Kandykane's Dance Glossary

Essential words handpicked (& typed) by ME Kandykane for IMPROVERS to read a dance book.

adornos	extra steps that 'adorn' the dance and make it more beautiful (Argentine tango)
ad lib	repeat the steps or figures as required
aerial steps	actions that jump. There are five types of jumps: saute, jete, asseble, sissonne and temps leve.
Alemana turn	girl takes three forward steps and makes a turn under the raised R arm of the man
alignment	the direction that your body and feet are facing in relation to the room and the LOD; also means the direction of the movement, also the relationship of the skeleton to the line of gravity and base of support.
amalgamation	a dance routine or any combination of two or more steps or movements
American Smooth	a version of the waltz, Viennese waltz, foxtrot or tango danced in competitions in the USA. The dancers are allowed to dance in closed hold, open hold and even side-by-side. These dances can also include lifts
American Rhythm	in the USA the American Rhythm corresponds to the International Latin classification
amount of turn	how far your feet and body turn on a single step or btwn two consecutive steps, normally measured in fractions, e.g. 1/8, ¼, ½ of a full turn
apart	any dance position where the boy and girl are not in a hold together or are dancing w/o touching one another
appel	a tap or stamp of the foot, it is an accented movement in place where body weight is placed dramatically and boldly onto a flat foot. Usually indicate the start of a strong directional movement
arabesque	a position of the body where your free leg is extended straight behind the body and lifted off the floor, used a lot in classical dance
arch	the part of foot btwn the ball and the heel, which when the foot is pointed, makes an arched shape In Partner & Mixer Dance, Partners raise joined hands over head to form an arch. Usually both L or R hands joined but can be opposing hands.
Argentine tango	a style of tango that most people will recognize as it's full of passion and lots of weaving and flicking leg movements, originated in Buenos Aires
attitude	a body position where the free leg is raised with the knee bent
aural setting	the sounds that accompany the dance: music, voice, natural sound and found sound
axis	an imaginary vertical line that runs either through the centre of the body, through one of its sides, or outside of the body altogether, around which the body turns.
backing	how the alignments are described to specify movement that is backward, e.g. backing LOD or backing DC
Back-to-back position	a dance position where the leader and the follower face away from each other
balance	A state of equilibrius referring to the balance of weight or the spatial arrangement of bodies. Designs may be balanced on both sides of centre (symmetrical) or balanced off centre (asymmetrical); technically, it's the correct distribution of body weight btwn the feet or over the standing foot
ball	the padded area btwn the arch of the foot and the toes, a 'ball' step is taken without the heel in contact with the floor
ball change	a series of two consecutive steps, the first step being taken with the ball of the foot only and the change part is when you transfer or change your weight. The rhythm is usually syncopated
Ball-flat	a ball-flat step is taken first with the ball of the foot in contact with the floor, and then with the whole foot flat on the floor
Ball-heel	a ball-heel step is taken first with the ball of the foot in contact with the floor, and then with the whole foot flat. When the weight is released from a ball-heel step, the toe will release from the floor while the heel maintains contact
ballroom dance	a partner dance typically done in a ballroom
bar	music is measured in units that represent a group of consecutive beats. The number of beats in a bar is measured by the time signature
basic figure	a series of steps that make up the basis of a standardized dance
basic steps	another name for the rhythmic step pattern that is assoicated with a particular dance style
Batucada	a type of samba danced at carnivals and Mardi Gras, also choreographed in International styles
beat	the regular pulse of a piece of music, it can also be an isolate, single pulse in the music
beat value	this is how long the beat lasts for, e.g. the beat value of a 'slow' count is two beats and a 'quick' count would be one
binary	a dance compoisition consisting of two parts: AB
body actions	the basic ways the body moves: flexion, extension, rotation, jumps, travelling, balance, stillness, gesture and turning
body contact	the point of physical contact btwn the partners' body when in closed, promenade, or outside partner position
body rise	the body rise is the result of the bracing of the muscles of the legs creating elevation of the body.
body sway	a tilt of the body to the left or the right from a vertical position. Body sway will be used naturally to lean slightly in towards the centre of rotation of turning dance figures
body swing	this refers to the momentum the body achieves when dancing freely and which helps create a smooth flowing dance
body turn	the body can turn even if the feet are going in a different direction and it's generally the amount of turn of the body from the feet
body weight	a term to suggest that one's weight can travel from one leg to the other by shifting your body weight through your centre
broken rhythm	a recurring pattern that takes more than one measure, such as the six-count swing rhythmic step patterns, which take 1.5 bars of 4/4 time music
brush	the action of closing the moving foot to the standing foot, without changing weight, btwn steps
caller	a person who calls out the movements for dancers to follow
caminata	the catlike walk that forms the basic step of Argentine tango
carriage	a term relates to the position of the upper body while in dance position, it's the correct alignment of body parts while moving
Centre / centre point of balance (CPB)	the invisible line that runs through the body which gives you your centre of balance, also refers to the centre of the room or dance floor. In the alignment, the centre is determined to be the direction exactly opposite the wall
centering	moving your entire body as a unit over your base of support
cha cha	named Cha Cha Cha in International Latin dance, an exciting Latin dance which originated in the 1950s in Cuba, it's a dance based on the rhythm of the triple mambo consisting of two slows and three quick. Time signature is 4/4
change of weight	means the full transfer of body weight from one foot to the other
charleston	an American dance popular in the 1920s. It incorporates fast kicking steps and swivelling foot movements
chase	In Partner & Mixer Dance- A dance movement or pattern where one partner follows the other
chasse	a chasse is a series of two or three consecutive lateral steps, where the feet are closed on the second step, a sliding step in which one foot chasse and displace the other
clave	the beat that samba music and samba dances are performed to
choreographer	the person who arranges the sequence of steps that form a dance
choreography	the arrangement and sequence of steps which form a dance or dance routine that is set to music
choreographic devices	ways to manipulate movement material (repetition, retrograde, change of levels, change of force, change of rhythm, change of timing and speed, incorporative, inversion, change of staging, change of intention, change of facing, fragmentation, accumulation, use of canon, change of quality, change of background and almalgamation). There are 21 altogether.
closed facing position	a dance position in the normal hold, where the partners face each other
closed finish	the last part of a figure that ends with feet together
closed hold	partners facing each other with both hands in contact; arm positions are different for each dance
collage	a compositional structure consisting of bits and pieces of assorted materials brought together to make a whole
combination	a mixture of different patterns or choreography, or the act of mixing them
competition dancing	an extravagant style of dance, specially choreographed and specially dressed, designed for couples who wish to have their standard of dancing assessed by adjudicators
compositional structure	the way in which a dance is formed (e.g. binary, episodic, fugure and so on). The manner in which a dance is constructed or organized; a supporting framework or the essential parts of a dance (i.e. also called dance structures or compositional form)
connection	can be a physical point of contact or a way of communication with your partner
constituent features	the parts that make up the whole piece of choreography (e.g. aural setting, physical setting, number of dancers, theme, the choreographic devices, the movement material and so on). They are all the things you would use in dance appreciation
contra body movement (CBM)	Body turning the opposite hip ans shoulder towards the direction of the moving leg, it's what your body does in relation to your feet and is used to start turns. Also know as contrary body movement position (CBMP)
contra position	the dance position where the leader and the follower are both moving towards each other's left or right side, both using the same foot
contrast	to emphasise differences; in dance, two movements that differ in energy, space (size, direction, level), design (symmetrical and asymmetrical, open and closed), timing (fast and slow, even and uneven), themes or patterns
control	balance and stability throughout the body while you are dancing
corte	to cut' in Spanish, and the name given to several steps in ballroom dancing, a lunging move done on the spot in tango, or can be a back corte using SQQS rhythm
counterpart	the corresponding part to a figure danced by the partner
counter promenade position (CPP)	a V-shaped dance position with the follower on the leader's left side
counter weight	tension applied to a connection through the opposition of the partners' body weight
cuban motion	the characteristic movement of the hips found in the Latin dances
cucaarachas	a basic international figure consisting of side steps to the left and right. A useful 'holding pattern' dance until you decide what step may follow
cup & pin	In Partner & Mixer Dance- The Gent positions his L hand at waist level with his palm towards himself, the Lady curls her R fingers across his L hand and the Gent applies gentle pressure w/ his L thumb. There needs to be resistance in the hold by the Lady so the Gent can indicate the start of a move.
cut time	a term for the time signature of 2/4, representing two beats to every bar of music. The samba and tango are examples of music written in cut time, and it's notated in the time signature by a 'C' with a slash through it. Also called alla breve
dance patterns	the various steps and figures used in dancing make patterns on the floor that are called 'dance pattern'
dance phase	a partial dance idea composed of a series of connecting movements; similar to a sentence in the written form. It contains a beginning, a middle, an end and a high point
Dance-pop	a type of pop music that focuses on loud, pulsating beats and danceable melodies, dance-pop music developed after disco
dance position	the position of the dancers in relationship to each other when dancing
dance sequence	order in which a series of phrased movements and shape occurs
dancesport	The official name given to the sport of competitive ballroom dancing. These dances are governed by internationally recognized rules and are danced in amateur and professional competitions around the world. There are five International Standard and five International Latin dances
developpe	an 'unfolding' of the leg, mainly used in ballet, where the free foot is drawn up to the knee of the supporting leg, and then extended (or developed, unfolded) until the leg is completely straight.
diagonal movement	a movement that travels sideways and forward or back at the same time
direction	mostly applies to Ballroom dances which are described as 'moving' dances and must have correct directions around the ballroom
directional movement	this is the direction that you are going to be dancing in, a movement facing or backing a specific direction. There are three different directional movements, lateral (sideways), progressive (forwards or backwards) and diagonal (a combination of both)
downbeat	refers to the very first beat in a bar of music. It is also the downward movement made by a conductor to indicate the downbeat of a bar of music
drop	a fabulous dance move when the follower's body weight becomes supported by the leader, while at least one part of the follower's body remains in contact with the floor, normally the foot
dynamics	the different levels in the qualities of dancing, such as speed, mood and intensity. It can also mean the different levels of loudness and softness in a piece of music, and the way in which a performer reproduces them in performance
English style	an internationally recognized style of ballroom dancing
even rhythm	a steady pattern in which each count gets an equal time value, such as stepping on each beat
expression	the communication of character and emotion displayed by the dancer.
facing	how the alignments are described to specify movement that is backward, e.g. facing LOD, facing DC, FW, FC
fallaway position	a V-shaped dance position similar to promenade position (PP) but with the couple stepping backwards
fan	a basic figure used in the rumba and cha cha cha
fan position	an opened out dance position where the leader and follower stand at right angles, follower on the leader's L side. The leader holds the follower's R hand in his L hand
figure	the name given to a standardized step patter, which, together with other patterns, makes up the basis of a dance
flamenco	a style of Spanish gypsy performance that includes singing, dancing & guitar playing
flat	the foot is flat to the floor
flex	flexed knee means to bend your knee with your weight on it, also mean an inclined position of the foot that is achieved when the heel is still in contact with the floor, but the ball is not
floor craft	floor craft to dodge other couples and surprise obstacles while remaining in control and looking grateful, also include the anticipation of the direction of other couples may take and which routine they may take. Basically you must follow certain rules and go with the traffic flow.
focus	in general, a gathering of forces to increase the projection of intent. In particular, it refers to a dancer's liine of sight
following	follower has to react to the movements and signals given by the leader, through either physical and visual communication. The follower must carry oneself and one's weight in such a way that doesn't make the partner feel like dragging someone around the dance floor
footwork	the way the feet are used in a dance, generally means the part of the foot in contact with the floor on each step
foot positions	the placement of the feet relative to each other, e.g. LF fwd, RF side, etc
foot pressure	the application of pressure to the floor through the free foot placing partial body weight on it
foot rise	the ups and downs of the body are created through the use of the ankles and by lifting or rising up onto the balls of the feet
foxtrot	a ballroom dance with a SSQQ rhythm
fragmentation	using only part of a motif, isolating movements
frame	the position of the arms and upper body while in dance position
free foot, leg or hand	the foot or leg that doesn't hold all the body weight. It's the foot that's available to step onto or the hand that is not holding the partner
genre	a particular kind or style of dance, such as ballet, jazz, modern folk or tap
head snap	staccato head movement which is a quick, sharp turn of the head
heel	the part of the foot directly below the ankle and behind the arch, a heel step is to make a step and let the heel land first
heel lead	a step in which the heel touches the floor before the rest of the foot
heel turn	do a turn on the heel of the foot, used in the zig zag step in the quickstep. The turn begins when the free foot closes to the foot with weight on it and held parallel throughout the turn. The weight then transfers to the closing foot at the end of the turn
hesitation	a moment in which progression or travel around the room is held up for a bit and technically known as 'checked'. The weight is held on the foot that has the weight on it for one or more beat
hip action	a good hip action is the result of good foot, ankle, knee and leg action, not the actual shaking or wiggling of the hips. The hips should simply occur naturally because of how your legs are moving
hockey stick	a basic figure used in international rumba and cha cha cha. The forward step for the follower is the part of the hockey stick shape the curves at the end of the stick
improvisation	a performance that is made up step by step without being rehearsed
incorporative	adding new or incorporating different movments into a motif or phrase; a choreographic device
In-place	this instruction indicates that you should not travel backwards, forwards or sideways. It is also described as marking time
inside foot	the foot that's closet to your partner when you are in promenade, outside partner, or side-by-side position
instep	the part of the foot which is on the inside edge, btwn the ball and the heel
intension	the idea, emotion or theme behind the movement or dance
International Latin dances	these are the Cha Cha Cha, jive, paso doble, rumba and samba
International Standard dances	these are the quickstep, slow foxtrot, tango, Viennese waltz and waltz
inversion	movement performed laterally or upside down
isolated movement	movement executed with one body part or a small part of the body. Examples include rolling the head, shrugging the shoulders and rotating the pelvis
jazz	a type of popular music that originated in New Orleans in American around 1900
jitterbug	an older style of swing danced in single-rhythm, to very fast big band jazz music of the 1930s and 1940s
jive	originally brought to the UK by American Gis during the WWII. Even with its fast tempo, the Jive is still danced in triple-rhythm. The Jive is a non-progressive dance
kick ball change	kick your foot, land on the ball of the foot and then change weight, normally taken in a syncopated rhythm
lateral movement	simply a sideways movement
Lindy hop	a form of swing that was named after Charles Lindberg
line	a line that can be imaginary, like the LOD or the line created by the positioning of the body
Linking Arms	Pinwheel or R&L SS positions.
leading	leader, usually the man, leads the partnership. Leading requires an understanding of every step and change of step for each dance. The leader must be able to transmit his intentions to his partner and he must also understand the music in order to indicate on which beat of the music to start each dance
leg swing	the free movement of the leg with the hip as fulcrum, from one position to another
line of dance (LOD)	an imaginary line parallel with the wall along which the dance moves. It progresses in an anti-clockwise direction around the room, and in a rectangular room it turns 90 degrees at each corner
lock step	a dance step in which one leg and foot is pulled in tightly to lock behind the other
locomotion or travelling	a form of physical movement progressing from one place to another. Basic locomotion movements include walking, running, galloping, jumping, hopping, skipping, sliding and leaping
lowering	the lowering of the body to the heel and whole foot after being up on your toes or the balls of your feet, achieved through the use of your ankles and feet
Maracatu	a type of samba danced at carnivals and Mardi Gras
measure	as opposed to the measures in cooking or units of alcohol this measure is a unit of music that represents a group of consecutive beats. The time signature tells you the amount of beats in a bar or measure. It can also represent a whole phrase of a dance, not dissimilar to the rhythm or meter of a piece of poetry
Modern style ballroom	the old term for what's known now as the international standard style of ballroom dancing. *but it is still printed on the official certificate for dance teachers
moving foot or leg	the foot or leg that is active and doesn't carry the body weight
musical count	the time taken for each step when dancing to music, e.g. a slow count is when a step takes two beats and a quick count is when a step takes one beat
musicality	a dancer's or choreographer's attention and responsiveness to musical elements
natural opposite	when you and your partner mirror one another with the steps
natural turn	a dance step in which the partners turn to the man's right (clockwise)
nonweight change	an alternative action such as a tap, kick, or point etc, without shifting weight onto that foot
normal position	in each dance the couple must hold one another in a manner peculiar to that dance. The hold for the majority of the dance is referred to as the normal position. Variants will occur from time to time and will be defined as required
open figure	any figure without a closing or chasse action, which involves the continuous passing of the feet
open finish	the final step of a figure that ends with the feet passing
open hold	a hold in which the two bodies are slightly apart, as in most Latin dances
open position	any dance position where the couple stands apart, without taking a closed position dance hold
opposition	when you are in opposition, you move in the opposite direction of each other
ornamentation	adding embellishment to movements (e.g. wiggle fingers, add loops or zigzags to pathways)
outside foot	the foot that is the furthest away from your partner when in promenade, outside partner, or side-by-side positions
outside partner	a forwards step usually on the right foot to your left of both your partner's feet. It may also be left foot forwards to your right of both your partner's feet. *see also partner outside
partner outside	a backwards step on either foot where your partner is stepping forwards 'outside partner'. *see also outside partner
Paso Doble	a very dramatic Spanish style dance, with a 2/4 time signature, with the leader portraying the matador in a bullfight and the follower as the cape.
pattern	a small group of individual steps or movements
pencil turn	a turn on one foot, with the free foot held next to the standing foot in a parallel first position
phrase	a musical phrase is a sequence of notes that form a unit of melody within a piece of music. In dance, a phrase is a short sequence of dance steps or movements
physical setting	the physical parts of a dance (e.g. costume, set, an end and a high point)
Pinwhweel	Partners beside each other, hip to hip, to excute a turn around an axis between them
pivot	a turn on the ball of one foot with the other foot being kept in front or behind in CBMP
point	an extended position of the foot where the toe or ball is still in contact with the floor and the heel is lifted. Can also be directional: an instruction referring to the alignment of the feet, e.g. pointing your foot along the LOD
poise	the position of the body in relation to the feet
polka rhythms	step taken with a slight jumping action from ball of foot to ball of foot
pop	a genre of music that is appealing to a large audience of kids, teens, and young adults. The modern form of pop music originated in the 1950s and was based on rock 'n' roll. However, more recent pop music has other influences, including funk, hip-hop and disco
posture	the way a person holds and positions the body
practice hold	the hold with which to practise steps at first before taking a Close or Open Hold, also know as the double hand hold
preparation step (or just prep)	the step that precedes a new movement. It is also a term used for the starting foot, before starting to dance any step
principles of composition	the presence of unity, continuity (transitions) and variety (constrasts and repetition) in choreography
progressive dance	a dance that travels in the LOD, such as the waltz, foxtrot, polka, tango
progressive movement	movement that travels forward or backward
promenade	a walking step, different footwork and rhythm for each dance
promenade position	a dance position in which the dancer is ready to walk forwards
quick	a count which is equal to one beat of music, exactly ½ the time of 'slow'. *see also slow
Quickstep	an English style ballroom dance that is full of body swing movements and syncopated hops, kicks, skips, lock steps and chasse all at major speeds
R & B	rhythm and blues music. This music came out of the African American communities of the American South. The term R&B usually refers to soul and funk music
rear line of dance (RLOD)	facing or moving clockwise around the perimeter of the room
ragtime	a early form of jazz music
release technique	a style of modern dance that explores gravity, the weight of body, the natural ease of movement, energy, flow and even the pathways this takes through the body. This is a general term, although several schools of thought exist
repetition	duplication of a movement or movement's phrases within dance choreography
replace	after lifting one foot, put it down in the same location and transfer weight onto that foot
resistance	a balanced force btwn two dancing partners in a framed hold
retrograde	to reverse the order of a sequence of dance choreography
reverse turn	a dance step in which the partners turn to the man's left (anticlockwise)
rhythm	the pattern of sounds and silences within a piece of music, rhythm of a dance usually count as S and Q
rhythm break	a sideways group of steps using the basic rhythm of the dance but not closing the feet neatly
rolling count	the triple division of a beat, i.e. &a1 used to modify the timing between each beat
rond de jambe	a French term meaning round ofleg; an action where the leg draws a circular shape or pathway on the floor or in the air
rondo	a dance piece in which a section is repeated throughout the dance; this is similar to a chorus in a song
Rise & fall	the up and down feeling of the movement as you move through the steps.
rock 'n' roll	a type of pop music that evolved from a combination of blues, jazz, country,and gospel music. Also a type of dance belongs to the jive family derived from Lindy hop & jitterbug
rock step	a transfer or replacement of weight back and forth from one foot to the other, in place
routine	a sequence of dance steps
Rumba	know as the dance of love, this Latin American dance has a time signature 4/4, and is characterized by its sensual, provocative movements, its hot and horny hip action, flirtatious and teasing role play btwn the couple
Samba	an extremely rhythmical Brazilian party dance with a 2/4 time signature. The samba is noted for its distinct style of movement, which has loads of hip action and samba bounce
Samba bounce	samba bounce is rhythmical and achieved by the continuous flexing and straightening of the knees. There are two types of bounce, basic and alternative
samba roll	a move in samba dancing in which both partners in a couple stretch forwards and roll their upper bodies in a circle. Syllabus figures 26 & 27 are Natural Roll & Reverse Roll
sending foot	the foot that supports your body weight prior to taking a step, or weight change from one foot to the other
shadow position	a dance position where the leader and the follower are facing the same direction. One partner would either be directly in front of the other, or offset slightly to the left or right
shape	a position of the body or group of bodies in space, such as curved, straight, angular, twisted, symmetrical, asymmetrical and so on
shaping a dance	considering the aspects of form and structure when constructing a piece of choreography
shimmy	a dance move where the dancer shakes his or her hips or shoulders
shine position	a partner dance position that is facing, yet partners are standing apart without touching and shoulders parallel
shine step	a dance move in which one of a pair of salsa dancers breaks away to show off his or her skills in a solo performance
Side-by-side position	a dance position in which both dancers are facing the same way ready to dance in that direction
skipping steps	steps taken wight a slight forwards jump on the supporting foot as the other foot moves to its next position
slow	a count equal to two beats of music, exactly twice the time of a 'quick'. *see also quick
Slow Waltz	a dance with a ¾ time signature that developed from the much faster Viennese Waltz. Rise and fall and circular movement characterize the slow waltz
social dance	the type of dances used for social occasions such as weddings, holidays or a party. They should be simple, in smart style and the dancer should use small steps and keep awareness of other dancers
Social Foxtrot	Named after a music hall performer who went by the name of Harry Fox, who performed a trotting dance to ragtime at the Ziegfeld Follies way back in 1914. It was brought from America to the UK in 1915 and originally was quite a wild dance with loads of hops and kicks until the Brits calmed it down and made it smoother. It can be danced to any music with a 2/4 or 4/4 time signature
solo	a performance by one person
Son	the African-Caribbean and Latin rhythms from which salsa developed
spin	a very fast turn
spontaneous	natural and unplanned, International styles when danced in social context can also be spontaneous
spot dance	a dance done within a small area on the floor (as opposed to travelling in the LOD
spotting	spotting stops you getting dizzy when you have a load of turns to do. During the turn you focus on a fixed point turning the head at a faster speed than the body
staccato	a short, sharp move
staging	where a dancer is on stage (up stage, down stage, stage left, stage right)
step	the foot is picked up off the floor and placed fwd, back or side onto the floor changing the weight from one foot to the other. Also a term for a group of steps like the hockey stick
strech	to extend a limb or muscle to full length
sur place	French for 'on the spot, a figure in paso doble
supporting leg or foot	the leg or foot that takes all or some of the body weight
sweetheart position	a side-by-side partner dannce position with the leader on the left side and the follower on the right side. The follower's hands are placed with palms out in front of her shoulders. The leader's fingers lightly connect with the follower's fingers.
swing	a type of popular dance music based on jazz but played by big bands. Swing dancing include East Coast Swing and West Coast Swing, both derived from Lindy hop & jitterbug
swivel	a turn on the ball of one foot with the other foot being kept in front or behind in CBMP
syllabus	a summary of all the steps you need to learn for each dance medal or grade
syncopation	syncopation is variance of the basic rhythm either by changing the emphasis or interloping additional beats or omitting beats. 'Fast syncopation' in dance is when a string of rapidly interpolated steps are inserted into the basic rhythmic pattern
Tango	in the international ballroom styles the tango is danced to a 2/4 time signature.
tap	a dance in which each step is marked by a clicking noise, made by the metal part of the dancer's shoes (taps) on the floor
tap step	a dance step where the toe of one foot taps alongside the other foot
technique	the dancer's physical skills that enable him or her to execute the steps and movements required in different dances. Different styles, or genres of dance often have specific techniques
tempo	the speed of a piece of music or a dance, measured in beats per minute. It's really important that the speed or tempo is right for the specific dance you want to do
time signature	a sign used in music to show meter, represented by a fraction in which the upper figure shows beats per measure and the lower figure shows each beat's time value
travelling step	a step that moves the dance around the floor
toe	in footwork description, toe can mean stepping onto the ball of the foot with the heel off the floor
toe heel	the footwork used on a lowering action or backwards step
toe release	releasing the toe (ball of foot) from the floor while stepping onto the heel on a backwards walk
top line	the line created by the upper part of the body
triple step	three steps, or weight changes, taken within two beats of music
turn	a rotational type movement left or right
turned out	a foot position, where the toes point outwards, away from each other
underarm turn	a turn that occurs under jointed hands above the head
underlying beat	the most reliable cue in any music that provides a consistent tempo and represents the smallest division of time in the music, typically provided by the drumbeat
uneven rhythm	a recurring patter without an equal time value to each step, or weight change
unison	identical dance movement that takes place at the same time in a group
upbeat	the even-numbered beats, i.e. two and four, within 4/4 time music
variation	variations are step patterns that have been modified and are either non-standard or non-syllabus and can be individual to each couple
variety	a quantity or range of different things. To maintain audience interest, the choreographer must provide variety within the development of the dance. Contrasts in the use of space, force and spatial designs as well as some repetition of movements and motifs provide variety
Viennese waltz	a fast ballroom dance in which the couples turn constantly, often associated with the music of Johann Strauss II
Waltz	a ballroom style dance that first developed in Vienna as a fast paced dance to the Strauss music of the time, now called the Viennese waltz and later developed into the slow or social social. Time signature is ¾
weight	a term that expresses quality of movement and literal force; it is often spoken about when considering how to give the body weight and take another person in a support of lift
weight change	a step or transfer of weight from one foot to the other
West Coast Swing	a swing dance characterized by its smooth and linear style that has a time signature of 4/4
whip	a figure that whips the follower from one side of the leader to the other, and back again
whisk	a dance step where one foot is crossed behind the other, counting and rhythm may be different for each dance