What is it called when they dance. Types of dances names. Types of folk dances

We tried to make a classification of dance types with the ability to describe each dance direction (links with the name of the dances are clickable). This classification of dance types will be updated and supplemented over time and with the addition of new styles and types of dance.

Main directions

Among the various dance styles and directions that exist today, the following, the most popular and well-known, can be named:

Ballet

● classic;

● romantic;

● modern.

Ethnic (folk) dances that reflect the essence and rituals, traditions and ceremonies of certain peoples. Among them the following groups are distinguished:

● European;

● Asian (Eastern);

● African;

● Latin American.

Each of them contains different kinds folk dances: group, individual, pairs and others.

Historical dances

These are dances popular in past eras and performed today, for example, ballo, contradanse, polonaise and others.

Ballroom dancing

Includes two main programs: European And Latin American.

Here are the names of the types of dances included in the Latin program:

The following types of dances are performed in the standard European program:

Let us dwell in more detail on each of them, as they had a great influence on the formation and development of many styles and directions of modern dance art.

Free dance

This is, first of all, a special worldview of the performer, formed under the influence of Nietzsche’s ideas. The performer, denying the canonical rules of ballet choreography, sought to combine dance and real life, manifesting himself as a liberated spirit of creativity. It is on the basis free style such trends as modern and butoh, jazz-modern and contemporary emerged and developed.

Modern

Originating at the beginning of the century, this dance style is very popular today and is one of the leading ones in the Western choreographic school. Just like free dance, modernity denies any ballet norms and strives to embody a variety of forms on stage, using new original methods. It is characterized by semantic content, a wide range of movements, high jumps and flexibility, “broken” poses and movements, unusual for ballet choreography, and various twists.

Contemporary dance

It is quite reasonable to say that such popular late XIX and the beginning of the 20th century, styles such as free dance and modern served as the basis for the formation of such a direction as contemporary (contempo). This dance, as an art form, offers the dancer, through various choreographic styles, to demonstrate as fully as possible in improvisation all his internal emotions and resources.

Jazz Modern

The main feature of this direction is the combination of jazz improvisational rhythms and energy, coordination and work with the body and breath of a modern performer, as well as movements inherent in the classical ballet school. Thus, the body of a modern jazz dancer becomes another musical instrument, manifesting melody through the plasticity of his own body.

Butoh

This is one of the youngest dance techniques, which appeared in the fifties of the 20th century in Japan. Butoh, despite its rather long existence, remains the most difficult to understand for people in the Western world today. It is based on the cultural, philosophical, religious and aesthetic values of the Land of the Rising Sun. This dance seeks to show the mundane nature of everyday life. ordinary person, and to conceptualize and demonstrate the body and its capabilities in space and time.

Contemporary dance of the late 20th and early 21st centuries

The whole variety of modern dances can, of course, be divided into two large groups:

● street;

Street dance

Hip-hop and Krump, popping and locking, breakdancing and C-walk - all these are the names of types of dances that were “born” not on stages and in choreographic studios, but on the streets and courtyards of megacities, discos and clubs.

Most of them are based on hip-hop. In street style, the performer is not limited to any form and can safely improvise and experiment, creating an individual and unique pattern of movements, as well as interact with both other dancers and the audience. They are extremely rare in their “pure” form, and for the most part they began to be performed in clubs rather than on the streets, which is why they often fall into the club category.

Here are the most popular and common directions:

● Ragga (ragga) and many others

It is impossible to list all types of dances. List of titles modern styles and directions is constantly changing and supplemented. Today, dancing is not only a plastic art, but also a fairly common sport.

Dance Sport

If in earlier times dancing was perceived only as an art form, then the complication of technical and choreographic requirements for performance has led to the need for excellent physical fitness for those who do it.

Today, the main types of sports dances are, first of all, ballroom. Their peculiarity is that partners perform a set of certain mandatory movements and figures to predetermined music. Ballroom dances evaluated at competitions consist of European and Latin American programs, as well as double-event (competitions of 10 dances).

Over time, new musical and choreographic styles and directions appear. And now they're like that modern views sports dances such as breaking or locking, jumpstyle or pole dancing are attracting more and more fans from different age groups. To participate in competitions in these areas, athletes need not only excellent choreographic, but also physical preparation.

What type of activity can be in a good way to keep yourself in good shape and have fun at the same time? Of course it's dancing! For some it is just a passion and favorite hobby, for others it is a profession, and for others it is a way to gain new skills and gain self-confidence. If you want to join the ranks of dancers and choose a dance to your liking, we will tell you what types of modern dances are especially popular now.

Waltz

This graceful and elegant dance was first presented to the public in mid-19th century and spread widely thanks to the music of the famous composer Johann Strauss. It is characterized by slow, smooth movements and long turns. Waltzing couples look as if they are gliding effortlessly across the parquet floor.

Now the waltz is considered the gold standard of ballroom dance and its most common style for learning among the population.

Tango

Perhaps everyone has heard about such a reverent dance as the Argentine tango. The popularity of tango in the 21st century has only increased thanks to its popularization in the films “Let's Dance,” “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” “Scent of a Woman” and others. In tango, a man and a woman express their passion and deep feelings for each other.

The movements in this dance are free, rhythmic and sharp. Tango is considered one of the most passionate dances due to the nature of the music that accompanies it and the intimacy of the dance between partners.

Foxtrot

A beautiful romantic dance that has become one of the most popular ballroom dances in history. It is based on fairly simple combinations of slow and fast dance steps, walking and lateral, and is characterized by ease and fluidity of movement.

Foxtrot is danced mainly to swing music, although you can experiment with musical accompaniment.

Rumba

Rumba is considered one of the sexiest ballroom dances and, in addition, is also a popular social dance - one that is used not only in dance competitions, but also as a form of leisure. Rumba is characterized by very slow, fluid movements of the hips and heavy offensive steps.

This dance is interesting to watch, because it is built on passion and sensuality, and carries the theme of flirting: a woman in the dance flirts with a man, and then rejects him, but the man still tries to win her heart.

Salsa

This type of modern dance came from Cuba. Sensual and energetic salsa can be performed with improvisational elements, but usually the choreography is done in advance. It is most often danced to salsa music, although many people also dance it to Latin music.

Salsa, in turn, is divided into other types: linear and circular. The first is danced along one line, and the second around its axis.

Paso Doble

The paso doble depicts a bullfight - a man plays the role of a fearless matador, and a woman plays his cape, or less often, another matador or a bull. In the paso doble, there is one step for each count, which is reminiscent of the “one-two” marching steps, and in Spanish “paso doble” just means “double step.”

Paso Doble is characterized by theatricality and passion. The movements in this dance are sharp and clear, imbued with a sense of dignity, confidence and arrogance, with straight shoulders and a high head.

Belly dance

Belly dancing, or oriental dance, is popular not only in Arab countries and the Middle East, but also here. There are about 50 different styles of oriental dance.

It's not only beautiful view dance, but also a great way to keep yourself in good shape thanks to the appropriate load on the abdominal muscles. This flexible type of dance is characterized by swaying hips, undulating belly movements and smooth arm movements.

Modern

Speaking about the types of modern dances, one cannot help but recall modern dance. It arose as an opposition to ballet and places more emphasis on the mood, emotions of the dancer and his own interpretations than on structured choreography.

Modern music is often performed barefoot. It is also contrasted with ballet in that modern dancers often use the weight of their bodies in dance to emphasize some moment, drama - in ballet, dancers always keep themselves on their feet easily and smoothly.

Jazz

Jazz, along with modern, represents types of modern dances with a basis in the form of ballroom technique and is similar to it in that when performing this style, the dancer demonstrates his own originality and interprets all movements in his own unique style.

It is an energetic and fun dance, with unique movements, fancy footwork, big jumps and sharp turns, so a jazz dancer must have ballet training to achieve stability and grace in the movements.

Brakedance

The presented types of modern dances would be incomplete without hip-hop dance styles, which originated from the corresponding musical direction that appeared in the 1970s. Breakdancing was formed along with hip-hop music back in the early stages development and is the oldest of all hip-hop dances.

The component levels of this style are top-rock (running before the lower level of breaking, performing elements on the floor), footwork (footwork), power moves (power rotational movements and torsion) and freeze (the dancer freezes in some position for a while). All levels, in turn, consist of a wide variety of individual elements.

Performing this dance requires good physical fitness, endurance, flexibility and stretching.

Crump

Crump was formed in disadvantaged areas of the United States against the backdrop of street violence and robbery. It is common to think that krump is enough aggressive look dance, although it rather expresses strength rather than aggression.

The movements in krump are sharp, concentrated, fast and very energetic. As in other hip-hop styles, krump dancers often organize dance matches - battles in which they compete in technique and general dance skill.

Locking

Locking owes its origins to the American dancer Don Campbell. One day he decided to show his friends how different styles he learned and began to dance improvisations, sometimes stopping when he didn’t know what else to do. These intermittent movements were called “locks”, and the style was called locking (from the English “lock” - “castle”).

In addition to such movements, this type of modern dance is characterized by splits and hand clapping.

Popping

Popping, a style that appeared along with locking in the 70s of the last century, also represents types of modern hip-hop dances.

The name comes from English word“pop”, which means clap - the dancer compresses and unclenches his muscles while performing different parts body, imitating a sharp shudder. Although the main movement of popping is the same “pop”, this dance is also divided into types, including many different techniques.

Reggaeton

Reggaeton is an incendiary dance mixture that contains such types of modern dances as dancehall, hip-hop and reggae. The style originally originated in Panama and Puerto Rico. The daring and erotic movements of reggaeton in Lately does not leave the public indifferent - in just a few years he has achieved unprecedented popularity, and reggaeton groups are jam-packed in dance studios.

Ballroom, street, and many other types of modern dances do not lose their popularity and continue to win the attention of active people all over the world. If you also want to learn to dance, choose a direction based on your personal preferences in music, dance tempo and possible level physical activity required to master a specific dance style.

Even in ancient centuries, people who did not know how to write, count or speak correctly expressed their emotions, feelings and desires through ritual dances. This is human nature, which became the ancestor of modern dance. With the development of humanity, many types of dances began to appear, which became more diverse and refined. This type of creativity is developing to this day. Contemporary dance is about self-expression through rhythmic movements and emotional delivery to music. In this article, let's look at what types of dances there are.

Ballroom

Ballroom dancing is a group of various dances performed in pairs. They, in turn, are divided into two programs: Latin American and European. Let's take a closer look at what kind of dances there are in this group:

Waltz is a dance that gained its popularity at the end of the 18th century in Europe, causing a storm of protest among conservative Englishmen. Until this time, a woman and a man had never embraced in dance. However, this dance survived persecution, striking everyone with its grace and beauty. Today, the waltz is considered a classic, and its varieties are included in the European ballroom dancing program.
The Viennese Waltz is a very sophisticated ballroom dance that has been very popular in Europe for many years. It is part of the European program for ballroom dancing. This dance includes seven figures alternating with each other.
3. Argentine tango - combines a dozen different styles of performance. Initially, this dance gained its popularity in Argentina, and then throughout the world. Argentine tango is a very lively and emotional dance, and one of its varieties is constantly used in the ballroom program.
Quickstep is a ballroom dance that is compulsory in the European program. The quickstep or fast foxtrot combines dancers' sliding steps, jumping, bending and quickly changing positions. This is a dance with a very lively rhythm, requiring mobility and lightness from the dancers, and has a musical time signature of 4/4.
Rumba is a ballroom dance, originally from Cuba, that makes up the Latin American program. Its peculiarity is the smooth, sensual and erotic movements, as well as the wide steps characteristic of this dance.
Foxtrot - this dance is included in the European ballroom program, starting from class C. It appeared in the United States in 1912 and is named after Harry Fox. Foxtrot is characterized by alternating slow and fast steps, creating a wide variety of variations. This dance is considered difficult to perform due to the complex nature of the movements.
Cha-cha-cha is a Cuban dance that makes up the Latin American program in ballroom dancing. A fast, cheerful, playful dance, it is considered the youngest of all in the program, and is performed starting from class N. Having learned a few movements of this incendiary dance, you will be able to pleasantly surprise and delight all your friends and loved ones.

Folk dances

Folk dance is folklore performed in certain traditions characteristic of a given area, having certain costumes, music and movements. The varieties or styles of dances are very diverse, differing from each other historical significance. Any folk dance began its formation in the distant past, under the influence of the traditions of its people. Let's take a closer look at what kind of dances there are in this group:

Hopak is a well-known and very widespread Ukrainian dance in 2/4 time signature. He dances very energetically and fervently, with squats, swings and trick elements. A mandatory attribute of this dance is men's trousers.
Quadrille is a Russian dance performed in pairs. It gained its greatest popularity in the 19th century. The ancestor of this dance is considered to be the French quadrille, which became widespread throughout the world. Today there are several varieties of this dance, for example: Ukrainian, Russian, French and Latin American square dance.
The Gigue is a very old dance, originally performed to the accompaniment of a violin. Western Europe. At first, the size of this dance was 4/4, later various variations began to appear, for example 6/8. The jig is considered a dance of Irish peasants, performed mainly with the feet, and was later adopted by English sailors.
Tarantella is an Italian folk dance performed both in pairs and solo. It is very elegant, rhythmic, graceful, performed at an accelerating tempo and has a fiery, Italian character.
Mazurka is a Polish, very rhythmic dance with a very fast tempo. It originated from Polish peasants and spread throughout Europe in the 19th century.
Bolero is a passionate Spanish dance that originated in 18th century Spain. Traditionally, the melody for it is performed on the guitar using castanets.
Cancan is a very energetic dance that originated in France in the early 20th century. At one time it was considered an obscene dance and was not performed publicly. However, gradually the cancan turned into a comic and very cheerful dance. Bright smiles and fiery music were loved by the audience different countries.
Polka is a folk dance that originated in the Czech Republic in the 19th century and is in 2/4 time. The name of the dance comes from the Czech word - half, thanks to the small steps performed in the dance.

The most popular folk dance styles today are oriental dance and Spanish flamenco. There are many dance schools in which these dances are very popular.

Modern dance

Modern choreography is characterized by a wide variety of directions. Plastic movements, rhythmic music, expressive emotions are embodied in modern dances. Let's take a closer look at some popular dance styles.

Breaking is a street dance that originated in New York. This dance is generally divided into upper and lower breaks. The performance requires dancers to have agility and good physical fitness, as well as a good sense of rhythm and plasticity.
Hip hop is by far the most popular dance in youth culture. Street philosophy supplemented this dance with some elements of break, jazz, and pop. Its characteristic features are improvisation and experimentation.
Jazz is a harmonious mixing of various dance styles. It originated from indigenous African-American dance in the 20th century. The dance is performed to jazz music both solo and in a group.

In addition to the main dance styles that we have considered, there are very young and recently emerged modern dance styles that are already very popular among young people, these are: go-go, table and strip plastic.

There are a large number of types of couple dances that can bring great pleasure.

Many girls today choose hip-hop, ballet, tap or jazz. However, if you want to expand your horizons, try couples dancing!

Want to dance with a partner? Then read my selection of the best dance styles!

One of my favorite couples dances!

Swing is a broad concept and includes several types, including West Coast swing, East Coast swing, Lindy hop, blues, Charleston, shag and Balboa.

Most of them are fast and energetic. But the blues is slower and more sensual. However, they are all quite fun, and you will definitely love them!

Salsa is another social dance that is very easy to learn.

If you want something charged with Latin sensuality, then choose this one!

Today, many dance clubs teach salsa, and some also teach merengue and bachata.

3. Sports ballroom dancing

Sports ballroom includes many types, including waltz, tango, foxtrot, Viennese waltz and quickstep.

They often host competitions, so if you have a competitive spirit, now you know what to choose!

4. Latin American dances

Latin American is also competitive, meaning there are multiple competitions. These include jive, rumba, cha-cha-cha, paso doble and samba, among others.

They are usually taught together with sports ballroom dancing.

5. American smooth

American ballroom dancing is very similar to international dancing. However, as a rule, they are performed in a more relaxed manner and with minor changes in basic movements. They have a greater social bias and are not competitive.

6. American rhythm

American options Latin American dances also have some similarities with international ones, but may not be included in competitions.

Typical American rhythms are swing (similar to international jive), cha-cha, bolero, mambo and rumba.

Again, if you prefer social dancing, then this is just for you!

7. Argentine tango

Argentine tango is one of the most sensual couple dances. It is unlikely to remind you of classical or American tango.

American tango is believed to symbolize the beginning of a relationship when you experience passion. Latin reflects the next stage when you can't keep your hands off each other. Well, the classic one shows a relationship 20 years later, where you can hardly stand each other.

Apart from modeling the stages of human relationships, these varieties of tango have little in common. So if you want to dance with your loved one, then I would recommend Argentine tango!

I love to dance, and I received a lot of positive emotions while learning.

What kind of couples dances do you like?

Ballroom dance must be performed in pairs. Such dances today are usually called standardized sports dances performed at dance competitions and special events. Today in the world of dance there are two main classifications, together consisting of ten dance styles: European and Latin American programs. Read more about dancing below.

History of ballroom dance

The origin of the concept of “ballroom dance” comes from Latin word"ballare" meaning "to dance". In past times, such dances were secular and intended only for high-ranking people, while folk dances remained for the poor. Since then, such a class division in dance, of course, no longer exists, and many ballroom dances are actually ennobled folk dances. In particular, modern ballroom dancing has been greatly influenced by the culture of African and Latin American peoples.

What is called ballroom dance depends on the era. At balls in different time Various dances were presented, such as polonaise, mazurka, minuet, polka, quadrille and others, which are now considered historical.

In the 1920s, the Ballroom Dancing Council was founded in Great Britain. Thanks to his activities, ballroom dance then acquired a competition format and began to be divided into two groups - sports and so-called social dances. The program included: waltz, tango, as well as slow and fast types of foxtrot.

During the period of the 30s - 50s, the number of dances increased: the program included such paired Latin American dances as rumba, samba, cha-cha-cha, paso doble and jive. However, in the 60s, ballroom dancing ceased to be an ordinary entertainment, since it required certain technical training from the dancers, and was supplanted by a new dance called the twist, which did not need to be danced in pairs.

European program dances

The program of European dances, or Standard, includes: slow waltz, tango, foxtrot, quickstep and Viennese waltz.

Slow waltz

In the 17th century, the waltz was a folk dance in Austrian and Bavarian villages, and only at the beginning of the 19th century was it introduced at balls in England. It was considered vulgar back then because it was the first ballroom dance where a dancer could hold his partner so close to him. Since then the waltz has taken many different forms, but each of them is united by unique elegance and romantic mood.

The peculiarity of the waltz is the musical size in three quarters and a slow tempo (up to thirty beats per minute). You can master its basic figures at home on your own.

Tango is a ballroom dance that originated in Argentina at the end of the 19th century. At first, tango was part of the Latin American dance program, but then it was transferred to the standard European program.

Perhaps, having seen tango at least once, subsequently everyone will be able to recognize this dance - this assertive, passionate manner cannot be confused with anything. A feature of tango is a sweeping step over the entire foot, which distinguishes it from the classic “flow” from heel to toe.

Slow foxtrot

The Foxtrot is a relatively simple ballroom dance that gives beginners an excellent foundation for further development. Foxtrot can be danced at a slow, medium or fast tempo, which allows even beginners without special skills to move gracefully across the floor. The dance is quite easy to learn from scratch.

The main feature of the foxtrot is the alternation of fast and slow rhythms, but always the smoothness and lightness of the steps, which should give the impression that the dancers are fluttering over the hall.

Quickstep

Quickstep appeared in the 20s of the XX century as a combination of foxtrot and Charleston. Musical groups of that time played music that was too fast for the foxtrot movements, so they were modified into the quickstep. Since then, as it has evolved, this ballroom dance has become even more dynamic, allowing dancers to show off their technique and athleticism.

The quickstep combines many different elements such as chassis, progressive turns and steps, to name a few.

The Viennese Waltz is one of the oldest ballroom dances, which is performed at a fast tempo that characterizes the first waltzes. The golden age of the Viennese waltz in Europe occurred at the beginning of the 19th century, when the famous composer Johann Strauss still lived and worked. The popularity of this waltz rose and fell, but it never went out of fashion.

The size of the Viennese waltz is the same as that of the slow one, it is three quarters, and the number of beats per second is twice as large - sixty.

Latin dances

The Latin American dance program is usually represented by the following sports ballroom dances: cha-cha-cha, samba, rumba, jive and paso doble.

Samba

This ballroom dance is considered the national dance of Brazil. The world began to discover samba in 1905, but this ballroom dance became a sensation in the United States only in the 40s thanks to the singer and movie star Carmen Miranda. Samba has many varieties, for example, the samba danced at Brazilian carnivals and the ballroom dance of the same name are not the same thing.

Samba combines many of the movements that distinguish other Latin American ballroom dances: there are circular movements of the hips, “springy” legs, and measured rotations. However, it is not very popular for learning: the fast pace of performance and the need for physical preparation often deprive beginning dancers of enthusiasm.

The name of this dance is a reference to the sounds that dancers make with their feet while dancing to the maracas rhythm. The dance evolved from rumba and mambo dance. Mambo was widespread in the United States, but its fast music was very difficult to dance to, so Cuban composer Enrique Jorin made the music slower - and the cha-cha-cha dance was born.

A special feature of the cha-cha-cha is the so-called triple step on two counts. This feature made the cha-cha-cha a separate dance, distinguishing it from mambo, although other movements are quite similar to this style. The cha-cha-cha is also characterized by minimal movement around the hall; basically, this ballroom dance is performed almost in one place.

Rumba has quite rich history- it arose simultaneously and how musical genre, and as a dance style whose roots go back to Africa. Rumba is a very rhythmic and complex dance that has given rise to many other dance styles, including salsa.

Previously, this Latin American dance was considered too vulgar due to its relaxed movements. It is still called the dance of love. The mood of the dance can change during its performance - from measured to aggressive. The performance style is reminiscent of mambo and cha-cha-cha styles. The main measures of rumba are QQS or SQQ (from English S - “slow” - “slow” and Q - “quick” - “fast”).

"Paso doble" means "two steps" in Spanish, which defines its marching nature. It is a powerful and rhythmic dance characterized by a straight back, eyebrow gaze and dramatic poses. Among many other Latin American dances, Paso Doble is notable for the fact that you will not find African roots in its origin.

This Spanish folk dance was inspired by bullfighting, with the man invariably portraying the matador tamer and the woman playing the role of his cape or bull. However, when performing a paso doble at dance competitions, the partner never portrays a bull - only a cape. Due to its stylization and large quantity According to the rules, this ballroom dance is practically not performed outside of dance competitions.

Jive

Jive originated in African American clubs in the early 40s. The word "jive" itself means "misleading chatter" - a popular slang word among African Americans of the time. US military personnel brought the dance to England during World War II. There, jive was adapted to British pop music and took the form it has today.

A characteristic feature of jive is the fast pace of the dance, thanks to which the movements come out springy. Another feature of jive is straight legs. This sporty ballroom dance can be danced on either a six-beat count or an eight-beat count.