A to Z of dance
Dance your way through the alphabet with our A-Z of dance, giving you the low-down on everything from American Smooth to Zorba’s dance, via the lindy-hop and the hornpipe! Whether you just want to find out more about a dance you’re interested in, or whether you’re looking for a new kind of dance to inspire you, you can find out all about the huge number of dance styles there are through these links.
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M |
N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
A
African Dance
There are many different styles of African dance in London, generally using strong drumming rhythms, covering everything from the tradtional to the contemporary.
American Smooth
As seen on the hit BBC series Strictly Dance Fever, this dance style brings together classic ballroom dancing moves with an element of showmanship – think Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire.
Adage or Adagio
This is a balletic and acrobatic dance, combining grace, balance and beauty.
B
Ballet
One of the most popular dances for children to learn, ballet teaches discipline, grace and poise and is a great foundation for dance in general.
Ballroom
Ballroom dancing can be a gentle, low-impact introduction to dance, giving you a grounding in the classic dances of the foxtrot, the waltz and the tango.
Bellydance
An energetic style of dance that is about much more than the belly, this dance is an increasingly popular way of keeping toned and fit for people of all ages.
Bharata Natyam
One of India’s oldest dance forms and one of the most widely practiced, this dance strikes poses that will be reminiscent of the statues found in Hindu temples.
Bollywood / Bhangra
Many of London’s dance schools now offer classes in the dances of the Bollywood film scene, allowing you to take a step into your celluloid dreams.
Breakdance
A form of streetdance that emerged with the hip-hop movement of the 1970s, breakdancing involves many moves done with the torso, hands or arms in contact with the floor.
C
Ceilidh
This form of Irish folk dancing is performed in groups, making it a sociable dance and one that’s popular at weddings.
Ceroc
This fusion of jive and salsa is one of the fastest-growing dance styles in the UK.
Charleston
Associated with the ragtime – jazz era of the 1920s, this lively dance involves lots of kicks, flicks and twists and an element of comedy.
Cha-cha-cha
A Latin dance that’s flirtatious and sexy, but still has the fluidity of a ballroom dance.
Conga
Anyone can do this sociable, group dance – and all it needs is some music with a heavy beat.
Capoeira
Is it a dance or a martial art? This flowing combination of kicks and crouches is beautiful to watch and a great way to develop balance and co-ordination.
D
Disco
Learn to move like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever and you need never be at a loss at a disco again.
Dervish
This Arabic male twirling, associated with Sufist Islam, can regularly be seen in London.
E
Egyptian
There are many different styles of Egyptian dance, including the popular Raqs Sharqi, characterised by being fluid and rhythmic dances, with room for individual expression.
F
Flamenco
From Andalucia in Spain, this is the dance of swirling skirts, castanets and breath-takingly fast, rhythmic foot-stomping.
Foxtrot
A ballroom dance, characterised by long flowing movements across the dancefloor, that can be danced to a variety of musical styles.
G
Gavotte
A open circle or line dance, originating from 18th century France.
H
Hustle
This partner dance involves lots of spinning, twirls and moving in and out of each other’s arms.
Hip hop
A form of street dance, performed to the rhythmic rap music of the same name.
Hora
A traditional folk dance, where the participants hold hands in a circle that moves rapidly around, performed in many countries, but particularly Israel.
Hornpipe
A traditional English folk dance, thought of as a sailor’s dance and danced in hard shoes.
I
Irish Step Dancing
Danced with your arms straight down by your sides, as you step high and jump - if you liked the River Dance, this is the one for you.
J
Jive
A style of dance originating from the 1940s, this is a lively and uninhibited form of swing.
L
Lindy hop
This energetic, fast and happy dance is done with a partner, and involves lots of jumps, lifts, hops and swings.
P
Polka
A lively dance for couples, thought to have started as a Czech folk dance, that is part of the traditional repertoire of the ballroom dancer.
Polonez
A folk dance from Poland, this dance is done in a circle.
Q
Quadrille
An dance that was popular in the 19th century, performed by four couples, the quadrille was a precursor to the square dance.
R
Rumba
This Afro-Cuban dance style has a reputation as a sexy, flirtatious dance, but it can also be a smooth, controlled ballroom dance.
Russian
The Russian Troika is a dance for three people – of any gender – and an entertaining folk dance.
S
Salsa
This incredibly popular Cuban dance is a relatively gentle but fun dance, with many clubs offering tuition as part of a night of dancing.
Samba
This Brasilian dance is the one that brings carnivals to life all over the world.
Schuhplattler
This folk dance, from Bavaria or Austria, is the dance that is sometimes accompanied by yodelling.
Swing
This lively dance, that emerged in 1930s America, has developed into a number of different styles.
T
Tango (Argentine)
This controlled but brooding dance is one of passion and expression, but does not require great athleticism.
Tap dance
This dance uses shoes with small metal plates on the soles to make the dance itself part of the music – and companies like Tap Dogs are now showing how contemporary it can be.
Twist
This rock ‘n’ roll dance was named after the song that started the craze, but its enduring popularity is down to its upbeat simplicity.
Turkey Trot
An eccentric ragtime dance, it consists of four hopping steps sideways, with the feet well apart, which is embellished with flicks, trots and abrupt stops.
V
Volta
This court dance of the Renaissance has been seen in such movies as Elizabeth and Shakespeare in Love.
W
Waltz
In the waltz, dancers seem to glide across the floor effortlessly, in smooth flowing movements.
Z
Zorba
Zorba’s dance, the classic Greek folk dance performed in a circle, can be a fast and furious dance, as well as being great fun.
FAQ
See Frequently Asked Questions for answers to commonly asked questions about Big Dance.