Standard dance.
O
Open Position
Any frame in which the partners are not in body contact — side-by-side, facing-and-apart, or single-hand hold. Used heavily in Latin and swing dances.
Opposition
The natural body principle in which opposite sides lead each other — right arm with left leg, left arm with right leg — as in walking. The basis of CBM.
Outside Partner
A foot position in which the leader steps so that the right (or left) foot lands outside the follower's tracks, rather than between them. Required for many Foxtrot and Waltz figures.
P
Pivot
A turn executed on a single foot with the other foot held in CBMP behind (or in front of). The Tango Pivot and Natural / Reverse Pivots are signature Standard figures.
Promenade
A position where the couple is side-by-side, moving in the same direction, often used in Standard dances.
Promenade Position
A V-shaped position in which the leader's right side and the follower's left side stay in contact while the opposite sides open out, allowing the couple to travel side-by-side.
Promenade Sway
Sway used during travel in promenade position to extend the line and stretch the partnership.
R
Reverse
A rotational movement turning to the left (toward the line of dance).
Reverse Top→ International Latin
The mirror image of Natural Top — a Latin figure turning to the left with the follower walking around the leader on the spot.
Reverse Turn→ International Standard
A rotational figure that turns to the left (counter-clockwise — into the line of dance). The Reverse Turn is the leftward complement to the Natural Turn.
Rise & Fall→ Waltz
The vertical action of Standard dances — body rise on the up-beats, foot rise added on the rising step, then a controlled fall through the knee. The signature look of Waltz and Foxtrot.
Rock Step→ Lindy Hop
A two-beat weight change in which the dancer steps and immediately replaces weight onto the original foot. Foundational to East Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, Salsa breaks, and many Latin figures.
Rondé
A circular action of the free leg, either on the floor or in the air. On the floor the toe traces a curved path; in the air the leg may be straight or bent. Used as an embellishment in Latin, Rhythm, and Argentine Tango.
S
Salida→ Argentine Tango
The standard 8-count opening sequence of Argentine Tango that establishes timing, axis, and embrace before more complex figures begin.
Shine (Solo Break)→ Salsa
A variation of the basic step danced without hold in Mambo, Cha-Cha, or Salsa. Partners improvise or match each other's footwork, trying to outshine one another until the leader reconnects.
Side Lead
Leading a figure with the same side of the body as the moving foot (right side with right leg, etc.). Distinct from CBM, which uses opposite-side leading.
Slot→ West Coast Swing
An invisible straight track used in West Coast Swing to keep the dance linear and contained. The follower travels back and forth along this narrow path while the leader moves in and out, clearing the way.
Spin
A continuous turn on the ball of the foot, often used as the second beat of a Spin Turn, Outside Spin, or Pivot.
Spiral
A turning technique in which the dancer rotates on the ball of the front foot while allowing the free foot to cross loosely in front. Spirals can be as small as a quarter turn or as large as a full rotation.
Spot Turn
A full turn (usually 360 degrees) in which the first step is taken forward and across, with the other foot remaining in place. Forward and back spot turns can be danced in contact or closed position.
Spotting→ International Latin
Keeping the eyes fixed on a single point as long as possible during a turn, then snapping the head around to find it again. Essential for staying balanced and stopping dizziness in multiple-rotation Latin spins.
Standing Foot
The foot currently bearing the dancer's weight. Opposite of free foot.
Step
A single weight change from one foot to the other. The atomic unit of choreography.
Sugar Push→ West Coast Swing
The signature 6-count basic of West Coast Swing — leader and follower come together, compress, and push back out along a single slot.
Sway
A lateral lengthening of the body away from vertical, usually toward the inside of a turn. Adds line and shape to Standard figures.
Swing Hip Action→ Swing Dances
A Latin hip movement used on triple steps in East Coast Swing and sometimes West Coast Swing. The straightening of the knee and rolling of the hip is delayed until the third step of the triple, giving the swing dances their characteristic hip motion.
Swing (Action)
Pendulum-like body action driven from the standing leg, used in Waltz and Foxtrot to power travel and rise. Distinct from Swing as a dance family.
Syncopation
A rhythmic device that places weight changes between the main beats of a measure, producing the and-counts in figures like Cha-Cha chassés or jazz-influenced Foxtrot variations.
T
Three Step→ Foxtrot
A signature Foxtrot figure of three walking steps (typically Quick-Quick-Slow), often danced after a Feather Step. Sometimes also taught as a Waltz exercise.
Toe Lead
Stepping with the toe (or ball) making first contact with the floor — the default footwork for back walks in Standard and most steps in Latin dances.
Timing
The precise alignment of footwork to the musical beat. Strong timing — landing exactly with the music — is the foundation on which all higher-level musicality is built.
Triple Step→ Triple Step Swing
Three weight changes in two beats of music, counted 1-and-2 or step-step-step. The foundational rhythm cell of East Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, and many country two-step variations.
Turn
A general rotation of the body or partnership. Specified by direction (natural / reverse) and amount (quarter, half, three-quarter, full).
U
Underarm Turn
A turn in which the follower passes under the leader's raised arm. The most basic of all turning patterns in Salsa, Swing, and most social Latin dances.
W
Weight
Where the dancer's body mass is committed at any moment. A clear weight transfer is the foundation of every clean lead and every clear figure.
Whisk→ Waltz
A Standard figure in which the back foot crosses behind the standing foot into a brief promenade position. The Waltz and Foxtrot Whisks are the textbook examples.
X
X-Alignment
Informal teaching language for a position in which the shoulders rotate against the hips — useful as an exercise but not a codified syllabus position. Standard syllabi describe the same effect through CBM and shaping.
Y
Yield
Allowing the body to soften in the direction of the lead, so the partnership moves as one. Especially important for followers in spins and dips, but a reciprocal quality between partners.
Z
Zigzag
A travelling pattern of alternating angled steps that produce a Z-shaped path. Found in some Salsa and Bachata patterns; also used as a learning exercise for outside-partner work.
Competition
A
Adjudicator
A judge who scores competitive ballroom dancing. International adjudicators carry credentials from organisations such as the WDC, WDSF, or NDCA.
B
Bronze
The first syllabus level in most competitive ballroom systems. A dancer at Bronze typically masters a small set of standardised figures before progressing to Silver.
C
Callback
An invitation to dance again in the next round of a competition. Heats are reduced to a Quarter-Final, then Semi-Final, then Final by callbacks.
D
DanceSport→ International Standard
The competitive form of ballroom dancing recognised internationally — particularly through the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) and World Dance Council (WDC).
F
Final
The last round of a competition, typically dancing with five to seven other couples. Placement (1st through 6th) is determined by the rules of the system in use (Skating, World, etc.).
G
Glossary
A list of terms specific to a field — like this one. The LODance glossary aims to give every level of dancer a shared vocabulary across ballroom, Latin, swing, Argentine Tango, and historic styles.
Gold
The advanced syllabus level above Silver in most competitive ballroom systems. Gold-level dancers are expected to perform full-syllabus figures with rise & fall, sway, and CBM clearly developed.
H
Heat
A grouping of couples dancing at the same time. A round may consist of multiple heats so all entrants can be seen by the judges.
N
NDCA
National Dance Council of America — the umbrella body that governs professional ballroom competitions in the United States, sets syllabus standards, and adjudicator certifications.
Newcomer
An entry-level proficiency category for dancers who have been competing for less than a defined period (often six or twelve months). Sometimes called Pre-Bronze or Beginner.
O
Open
Either (a) a level of competition above syllabus restrictions, in which any figure may be danced, or (b) the highest age/level division at a competition (e.g., Open Professional Latin).
P
Pre-Bronze
A level just below Bronze, used at many U.S. competitions to give absolute beginners a place to start.
Pro-Am
A competition format in which a professional dancer competes with an amateur student. Dominant format at the U.S. studio-circuit level.
Q
Quarter-Final
An elimination round before the Semi-Final. Typically the second cut in a large field.
R
Round
One stage of an elimination ladder — successive rounds (Heat, Quarter-Final, Semi-Final, Final) reduce the field by callback.
S
Scholarship
A multi-dance championship event at a competition (e.g., a Bronze Smooth Scholarship covers all four Smooth dances back-to-back). Often the marquee event of an evening session.
Scrutineering
The mathematical process of compiling judges' marks into final placements. The Skating System is the standard scrutineering method.
Semi-Final
The round immediately before the Final. Typically reduces the field to twelve or fewer couples.
Sequin Dress
Colloquial shorthand for the rhinestoned competition gowns worn in Standard and Smooth ballroom. Modern competition costuming is highly engineered for movement and visibility under stage lighting.
Silver
The intermediate syllabus level, between Bronze and Gold. Silver introduces longer figures, more turns, and greater shaping demands.
Syllabus
A defined catalogue of figures grouped by level (Bronze, Silver, Gold). At syllabus events, dancers may only dance figures inside their level's catalogue.
W
WDC
World Dance Council — the international governing body for professional ballroom dancing.
WDSF
World DanceSport Federation — the international governing body for amateur ballroom dancing and the route by which DanceSport pursues Olympic recognition.
Music
B
Bar
A unit of music defined by a fixed number of beats. Synonymous with measure. Most ballroom music is organised into 32-bar phrases.
Beat
The basic pulse of the music. Beats are counted in groups defined by the time signature.
Beat Value
The number of beats of music assigned to each step or weight change. For example, in Rumba the count is SQQ with a beat value of 2-1-1 — the Slow gets 2 beats, each Quick gets 1. Beat values are what make dances feel different even when they share the same time signature.
BPM (Beats Per Minute)
The standard measurement of musical tempo. Slow Waltz is typically 84-90 BPM; Viennese Waltz around 174-180 BPM. To convert from measures per minute (sometimes found in older syllabus materials), multiply by the number of beats per measure.
C
Clave→ Club & Social Latin
The two-bar rhythmic cell that anchors most Afro-Cuban music — Salsa, Mambo, Son, Rumba. Played as either a 3-2 or 2-3 pattern, the clave is the metronome behind every step.
Counting in Beats and Bars
A dual-counting method that tracks both the beats within a measure and the number of measures simultaneously. In 4/4 time: 1234, 2234, 3234, 4234. The first digit is the bar number; the remaining digits are the beats. Essential for phrasing routines and taught across major syllabus organizations and professional certification programs.
Counts
The numbered beats danced to a piece of music. A Waltz figure uses three counts (1-2-3); a Cha-Cha basic uses 4-and-1.
D
Downbeat
The first beat of a measure — the strongest accent in most styles of music.
M
Measure
Same as bar — a unit of musical meter. Standard ballroom syllabi describe figures in counts within measures.
Meter
The grouping of beats into recurring patterns of strong and weak — the architecture defined by the time signature (3/4 for Waltz, 4/4 for Foxtrot).
O
Off-Beat
Any beat or sub-beat that is not the downbeat — the and-counts between numbered beats. Latin and swing styles thrive on off-beat accents.
P
Phrase
A complete musical thought — like a sentence in speech. Phrases typically span 2 to 32 measures and have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Learning to hear where phrases start and end is the foundation of musical phrasing in dance.
Phrasing
The musical structure of a piece, usually organised in 8- or 32-bar sections. Sophisticated dancers shape their figures to the phrase, accenting beginnings and endings.
Q
Quick
A timing value equal to one beat in standard ballroom counting. Used in Quick-Quick-Slow patterns throughout Foxtrot, Quickstep, and Tango.
R
Rhythm
The pattern of timing values (slows, quicks, syncopations) that defines a dance. Each ballroom dance has its own characteristic rhythm template.
S
Slow
A timing value equal to two beats in standard ballroom counting. The Slow in Quick-Quick-Slow draws out the long step that sets up the next figure.
Straight Count
A rhythmic count that divides each beat in half: 1&2&3&4&. The numbers (1, 2, 3, 4) are the downbeats and the &'s are the upbeats. This is the default counting method for most ballroom and Latin dances. Compare with swing count, which divides beats into thirds.
Swing Count→ Swing Dances
A count used in swing and jazz music that divides each beat into thirds: 1_&, 2_&, 3_&, 4_&. The underscore represents the space between the downbeat and the upbeat. Also called a rolling count. The swing count gives East Coast Swing and West Coast Swing their characteristic swung, laid-back feel.
T
Tempo
The speed of the music, measured in BPM (beats per minute). Each ballroom dance has a standard tempo range used at competition.
Time Signature
Notation indicating the meter — for example 3/4 (three beats per bar, used for Waltz) or 4/4 (four beats per bar, used for Foxtrot, Tango, and most Latin and swing dances).
U
Upbeat
A weak beat preceding the next downbeat. Many figures begin on an upbeat to launch into the strong beat that follows.
Dances
A
Argentine Tango→ Argentine Tango
The improvised partner dance born in late-19th-century Buenos Aires. Built on the Salida, the Cross (Cruzada), the Giro, and the Ocho — all expressed through a close embrace.
B
Bachata→ Bachata
A 4/4 Dominican dance and music style with a syncopated tap on the 4 and a soft hip action. Modern Bachata Sensual added body waves and Zouk-derived movement.
C
Cha-Cha-Cha→ International Cha-Cha-Cha
A 4/4 Latin dance descended from Mambo, characterised by its signature 4-and-1 chassé and the staccato hip action of Cuban Motion.
F
Foxtrot→ Foxtrot
A 4/4 Standard ballroom dance characterised by smooth, gliding motion in Slow-Quick-Quick rhythm. Born in 1914, codified by Frank Ford and others into the modern competitive form.
G
Galliard→ Galliard
A vigorous 16th-century Renaissance court dance in 6/4 (or 3/2), often paired with the slower Pavane. Celebrated for its athletic kicks, leaps, and the cinque pas pattern.
J
Jive→ International Jive
The fast, kicking 4/4 Latin dance derived from American Swing. Featured triple-step chassés at competition tempo of 168-176 BPM.
L
Lindy Hop→ Lindy Hop
The original swing dance — born in late-1920s Harlem, codified at the Savoy Ballroom, defined by the swing-out and the breakaway. Parent of every later swing form.
M
Milonga→ Milonga
Either (a) the older, faster tango precursor still danced today in 2/4 time, or (b) the social tango event itself. Both meanings descend from the same Río de la Plata roots.
Minuet→ Minuet
The dominant Baroque court dance from c. 1670 onward — a refined 3/4 dance in slow tempo, with elaborate floor patterns and a strict etiquette of bows.
P
Paso Doble→ Paso Doble
A theatrical Latin dance in march-like 2/4 that depicts the bullfight, with the leader as matador and the follower as the cape (and sometimes the bull).
Pavane→ Pavane
A slow processional dance in duple meter from the late 15th and 16th centuries. Often opened a Renaissance ball before the more vigorous Galliard.
Q
Quadrille→ Quadrille
An early-19th-century formation dance for four couples in a square, with five (later six) figures danced in sequence. Direct ancestor of the modern Square Dance.
Quickstep→ Quickstep
A bright, syncopated 4/4 Standard dance featuring chassés, locks, hops, and skips. Evolved from quick foxtrot variants in the 1920s.
R
Rumba (International)→ International Rumba
A slow, romantic 4/4 Latin dance in 4-and-1 timing. The competitive Rumba is highly stylised and substantially slower than its Cuban antecedents.
S
Salsa→ Salsa
The umbrella name for the New York-codified social descendant of Cuban Son, Mambo, and Cha-Cha. Danced on1, on2, or in many regional styles (Cuban, LA, NY, Cali).
Samba→ International Samba
A travelling Latin dance in 2/4 time that channels the Bounce Action of Brazilian Carnival. Tempo around 100-104 BPM.
T
Tango (International)→ International Tango
A staccato 4/4 Standard dance with sharp head turns, no rise & fall, and a compressed Promenade Position. Distinct in style and frame from Argentine Tango.
V
Viennese Waltz→ Viennese Waltz
A fast 3/4 Standard dance in continuous Natural and Reverse Turns at roughly 180 BPM. Direct descendant of the Austrian Walzer that swept Europe in the early 1800s.
Volta→ Volta
A 16th-century turning dance in triple meter, famous for the lifting figure in which the leader hoists the follower into the air. Notoriously denounced — and repeatedly performed — at courts across Europe.
W
Waltz (International)→ Waltz
The slow 3/4 Standard ballroom dance — rise & fall, sway, Natural and Reverse Turns. Direct descendant of the early-19th-century Austrian-German waltz codified in England in the 1920s.
West Coast Swing→ West Coast Swing
A slot-based partner dance descended from Lindy Hop, danced to a wide range of contemporary music. The Sugar Push, Whip, and Sugar Tuck are textbook patterns.
Interactive Learning
Feuillet Notation Flashcards
Master the 1700s dance notation system used to record Baroque choreography.
Complete Reference
La Chorégraphie
Every labeled step in Feuillet's tables — over 470 variants drawn from the original 1700 edition of La Chorégraphie.
Baroque Choreography
Feuillet Recueil de Dances Plates
22 choreographic plates from Feuillet's 1700 Recueil de Dances— recording Pécour's finest ballroom choreographies in Feuillet notation, companion to the existing symbol corpus on LODance.