We use a lot of dance terms that we can't fully or specifically define, but can understand what they mean.
Learn what those dance terms actually mean and you'll gain a much clearer understanding of dance.
This list below includes commonly used dance terms and their definitions. Look up that one word you’ve always been unsure of, or brush up on all of ‘em!
This is how we break down and count music. Most dances choreographed to 8 counts at a time, or two 4-count measures back to back.
How high or low your body gets.Low levels require you to bend your knees, or “plie.” High levels may involve getting on your toes in “releve.”
Match levels with the choreographer or other dancers by looking in the mirror to check you are as low/high as everyone else.
Dancing a piece of choreography with less energy, usually for practicing musicality, timing, and other tools.
This allows you to be more conscious of the music, timing, and where your body placements are rather than releasing your bankai.
The choreographer might use percentages to indicate how much energy you should be putting into your mark.
Example: “Let’s go just 50% for this first run-through!” or “Mark it around 80%”
When you extend movements throughout a portion of the piece or music.
At the end of a move, instead of “putting a period” on it and ending it definitely by stopping the movement, think of it as a “…” – like you’re dragging out that move.
In dance, the matching of movement to the rhythm, sounds, and mood of the music.
“Dance musicality” is demonstrated in several ways, depending on the dancer’s style, the song, and countless other elements.
There are many other dance terms to describe dance musicality.
The words that the singer is singing to, often in sync with the melody.
The lyrics are probably the easiest to distinguish, but hardest to count / dance to, since vocals don’t always match the strict structure of 8-counts.
Sometimes choreographers will make moves that correlate with the lyrics, like miming actions or using certain body parts, AKA wordplay.
A smooth and continuous bending of the knees outward with the upper body held upright.
Think of pictures as literal pictures. If someone were to take a photo of you on the count that you’re hitting a picture, then the clearer that photo turns out to be the “cleaner” you are executing that picture.
Watch this video to hit cleaner pictures!
The segment of music created by stringed instruments like guitars, violins, etc. Guitar strums and melodies are also useful to take note of, for more instrumental / acoustic songs.
When a class rotates from the front to back and vice versa to give everyone a chance to be in the front.
When the choreographer says to “switch lines” – if you’re in the front of the room, then move to the back (and vice versa). This is to ensure that everyone gets a fair chance at having a good view of the choreographer throughout the class. It’d be a little selfish to stay in the front the whole time, right?
The sound from a sound synthesizer, is produced by electric signals converted to sound through amps and loudspeakers.
Common reference to a “synth” is the synth piano, which may sound like a long slow bass like “wobba wobba”
The speed of the music. As you’re learning a piece, the choreographer will teach in slow tempo, then speed it up to medium, and finally “tempo” – AKA the real-time speed of the song.
In a performance set, these are the movements that are used to connect 2 different pieces. The music will change, and there will be dancers “transitioning” on and off the stage or switching their position on stage.
OH man. Too much to fit into this list. Here, read this: What Is Urban Dance?
Now that you have a better grasp of common dance terms, you can see them in action!
Take a class on STEEZY Studio for real-life application of these dance terms. Sign up today and try it for free!
Are there more dance terms you want clarified? Comment below and we'll help!
