I fancied I was slightly disappointed in Taglioni, whose dancing followed Pasta’s singing, but I suppose the magnificent tragical performance I had just witnessed had numbed as it were my power of appreciation of her grace and elegance, and yet she seemed to me like a _dancing flower_; so you see I must have like her very much. ❋ Fanny Kemble (1851)
Mark, who as well as being a highly skilled conservator and connoisseur of Latin American dancing is also a dedicated twitcher, knew what I meant. ❋ Unknown (2009)
Hula dancing is a lot like sign language: If you don’t know the language, you can’t enjoy it as much. ❋ George Heymont (2010)
At Purdue, Tiller was always looking for what he described as «dancing bears» up front who could handle the team’s complicated blocking schemes. ❋ Scott Cacciola (2011)
The main distinction in Mr. Stern’s design is the inclusion of dozens of what he calls «dancing mullions.» ❋ Robbie Whelan (2011)
Shalene’s been watching me … and my dancing is actually watchable! ❋ Unknown (2006)
I get them all enthused about it, and through long experience I am able to tell which group is going to be what I call my dancing girls or boys. ❋ Ned Wayburn (N/A)
Then their women are so immodest; striding about in ball-rooms with very little on, and embracing strange men in a whirligig which they call dancing, but very unlike the dignified movements which our male dancers exhibit in the Confucian temple. ❋ Herbert Allen Giles (1890)
‘You’re, no doubt, what they call a dancing-man?’ said he. ❋ Robert Louis Stevenson (1872)
But it is aggravating to be sitting at home and what we call dancing in the chair, back and forth, trying to get in a position that doesn’t really stiffen up.
That kind of dancing is what made me fall in love with ballroom in the first place — it brought me back to the first time I walked into the Marriott Marquis at the Brooklyn Bridge during the Manhattan Dancesport Championship and just knew I had to be a part of that world … ❋ Tonya Plank (2010)
Having chaperoned my fair share of high school dances in my day as a teacher, this kind of dancing is nothing new for 16 year olds … but usually they dance with kids their own age, not 44-year old men. ❋ Unknown (2010)
The terms expressing relief are poetical, and not to be pressed, though «dancing» is the translation of a word which means a lute, whose cheerful notes are contrasted with mourning, or (Am 5: 16) wailing. ❋ Unknown (1871)
Even the dancing is crap: people bump into each other; scuffles and fights break out. ❋ Lyn Gardner (2010)
Cinderlla went ([formal]) dancing.
[Jenny] and I were ([urban]) dancing all night at the club, then more at her house. ❋ Richie (2003)
dancing [is fun], [I wish] I [could do] it horizontally ❋ Johnny Que (2007)
[Frank Sinatra]:»for what is dancing than [making love] set to music,, [playin].» ❋ Jarell Reloj (2007)
did you see [John] [last night] dancing [on the table]? ❋ JY (2003)
She was dancing at [the party]. ❋ Z (2004)
[Max 300]? They [call] this dancing? ❋ Dress3d2k1ll (2006)
[OMG] dancing is [so stupid]. ❋ Fuck Mtv (2005)
people should [start] [DANCING] [in bed]. ❋ Ihate (2007)
He took her dancing on their [first date], and she [dumped] him that [night]. ❋ BrittOmnRex (2005)
That was a dancing [good] [muffin]!
That [song] is so dancing awesome! ❋ Zippo364 (2005)
Verb
He never learned how to dance.
She has always loved to dance.
I like the song but it’s really hard to dance to.
He danced her across the floor.
She dances with a famous ballet company.
She’s a great actress, and she can dance and sing, too.
Noun
They can do all the popular dances.
The only dance he knows how to do is the twist.
How about one more dance?
He stopped right in the middle of the dance to tie his shoe.
He did a celebration dance in the end zone after scoring the touchdown.
She studied dance in college.
See More
Recent Examples on the Web
The centers grew their own eyes and began to dance around each other — a Fujiwhara Effect unfolding over Monterey Bay.
—
Gerry Díaz, San Francisco Chronicle, 22 Mar. 2023
Her Germany is not their Germany, and dance, like history, is nontransferrable.
—Jennifer Homans, The New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2023
Most of us dance around those situations, preferring to let conflicts linger or use microaggressions to let off steam.
—Sabine Gromer, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2023
With this in mind, Iroanya has learned to dance with patience over the years.
—Kayla Greaves, ELLE, 17 Mar. 2023
The birds also dance to pop music, displaying unique moves that aren’t copied from other birds or even their human owners.
—Brian Handwerk, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Mar. 2023
Get ready to sniff, eat, and dance at this family-friendly party.
—Lindsay Tigar, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Mar. 2023
Taylor Swift’s return to Arizona will be celebrated with Glendale’s name change, drag brunches and festivities across Phoenix where Swifties can sing and dance along to 12 albums’ worth of songs.
—Kimi Robinson, The Arizona Republic, 15 Mar. 2023
Sunday the Tigers won the AAC tournament over top-seed Houston and Penny Hardaway’s men dance again.
—Scott Springer, The Enquirer, 13 Mar. 2023
To celebrate the news, Smith took to their social media to share a compilation video of the song’s success, showing off behind-the-scenes clips from the shoot of the music video, as well as viral dance challenges, beauty tutorials and covers of the track from TikTok.
—Stephen Daw, Billboard, 4 Apr. 2023
Nope, sorry—I’m off to my dance-cardio sweat sesh.
—Korin Miller, Women’s Health, 4 Apr. 2023
California outlaw-country singer Jaime Wyatt and Indiana songwriter Stephen Wilson Jr. are also on the boat, along with dance sets by the DJ Disko Cowboy and live recordings of Barstool Sports’ Bussin’ with the Boys podcast with former Tennessee Titans Taylor Lewan and Will Compton.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 4 Apr. 2023
The husband, pushed by his conservative, patriarchal family to get a job, becomes a backing dancer at an erotic dance theater and falls in love with the trans woman leading the troupe.
—Thomas Page, Cnn, CNN, 4 Apr. 2023
The female prairie chickens, watching from afar, will choose who has the best call and smartest dance.
—Elena Bruess, San Antonio Express-News, 4 Apr. 2023
Shirlynn Hight, a competitive cheer and dance coach, has been named the first head coach for the sport and plans to recruit 20 or more athletes.
—Tinasha Lewis, al, 4 Apr. 2023
Kids can learn different dance techniques and styles like tap and step.
—Chandra Fleming, Detroit Free Press, 4 Apr. 2023
The matching single-breasted vest also has two pockets, while the pants have dramatically flared hems that proved great for dance maneuvers.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘dance.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Definitions of dancing
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noun
taking a series of rhythmical steps (and movements) in time to music
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synonyms:
dance, saltation, terpsichore
see moresee less-
types:
- show 49 types…
- hide 49 types…
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adagio
a slow section of a pas de deux requiring great skill and strength by the dancers
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break dance, break dancing
a form of solo dancing that involves rapid acrobatic moves in which different parts of the body touch the ground; normally performed to the rhythm of rap music
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courante
a court dance of the 16th century; consisted of short advances and retreats
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nauch, nautch, nautch dance
an intricate traditional dance in India performed by professional dancing girls
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pavan, pavane
a stately court dance of the 16th and 17th centuries
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phrase
dance movements that are linked in a single choreographic sequence
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saraband
a stately court dance of the 17th and 18th centuries; in slow time
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skank
a rhythmic dance to reggae music performed by bending forward and extending the hands while bending the knees
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slam dance, slam dancing
a form of dancing in which dancers slam into one another; normally performed to punk rock
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hoofing, step dancing
dancing in which the steps are more important than gestures or postures
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toe dance, toe dancing
a dance performed on tiptoe
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choreography, stage dancing
a show involving artistic dancing
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pas seul, variation
(ballet) a solo dance or dance figure
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duet, pas de deux
(ballet) a dance for two people (usually a ballerina and a danseur noble)
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pas de trois
(ballet) a dance for three people
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pas de quatre
(ballet) a dance for four people
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social dancing
dancing as part of a social occasion
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mambo
a Latin American dance similar in rhythm to the rumba
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ceremonial dance, ritual dance, ritual dancing
a dance that is part of a religious ritual
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tap dance, tap dancing
a dance step tapped out audibly with the feet
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ballet, concert dance
a theatrical representation of a story that is performed to music by trained dancers
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modern dance
a style of theatrical dancing that is not as restricted as classical ballet; movements are expressive of feelings
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apache dance
a violent fast dance in French vaudeville (an apache is a member of the French underworld)
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belly dance, belly dancing, danse du ventre
a Middle Eastern dance in which the dancer makes sensuous movements of the hips and abdomen
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bolero
a Spanish dance in triple time accompanied by guitar and castanets
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cakewalk
a strutting dance based on a march; was performed in minstrel shows; originated as a competition among Black dancers to win a cake
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cancan
a high-kicking dance of French origin performed by a female chorus line
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nude dancing
erotic dancing with little or no clothing
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jitterbug
a jerky American dance that was popular in the 1940s
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lindy, lindy hop
an energetic American dance that was popular in the 1930s (probably named for the aviator Charles Lindbergh)
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fandango
a provocative Spanish courtship dance in triple time; performed by a man and a woman playing castanets
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flamenco, gypsy dancing
a style of dancing characteristic of the Andalusian Gypsies; vigorous and rhythmic with clapping and stamping of feet
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gavotte
an old formal French dance in quadruple time
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habanera
a Cuban dance in duple time
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shag
a lively dance step consisting of hopping on each foot in turn
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shimmy
lively dancing (usually to ragtime music) with much shaking of the shoulders and hips
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stomp
a dance involving a rhythmical stamping step
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tarantella, tarantelle
a lively whirling Italian dance for two persons
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twist
social dancing in which couples vigorously twist their hips and arms in time to the music; was popular in the 1960s
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ballroom dance, ballroom dancing
any of a variety of social dances performed by couples in a ballroom
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folk dance, folk dancing
a style of dancing that originated among ordinary people (not in the royal courts)
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apache devil dance
a ritual dance of the Apache
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dance of death, danse macabre
a medieval dance in which a skeleton representing death leads a procession of others to the grave
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ghost dance
a religious dance of Native Americans looking for communication with the dead
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pyrrhic
an ancient Greek dance imitating the motions of warfare
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rain dance
a ritual dance intended to bring rain
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snake dance
a ceremonial dance (as by the Hopi) in which snakes are handled or invoked
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sun dance
a ceremonial dance performed by Amerindians at the summer solstice
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war dance
a ceremonial dance performed before a battle or after a victory
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type of:
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diversion, recreation
an activity that diverts or amuses or stimulates
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performing arts
arts or skills that require public performance
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘dancing’.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
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танцы, пляска, прыганье стрелки прибора, танцевальный
существительное
- танцы; пляска
- тех. прыганье (регулятора, стрелки прибора и т. п.)
Мои примеры
Словосочетания
dancing to the music of a big band — танцы под аккомпанемент биг-бэнда 
a loose, fluid style of dancing — свободный, плавный стиль танца
break dancing — брейк-данс
dancing party — танцевальный вечер; бал
dancing-party — танцевальный вечер; вечер с танцами
dancing-plague — хорея
dancing roll — бумаговедущий валик; сетконатяжной валик; прижимный ролик
dancing room — d. saloon танцевальный зал; танцевальный зал
dancing school — школа танцев; танцкласс
dancing-school — школа танцев
dancing-shoes — танцевальные туфли
dancing slippers — бальные туфли
Примеры с переводом
She is awkward at dancing.
Она неуклюже танцует.
Russian dancing
русские танцы
His dancing days are done.
Он своё оттанцевал.
I was in no temper for dancing.
Настроения танцевать у меня не было.
They were dancing with glee.
Они плясали от радости.
She does tap dancing and ballet.
Она занимается чечёткой и балетом.
She learned dancing from her sister
Она научилась танцевать у сестры.
ещё 22 примера свернуть
Примеры, ожидающие перевода
Her dancing is pure poetry. 
They took ice dancing to new heights.
Thanks but dancing is not really my bag.
Для того чтобы добавить вариант перевода, кликните по иконке ☰, напротив примера.
Возможные однокоренные слова
dancer — танцор, танцовщица, танцовщик, балерина, танцующий
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The art of living is more like wrestling than dancing.
Marcus Aurelius
PRONUNCIATION OF DANCING
GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF DANCING
Dancing is a noun.
A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.
WHAT DOES DANCING MEAN IN ENGLISH?
Dance
Dance is a type of art that generally involves movement of the body, often rhythmic and to music. It is performed in many cultures as a form of emotional expression, social interaction, or exercise, in a spiritual or performance setting, and is sometimes used to express ideas or tell a story. Dance may also be regarded as a form of nonverbal communication between humans or other animals, as in bee dances and behaviour patterns such as a mating dances. Definitions of what constitutes dance can depend on social and cultural norms and aesthetic, artistic and moral sensibilities. Definitions may range from functional movement to virtuoso techniques such as ballet. Martial arts kata are often compared to dances, and sports such as gymnastics, figure skating and synchronized swimming are generally thought to incorporate dance. There are many styles and genres of dance. African dance is interpretative. Ballet, ballroom and tango are classical dance styles. Square dance and electric slide are forms of step dance, and breakdancing is a type of street dance. Dance can be participatory, social, or performed for an audience. It can also be ceremonial, competitive or erotic.
Definition of dancing in the English dictionary
The definition of dancing in the dictionary is the activity of dancing for enjoyment or in order to entertain others.
WORDS THAT RHYME WITH DANCING
Synonyms and antonyms of dancing in the English dictionary of synonyms
SYNONYMS OF «DANCING»
The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «dancing» and belong to the same grammatical category.
Translation of «dancing» into 25 languages
TRANSLATION OF DANCING
Find out the translation of dancing to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.
The translations of dancing from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «dancing» in English.
Translator English — Chinese
跳舞
1,325 millions of speakers
Translator English — Spanish
baile
570 millions of speakers
English
dancing
510 millions of speakers
Translator English — Hindi
नृत्य
380 millions of speakers
Translator English — Arabic
رَقْص
280 millions of speakers
Translator English — Russian
танцы
278 millions of speakers
Translator English — Portuguese
dança
270 millions of speakers
Translator English — Bengali
নাট্য
260 millions of speakers
Translator English — French
danse
220 millions of speakers
Translator English — Malay
menari
190 millions of speakers
Translator English — German
Tanzen
180 millions of speakers
Translator English — Japanese
踊ること
130 millions of speakers
Translator English — Korean
춤
85 millions of speakers
Translator English — Javanese
Tarian
85 millions of speakers
Translator English — Vietnamese
sự nhảy múa
80 millions of speakers
Translator English — Tamil
நடனம்
75 millions of speakers
Translator English — Marathi
नृत्य
75 millions of speakers
Translator English — Turkish
dans
70 millions of speakers
Translator English — Italian
ballo
65 millions of speakers
Translator English — Polish
taniec
50 millions of speakers
Translator English — Ukrainian
танці
40 millions of speakers
Translator English — Romanian
dans
30 millions of speakers
Translator English — Greek
χορός
15 millions of speakers
Translator English — Afrikaans
dans
14 millions of speakers
Translator English — Swedish
dansande
10 millions of speakers
Translator English — Norwegian
dansing
5 millions of speakers
Trends of use of dancing
TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «DANCING»
The term «dancing» is very widely used and occupies the 3.712 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.
FREQUENCY
Very widely used
The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «dancing» in the different countries.
Principal search tendencies and common uses of dancing
List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «dancing».
FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «DANCING» OVER TIME
The graph expresses the annual evolution of the frequency of use of the word «dancing» during the past 500 years. Its implementation is based on analysing how often the term «dancing» appears in digitalised printed sources in English between the year 1500 and the present day.
Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about dancing
10 QUOTES WITH «DANCING»
Famous quotes and sentences with the word dancing.
I started dancing in my room… I wanted to find out more about my movements. I wanted to elaborate on whatever it was that I was doing there.
On my fifth film, it was then that I stopped dancing.
When I was a baby, my mom used to have a dance school, and she used to teach classes there. We didn’t have money for a babysitter, so she always brought me with her to the dancing school. Back then, I was already watching and listening to Michael Jackson for a long time.
I’ve been dancing since I was 6 years old. That kind of relentless dedication and intensity is where I’m comfortable.
I started dancing when I was five, and I trained intensively as a competitive dancer up until the end of high school. I did all genres, and later on a did a lot of extra ballet on top of that. I actually got accepted to Julliard for dance during my senior year, but I ultimately turned it down to come to L.A. to act.
The art of living is more like wrestling than dancing.
I love the old Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly movies; they’re so beautiful to look at. It’s such a shame we don’t make them anymore. Although, I don’t know how you could make tap dancing current and topical.
After I quit dancing, I tried a lot of jobs. But I could always bake.
I love dancing, and I always have.
10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «DANCING»
Discover the use of dancing in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to dancing and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
First Published in 2002. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
2
Emptiness Dancing: Easyread Super Large 24pt Edition
In Emptiness Dancing, Adyashanti invites you to wake up to the essence of what you are, through the natural and spontaneous opening of mind, heart, and body that holds the secret to happiness and liberation.
3
Hard Times Require Furious Dancing: New Poems
Musing on the role of dance, which gives this collection its title, she writes, «though we have encountered our share of grief and troubles on this earth, we can still hold the line of beauty, form, and beat.
4
Tap Dancing America: A Cultural History
Here is the vibrant, colorful, high-stepping story of tap—the first comprehensive, fully documented history of a uniquely American art form, exploring all aspects of the intricate musical and social exchange that evolved from Afro-Irish …
Constance Valis Hill, 2009
5
Time and the Dancing Image
«—Allen Robertson, Dance Editor, «Time Out, » London «In this brilliant book Deborah Jowitt has given us a fresh approach to dance history and criticism.
6
Dancing Revelations: Alvin Ailey’s Embodiment of African …
He also addresses concerns about how dance performance is documented, including issues around spectatorship and the display of sexuality, the relationship of Ailey’s dances to civil rights activism, and the establishment and maintenance of …
7
Dancing at Halftime: Sports and the Controversy Over …
Dancing at Halftime is the story of Carol Spindel’s determination to understand why her adopted town is so passionately attached to Chief Illiniwek, the American Indian mascot of the University of Illinois.
8
Christy Lane’s Complete Book of Line Dancing
Introduces beginning, intermediate, and advanced line dances, including the Tennesse Twister, Cowboy Cha-Cha, and Livin’ La Vida Loca, and discusses style and technique.
9
Dancing Machines: Choreographies of the Age of Mechanical …
This book traces the abstraction and anonymity of the bodies making machines dance, in the codes of modernisms graphic and choreographic, and in the streamlined gestures of industry, avant-garde art, and entertainment.
Felicia M. McCarren, 2003
Dancing Carl, Gary Paulsen’s first novel, was a ALA Best Book for Young Adults and a Notable Children’s Trade Book for the Language Arts.
10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «DANCING»
Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term dancing is used in the context of the following news items.
Dancing With the Stars 2015 line-up: Tim Robards, Larry Emdur …
In one post, 50-year-old Emdur said his Saturday nights now consisted of Voltaren anti-inflammatory gel and dancing movies starring Richard … «Sydney Morning Herald, Jul 15»
Festival of belly dancing heads to Hartlepool’s historic ship
We need more people to see that belly dancing is accessible to everyone. There are a lot of classes which are held throughout the North East … «Hartlepool Mail, Jul 15»
Hilarious moment DJ pranks dancing clubbers by switching to a very …
A crowd of clubbers were trolled by a DJ after he turned off a dance track mid-song and swapped it for a Spandau Ballet hit. Revellers can be … «Mirror.co.uk, Jul 15»
In Videos: Shahid Kapoor, Mira Rajput’s sangeet ceremony was a …
And Shahid Kapoor didn’t shy away from expressing his elation by dancing away to glory at the ceremony. We stumbled across a few videos … «The Indian Express, Jul 15»
People are freaking out over Ladybeard dancing with Japanese girls …
For most of it he’s dancing about in a French maid’s outfit while the girls run through town with selfie sticks, and he lends his intense heavy … «Metro, Jul 15»
Police: Elkton man dancing naked in the street arrested
An Elkton man is charged with indecent exposure after allegedly dancing naked in the street, barking and making crude gestures. Officers from … «ABC2 News, Jul 15»
Traditional dancing with bells on has a place in our history
Bob Bradley is one such Morris Dancer who has enjoyed a love affair with this typically folk style of dancing for many years. He is a member of … «The Bolton News, Jul 15»
Appeals judges hear about Prince’s takedown of “Dancing Baby …
Appeals judges hear about Prince’s takedown of “Dancing Baby” … of her son Holden dancing to Prince’s «Let’s Go Crazy» was clearly fair use. «Ars Technica, Jul 15»
Line dancing class gets people ready for Round-Up
Led by April Dyntera, the Line Dancing Workshop is Saturday, July 18 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Pendleton Center for the Arts, 214 N. Main St. The … «East Oregonian, Jul 15»
For sale: One lap dancing club with eight private dancing booths …
A Plymouth lap dancing club is on the market and the owner is up for offers. Angels in Union Street is being marketed by Plymouth business … «Plymouth Herald, Jul 15»
REFERENCE
« EDUCALINGO. Dancing [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/dancing>. Apr 2023 ».
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