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.
This glossary lists terms used in various types of ballroom partner dances, leaving out terms of highly evolved or specialized dance forms, such as ballet, tap dancing, and square dancing, which have their own elaborate terminology. See also: Glossary of ballet terms Glossary of dance moves
Abbreviations
3T – Three Ts
CBL – Cross-body lead
CBM – Contra body movement
CBMP – Contra body movement position
COG – Center of gravity
CPB – Center point of balance
CPP – Counter promenade position
DC – Diagonally to center
DW – Diagonally to wall
IDSF – International DanceSport Federation
IDTA – International Dance Teachers Association
ISTD – Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing
J&J – Jack and Jill
LOD – Line of dance
MPM – Measures per minute
NFR – No foot rise
OP – Outside partner or open position
PP – Promenade position
Q – Quick
S – Slow
A–C
Alignment
Alignment can mean: the directions the feet face in relationship to the room. See Direction of movement. the positioning of the body's "building blocks" (head, shoulders, abdomen, hips) in top of each other.
Amalgamation
A combination of two or more figures; more generally: a sequence of figures that a couple wants to dance.
American Rhythm
A category of dances in American Style ballroom competitions. It includes cha-cha-cha, rumba, East Coast swing, bolero, and mambo. Sometimes it may include samba and West Coast swing.
This category loosely corresponds to the Latin category of International Style ballroom.
American Smooth
A category of dances in American Style ballroom competitions. It includes waltz, tango, foxtrot, and Viennese waltz. Previously Peabody was also included.
This category loosely corresponds to the Standard category of International Style ballroom. However, Smooth differs from Standard in its inclusion of open and separated figures, whereas Standard makes exclusive use of closed positions.
American Style
The term describes a particular style of ballroom dances developed in the United States that contrasts with the International Style. In a narrower sense, it denotes the group of dances danced in American Style ballroom competitions. The group consists of two categories: American Smooth and American Rhythm.
Backleading
In social dancing strongly relying on leading and following, this term means that the follower executes steps without waiting for or contrary to the lead of the leader. This is also called anticipation and usually considered bad dancing habit. An exception would be to avoid a collision with another couple the leader hasn't seen (but this is usually just to stop the leader performing specific steps rather than the follower actively executing steps).
Sometimes this term is used in the meaning of hijacking, which is not exactly the same.
Ballroom
Body contact
Body contact is a style of closed position in partner dancing (closed position with body contact); it is also a type of physical connection, mainly of the right-hand sides of the partners' costal arches.
Body flight
Body flight is a property of many movements in dances such as the waltz and foxtrot. It refers to steps taken with momentum in excess of that necessary to arrive at a point of static balance over the new position, which suggests a carry through to another step in the same direction. Steps in these dances naturally flow one into another, in contrast to the tango and to the Latin and rhythm dances where many steps arrive to a point of static balance.
Body support
Support of the partner's body is largely avoided in ballroom dancing. The exception would be "lifts" – often featured in some forms of swing dancing, and ballroom showdance presentations, but banned in ordinary ballroom competition and rarely seen in social dancing.
Call
A call in square dancing is a command by a caller to execute a particular dance figure. In round dancing, calls are called cues. See "Caller" for the explanation of the difference. Voice calls may be complemented by hand signs. See also Voice cue.
Caller
A caller or a cuer is a person that calls/cues dance figures to be executed in square dances and round dances.