Taxi dancer

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A taxi dancer is a professional dance partner in one of many forms of partner dance. A taxi dancer is not a prostitute and no favours can be expected off the dance floor. In social settings and social forms of dance, a dancer wanting constructive feedback from a taxi dancer normally has to explicitly request it, since, the taxi dancer's role being primarily social, they are unlikely to criticise their partner directly.

The term originated in ballroom dancing in the 1930s, for women paid by the dance. It is currently used in dance styles such as Ceroc for experienced dancers (male or female) who are paid to either dance opposite a teacher or dance among the paying customers in beginners class to raise the standard.

[edit] Examples in popular culture

• A popular song, Ten Cents a Dance, refers to this profession.
• The title character of the film Sweet Charity is a taxi dancer.

[edit] Sources

• Oxford English Dictionary entry for taxi, n.