adagio

(at) slow music

alemana

lady turns clockwise under her right hand (ccc and rumba)

allegro

(on) fast music

alteración (AT)

alteration, change of direction during the pass

appèl

appeal on the ground, sounding stomp foot (full weight) on the floor. (Military: obey call)

ball change

two (fast, syncopated) steps on the ball of the alternating foot

ballroom

stately graceful dance around the floor

bamboleo

surge, swing

bandoneon

accordion that came over from Germany to Argentina, typical to Argentine music

barrida (AT)

'sweep', with brushing along the bafoot of the other

beat

accent in the rhythm of the music

bebop

jazz form from the years 40-50 (no dance style)

boleo (AT)

change of direction in the axis e.g. backward ocho to forward makes backward boleo (= throw lasso, which moves like swinging leg).

bongo

hand drums (usually 2 together), under side open

bootcamp

training week (end) without luxury, so named after sports training of U.S. Army

bounce

back spring, typical samba movement with knee and hip stretched to springs up somewhat

box (step)

6 steps in a rectangle (or square) shapeon the floor

BPM

beats per minute, beats (accents) per minute

brush

bring the moving foot to the standing one without weight transfer

BULDO

Belgian Union of Teachers of Dance and Manners

caller

dance leader in country dancing indicating moves

cavaquinho

ukulele -like instrument with 4 strings

CBM

Contrary body movement: turning starter by crossed the coordination of the body relative to the legs (like winding up to move back)

chassé

(mostly) sideways movement: side- close - side (locking)

check

short, highlighted interruption of a movement with the foot at the beginning of a pass (with weight), which then flows in the reverse direction

choreography

description (and think of) dance moves

clapshold

lady 'flips' (actually flattes) for ballroom dancing her right hand into the left of the gentleman, fingers closed

claves

two hardwood sticks as a percussion instrument

conga

with hand or fingers played, about 70 cm high (wood) drum, open at the bottom

corrida (A. T.)

acceleration in running

cortado (AT)

is broken step in double- speed (initially a stop)

country

country folk music of white Americans

cross body lead

basic cross, man steps aside and turns 90° to let the lady straight pass by

cruzar (cruze) (A. T.)

crosses, the cross step

cuban break

double hold at shoulder height, both one foot quickly traverse in the same direction, fall back to the other and place back the first again, then the same in mirror

cuban motion

hip rotation by bending and stretch knees

cuca

short for cucaracha, which is sometimes too long as instruction in class or while dancing

cucaracha

(cockroach) rapid sideways and back, body remains above the standing leg, hips draw an 8, the outgoing heel follows with a 0 (or 'side break)

cumbia

Colombian music and dance style with Spanish and African roots, lots of percussion

cunita (AT)

wobble step, only move some weight, feet stay on the spot, at a normal pace

doo-wop

a cappella music from the '20s (U.S.), vocal

double hold

both hands holding the right on the left

enchufla (salsa)

position change, revolve 180° around each other while (hand) hold

enrosque (AT)

'roll’ yourself, swing free leg around stand leg to revolve yourself while standing on one leg

fallaway

V - shaped dance position as Promenade, but walking backwards

fan (position)

ccc, rumba, lady left and perpendicular to the gent. Man left, lady right hand

fleckerl

Viennese waltz, quick revolving move in the middle of the floor

flick

(tap) kick your foot toward your buttocks (slightly tilted towards standing leg)

frame

framework. Fixed position of the arms, shoulders and upper body at Ballroom

gancho (AT)

hook with your free leg to a leg of the other

giro(AT)

twist, the lady around the gentleman, or both around a centerpiece

glissade

(ballet) sliding pass

guira

percussion instrument, cylindrical metal grate scraped with a fork

hand to hand

as a New Yorker, but with the foot on the open side you step outside backwards instead of inside forward

handshake

both give right hand, such as shaking hands

heelturn

twist with closed feet on one heel (2 heels toghether cannot, there is always only one pivot point!)

hip twist

rotate hips according to the backbone

Hockey stick

fan, then Loop Turn for the lady. She makes a hockey stick - shaped path

hover

high step on the ball of the foot, to change course or direction (_check).

impetus

driving energy prior to rotation with heel turn for the man

in line

(as opposed to outside) both dancing with a foot between both feet of the partner (often the starting position)

crossing in

join free foot cross (near the ankle) to the support leg

inside (turn)

(turn) movement committed to the center between the partners

instrumental

without human voice

jazz

French 'Jazer' = chat, hodgepodge of styles, black improvisation from New Orleans, the white version was Dixieland music

kick

stretch leg forward and down (small soccer - move)

kick-ball-change

kick or flick, followed by ball change

kisses dance

see polonaise

LA

Los Angeles salsa style. Stylized and rounder than Cuban. With shines.

lapiz (AT)

pencil, "draw" with the foot on the floor, done with the free leg: draw a circle

Latin-American

see Latin

latin

dances based on - whether coming from the Caribbean, often Cuban

lift

partner while dancing lifting off the ground. In competitions not allowed

left turn

(swing your left arm out and backwards, follow this direction to) move, you turn counterclockwise

lockstep

pass (forward or backward), cross connecting to other foot (back or front), and again a step at the ball of the foot in the same direction (sort chasse)

lunge

heavy check (tango and rock) with bending of the leg

measure

size, regularity, unity, variety of accents in music

maracas

samba balls, shakers or rattles with handle

mariachi

street musician from Mexico

melancholic

downheartedness, gloomy,bluesy (often the atmosphere of Argentine Tango)

molino (AT)

twist, he around the lady who stands on one leg and is rotated by him

momentum

propelled, indicates how difficult it would be to stop the movement.
A combination of (mass x (speed and direction)): Heavy and slow or light and fast, both are difficult to stop or change.
A car increases its momentum as it rolls downhill. A greater momentum is difficult to stop.

Motown

Famous record label from Detroit, 1959 (Motor Town)

Neo tango (A.T.)

more contemporary music and instruments with elaborate dance code, initiated by the tango revival by Gotan Project

New-Yorker

in hold, both step 90⁰ inside, hands together pointing in the same step direction, to fall back on the other foot in the other direction. Use other hand (and feet) to repeat this mirrored. (the English call salut cubain a NY?)

ocho (AT)

move (by follower) 8- shape: turn on the standing leg, the free leg rotates around there before it is moved

outside

(as opposed to inline) next to each other, he dances with both feet in front of the lady

outside (turn)

(turn) move themselves from the center between the partner to the outside

pandeiro

tambourine with convex jingles and span able face sheet

parada (A. T.)

a stop, facing dance direction

step

move feet with weight transfer

pas de Bourée

(ballet) alternatingly steps: front - back on the ball / toe of the foot

percussion

drumming, beating

pirouette

quick turn on one foot, spotting

pitch

degree of bending of the body, front or rear

pivot

turn on the support foot

put

placing (or replacing) the light lifted foot back and bring your weight on it

point

foot point in the extension of the leg, without heel on the floor or weight on it

promenade

partners turn open running in the direction of dance, apart (but holding)

rap

rhythmic nonstop verbiage in rhyme. Tough, spicy, humorous

right turn

(swing out backwards your right arm and follow this) move, you turn clockwise

reverence

(ballet) theatrical, polite bend

reverse (turn)

left turn

rise and fall

unrolling of the foot by a pass causes this up-and -down motion

rhythm

regularity, repetition, pattern

rock step

type check in Latin dancing, rock from one foot to the other

romantic

dreamy, speaking to feeling and imagination (Rumba)

rond de jambe

(ballet) wide circular motion with one leg

sacada /entrada (AT)

step with witch one takes almost literally the place of the other

salida (A. T.)

based walk, departure. Also the lateral pass to the left of the leader (start)

salsero(-a)

salsa dancer

salut Cubain

sandwich (AT)

move in which a foot of one is taken between the feet of the other

sanguichito, mordida (A.T.)

small sandwich: foot of one partner is taken between the two feet of the other

sentada (A.T.)

partner to sit on the thigh (with a lunge)

shadow position

spooning position, faces in the same direction

shine

solo show in salsa, footwork, stylized moves, also (lady) styling: movement with arms, shoulders, body, hands), especially in LA

slow

quiet, relaxed (one beat per measure)

soltada (A.T.)

open up a closed dance position to further creatively improvise

son

Cuban music with Spanish influences and African rhythms

spin

fast rotation, trun, revolving

spiral (turn)

forward turning with the free foot. The released foot revolves around the standing leg

spot turn

turn on the spot, one partner moves forward, the other backward

spot turn

a turn with three steps forward

spotting

fix one point when turning, until the body is rotated as far as possible, then rotate the head quickly and watch the same point again

standard dance

collection of five ballroom and 5latin dances   that can be done in competition

sway

swing, tend toward inside of the rotation, swing by stretching the body to one side to offset the center fleeting force

syncope

shift accent outside the normally expected count

tambora

Latin American, African -derived drum major

Tango Close

end of tango pattern, left forward, right side, left in (without weight) QQS

Tango fusion (A.T.)

fusion of tango with contemporary dance and music (including non- tango, electronic...)

Tango nuevo (A.T.)

(lesson) system from simple to complex tango movements

Three Step

Slowfox, three steps forward, SQQ

timbale

short metal (Cuban) (cup) drum, open at the bottom

trot

walk

tuck in (turn)

type winding movement before the (opposite) spin

twist turn

rotate on the spot with both feet together

vihuela

guitar -like, eight -stringed plucked and stroke string instrument

vocal

without instruments, only voice

traditional dance

folk traditional, regional, surviving dance

volta

turn, turning point

Whip

(swing, Lindy) rotary action of the lady around the man

whisk

step aside, other foot cross in behind and then both with the inside foot again stepping further in the direction of dance

closed change

three consecutive passes, so the following figure can begin with the other (exchanged) foot (waltz)