List of DanceSport dances

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.

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. [Picart, 89-90, 92-96]

tandard

Rhythm

ee also

*Soviet Ballroom dances

References

*cite web|url=http://www.idsf.net/dancesport_competitions/idsf_comp_rules_2005.doc|title=IDSF Competition Rules 2005|format=Microsoft Word document|publisher=International DanceSport Federation|accessdate=October 10|accessyear=2006
*cite book |last=Picart |first=Caroline Joan |title=From Ballroom to Dancesport: Auesthetics, Athletics, and Body Culture |year=2006 |publisher=State University of New York |location=Albany |id=ISBN 978-0-7914-6629-2
*cite web|url=http://www.wddsc.com/granted-titles/rules/index08e.htm|title=WD&DSC Competition Rules|publisher=World Dance and DanceSport Council|accessdate=October 10|accessyear=2006
*cite web|url=http://documents.usabda.org/1341/2880/2006_2007_Rulebook_11_05_05.pdf|title=2006-2007 USA DanceSport Rulebook|format=PDF document|publisher=United States Amateur Ballroom Dancers Association|accessdate=October 10|accessyear=2006

Notes