Performance Dance

Performance dance is a major category or classification of dance forms or dance styles, where performance is the primary focus of the dancing.

Almost any type of dance may be danced for the purpose of performance. However the following dance forms or styles are traditionally considered specific for this category:

• Ballet

• Ballroom dance

• Belly dance

• Cabaret

• Character dance

• 20th century concert dance

• Historical dance

• Jazz

• Modern dance

• Musical theatre

• Pole dance

• Striptease

Free Dance

Free dance is a 20th century dance form that preceded Modern dance.

Rebelling against the rigid constraints of Classical ballet, Loie Fuller, Isadora Duncan and Ruth St. Denis developed their own styles of free dance and laid the foundations of American modern dance with their choreography and teaching. In Europe Rudolf Laban, Emile Jaques-Dalcroze and Francois Delsarte developed their own theories of human movement and methods of instruction that lead to the development of European modern and Expressionist dance.

Ballroom Dance

Ballroom dance is a style of partner dance which originated in the western world, and is now enjoyed both socially and competitively in many parts of the world. Its performance and entertainment aspects are also widely enjoyed on stage, in film and on television.

The definition of "Ballroom Dance" depends on the epoque. We all know of or have heard of balls that featured Quadrille, Polonaise, Pas de Gras, Mazurka and many other exciting dances, which today are placed into the category of Historical dances.

In times past ballroom dancing was "social dancing" of privileged classes, leaving "folk dancing" for other folks. Today ballroom dancing is much more democratic, and the boundaries between once polarized ballroom and folk dances become less evident. Notice, however, that even in times long gone many "ballroom" dances were elevated folk dances.

Ballroom dancing has been in continual use as a social art form since its beginning with one exception in the 20th Century: dance historians usually mark the appearance of the Twist in the mid 1960s as the end of social partner dancing, and they say that the Latin brought it back in the late 1970s.

Today one may speak of "Competitive Ballroom" dancing, with its competitions, schools, societies and books of technique, and of "Social Ballroom" dancing, with emphasis on having fun.

Competitive Dance

Competitive dance is a major category or classification of danceforms or dance styles, where competition is the primary focus of the dancing.

This compares to other major dance categories based on purpose: Ceremonial dance, Erotic dance, Participation dance, Performance dance, Social dance

While many people view this style of dance as a recreational activity, it should more likely by viewed as a sport. In common with other athletes, dancers must be in good physical condition. Dancing requires strength, stamina and flexibility. Competition requires these physical attributes to an even higher extent.

Dance schools often participate in dance competitions, by sponsoring teams that go to regional and national competitions. Competitive dancing requires dedication as there may be many months spent on developing and practicing routines. During the competition dancers perform in front of judges, who evaluate their efforts, and give them a score. The scores are added up, and a medal is rewarded.

A routine (part of performance) may get a bronze, a high bronze, a silver, a high silver, a gold, or a high gold medal. Judges also put together the scores of all the routines, and give additional awards to routines that placed in the top five of their category. Routines are placed in categories based on the average age of the dancers, the type of dance they are doing and how many people are in the dance.

For this reason a new term, DanceSport, was coined and the International DanceSport Federation (IDSF) was established. IDSF promotes dance sport, sets standard rules, sanctions competitions. The Amateur Athletic Union sponsors tournament in the United States.

A number of other international dance organizations promote various forms of dance as competitive activity and as sport.

Most ballroom dances were social and/or folk dances before being formalized as ballroom dances, and many of these dances are still danced as social and folk dance.

Coming from classifying dances in competitions, the following divisions of contemporary ballroom dance are recognized: International Standard and International Latin. In addition, American Smooth, and American Rhythm are widely popular in the USA. The former two divisions are called International Style and the latter two are American Style.

Australia also has a division called New Vogue and is often referred to as 'Australian New Vogue'. It is danced both competitively and socially. In competition there are 15 recognised New Vogue dances which are performed by the competitors in sequence.

As a historical curiosity, ballroom dancing competitions in the former USSR included the Soviet Ballroom dances, or Soviet Programme in addition to Standard dances and Latin dances.

As you may see below, both styles include dances with the same names, however they are danced quite differently. Therefore in discussing dance technique, the dance is named including its style, e.g., we speak of American Style Rumba vs. International Rumba or American Tango vs. International Tango. In a way, "Standard" matches "Smooth" and "Latin" matches "Rhythm".

International Standard is sometimes called International Ballroom or Modern Ballroom.

Standard and Smooth dances are characterized by travelling: couples travel around the dance floor (along the line of dance, typically counter-clockwise). Time may be 2/4, 4/4, 3/4 or 6/8 .

Most "Latin" and "Rhythm" dances are Stationary, i.e., do not travel much, with the exception of Samba and Paso Doble. Time is 2/4 or 4/4.