Every dance style we document

382 styles across 47 genres, from Renaissance court dances to contemporary street forms. Every style has its own page with origins, movement, music and video. Search by name, or narrow by era and region.

Looking for how these connect to one another over time? The Lineage of Dance traces the family tree.

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Era

Region

382 styles across 47 genres — open a genre to see what's inside

International Standard5 styles · England · from 1920›

International Latin5 styles · England/Latin America · from 1947›

American Smooth5 styles · United States · from 1971›

American Rhythm5 styles · United States · from 1965›

Historic Renaissance Court7 styles · Italy/France · from 1450›

Historic Baroque Court11 styles · France/Italy · from 1600›

Historic Regency Country9 styles · England · from 1700›

Historic Gilded Age Ballroom19 styles · Europe/America · from 1850›

Historic American Contra3 styles · United States · from 1750›

Argentine Tango3 styles · Argentina · from 1880›

Club & Social Latin15 styles · Caribbean/Latin America · from 1960›

Country & Western11 styles · United States · from 1940›

Swing & Jazz19 styles · United States · from 1930›

Global South Asian Classical & Folk15 styles · India, Sri Lanka, Nepal · from -1000›

Global East Asian Classical & Modern18 styles · China, Japan, Korea · from -1000›

Global Southeast Asian Court & Folk20 styles · Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos · from -1000›

Global Central Asian Nomadic & Folk6 styles · Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan · from -1000›

Global African Warrior, Ceremonial & Urban22 styles · South Africa, West Africa, East Africa · from -1000›

Global Middle Eastern & Arab Classical & Folk10 styles · Egypt, Levant, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Morocco · from -3000 (or retain -1000 and add a hedge to historical_origins explaining the cutoff — see rationale)›

Global Pacific Islands & Oceania11 styles · Hawaii, New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Polynesia · from -1000›

Global Americas Indigenous & Colonial Fusion10 styles · North, Central, and South America (Indigenous traditions and colonial-era fusion forms) · from 1 (with caption "Pre-Columbian roots; documented evidence extends millennia before 1500 CE; colonial-era fusion forms emerge after 1500 CE.")›

Ballet11 styles · Italy / France · from 1500›

Contemporary Dance6 styles · United States / Germany · from 1900›

Jazz Dance7 styles · United States · from 1900›

Tap Dance4 styles · United States · from 1800›

Irish Step Dance3 styles · Ireland · from 1750›

Ice Dance & Skating4 styles · Britain / Austria / North America · from 1860›

Roller Dance & Skating3 styles · United States / Britain · from 1860›

Aerial Dance5 styles · Europe / global circus tradition · from 1900›

Flow & Fire Arts5 styles · New Zealand (Māori poi) / global flow community · from 1900›

Cheer, Pom & Guard5 styles · United States · from 1900›

Para DanceSport8 styles · Sweden / international · from 1968›

Street & Funk Styles5 styles · California, United States · from 1969›

House, Vogue & Club Dance3 styles · Chicago / New York / Los Angeles, United States · from 1972›

Stepping & Strolling2 styles · United States (HBCU / Black Greek-letter organizations) · from 1900›

Modern Fusion & Commercial6 styles · Global (India, South Korea, United States, Europe) · from 1930›

Sacred & Ceremonial Dance4 styles · Global (United States, Hawaiʻi, and Indigenous nations)›

Regional Folk Traditions5 styles · United States / Spain / Ashkenazi Jewish diaspora · from 1500›

Acro & Dance Acrobatics5 styles · United States and Canada, with vocabulary drawn from Chinese, Mongolian and Indian acrobatic traditions; now taught worldwide · from 1900›

Dance Fitness & Movement Wellness7 styles · United Kingdom, United States and Colombia in origin; taught worldwide through franchise, licensing and streaming networks · from 1959›

Afro-Diaspora Popular Dance10 styles · West Africa, Southern Africa, Central Africa and the Caribbean, with major diaspora centres in London, Paris, New York, Miami, Toronto, Montreal and Brussels · from 1955›

Pole Dance & Pole Sport6 styles · Global; developed principally in the strip-club circuits of the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom, with independent vertical-apparatus traditions in China and India · from 1950›

Heels & Sensual Performance5 styles · United States (Los Angeles, New York City and New Orleans), with antecedents in West and Central Africa, the Caribbean and European cabaret · from 1990›

Blues & Slow Social Dance5 styles · United States (Mississippi Delta, Deep South, and Northern industrial cities) · from 1880›

Hip-Hop & Street Dance10 styles · United States — the Bronx, Harlem and Brooklyn (New York City), Memphis TN, Chicago IL, Oakland CA, Detroit MI, New Orleans LA — and a worldwide diaspora · from 1970›

Musical Theatre Dance6 styles · New York City and London; Broadway, the West End, national tours and regional stages worldwide · from 1925›

Flamenco13 styles · Andalusia, Spain, with strong traditions in Murcia and Extremadura; Gitano communities of Seville, Cadiz, Jerez, Granada and Almeria; global diaspora since the 20th century · from 1774›