Types of Dance

Humans have been
dancing to express themselves since the dawn of time,

and from those earliest gatherings spring the many types of dance we know
today. Some, like folk dancing, have roots that go back centuries; other styles,
like hip-hop, are decidedly modern. Each form has its own style, but all of
them are united by their common goal of artistic expression and the
celebration of the human body. Discover more about 12 of the most popular
dance types.
Ballet
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Ballet originated in the 15th century, first in Italy and then in France. Over the
centuries, ballet has influenced many other styles of dance and become a fine
art form in its own right. There are three basic styles:
 Classical: This form reached its peak in 19th-century France and

Russia. It is often story-driven and orchestrated ("The Nutcracker" is a
great example), with fantastical sets and costumes. The movement
emphasizes pointe work (dancing on toes), graceful expressions, and
symmetry among dancers.
 Neoclassical: This is an evolution of classical ballet, which emerged in
the early-to-mid 20th century. Movements are faster and more urgent,
with less emphasis on symmetry, and simple sets and costumes. The
plot is often nonexistent. Orchestras, bands, or soloists may accompany
the dancers.
 Contemporary: Like neoclassical, the plot is cast aside in favor of pure
movement and physical expression, which may not appear to be
dancelike at all. Costumes and set designs are frequently simple or
abstract. Music or sound work, if used, is often contemporary or
experimental in nature.
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Jazz Dancing
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Jazz is a lively dance style that relies heavily on originality and improvisation.
This style often uses bold, dramatic body movements, including body
isolations and contractions. Jazz dance has its roots in African traditions kept
alive by slaves brought to the U.S. Over time, this evolved into a style of street
dance that soon moved into the jazz clubs of the early 20th century.
During the big-band era of the 1930s and early '40s, swing dancing and the
Lindy Hop became popular expressions of jazz dancing. In the mid-to-late
20th century, choreographers like Katherine Dunham incorporated these
improvisational, physical expressions into their own works.
Tap Dance
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Like jazz dancing, tap evolved from the African dance traditions preserved by
slaves in the U.S. In this exciting dance form, dancers wear special shoes
equipped with metal taps. Tap dancers use their feet like drums to create
rhythmic patterns and timely beats. Music is rarely used.
After the Civil War, tap evolved into a popular form of entertainment on the
Vaudeville circuit, and later a staple of early Hollywood musicals. Some of the
most notable masters of tap include Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Gregory Hines,
and Savion Glover.
Hip-Hop Dance
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Another descendant of jazz dance, hip-hop emerged from the streets of New
York in the 1970s in the city's African-American and Puerto Rican
communities at the same time as rap and DJing. Breakdancing—with its
popping, locking, and athletic floor movements—is perhaps the earliest form
of hip-hop dance. Often, "crews" of teams of dancers would hold competitions
to see which group had bragging rights as the best.
As rap music flourished and diversified, different styles of hip-hop dancing

emerged. Krumping and clowning took the physical exuberance of
breakdancing and added narrative and comic expression in the '90s. In the
2000s, jerkin' and juking became popular; both of these take the pop-lock
movement of classic breakdancing and add wild fashions.
Modern Dance
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Modern dance is a dance style that rejects many of the strict rules of classical
ballet, focusing instead on the expression of inner feelings. It emerged in
Europe and the U.S. in the early 20th century as a rebellion against classical
ballet, emphasizing creativity in choreography and performance.
Choreographers including Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham, and Merce

Cunningham developed intricate methodologies for their dances, often
emphasizing wild or extreme physical expressions performed to avant-garde
or experimental musical accompaniment. These choreographers also
collaborated with artists working in other fields such as lighting, projection,
sound, or sculpture.
Swing Dancing
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Swing dance is yet another offshoot of traditional jazz dance that became
popular as swing bands became the dominant form of popular entertainment
in the late 1930s and early '40s. Unlike other forms of jazz dance that
emphasize the individual, swing dance is all about partnership. Athletic
couples swing, spin, and jump together in syncopated time to the beat of the
band, usually with a fixed number of choreographed steps repeated in a
specific sequence.
Contra Dance
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Contra dance is a form of American folk dance in which the dancers form two
parallel lines and perform a sequence of dance movements with different
partners down the length of the line. It has its roots in similar folk dances from
colonial-era Great Britain. Although contra dancing is partner-based, it's a
communal arrangement; you don't need to bring your own partner, because
you'll be dancing with everyone down the line at some point. Dancers are led
by a caller, who calls out specific steps and directions to change partners.
Folk music from the British Isles or the U.S. is the most common form of
accompaniment.
Country and Western
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Country and western dance is a broad category of many dance styles,

incorporating influences from contra, folk, and even jazz, set to country or
western-themed dance music. Waltzes and two-steps are the most common
forms of partner-style dancing, but you'll also find variations on polkas and
other folk dances brought to the U.S. by German and Czech immigrants.
Square dances and line dances, where people dance in tight, choreographed
movements with a number of partners or as part of a group, have their roots in
contra dancing. Clog dancing, a form of footwork-heavy dance rooted in the
jigs of Britain and Ireland, is most frequently associated with bluegrass music.
Belly Dancing
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Belly dancing emerged from the folk traditions of the Middle East, but its
precise origins are unclear. Unlike most forms of Western dancing, which
emphasize complex footwork and partner choreography, belly dancing is a
solo performance that focuses on the torso and hips. Dancers combine a
series of fluid movements to emphasize rhythm, isolated flourishes like hip
twists for percussive punctuation, and shimmies, spins, and torso vibrations to
add variety and detail.
Flamenco
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Flamenco dance is an expressive dance form that mixes percussive footwork

with intricate hand, arm, and body movements. It emerged from the cultures of
the Iberian Peninsula in the 1700s and 1800s, though its precise origins are
unclear.
Flamenco consists of three elements: cante (the song), baile (the dance),

and guitarra (guitar playing). Each has its own traditions, but the dancing is
most often closely associated with flamenco, with its flamboyant gestures and
rhythmic foot stamping that calls to mind tap dancing.
Latin Dance
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Latin dance is a broad term for any number of ballroom and street-style dance
forms that evolved in the 19th and 20th centuries in the Spanish-speaking
Western Hemisphere. These styles have roots in European, African, and
indigenous dance and ritual.
Many styles of Latin dance have their origins in a specific region or country.
Tango, with its sensual, close partnerships, originated in Argentina. Salsa,
with its hip-swaying beat, evolved in the Puerto Rican, Dominican, and Cuban
communities of 1970s New York City.
Other popular forms of Latin dance include Mambo, which originated in 1930s
Cuba; bomba, a folk-style of rhythmic dance from Puerto Rico; and meringue,
a Dominican style of close partner dancing with tight hip movements.
Folk Dance
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Folk dance is a generic term that can refer to a variety of dances developed
by groups or communities, as opposed to being made up by a choreographer.
These forms often evolve over generations and are learned informally, usually
at communal gatherings where the dances are performed. Music and
costuming often reflect the same ethnic traditions of the dancers. Examples of
folk dances include the rigid uniformity of Irish line dancing and the call-and-
response interplay of a square dance.
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Types of Dance

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Types of Dance

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Humans have been

dancing to express themselves since the dawn of time,

Cedric Ribeiro/Getty Image

 Classical: This form reached its peak in 19th-century France and

Continue Reading Below

Continue Reading Below

Ryan McVay/Getty Images

As rap music flourished and diversified, different styles of hip-hop dancing

Continue Reading Below

Leo Mason Split Second/Corbis via Getty Images

Choreographers including Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham, and Merce

Keystone Features/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Continue Reading Below

Jeffrey Bary/Flickr/CC BY 2.0

Country and Western

Country and western dance is a broad category of many dance styles,

Continue Reading Below

Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images

Flamenco dance is an expressive dance form that mixes percussive footwork

Flamenco consists of three elements: cante (the song), baile (the dance),

Continue Reading Below

Leo Mason/Corbis/Getty Images

Guang Niu/Getty Images

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