Social dance
Encyclopedia

Social dance is a major category or classification of dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....

forms or dance styles, where sociability and socializing are the primary focuses of the dancing. Social dances can be danced with a variety of partners and still be led and followed in a relaxed, easy atmosphere.

This compares to other major categories based on purpose:
  • Ceremonial dance
    Ceremonial dance
    Ceremonial dance is a major category or classification of dance forms or dance styles, where the purpose is ceremonial or ritualistic.This compares to other major dance categories based on purpose:* Celebration dance** Festival dance...

  • Competitive dance
    Competitive dance
    Competitive dance is a popular, widespread activity in which competitors perform dances in any of several permitted dance styles—such as acro, ballet, jazz, hip-hop, lyrical, modern, and tap—before a common group of judges...

  • Erotic dance
  • Participation dance
    Participation dance
    Participation dance, also known as group-participation dance or audience participation dance, is a major category or classification of dance forms or dance styles based on purpose. The purpose of this type of dance is to actively encourage dancing in a group...

  • Performance dance


Many social dances are partner dance
Partner dance
Partner dances are dances whose basic choreography involves coordinated dancing of two partners, as opposed to individuals dancing alone or individually in a non-coordinated manner, and as opposed to groups of people dancing simultaneously in a coordinated manner.In the year 1023 the German poet...

s. In fact, quite often when spoken about social dances, ballroom or other partner dances are kept in mind. However it is natural to include in this category such groups of dances as circle dance
Circle dance
"Circle dance" is the most common name for a style of traditional dance usually done in a circle without partners to musical accompaniment.-Description:...

s, line dance
Line dance
A line dance is a choreographed dance with a repeated sequence of steps in which a group of people dance in one or more lines or rows without regard for the gender of the individuals, all facing the same direction, and executing the steps at the same time. Line dancers are not in physical contact...

s, novelty dances, or simply club dancing in solo.
  • Ballroom dance
    Ballroom dance
    Ballroom dance refers to a set of partner dances, which are enjoyed both socially and competitively around the world. Because of its performance and entertainment aspects, ballroom dance is also widely enjoyed on stage, film, and television....

  • Club dance
    Club Dance
    Club Dance was a TV show The Nashville Network aired for 7 years between 1991 and February 5, 1999 for a total of 1848 episodes, with re-runs until June 28, 1999The show was filmed in Knoxville, Tennessee set at a fictional "White Horse Cafe"...

  • Contra dance
    Contra dance
    Contra dance refers to several partnered folk dance styles in which couples dance in two facing lines...

  • Country and Western dance
  • English country dance
    English Country Dance
    English Country Dance is a form of folk dance. It is a social dance form, which has earliest documented instances in the late 16th century. Queen Elizabeth I of England is noted to have been entertained by "Country Dancing," although the relationship of the dances she saw to the surviving dances of...

  • Folk dance
    Folk dance
    The term folk dance describes dances that share some or all of the following attributes:*They are dances performed at social functions by people with little or no professional training, often to traditional music or music based on traditional music....

     (or Ethnic dance)
  • House dance
    House dance
    House dance is a social dance primarily danced to house music that has roots in the clubs of Chicago and of New York. The main elements of House dance include Footwork, Jacking, and Lofting...

  • Scottish country dance
    Scottish country dance
    A Scottish country dance is a form of social dance involving groups of mixed couples of dancers tracing progressive patterns according to a predetermined choreography...

  • Irish and Scottish Céilidh
    Céilidh
    In modern usage, a céilidh or ceilidh is a traditional Gaelic social gathering, which usually involves playing Gaelic folk music and dancing. It originated in Ireland, but is now common throughout the Irish and Scottish diasporas...

  • Square dance
    Square dance
    Square dance is a folk dance with four couples arranged in a square, with one couple on each side, beginning with Couple 1 facing away from the music and going counter-clockwise until getting to Couple 4. Couples 1 and 3 are known as the head couples, while Couples 2 and 4 are the side couples...

  • Street dance
    Street dance
    Street dance, more formally known as vernacular dance, is an umbrella term used to describe dance styles that evolved outside of dance studios in any available open space such as streets, dance parties, block parties, parks, school yards, raves, and nightclubs, etc...

  • Swing dance
  • Tango
    Tango (dance)
    Tango dance originated in the area of the Rio de la Plata , and spread to the rest of the world soon after....

  • Tarantella
    Tarantella
    The term tarantella groups a number of different southern Italian couple folk dances characterized by a fast upbeat tempo, usually in 6/8 time , accompanied by tambourines. It is among the most recognized of traditional Italian music. The specific dance name varies with every region, for instance...


There may be aspects of any of the above dance forms that are either competitive or performance-oriented in nature.

See also

  • An American Ballroom Companion
    An American Ballroom Companion
    An American Ballroom Companion is an online collection of over two hundred social dance manuals at the Library of Congress related to the period of cca. 1490--1920...

  • Boombal
    Boombal
    Boombal is the name given to a relatively recent phenomenon of folk dance parties in Belgium, originating in the frech bal folk. The partygoers indulge in pair, ring, line, and string dances such as the waltz, polka, An Dro, etc. adapted from the French bal folk scene...

  • Dance party
    Dance party
    A dance party is a social gathering where dancing is the primary activity. Some dance parties are held in a casual setting and open to the public, such as a rave, or those held in nightclubs and discothèques...

  • List of basic dance topics
  • List of dance style categories
  • List of dances
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