INDEX:
1. to dance
2. a set of movements performed to a particular type of music
3. someone who dances
4. a social event where people dance
5. to invent a set of movements or steps to be used in a dance
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ MUSIC
↑ PERFORM/PERFORMANCE
↑ SING
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1. to dance
▷ dance /dɑːnsǁdæns/ [intransitive verb]
to move your body in time to music, for example at a social event or as part of a performance :
▪ Everyone got up and danced.
dance with
▪ Will you dance with me?
dance to
▪ If you like dancing to drum and bass, come to the Coven on Saturday night.
dance the night away
dance all night
▪ The disco starts at 11pm so you can dance the night away.
dance the waltz/the tango/the twist etc
dance a particular kind of dance
▪ I have an old photo of my parents dancing a waltz.
▷ dancing /ˈdɑːnsɪŋǁˈdæn-/ [uncountable noun]
the activity of moving your feet and body to music :
▪ My boyfriend doesn’t like dancing.
▪ There was music, Scottish dancing, and lots of food.
go dancing
go somewhere in order to dance
▪ Mum and Dad used to go dancing every Friday night.
▷ do /duː/ [transitive verb]
to do a particular kind of dance :
▪ She got up and did a little dance.
▪ The tribespeople did a special dance, which they said would bring rain.
do the waltz/the tango/the twist etc
▪ Can you do the twist?
2. a set of movements performed to a particular type of music
▷ dance /dɑːnsǁdæns/ [countable noun]
a set of movements that you do to a particular kind of music :
▪ I prefer old-fashioned dances like the waltz or the tango.
folk dance
a traditional dance
▪ Hungarian folk dances
dance craze
a style of dance that is very popular for a short time
▪ The surprise hit of that summer was ‘Macarena’, which was also a dance craze.
▷ steps /steps/ [plural noun]
the movements you make with your feet as part of a particular dance :
▪ Can you show me the right steps for this dance?
▪ I’d like to dance but I don’t know the steps.
dance steps
▪ It took me ages to get right some of the more complicated dance steps.
3. someone who dances
▷ dancer /ˈdɑːnsəʳǁˈdæn-/ [countable noun]
someone who dances, either because it is their job or for enjoyment :
▪ I’m not a very good dancer.
▪ a world famous dancer
ballet/belly/break etc dancer
▪ The ballet dancer, Rudolph Nureyev, died at the age of fifty-four.
▷ partner /ˈpɑːʳtnəʳ/ [countable noun]
another person that you dance with :
▪ When I saw her again, she was dancing with a different partner.
▪ Try not to step on your partner’s toes.
4. a social event where people dance
▷ dance /dɑːnsǁdæns/ [countable noun]
an organized social event where people go to dance :
▪ Do you want to go to the dance on Saturday night?
hold a dance
organize a dance
▪ Dances used to be held in the church hall at least once a month.
dinner dance
a formal event with dinner and dancing
▪ The Society are holding their 15th anniversary dinner dance at the Broomshill Hotel.
▷ club /klʌb/ [countable noun]
a place where people go at night to dance to loud popular music :
▪ I met some friends at a party and then we went on to a club.
go clubbing
go to one or more clubs
▪ If you want to go clubbing, London’s the place to be.
▷ disco /ˈdɪskəʊ/ [countable noun]
a place or fairly informal social event where people dance to popular music :
▪ Nick met Rachel at a disco when she was 17 years old.
▪ It was a small seaside town with a couple of bars and one shabby-looking disco.
▷ ball /bɔːl/ [countable noun]
a formal social event at which people dance and wear formal clothes :
▪ It was the first time I’d ever been invited to a ball.
hold a ball
▪ The University holds a summer ball at the end of June.
▷ prom /prɒmǁprɑːm/ [countable noun usually singular]
a social event for high school students in the US where there is music and dancing, and that people usually go to with a partner :
▪ Joey walked me home after the prom.
high school prom
▪ The band first played together at a high school prom.
5. to invent a set of movements or steps to be used in a dance
▷ choreograph /ˈkɒriəgrɑːf, ˈkɔː-ǁˈkɔːriəgræf/ [transitive verb]
▪ She has been asked to choreograph a modern ballet for the National Dance Theatre.
▪ There were some fabulous, beautifully choreographed dance routines.
▷ choreography /ˌkɒriˈɒgrəfi, ˌkɔː-ǁˌkɔːriˈɑːg-/ [uncountable noun]
the art of inventing steps and movements and combining them into a dance :
▪ She studied choreography at the Royal School of Ballet.
▪ The splendid choreography was by Ann-Marie Brady.
▷ choreographer /ˌkɒriˈɒgrəfəʳ, ˌkɔː-ǁˌkɔːriˈɑːg-/ [countable noun]
someone who invents the movements or steps to be used in a dance :
▪ McKayle was considered the leading black modern dance choreographer of his day.