The 19 Dances in Competitive Ballroom

These dances are divided between the International style and the American style. In other parts of the world, International Style is much more popular. American Style is mainly danced in the United States. The International dances is a further subdivided into Latin dances and Standard dances. The American style is also subdivided into the Smooth dances and the Rhythm dances. Below is a list of all nineteen dances in their appropriate categories.

International Standard - emphasizes remaining in a closed dance position.
International Latin - the hip action is achieved after stepping onto a "straight leg."
American Smooth - less strict and allows the partnership to “open up” in several steps.
American Rhythm - the hip action is achieved by flexing the knee after taking a step.


International Standard

Waltz	A graceful and romantic progressive dance using rise and fall and danced to 3/4 time music. Slow Waltz evolved from the fast paced Viennese Waltz.
Tango	A dramatic and fiery progressive dance that is characterized by staccato movements of the feet and flexed knees, and stylized poses that highlight its dramatic style.
Viennese Waltz	A fast, regal and elegant ballroom dance in 3/4 or 6/8 meter, often associated with the music of Johann Strauss.
Foxtrot	A smooth and graceful dance introduced to the public in 1913 by Harry Fox, noted for being the first dance to incorporate a combination of slows and quicks into its rhythm.
Quickstep	A quick version of Foxtrot mixed with the Charleston and jazz influences. It is characterized by fast movement, often including a variety of hops, kicks, skips, lock steps and chassés.

International Latin

Samba	A fun and exciting party dance. Characterized by the "bounce" action, it is danced to fast music in 2/4 time.
Cha Cha	An cheeky and flirty dance, which originated in the 1950's as a slowed-down Mambo. The Cha Cha gets its name and character from its distinct repetitive foot rhythm.
Rumba	A a slow, sensuous, romantic dance characterized by slow hip movements done to romantic music. The Rumba spotlights the lady and features much flirtation.
Paso Doble	A dramatic French-Spanish Flamenco-style march danced in 2/4 time, with man portraying the matador in a bullfight, the lady as his cape. The character of the dance is arrogant and passionate.
Jive	An energetic dance with very sharp foot kicks and "flicks" by quickly retracting the working leg. It is danced to faster tempo swing music and is meant for competitive style dancing.

American Smooth

Waltz	A graceful and romantic progressive dance using rise and fall and danced to 3/4 time music. Slow Waltz evolved from the fast paced Viennese Waltz.
Tango	A dramatic and fiery progressive dance that is characterized by staccato movements of the feet and flexed knees, and stylized poses that highlight its dramatic style.
Viennese Waltz	A fast, regal and elegant ballroom dance in 3/4 or 6/8 meter, often associated with the music of Johann Strauss.
Foxtrot	A smooth and graceful dance introduced to the public in 1913 by Harry Fox, noted for being the first dance to incorporate a combination of slows and quicks into its rhythm.

American Rhythm

Cha Cha	An cheeky and flirty dance, which originated in the 1950's as a slowed-down Mambo. The Cha Cha gets its name and character from its distinct repetitive foot rhythm.
Rumba	A a slow, sensuous, romantic dance characterized by slow hip movements done to romantic music. The Rumba spotlights the lady and features much flirtation.
Swing	A slower version of the jive. Unlike the jive, it is very grounded and not high in the legs, and has more of a sway or swing in the movement of the body.
Bolero	A slow sensual dance which originated from Rumba and still shares many of the same figures. Bolero differs from Rumba in its tempo and style of music and movement.
Mambo	A very fast and fun dance, similar to Salsa, which comes from Cuba. Most of the movements emphasize the second beat in the measure.

Couples compete against other couples with similar training experience or proficiency levels:

• Pre-Bronze (sometimes called “Newcomer”)
• Bronze (sometimes called “Beginner”)
• Silver (sometimes called “Intermediate”)
• Gold (sometimes called “Advanced”)
• Pre-Championship
• Championship

Pre-Bronze through Gold are considered to be syllabus levels where permitted figures are restricted to those specified in certain official syllabi (like the ISTD or the NDCA). Pre-Champ and Champ levels are considered to be Open levels (sometimes termed simply as “Open”) and do not have any syllabus restrictions.

Generally the lower level events offer "one dance at a time," while in the more advanced events the dances are generally clustered in two, three, or even four and five consecutive dances.

Level restrictions in competitions may be determined by length of time dancing or previous achievement. The latter is usually determined based on how many times a couple may place in the finals of events. Most collegiate competitions use the YCN rules. Other competitions tend to use criteria set by the USA Dance, depending on the competition.

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Suggested Songs for Each Dance

International Standard: Waltz [28-31 mpm]  Norah Jones - "Come Away With Me"  Linda Ronstadt - "Love Has No Pride"  Pat Behrens - "When I Dream of You"  Michael Buble - "At This Moment"  Sandy Scott - "No Walls, No Ceilings, No Floors"  Dana Glover - "It Is You"  Chris De Burgh - "When Winter Comes" Tango [30-32 mpm]  Glee Cast - "Bust Your Windows"  El Alacran - "Reflejo De Luna"  Gotan Project - "Santa Maria"  In-Grid - "In Tango"  "Hernando's Hideaway"  "Ecstacy Tango" Foxtrot [28-30 mpm]  Michael Buble - "Haven't Met You Yet"  Harry Connick Jr - "A Wink And A Smile"  Michael Buble - "Fever"  Eartha Kitt - "My Discarded Men"  Norah Jones - "Cold Cold Heart"  Marilyn Monroe - "I Wanna Be Loved By You" Quickstep [48-52 mpm]   Theme to "Spiderman"  3 Doors Down - "Kyptonite"  Toby Lightman - "Let Go"  Chicago Soundtrack - "Hot Honey Rag"  Barry Manilow - "Dancin' Fool"  Theme to "Betty Boop" Viennese Waltz [52-58 mpm]  Metallica - "Nothing Else Matters"  Daughtry - "Life After You"  Kelly Clarkson - "Breakaway"  Switchfoot - "Only Hope"  Lifehouse - "You and Me"  Chantal Kreviazuk - "Time"  Disney - "Once Upon A December"

International Latin: Samba  Black Eyed Peas - "Mas Que Nada"  Nancy Ames - "Eso Beso"  Rihanna - "Pon De Replay"  Damian Marley - "Hey Girl"  Mohombi - "Bumpy Ride"  Serdar Ortac - "Sor" Cha Cha  El Gato - "Ola Ola"  Jennifer Lopez - "Let's Get Loud"  Della Reese - "Daddy"  Lady Gaga - "Poker Face"  Pussycat Dolls - "Sway"  Duffy - "Mercy"  Petty Booka - "Bla Bla Cha Cha Cha"  Aretha Franklin - "Chain of Fools" Rumba  Thomas Anders - "You're My Heart, You're My Soul"  Laura Fygi - "Historia De Un Amor"  Adele - "Set Fire to the Rain"  Paul Carrack - "Satisfy My Soul"  Tamara - "Abrazame"  Pimpinela - "Mi Vida"  Alejandro Fernandez - "Yo Naci Para Amarte"  Paola & Chiara - "Comin' Around"  Michael Jackson - "Whatever Happens"  Anna Tatangelo - "Lo So Che Finira" Jive  Christina Aguilera - "Candyman"  Alesha Dixon - "The Boy Does Nothing"  Avril Lavigne - "Girlfriend"  Avril Lavigne - "What The Hell"  Bruno Mars - "Runaway Baby"  Travis Tritt - "Girls Gone Wild"  Elvis Presley - "Jailhouse Rock"  Katy Perry - "Last Friday Night" Paso Doble  "Spanish Gypsy Dance"

American Smooth: Waltz [28-32 mpm]  [same as Int'l Waltz] Tango [30-32 mpm]  [same as Int'l Tango] Foxtrot [30-34 mpm]  Carly Sakolove - "Orange Colored Sky"  Michael Buble - "Moondance" Viennese Waltz [54-56 mpm]  [same as Int'l Viennese Waltz]

American Rhythm: Cha Cha [30 mpm]  [same as Int'l Cha Cha] Rumba [30-36 mpm]  Ingrid Michaelson - "The Way I Am"  Enrique Iglesias - "Ring My Bells"  Enrique Iglesias - "Cuando Me Enamoro"  Touch and Go - "Straight to Number One"  Touch and Go - "Tango in Harlem" Swing [34-36 mpm]  Carrie Underwood - "Cowboy Casanova"  Mike Posner - "Cooler Than Me"  Shania Twain - "Man I Feel Like A Woman"  Christina Aguilera - "Keeps Gettin' Better"  Britney Spears - "Womanizer"  Adam Lambert - "For Your Entertainment"  Vanessa Hudgens - "Let's Dance"  Rihanna - "SOS" Bolero [24-26 mpm]  Millie - "Regresa"  Rosana - "Dando Tumbos"  Isabel Pantoja - "Dejame Descansar En Ti" Mambo [47-51 mpm]  Tito Puente - "Ran Kan Kan"