Latin American Dance

20 Dance terms

Basic terms in Latin American Dance.

Appel
phrase
The Appel is the stamping of the foot on the dance floor in Paso Doble. This step mimics a bullfight when the Matador is calling to the bull.
Example: The first step in the choreography is going to be The Appel.
ballroom dance
noun
a formal social dance for couples.
Example: You shouldn't ballroom dance in public.
sk: spoločenský tanec
Batucada
phrase
Batucada is a substyle of samba and refers to an African-influenced Brazilian percussive style.
Example: Batucada is usually danced backwards.
Beats Per Minute (BPM)
noun (acronym)
The pace of music measured by the number of beats occurring in 60 seconds.
Example: This Track has an amazing 300 BPM.
sk: BPM
Bolero
noun
A Spanish dance in simple triple time.
Example: She loved to dance Bolero, she was really good at it.
sk: bolero
Bota Fogo
phrase
It is a step in basic Samba dance.
Example: This is how you do the Bota Fogo.
Cha-Cha-Cha
noun
The cha-cha-cha (also called cha-cha), is a dance of Cuban origin.
Example: Cha-Cha-Cha is a really hard dance style to dance
sk: cha-cha-cha
Chicken Walks
phrase
Chicken Walks is a step in Jive that is danced with both knees bent.
Example: Your have to do the Chicken Walks with bent knees.
Cumbia
noun
A type of Latin American dance of Colombian origin, similar to salsa.
Example: Cumbia is really similar to Salsa.
sk: cumbia
folk dance
noun
a popular dance considered as part of the tradition of a particular people or area.
Example: Folk dance is different all around the world.
sk: ľudový tanec
International Style
phrase
It is a style of performance in Latin American Dance, which varies in every style.
Example: They dance Samba in International Style.
sk: medzinárodný štýl
Jive
noun
A lively style of dance popular especially in the 1940s and 1950s, performed to swing music or rock and roll.
Example: People come alive on the dancefloor, when it is time for the Jive.
sk: jive
Kick Ball Change
phrase
Kick ball change is a dance move that consists of a kick followed by the ball change.
Example: Kick Ball Change is a basic step in Jive.
Paso Doble
noun
Fast-paced ballroom dance based on a Latin American style of marching.
Example: She danced a sensuous paso doble with a handsome officer.
sk: paso doble
Rumba
noun
Rumba, also spelled rhumba, ballroom dance of Afro-Cuban folk-dance origin that became internationally popular in the early 20th century.
Example: Rumba dance is the most sensual dance of all
sk: rumba
Rythm
noun
A strong, regular repeated pattern of movement or sound.
Example: Ruth listened to the rhythm of his breathing.
sk: rytmus
Samba
noun
Samba, ballroom dance of Brazilian origin, popularized in western Europe and the United States in the early 1940s.
Example: Samba dance is well-known and danced in Brazil.
sk: samba
Sliding dolls
phrase
A signature step in Rumba.
Example: After the Sliding Dolls you can do a spin.
Street Style
phrase
It is a style of performance in Latin American Dance, which varies in every style.
Example: Street Style Latin is danced a bit looser.
sk: no translation
time signature
noun
an indication of rhythm following a clef, generally expressed as a fraction with the denominator defining the beat as a division of a semibreve and the numerator giving the number of beats in each bar.
Example: The revolving time signature at the end of the song gave me motion sickness.
sk: Časový podpis