Rosetta Stone of Dance

The same figure can have different names — or subtle differences — across International Standard, American Smooth, International Latin, and American Rhythm. This tool maps equivalent figures across all four systems, so you can translate your dance vocabulary no matter which tradition you trained in.

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Total Figures
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Shared (Both)
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IS Only
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AS Only

Showing 0 of 0 figures for Waltz

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How to read this tool

Each row represents a dance figure concept. When the same figure exists in both systems, it appears in both columns — sometimes with the same name, sometimes with a different one. This is your translator.

SHARED figures exist in both traditions — often with the same name but sometimes with subtle technique differences (e.g., hold, footwork, or styling).

Figures with only one column filled are unique to that system — they have no direct equivalent in the other tradition.

Data sourced from publicly available syllabus catalogs. Cross-references are auto-matched by name with manual curation ongoing.

Rosetta Stone FAQs

Ballroom dance developed independently across multiple countries and organizations. The International Standard (ISTD/WDSF) and American Smooth (DVIDA/NDCA) systems evolved separately, each creating their own terminology for similar movements. A Natural Turn in International may correspond to a Right Turn in American, with subtle technical differences in hold, footwork, or rise and fall.