10 most popular types of dance
Dance, an art form deeply embedded in human history, has been an integral part of cultures and communities for tens of thousands of years. Evidence suggests that dance existed as far back as 30,000 years ago, highlighting its enduring presence in human expression and ritual. Over millennia, various forms of dance have evolved, transformed, and merged, giving rise to the diverse and captivating dance genres we recognize today.
Here’s an exploration into some of the most popular types of dance, each with its unique history, style, and appeal:
- Ballet
- Ballroom
- Contemporary
- Hip Hop
- Jazz
- Tap Dance
- Folk Dance
- Irish Dance
- Modern Dance
- Swing Dance
Top Dance Genres Explained
Ballet
Ballet, a highly refined and globally recognized dance form, originated during the Italian Renaissance. It subsequently flourished in France and Russia, evolving into a concert dance designed for public spectacle. Typically performed in the form of a ballet, this dance style is characterized by its meticulously choreographed movements set to classical music.
Ballet productions can range significantly in their presentation, from lavish displays featuring elaborate costumes and intricate stage designs to minimalist performances with simple attire and bare stages. Regardless of the scale, ballet remains a technically demanding art form, encompassing several recognized subgenres, including classical ballet, romantic ballet, neoclassical ballet, and contemporary ballet.
Six primary methods underpin ballet training worldwide: the Cecchetti method, the Bournonville method, the Vaganova method, the French School, the Royal Academy of Dance method, and the Balanchine method. These methods are rigorously taught in leading dance schools globally.
For ballet dancers requiring specialized flooring, Harlequin Floors provides a range of ballet dance floors engineered to offer the precise level of traction needed to prevent injuries while facilitating the fluid, graceful movements essential to ballet. Harlequin Cascade stands out as a favored choice for ballet studios and can be effectively installed over various sprung floors offered by Harlequin. Additionally, Harlequin Floors offers professional-grade ballet barres, available in wall-mounted, floor-mounted, and freestanding configurations.
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Scottish Ballet dancers performing on Harlequin Cascade dance floor, showcasing professional ballet dance.
Ballroom
Ballroom dance, a style of partner dance, emerged in France in the late sixteenth century. Often used as a general term for partner dancing, ballroom has developed into two primary categories: Standard (or Smooth) and Latin (or Rhythm). The Standard category includes dances like the Waltz, Tango, and Foxtrot, known for their elegant and flowing movements. The Latin category encompasses vibrant dances such as the Pasodoble, Bolero, and Samba, characterized by their energetic and rhythmic nature.
Ballroom dance is a popular competitive dance form, also known as dancesport, with competitions held globally. Given the diverse styles within ballroom dancing, dancers require a versatile dance floor. Harlequin Fiesta and the specialized Harlequin Liberty Ballroom dance floor are excellent choices, providing a surface suitable for all ballroom dance styles. Harlequin Liberty Ballroom is notably used in the BBC’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ and by world-renowned Professional Ballroom Dance Champion, Christopher Hawkins.
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Dancers at ‘Dance Against Dementia’ event performing ballroom dance on Harlequin Liberty Ballroom floor.
Contemporary
Contemporary dance, which evolved in the mid-twentieth century, has become a leading and technically sophisticated dance form, widely studied and performed professionally, particularly in the United States and Europe. Drawing inspiration from classical ballet, modern dance, and jazz dance, contemporary dance has broadened its scope to include elements from numerous other dance genres.
Distinguished by its focus on a strong core and leg engagement, contract and release techniques, fall and recovery principles, and floor work, contemporary dance is often recognized for its unpredictable shifts in tempo and rhythm within a performance. Consequently, contemporary dancers benefit from a shock-absorbent dance surface to protect their feet, legs, and ankles from the stresses of rapid movements and rhythmic changes. Harlequin’s innovative ‘triple sandwich’ Harlequin Activity sprung floor, when paired with various vinyl dance floors, creates an ideal dance environment for contemporary dance.
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Contemporary dancer Rosie Kay performing on Harlequin Hi-Shine floor, demonstrating expressive movements of contemporary dance.
Hip-Hop
Hip-hop dance encompasses a range of street dance styles that emerged alongside hip hop music and culture. Originating in the early 1970s in New York and California, hip-hop dance developed from Funk and the innovation of breakbeat music. Key styles within hip-hop dance include Breaking, Locking, and Popping, with derivative styles such as Memphis Jookin’, Turfing, Jerkin’, and Krumping evolving from these foundations. These styles gained mainstream popularity through their appearances in music videos of the era.
Today, hip-hop is practiced in diverse settings, from outdoor spaces and dance studios to competitive arenas. Unlike many competitive dance forms, hip-hop often emphasizes improvisation, with dance crews frequently engaging in energetic dance battles. For hip-hop and street dance styles, Harlequin Floors has developed Harlequin Freestyle, a specialized dance floor designed to meet the unique demands of these dynamic dance forms.
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Hip-hop dance group Da Rookies performing on Harlequin FreeStyle floor, showcasing energetic hip-hop dance moves.
Jazz
Jazz dance has its origins in seventeenth-century African dance traditions, brought to the Americas through the Atlantic slave trade. Enslaved Africans continued their dance traditions in Brazil, the United States, and other parts of the Americas, laying the groundwork for jazz dance. Characterized by improvisational and dramatic body movements, jazz dance gained prominence in early twentieth-century jazz clubs.
Modern jazz dance builds upon African American vernacular dance styles that evolved with jazz music in the U.S. Popular jazz dances include Swing, Lindy Hop, Shimmy, and Charleston. For jazz dancers, Harlequin Floors offers a range of vinyl floors, including Harlequin Studio and Harlequin Allegro, which provide ideal surfaces for both practice and performance.
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Jazz dancers in mid-air jump, illustrating the dynamic and expressive nature of jazz dance.
Tap Dancing
Tap dance is a percussive dance form distinguished by the rhythmic sounds created by tap shoes striking the floor. Tap dancers typically wear metal “taps” on the heels and toes of their shoes to amplify these sounds. Often featured in musical theatre, tap dance performances frequently emphasize choreography and synchronized formations involving multiple tap dancers.
Tap dance encompasses various styles, including flamenco tap, rhythm tap, classical tap, Broadway tap, and postmodern tap. As a percussive dance style, tap dancers aim for a clear, resonant sound to enhance their performance. This unique aspect of tap dancing necessitates a specialized floor for optimal sound quality and dancer safety. Harlequin Fiesta is an excellent tap dance flooring option for dance studios and performance venues. When installed over a sprung flooring system like Harlequin Liberty, it provides joint protection and allows dancers to perform with confidence.
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Tap Attack dance group performing synchronized tap dance on Harlequin Cascade floor, emphasizing percussive sounds of tap dance.
Folk Dance
Folk dance is celebrated globally, with diverse cultures and communities utilizing various forms of folk dance to express emotions, narrate stories, commemorate historical events, or depict aspects of daily life. Well-known examples of folk dance include Bharatanatyam from India, Samba from Brazil, and Hula from Hawaii. Some cultures feature numerous variations of folk dances, such as South Korea, which has distinct dances for significant events like war victories, farming practices, music, and religious ceremonies.
Folk dances are commonly performed at public events, encouraging participation from both experienced dancers and beginners. These dances are often accompanied by traditional music, enriching the cultural experience. Harlequin Floors offers a range of portable performance floors and dance floor hire services, making them ideal for folk dance events held in various public venues.
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Group of people performing folk dance, highlighting the communal and cultural aspect of folk dance.
Irish Dance
Originating in Ireland, Irish dance has been a cherished traditional dance form for centuries, popular both in Ireland and internationally. Popularized by shows like Riverdance, Irish dance is renowned for its intricate footwork and elaborate dance formations. Traditionally, Irish dance events are accompanied by singing and music. Festivals often include dance competitions where participants showcase their skills for trophies and medals.
While group performances are common in Irish dance, solo forms like stepdance are also well-known. For Irish dance floors in studios or performance spaces, Harlequin Floors offers specialized sprung dance floors. Pairing a sprung floor with a Harlequin vinyl floor, such as Harlequin Standfast, creates a high-quality surface ideal for Irish dancers.
Riverdance troupe performing Irish dance on Harlequin Cascade floor, demonstrating the energy and precision of Irish dance.
Modern Dance
Modern dance is considered a broad genre that primarily emerged in Western countries such as the USA and Germany in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In contrast to structured dance forms with set steps, modern dance emphasizes a dancer’s personal interpretation of music and emotions to guide their movements. Modern dance arose from a rejection of the constraints of traditional dance forms like ballet, which were often perceived as overly restrictive with rigid rules and techniques.
Today, modern dance is enjoyed worldwide, offering dancers the freedom to explore movement without strict adherence to classical techniques or turnout. Instead, dancers can select music and employ unconventional movements to convey emotions or narratives. To enhance the creative possibilities in modern dance, Harlequin Floors offers printed vinyl performance floors, allowing for bespoke designs inspired by choreography or selections from standard patterns. The versatile nature of modern dance means dancers can comfortably perform on many of Harlequin’s vinyl dance floors.
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Royal Academy of Dance students practicing modern dance on Harlequin Cascade floor, showing the expressive freedom of modern dance.
Swing
Swing dance is a variation of jazz dance that developed from the 1920s to the 1940s, coinciding with the rising popularity of swing jazz music in America. As music evolved during the Jazz Era, dance also transformed, with swing music encouraging faster, more dynamic movements. Popular swing dances include the Lindy Charleston, Jitterbug, Lindy Hop, and Balboa, many of which are still danced today. Swing dancing was typically accompanied by Big Band musicians who played upbeat, smooth, and rhythmically engaging melodies.
For swing dancers, Harlequin Floors offers a range of vinyl dance floors. Similar to jazz dancers, swing dancers can achieve excellent performances on Harlequin’s vinyl floors, such as Harlequin Reversible Pro, which features a high-performance, slip-resistant surface to ensure dancer safety.
Couple performing swing dance, illustrating the energetic and partner-focused style of swing dance.
From home dance practice equipment to portable ballet barres, Harlequin Floors provides a comprehensive selection of professional products suitable for home or studio use, regardless of your chosen dance style. Our expert technical teams also offer a dance floor installation service to ensure your Harlequin floor is correctly installed and meets all safety standards.
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