List of DanceSport dances

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An amateur DanceSport competition at MIT.
An amateur DanceSport competition at MIT.

The dances that make up the list of DanceSport dances are performed competitively at amateur and professional levels throughout the world. Ten international style ballroom dances—five Standard and five Latin—are defined as DanceSport by the International DanceSport Federation (IDSF) and the World Dance and DanceSport Council (WD&DSC), the international governing bodies of amateur and professional DanceSport, respectively. The list is supplemented by nine American style dances—four Smooth and five Rhythm—which are defined by several United States dance organizations, including USA Dance, (formerly USABDA, the United States Amateur Ballroom Dancers Association). Besides determining which dances are performed, these organizations specify the tempo of music allowed and the duration of each competition round.

Contents

[edit] International style

Within the international style of DanceSport are two categories of dances, Standard and Latin. In England (e.g., at the Blackpool Dance Festival), the categories are traditionally called "Ballroom" and "Latin American" dances, respectively. In the Standard dances, men typically wear coattails, vests, and bow ties, while women wear elegant and colorful gowns, often with sheer fabric draped from the shoulders or arms. Partners remain in closed position throughout the dance, and movements tend to be elegant and sweeping. The Latin dances are more overtly sensual, with skimpy costumes for women and tight-fitting ones for men. More variation in movement is allowed than in the Standard dances, so hip action and athletic maneuvers such as dips are common.[1]

[edit] Standard

Name IDSF tempo (MPM)[2] WD&DSC tempo (MPM)[3] IDSF dancing time (seconds)[2] WD&DSC dancing time (seconds)[3]
Waltz 28–30 30 90–120 90–120
Tango 31–33 33 90–120 90–120
Viennese Waltz 58–60 58–60 60–90 90–120
Slow Foxtrot 28–30 30 90–120 90–120
Quickstep 50–52 50 90–120 90–120

[edit] Latin

Name ISDF tempo (MPM)[2] WD&DSC tempo (MPM)[3] IDSF dancing time (seconds)[2] WD&DSC dancing time (seconds)[3]
Cha Cha 30–32 30 90–120 90–120
Samba 50–52 50 90–120 90–120
Rumba 25–27 27 90–120 90–120
Paso Doble 60–62 62 90–120 90–120
Jive 42–44 44 60–90 90–120

[edit] American style

The Smooth and Rhythm categories of American style DanceSport roughly correspond to the Standard and Latin categories of International style. In Smooth, dancers wear costumes similar to those worn by their counterparts in Standard; however, the dances themselves are significantly different as a result of influence by dancers like Fred Astaire and Arthur Murray in the years following World War II. While elegance and flow remain the goal, as in International Standard, dancers do not remain in closed position exclusively, instead breaking away from each other periodically and experimenting with open footwork. The Rhythm dances were also influenced by American dancers of the post-WWII era, but the differences between it and International Latin are more subtle. Costumes are similar, and while step patterns are not identical, movements are as free and explicitly sensual as in Latin.[4]

[edit] Smooth

Name USABDA tempo (MPM)[5] USABDA dancing time (seconds)[6]
Waltz 28–30 90–120
Tango 30–32 90–120
Foxtrot 30–32 90–120
Viennese Waltz 54 90

[edit] Rhythm

Name USABDA tempo (MPM)[5] USABDA dancing time (seconds)[6]
Cha Cha 30 90–120
Rumba 32–36 90–120
East Coast Swing 34–36 90–120
Bolero 24–26 90–120
Mambo 47–51 90–120

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Picart, 89-90, 92-96
  2. ^ a b c d IDSF Competition Rules 2005, rule 5.11
  3. ^ a b c d WD&DSC Competition Rules, section 2.1
  4. ^ Picart, 90-95
  5. ^ a b 2006-2007 USA DanceSport Rulebook, section 3.5
  6. ^ a b 2006-2007 USA DanceSport Rulebook, section 3.4