Invented by Frankie Manning as part of the Lindy Hop, an aerial is an “air step”, i.e. a move where one partner supports (“lifts”) the other partner off the ground — typically the leader supports the follower.
Note: competitions define aerial moves differently — some competitions define that an aerial occurs when a dancer's foot rises above the height of their partner's knee, while others define that an aerial occurs when a dancer's foot rises above the height of their partner's waist.
Phonetic spelling for an aerial
Used in West Coast Swing to indicate that a dancer does not come towards their partner — often an in-place triple step.
In an anticlockwise turn, one partner rotates anticlockwise under a maintained (joint) handhold with the other partner. Also known as turning left, since the left shoulder goes backwards, e.g. the lady's turn in the Return.
Buenos Aires; a geographical qualification for Argentine tango teachers.
Commonly used as a pejorative term, synonymous with the follower anticipating the lead. Occasionally used to describe a follower leading, rather than the leader.
A balance is a folk dance where a dancer hops on a foot, lands on that foot and then kicks the other foot (without placing weight on it).
There are two major ballroom dance types: Old-time and Modern. Modern Ballroom forms include: International and American. In international ballroom dancing, the ballroom dances are waltz, quickstep, foxtrot, tango and Viennese Waltz.
A bicycle kick is footwork similar to pedalling a bicycle (backwards) — bring the foot slightly forwards, raising it to knee height and then bringing it backwards, into a “lunge backwards”. The bicycle kick can be performed without lunging backwards — in this case both feet can leave the floor.
A body-wide “Mexican wave” either up or down — a body pop from break-dancing. Body ripple upwards: hips (backside) do a circle — backwards, down, forwards and then up; by bending the knees, then “unbending” them (with a slight pelvic thrust) — shoulders follow a similar circular path, slightly after the hip motion. Body ripple downwards: chest out, stomach out, hips out and up, sink into legs slightly.
The bota fogo is a dance step; similar to a Cucaracha, but with travelling steps. Starts with feet apart: Cross foot over. Step out to the side on ball of foot, swivelling approximately 90o. Replace weight onto other foot.
Beats per minute, or sometimes confusingly bars per minute.
A breakaway is a series of dance steps performed by partners separately on the dance floor, without an explicit dance hold.
A Brazilian dance based martial art, see http://www.capoiera.com.
A chassé left, right. left, or right, left, right in two musical beats, with “equal” timing — 1 and 2.
French: chainé (chained). A continuous travelling rotation — the dancer rotates 180o every step (or 360o over every pair of steps).
(Shah-say) French: chassé (hunted). A chassé is a series of steps where the feet “chase” each other.
A left (right) circle is a folk dance move where dancers hold hands and move round in a circle clockwise (anticlockwise).
In a clockwise turn, one partner rotates clockwise under a maintained (joint) handhold with the other partner. Also known as turning right, since the right shoulder goes backwards, e.g. the lady's turn at the end of the First Move.
Used in West Coast Swing.
A travelling Modern Jive move, where both partners move sideways using footwork similar to a grapevine, or “fall off the log” (without kicks).
A combination move formed from parts of two or more separate moves, e.g. Neckbreak Butterfly, Butterfly Sway. Also known as a morphed move, as the first move changes into the second.
A cross move is a specific form of a slotted dance move where the leader's movements are also constrained within their own slot that is at right angles to the follower's slot (or follower's line).
Spanish: cucaracha (cockroach). A cucaracha is a step where feet are initially close together, then one foot steps out (to squash the mythical cockroach), before closing back to its original position. For example, a left cucaracha: step out with weight on left ball of foot to the left side, so feet are apart (1), replace weight onto the right foot (and), close left foot to the right foot with weight (2).
A Jack'n'Jill dance competition.
The demonstrator is a (mostly) non-speaking partner (sometimes a student) who dances with a teacher, to show a technique or move.
A folk dance move where a alternately couple ducks under another couple's raised handhold, or raises their handhold for the other couple to duck underneath.
See dos-e-dos.
A dos-e-dos is a dance move where both partners travel around each other without rotating, so that they go from facing, to back to back, and then return to a facing position. Dos-a-dos is French for back to back.
Abbreviation: Dance With A Stranger — a Jack'n'Jill dance competition.
Abbreviation: East Coast Swing.
In folk dance, when men are in a row facing the ladies in a separate row, the first corners are the first man and the last lady, i.e. a diagonally facing couple.
Floor craft is an integral part of leading and following, especially on crowded dance floors — leaders must not only lead their partner, but also lead them safely with consideration for other dancers.
The follower's line is the notional line along which the follower can move straight forwards, or backwards (this is effectively a line perpendicular to the follower's shoulders or hips) — this is a similar concept to a slot, except that the follower's line moves as the follower rotates, whereas a slot remains fixed.
Figure 15: The follower's line (for various orientations).
A franchise is a commercial agreement that grants a right to sell (Modern Jive in a particular way, e.g. under a trademarked name, etc. Many franchise agreements are geographically based, so that only be a single franchisee will offer that particular service in an area.
An older, less-used term for Modern Jive
A low two-footed jump into a squatting position with both feet apart. Hands are often held out at waist height away from the body, e.g. in preparation for a hand-to-hand Charleston.
Handhold or arm position: both partners have forearms held vertically against each other (hands up), so that each partner's arm is in an L-shape, with upper-arms roughly horizontal. Also used as the name for a move that features that hand position prominently, see Gearstick.
A series of alternate steps to the side, where the leg on the opposite side to the direction of movement alternatively crosses in front of the other foot, and then behind the other foot. The grapevine is similar to a “fall off the log” (without kicks). Might fancifully be compared to sailor trying to keep his footing on deck.
A guitar is a dance position in Modern Jive that is a “man sway”, i.e. a sway position where the leader and follower have exchanged positions.
A hammerlock is handhold where the arm is held so that the upper arm is against the body, and the forearm is bent at right angles behind the back at waist height, so that the hand is (accessible) on the opposite side of the body, e.g. in a hammerlock, the left arm is behind the back, with the left hand available near to the right waist. Sometimes called a half-nelson.
A handcuff is a handhold where both of the follower's hands are held in one of the leader's hands.
In a square dance, the first and third couples are the head couples.
Phonetic spellings for the Spanish word “giro”, i.e. “turn” (probably a similar derivation as the stem of “gyroscope”).
An inside turn is a step where one partner rotates under a maintained (joint) handhold with the other partner, so that the rotating partner rotates towards the stationary partner. For example, if both partners are facing each other with a left-to-right handhold, then an inside turn is equivalent to an anticlockwise turn, e.g. the lady's turn in the Return.
A dance competition where a leader (Jack) and follower (Jill) are paired randomly — entries are generally separate, rather than as couples. Jack'n'Jill events are usually a male leader and a female follower — other variations are: Jill'n'Jack, a female leader and a male follower; Jill'n'Jill, a female leader and a female follower; Jack'n'Jack, a male leader and a male follower; and Pat'n'Chris, no gender specific combination .
A slight kick (forwards) without weight on a foot, followed by placing weight onto the ball of that foot (without dropping the heel). Then stepping flat with weight onto the other foot, e.g. left, right, left; or right, left, right, It is usually danced with “triple-step” timing. In Continental Rock'n'Roll the knee is brought high in preparation, and the kick is larger. Kick-ball change variations include: dig-ball-change, and rondé-ball-change.
Latin American dances include: salsa (casino), mambo, cumbia, son, and lambada.
In international (ballroom) Latin dancing, the Latin dances are cha-cha, samba, rumba, jive and paso doble.
A Jack'n'Jill dance competition.
In a lunge the feet are more than a shoulder width apart stood on the ground. The foot in the direction the knee is bent over the foot in the direction of the lunge and most weight is vertically over that foot. Other leg is straight — possibly pointed out “in-line”. Looks similar to a “fencing” move.
A more risqué form of double trouble.
A milonga is an Argentinian dance, and is also a (formal) Argentine tango dance event — that may also confusingly include milonga dances.
A generic, non-company specific name for a simplified social partner dance. Commonly taught as LeRoc, or under a brand or company name such as Ceroc®, Mo'jive®, etc.
Measures (bars) per minute.
slang term for a non-dancer — repurposed from the term used for non-magical folk in the Harry Potter series by J.K.Rowling. See also suggle.
A natural turn is a ballroom step performed in closed dance hold where both partners rotate in a clockwise direction. Most Modern Jive rotating / walking moves are “natural turns”.
In a square dance, the opposite partner for a man is the lady in an adjacent couple, and the opposite partner for a lady is the man in an adjacent couple.
An outside turn is a step where one partner rotates under a maintained (joint) handhold with the other partner, so that the rotating partner rotates away from the stationary partner. For example, if both partners are facing each other with a left-to-right handhold, then an outside turn is equivalent to an clockwise turn, e.g. the lady's turn at the end of the First Move.
A practica is an informal (Argentine tango or Salsa) practise event.
In a progressive dance partners change (progress) during the dance, e.g. leaders move on at set times to the follower on their right. Typically performed in a circle. Old-time ballroom sequence dances are often danced progressively, e.g. The Gay Gordon's.
A promenade is a folk dance move where couples dance around in a side by side position (e.g. a basket, or a sway position).
A quadrille is a square dance.
the edge, or boundary of a slot
A reverse turn is a ballroom step performed in closed dance hold where both partners rotate in an anticlockwise direction.
Two weight changes, either left, right or right, left — commonly a step backwards (with weight), followed by replacing weight onto the other foot.
French: rond de jambe (leg circle). A rondé is a round sweeping step, where a straight leg is swept in an arc, with the foot near to, or lightly in contact with, the floor.
Spanish: La rueda (the wheel). A rueda is a dance where all couples are in a circle.
A triple step (similar to a hornpipe) where the feet are crossed and uncrossed, e.g. Sailor step to the right: (tri) Left-foot steps Right behind the Right-foot in a loose cross (ple) Right-foot side Right to uncross the feet (step) Left-foot in-place / slightly side Left.
Tango footwork: a “sandwich” is a step where the leader blocks the follower's foot from moving by sandwiching it in-between his feet — this is a lead for follower to keep that foot in-place while the leader does some other footwork, to release the follower's foot.
In folk dance, when men are in a row facing the ladies in a separate row, the second corners are the last man and the first lady, i.e. a diagonally facing couple.
Unpartnered (solo) dancing in Salsa — footwork (almost like simple tap dancing), spins, body ripples, shimmies, etc. within the framework of the salsa musical timing and rhythm.
In a square dance, the second and fourth couples are the side couples.
A visual cue to the next move to be danced — a specific sign language used by a (local) group of dancers.
a fixed rectangular strip of the dance floor
A slotted move is a dance move where the follower is led so that they keep within a slot, any spins and turns will keep the follower within the slot, i.e. they are not led in “random” directions. Basically the follower is the “centre of the universe” — the leader must “dodge” out of the follower's way.
Figure 16: The follower's slot (for various orientations).
Slang: Dancing so that the arms and legs on the same side, move in the same direction (forwards / backwards) at the same time — reminiscent of the spotty dog puppet from “The Wooden Tops” (a black and white BBC children's television programme) — sometimes seen (in error) if the arms and legs get out of synchronisation in a Charleston. Opposite to “normal” walking (marching) when arms and legs on the same side move in opposite directions at the same time.
A square dance is a dance where four couples dance together, each couple is at the side of a square facing inwards.
A left (right) hand star is a folk dance move where dancers place their left (right) hands in the centre and move round in a circle anticlockwise (clockwise).
Line dancing for hep-cats. Often used at 1950's Rock'n'Roll dances to dance to slower numbers.
slang term for a non-salsa dancer (or non-dancer). See also muggle.
Another name for a Sway position.
Dance steps, splitting musical beats into uneven parts, e.g. splitting two musical beats into three steps.
Hands are held behind the back (near the small of the back) palms facing outwards — fingers wiggling. Usually combined with bending forwards at the waist (backside sticking out) to yield a bird-like posture.
A Jack'n'Jill dance competition.
Many classes provide taxi dancers (or taxis), i.e. volunteers chosen by the organiser to dance with beginners and encourage them — taxi dancers are often rewarded with free entrance, or other perk.
A tick-tock is a step where the dancer moves sideways by swivelling the feet symmetrically from the toes and knees pointing together, to the heels pointing together and the knees apart. For example, when moving to the right, the weight transfer will change from left heel and right toe, to left toe and right heel. Hands and arms can mirror the feet.
Alternative term for double trouble.
Three weight changes, either left, right. left or right, left, right — can be used to replace a single weight change (step). Triple steps are often performed as a syncopated chassé, i.e. three steps in two musical beats. Triple steps can travel in any direction, e.g. forwards / backwards, sometimes with a lock-step, or fish-tail in Ballroom dances.
In Swing dances, the triple step is almost in-place, but has a very slight travel in the direction of the starting foot. The feet do not cross during the three steps. In Boogie Woogie the triple step is in-place, there is an initial slight travel in the direction of the starting foot, but this is recovered over the subsequent two steps of the triple-step.
Abbreviation: Up Close, and Personal — a succinct description of moves where partners are close to each other.
Italian jump? Starting with say Left-foot crossed loosely in front of Right-foot. Uncross Right-foot by stepping it (on the ball of the foot, slight body rise). Right to the side on the “a”. Cross Left-foot loosely in front of Right-foot on the beat (on flat foot, slight body lower). Repeat. a 1, a 2, a 3,…
Abbreviation: West Coast Swing.