DANCE TERMS

Arms in lateral position - Both arms are at the sides, right and left at shoulder
position, chest or waist level.

Arms in T position - arms sideward, bend elbow fingers pointing downward

palms, facing inward.

Arms in reverse T position - arms sideward, bend elbow fingers pointing upward,
palm facing inward.

Abrasete - (Spanish origin0 Girl at the R of partner, hold or hook

R arm of boy partner with her L hand or arm.

Brush - Weight on one foot, hit the floor with the ball or heel
of the other foot, and lift that foot from the floor to any
direction.

Cabeceras (Headers) - (Spanish origin) The head couple or couples

occupying the width of the hall in square formation.

Costados (Side pairs) - (Spanish origin) The side pairs ins square formation
and they occupy the length of the room or hall.

Crossed Arms - Partners facing each other or standing side by side join
their L hands together and the R hands together, either
R over L or L over R hand.

Cut - To displace quickly one foot with the other foot.

Dos-a-dos or back to back - (Spanish term) Partners or opposites, do-si-do facing

each other, move forward, pass each other’s right (left),
move backward without turning around, and pass each
other’s left (right) to original places.

Free foot - The foot not bearing the weight of the body.

Free hand - The hand not placed anywhere or not doing anything.

Hayon-hayon(Visayan term) - Placing one forearm in front and the other at the back
of waist.

Inside foot - The foot nearer the partners when partners stand side
by side.

Jaleo - (Spanish term) Partners stand side by side with elbows

slightly touching each other, and facing opposite
directions, the inside hand on waist.
Kumintang - (Ilocano, Bicol, Bisaya, Tagalog) Moving the hand
from wrist either in clockwise or counter clockwise
direction.

Masiwak - To turn the hand from wrist half-way clockwise then

raise and lower wrist once or twice. This is an Ibanag
term.

Outside foot - The foot away from one’s partner, when partners
standing side by side.

Outside hand - The hand away from one’s partner, when partners
standing side by side.

Panadyak - To stamp in front or at the side with R(L) foot and tap
with the same foot close to the L(R) foot. This is a
Tagalog term.

Patay - To bend the head downward and to support the

forehead with R(L) forearm or with the crook of the
R(L) elbow while the L(R) hand supports lightly the
palm of the R(L) hand. This is usually done with the
L(R) foot pointing in rear knees slightly bent. This is an
Ilocano term and the movement is commonly found in
in Ilocano dances.

Pivot - To turn with the ball, heel, or whole foot on a fixed

place or point.

Place - To put foot in a certain position without putting weight

on it; the sole of the foot rest on the floor.

Promenade - Partners stand side and with their right hands joined
over their left hands, walk around counter clockwise.

Point - Touch the floor lightly with the toes of one foot,
weight of the body on the other foot.

Salok - (Tagalog term) Swinging the arm downward-upward

passing in front of the body as in scooping and bending
trunk following the arm movement.

Sarok - (Visayan term) Cross R(L) foot over L(R) bending the
body slightly forward and crossing hands down in front
R(L) over L(R).

Saludo - Partners with feet together bow to each other, to the

audience, opposite dancers, or the neighbors.
Set - A dance formation like a square or a unit formation
composed of two or more pairs.

Slide - To glide foot smoothly along the floor.

Stamp - To bring the foot forcibly and noisily on the floor.

Step - To advance or recede by moving one foot to another

resting place with a complete transfer of weight from
one foot to another.

Supporting Foot - The foot that bears the weight of the body.

Tap - To tap slightly with the ball or toe of the free foot
keeping weight of the body on the other foot. Their is
no transfer of weight.

Whirl - To make fast turns executing small steps in place, to

the right or to the left.