| Dance | Family | Origin | Difficulty | Music | Technique Emphasis | Style | Fashion |
|---|
| West Coast Swing | Descendant of Lindy Hop | West Coast, USA 1940’s | High | R&B, Blues, Pop, Funk, Jazz, 60’s, 80’s | Linear, Elastic Action-Reaction, Features the woman. Walks & Triple steps | Dynamic, Funky, Sexy, Groove | Trendy-Classy What you would wear to a night club. Low heels or trendy flats. |
| Lindy Hop | The original Swing dance | New York, USA 1920’s | Medium-High | 1920’s-1950’s jazz, blues & big band | Circular, Low, Leveraged, Original Jazz Footwork, Rocksteps & Triple steps | Fast, Casual, Carefree, Athletic | Some very casual, some dress in 1940’s theme costumes |
| East Coast Swing | Descendant of Lindy Hop | North America 1950’s | Low | Old-time rock & roll, big band, rockabilly | Diluted Lindy Hop Lilt/Bounce Rocksteps & Triple Steps | Bouncy, Casual, Easy | Same as Lindy Hop |
| Shag | Cousin of Lindy Hop | SouthEast USA 1920’s | Medium | Beach Music, Blues | Linear, Intricate footwork, Features the man, Rocksteps & Triples steps | Smooth, floating, contained | Casual. Sandals are common |
| Hand Dancing | Decendant of Lindy Hop | NorthEast USA 1950’s | Medium | R&B, Funk, Blues | Linear, Body Isolations, Tandem movements Spins & Hand Changes | Funky, Soulful, Fast, Sexy | Same as WCS |
| Jive | Descendant of Lindy Hop | North America 1950’s | High | Big Band, Rockabilly | Circular, High Knees, Vertical pulse, Rocksteps & Triple steps | Bouncy, Fast Precise, Aggressive | More dressy More ladies wear skirts & heels |
| Ceroc/Modern Jive | Descendant of Lindy Hop | France, UK 1980’s | Low | Pop, Dance, R&B | Circular, Single Steps, Simple Patterns | Fast, Smooth, Dips & Tricks | Same as WCS |
| Salsa | Latin Street dance | Central/South America. Current form: 1960’s | Low | Latin, Mambo, Salsa | Circular Cuban Motion (hips) Triple Steps, Spins & Hand changes | Fast, Sexy, Dips & Tricks | Dressy-Casual More ladies wear skirts & heels |
| Country Western | Collection of borrowed dances | North America 1980’s | depends on the dance | Country Western | Patterns and lines, less on musical interpretation & groove | Cute, Pose-y, variable levels of technique | Some casual, some dress in mild Western attire |
| Blues | Cousin of Lindy Hop | America 1900s (debatable) | Low | Slow Blues, Soul, Funk, Jazz | Known as the Lindy Hopper’s slow dance. Lead-follow focused. Unregimented. Some vintage movement. Controversial. | Visceral, dynamic, slow, musical. | Very casual |
| Zouk | South American Street dance | Central, South America | Medium | Lambada, Reggae, R&B | Circular. Spins and turns, Body rolling and hair/head rolling. | Latin, slow, sensual, relaxed. | Like Salsa |
