In some types of partner dance, lead and follow are designations for the two dancers comprising a dance couple. In the case of mixed-sex couples, the male is traditionally the Lead and the female is the Follow. The Lead is responsible for guiding the couple and initiating transitions to different dance steps and, in improvised dances, for choosing the dance steps to perform. The Lead communicates choices to the Follow and directs the Follow by means of subtle physical and visual signals, thereby allowing the couple to be smoothly coordinated.
The Charleston is a dance named for the harbor city of Charleston, South Carolina. The rhythm was popularized in mainstream dance music in the United States by a 1923 tune called "The Charleston" by composer/pianist James P. Johnson which originated in the Broadway show Runnin' Wild and became one of the most popular hits of the decade. Runnin' Wild ran from 29 October 1923 through 28 June 1924. The peak year for the Charleston as a dance by the public was mid-1926 to 1927.
The Balboa is a swing dance that originated in Southern California during the 1920s and enjoyed huge popularity during the 1930s and 1940s. The term Balboa originally referred to a dance characterized by its close embrace and full body connection. It emphasizes rhythmic weight shifts and lead-follow partnership. Different dancers in the same region at the same time also danced "swing," a dance characterized by twists, turns, and open-position movement. Over time, these two dances merged and became collectively known as Balboa. The original Balboa dance is now referred to as Pure Balboa, and the original "Swing" dance is now referred to as Bal-Swing or L.A. Swing to differentiate it from other types of swing. Because of its emphasis on subtlety and partnering rather than flashy tricks, Balboa is considered more of a "dancer's dance" than a "spectator's dance."
Salsa is a popular form of social dance originating in Eastern Cuba. The Salsa we hear now is said to be born in New York to a mixture of Afro Cuban folk dances with Jazz. Evidence shows that the “Salsa” sound was already developed in Cuba before being brought up to New York. The movements of Salsa are a combination of the Afro-Cuban dances Son, cha-cha-cha, Mambo, Rumba, and the Danzón. The dance, along with salsa music, saw major development in the mid-1970s in New York. Different regions of Latin America and the United States have distinct salsa styles of their own, such as Cuban, Puerto Rican, Cali Colombia, L.A. and New York styles. Salsa dance socials are commonly held in night clubs, bars, ballrooms, restaurants, and outside, especially when part of an outdoor festival.
This is a list of dance terms that are not names of dances or types of dances. See List of dances and List of dance style categories for those.
The chassé is a dance step used in many dances in many variations. All variations are triple-step patterns of gliding character in a "step-together-step" pattern. The word came from ballet terminology.
The Swipe is one of the most recognizable power moves in b-boying. The b-boy or b-girl leans back, whips his or her arms to one side to touch the ground, and his or her legs follow closely behind, twisting 360 degrees to land on the ground once again. An example many might remember is the swipe performed by the character Samir in the movie Office Space.
The flare is an acrobatic move in which the performer alternates balancing the torso between either arm while swinging the legs beneath in continuous circles. It is a fundamental b-boying power move, and in gymnastics it may be performed on a pommel horse or during the floor exercise. The move is commonly spelled flair in gymnastics and further may be called a "Thomas flair" after its originator, Kurt Thomas.
Footwork is a martial arts and combat sports term for the general usage of the legs and feet in stand-up fighting. Footwork involves keeping balance, closing or furthering the distance, controlling spatial positioning, and/or creating additional momentum for strikes.
The float (turtle) is a b-boying move originally coming from basic Gymnastics alongside variants specifically the Turtle. Though it appears to demand great strength, the float actually requires balance above all because the breaker's weight is supported on the elbows which are firmly planted ("stabbed") into the lower abdomen near the anterior superior iliac spine.
A spin is a b-boying move that involves rotation of the breaker's body about some axis in contact with the ground. It is possible to perform a spin on virtually any part of the body, but bare skin often causes painful and spin-killing friction with the floor. To solve this problem, many breakers employ pieces of cloth or wear long clothing, pads, or caps. When the dancer uses his hands to aid in speeding up the spin, it is called tapping. A dancer may tap for a few rotations and then glide for subsequent rotations. Spins form an integral part of many breakers' routines, while others eschew them in favor of more complex-looking repeated movements, back and forth, after each rotation in a given direction.
Pair skating is a figure skating discipline. The International Skating Union (ISU) defines pair skating as "the skating of two persons in unison who perform their movements in such harmony with each other as to give the impression of genuine Pair Skating as compared with independent Single Skating". The ISU also states that a pairs team must consist of "one Lady and one Man". Pair skating, along with men's and women's single skating, has been an Olympic discipline since figure skating, the oldest Winter Olympic sport, was introduced at the 1908 Olympic Games in London. The ISU World Figure Skating Championships introduced pair skating in 1908.
Some poi tricks include: reels, weaves, fountains, crossovers and windmills.
Contra body movement (CBM) is a term used in ballroom dances, such as Waltz, Foxtrot, Tango, Quickstep. It describes a specific coordination of the movement of a dancer's body when doing or preparing to do a step which involves rotation.
Bachata is a style of social dance from the Dominican Republic which is now danced all over the world. It is connected with bachata music.
Ice dance, a discipline of figure skating, has required elements that make up a well-balanced skating program and must be performed during competitions. They include: the dance lift, the dance spin, the step sequence, twizzles, and choreographic elements. The elements must be performed in specific ways, as described by published communications by the International Skating Union (ISU), unless otherwise specified. Choreographic elements are judged differently; they are considered complete if the minimum requirements defining the element are met.
