I. dance 1 S2 W3 /dɑːns $ dæns/ BrE AmE noun
1 . [countable] a special set of movements performed to a particular type of music:
The waltz is an easy dance to learn.
folk/traditional dance
the traditional dances and music of Russia
2 . [countable] a social event or party where you dance:
Are you going to the dance this weekend?
the school dance
3 . [countable] an act of dancing:
Claire did a little dance of excitement.
have a dance especially British English :
Let’s have another dance.
4 . [countable] a piece of music which you can dance to:
The band was playing a slow dance.
5 . [uncountable] the activity or art of dancing:
modern dance
dance and movement classes
⇨ song and dance about something at ↑ song (4), ⇨ lead somebody a dance at ↑ lead 1 (19)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ a traditional dance
The drum is often used in Africa to accompany traditional dances.
▪ a folk dance (=typical of the ordinary people who live somewhere)
This is one of the oldest folk dances in Greece.
▪ a national dance
The Tango is Argentina’s national dance.
■ verbs
▪ do a dance
Can you do any dances?
▪ perform a dance
We watched the group perform some traditional Spanish dances.
■ dance + NOUN
▪ a dance routine/sequence (=a set of movements that are part of a dance)
She was practising a complicated dance routine.
▪ a dance step (=a movement in a dance)
Lou was teaching me a few dance steps.
▪ dance music
A small band was playing dance music.
▪ a dance floor (=special floor for people to dance on)
▪ a dance band (=playing music that people can dance to)
a professional dance band
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ dance an organized social event where people to go dance:
The dance will be held in the school gym.
▪ ball a large formal occasion where people dance:
The University holds a ball at the end of June.
▪ prom a formal dance party for high school students, especially in the US, usually held at the end of a school year:
Who’s your date for the prom?
▪ formal American English a dance at which you must wear formal clothes:
He rented a tuxedo to wear to his company’s holiday formal.
▪ disco a place or social event where people dance to recorded popular music:
She met Nick at a school disco.
▪ club/nightclub a place where people go at night to dance:
We went out for dinner and then to a club.
II. dance 2 S2 W3 BrE AmE verb
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: dancier ]
1 . [intransitive and transitive] to move your feet and body in a way that matches the style and speed of music:
Come on, let’s dance.
dance to
They danced to Ruby Newman’s orchestra (=the orchestra was playing) .
dance with
The bride danced with her father.
dance a waltz/rumba/tango etc
2 . [intransitive and transitive] to dance in performances, especially in ↑ ballet :
He danced with the Boston Repertory Ballet.
Nakamura dances several solos in this production.
3 . [intransitive] literary to move up, down, and around quickly:
Pink and white balloons danced in the wind.
4 . dance to sb’s tune to do what someone wants you to do – used to show disapproval:
At that time, Eastern bloc countries danced to the Soviet tune.
5 . dance attendance on somebody to do everything possible in order to please someone:
a movie star with several young men dancing attendance on her
—dancing noun [uncountable] :
the beauty of her dancing