Common Dance Terms

COMMON DANCE TERMS
1. Arms in lateral position – Both arms are at one side either right or left, at shoulder, chest or
waist level.
2. Brush – Weight on one foot, hit the floor with the ball or heel of the other foot and lift that
foot from the floor to any direction.
3. Crossed Arms – Partners facing each other or standing side by side join their left hands
together and the right hands together; either right over left or left over right hands.
4. Cut – To displace quickly one foot with the other.
5. Do-si-do – Partners advance forward, pass each other’s right ( left ) side, step across to the
right move backwards without turning around, pass each other left side to proper places.
6. Hayon-hayon – To place one forearm in front and the other at he back of the waist.
7. Hop – A spring from one foot landing on the same foot in place or in any direction.
8. Jaleo – Partners turn around clockwise ( with right elbows almost touching ) or
counterclockwise ( with left elbows almost touching ) using walking or any kind of dance
step.
9. Jump – A spring on one foot or both feet landing on both feet in any direction.
10. Kumintang – moving the hand from the wrist either in a clockwise or counterclockwise
direction.
11. Leap – A spring from one foot landing on the other foot in any direction.
12. Place – To put foot in a certain position without putting weight on it.
13. Pivot – To turn with the ball, heel or whole foot on a fixed place or point.
14. Point – Touch the floor lightly with the toes of one foot, weight of the body on the other foot.
15. Masiwak – To turn the hand from the wrist half-way clockwise then raise and lower wrist
once or twice. This is an Ibanag term.
16. Panadyak – To stamp in front or at the side with the right foot and tap with same foot close to the
left foot. This is a Tagalog term.
17. Patay – To bend the head downward and to support the forehead with the R
forearm or with the crook of the R elbow while the left hand supports lightly the
palm of the right hand. This is usually done with the left foot pointing in rear and
knees slightly bent. This is an Ilocano term and the movement is commonly
found in Ilocano dances.
18. Salok – T o swing the arm downward-upward passing in front of the body as
if scooping, the trunk is bent following the movement of the arm doing the salok.
This is a Tagalog term.
19. Saludo – Partners bow to each other, to the audience, opposite dancers, or to the neighbors with
feet together. This is of Spanish origin and is used in almost all Philippine dances.
20. Sarok – Cross the R foot in front of the L , bend the body slightly forward and cross the hands
down in front of the R hand over the L. This is a Visayan term.
21. Slide – To glide foot smoothly along the floor. The movement may be finished
with or without transfer of weight.
22. Stamp – To bring the foot forcibly and noisily on the floor with or without transfer of weight.
23. Tap – To rap slightly with the ball or toe of the free foot, flexing the ankle joint keeping weight of
the body on the other foot. There is no change or transfer of weight.
24. Whirl – To make fast turns by executing small steps in place to right or left.
BASIC DANCE STEPS
2/4 time dance steps

Dance Steps Step Pattern Counting
1. Bleking step heel-place, close 1,2
2. Touch step point, close 1,2
3. Close step step, close 1,2
4. Hop step step, hop 1,2
5. Cross step step, cross or cross, step 1,2
6. Change step step, close, step 1 and 2
7. Changing step jump ( one ft. in front and
The other in rear) there are two
Changing steps in a measure 1,2
8. Contraganza step leap, cross-step, step 1 and 2
9. Habanera step step, close, step 1, 2 and
10. Heel and toe
Change step heel-place, toe-point, step, close, step 1, 2/ 1 and 2
11. Shuffling step with both feet flat on floor, take tiny
Slide steps 1 and 2 and
¾ time dance steps
1. Native waltz step, close, step 1, 2, 3

2. Cross waltz cross-step, close, step 1, 2, 3
3. Waltz balance step, close-heels raise, heels down 1, 2, 3
4. Mazurka step slide, cut, hop 1, 2, 3
5. Redoba step slide, cut, cut 1, 2, 3
6. Sway balance w/
A point step, cross-step, step point 12, 3/ 1, 23
7. Sway balance w/
A hop step, cross-step, step, hop 12, 3/ 1, 23
8. Sway balance w/
A waltz step, cross-step, step, close, step 12, 3/ 1, 2, 3
9. Engano w/ a waltz step, cross-step, step, close, step 12, 3/ 1, 2, 3
4/4 time dance steps
1. Schottische step step, close, step hop( raise foot

In front) 1, 2, 3, 4
2. Escotis step step, close, step, hop( raise foot
In rear) 1, 2, 3, 4
3. Chotis step brush, raise, brush, raise/
Step, step, step, close 1, 2, 3, 4/
1, 2, 3, 4

Common Dance Terms

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Common Dance Terms

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Common Dance Terms

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

COMMON DANCE TERMS

4. Cut – To displace quickly one foot with the other.

BASIC DANCE STEPS

2/4 time dance steps

1. Native waltz step, close, step 1, 2, 3

4/4 time dance steps

1. Schottische step step, close, step hop( raise foot

You might also like