Dance Position with Partners

and Dance Terminologies

Week 5
Back Cross

Side by side, man to

woman's left, right hands
joined behind woman's
back, and left hands
joined behind man's back.
Butterfly
A facing position, somewhat apart
from each other. Lead hands and
trail hands are joined at shoulder
height. The elbows are up and out.
A couple can be in "Butterfly Banjo"
(left side lead) or "Butterfly Sidecar"
(right side lead). In each of these
two cases, the next step would be
outside partner.
Closed
Standard dance position, facing
partner, slightly offset to the left,
lower bodies together, upper
bodies apart, both looking left.
The man’s right hand is just below
her left shoulder blade and her left
hand is on his upper right arm. His
left hand is out to his left and
about at shoulder height and is
holding her right hand.
Open
Side by side, lady to his right,
man's right hand and lady's left
joined, both looking in the
same direction. Free arms may
be extended to the side. Left
Open Position is side by side,
lady to his left, man's left hand
and lady's right joined, both
looking in the same direction.
Cuddle

A closed embrace, man's arms

around her waist or lower back
and woman's arms on his
shoulders, neck, or face.
Escort

An open position in which the

woman's left arm is passed
through the crook of the man's
right arm. Her forearm rests on
his forearm.
Facing

Any position in which the man

and woman are directly in front
of each other, front to front,
e.g., closed, butterfly, open
facing positions, or with no
contact.
Half Open
Both facing the same direction,
woman on man's right side,
bodies turned half toward each
other; man's right palm on
woman's back and woman's
left hand at or near man's right
shoulder. Free arms may be
extended to side. In Left Half
Open, she is on his left side.
Low Butterfly

Butterfly position, but the

hands are closer together and
about waist high.

Butterfly
hands are extended sideward
and about chest high.
Left Open Facing

Partners are facing each other

but apart, man's left hand and
lady's right joined. Man's right
and lady's left arms may be
extended to the side.
Star
A facing position but offset,
right hip to right hip, woman a
little in front of man, right
hands joined at shoulder level
or above, right elbows may be
touching. In a Left-Hand Star,
each would turn 1/2 and join
left hands. The woman would
be on the man's left side and a
little in front of him.
Wrapped
Man stands behind and slightly
to the left of the woman. She
crosses her right arm over her
left in front of her body. He
holds her right hand in his left.
His right arm passes behind
her, and he holds her left in his
right at her right hip. A kind of
Shadow.
Shadow
Partners facing the same direction, one (usually
the man) to the left and a little behind the other.
A common mistake is to get too far to the side
and maybe almost even with each other—hip-
to-hip. Actually, the woman should be located
where she would be in closed position, on his
right hip, but she is turned around. Hand
positions are not specified in shadow, but often
left hands are joined and the man's right hand is
comfortably on her back or at her waist above
her right hip. This position might more
specifically be called Woman’s Shadow. The man
is "shadowing" the woman.
 COMMON DANCE TERMS
1. Arms in lateral position – Both arms are at one side either
right or left, at shoulder, chest or waist level.

2. 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.

3. Crossed Arms – Partners facing each other or standing side

by side join their left hands together and the right hands
together; either right over left or left over right hands.

4. Cut – To displace quickly one foot with the other.

7. Hop – A spring from one foot landing on the same foot in
place or in any direction.

8. Jaleo – Partners turn around clockwise ( with right elbows

almost touching ) or counterclockwise ( with left elbows almost
touching ) using walking or any kind of dance step.

9. Jump – A spring on one foot or both feet landing on both

feet in any direction.

10. Leap – A spring from one foot landing on the other foot in
any direction.
12. Place – To put foot in a certain position without putting
weight on it.

13. Pivot – To turn with the ball, heel or whole foot on a fixed
Place or point.

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

15. Stamp – To bring the foot forcibly and noisily on the floor
with or without transfer of weight.
16. Salok – T o swing the arm downward-upward passing in
front of the body as
if scooping, the trunk is bent following the movement of the
arm doing the salok.

17. Saludo – Partners bow to each other, to the audience,

opposite dancers, or to the neighbors with feet together.
This is of Spanish origin and is used in almost all Philippine
dances.

18. Sarok – Cross the R foot in front of the L , bend the body
slightly forward and cross the hands down in front of the R
hand over the L. This is a Visayan term.
19. Tap – To rap slightly with the ball or toe of the free foot,
flexing the ankle joint keeping weight of the body on the
other foot. There is no change or transfer of weight.

20. Whirl – To make fast turns by executing small steps in

place
21. Do-si-do – Partners advance forward, pass each other’s
right ( left ) side, step across to the right move backwards
without turning around, pass each other left side to proper
places.

22. Hayon-hayon – To place one forearm in front and the

other at he back of the waist.
23. Masiwak – To turn the hand from the wrist half-way
clockwise then raise and lower wrist once or twice. This is an
Ibanag term.

24. Panadyak – To stamp in front or at the side with the right

foot and tap with same foot close to the left foot. This is a
Tagalog term.

25. Kumintang – moving the hand from the wrist either in a

clockwise or counterclockwise direction.
FORMATIONS commonly Used in
RHYTHMIC ACTIVITIES:
Single circle, facing clockwise
Single circle partners facing
Single circle, facing counterclockwise
Single circle, facing center
Double circle, partners facing
Double circle, facing clockwise
Double circle, couples facing
Square or quadrille formation
Semi-circle or half moon
Double lines, facing front
Double lines, partners facing
Long open formation
Parallel Tortillier 2/4, 3/4 or 4/4 pivot and turn heels,
pivot and turn toes