DANCE HISTORY ARCHIVES: DANCE INDEX [ S ]
Dance Name
Origin
Date
Creator / Choreographer
Note: See Also
S' escandalari
Ibiza, Spain
n/a
Peasant dance celebrating planting
and harvesting
Spanish
Dance
Saber Dance
n/a
n/a
see sword for now
Sword ,
Military, War ,
6/29/1953-Time Mag.
Sacramento Squeeze
USA
c.1912
Andre and Ethel (Follies Bergere)
Sacred Dance
World
ancient
World religious dances
Catholic, Jewish, Buddhists, Zen, Christian,
Monks, etc.
Safety Dance
n/a
1980s
n/a
The Robot, Rock Lobster, Peewee Herman,
Electric Slide, The Centipede, The Ant
Sailors
Hornpipe
Scotland
n/a
n/a
Arkansas
Traveler , Highland
Fling , Sword ,
Jig ,
Reels
Salac Dance
Rome?
Biblical
Numa Pompilius
(dance to honor God of War )
Salegy
Madagascar
n/a
Sakalave peoples
n/a
Salian Dance
Rome
B.C.
Numa, Sali Priests
War ,
Mythology , Religious
Saltarelle or Saltarello
Italy
1500's
aka: Alta Danza
Court ,
Tarantella ,
Galliard ,
Quaternaria
Salome
Dance
Italy
40's AD
Princess Salome,
Dance Of The Seven Veils,
Belly , Raks Sharki, Hootchy
Cootchy , Maude
Allen , Joan
Sawyer , Jessie York, Sol Cohen
Salta
France?
1700s?
Lucretia Borgia dance this
aka: Waltz
Samah
Asia
B.C.
n/a
Kirkler Samah, Dervish, Turkey
Samba
Brazil
1917?
Introduced to the USA in 1940
Latin ,
Salsa, Mambo ,
Marti Gras
Sammy, the
New York
1917
Prof. Claude Alviene (Oakland Tribune (7/17/1917)
Military type couples dance. Female wears mans hat.
Sand Dance
USA?
1920s?
Harriet Brown. a Syncopated Shuffle.
No Maps On My Taps [by Sims 1979 ] aka: Scratchin'
the Gravel
see Tap ,
Soft
Shoe ,
Sand
Dune
(dance of the)
n/a
1918
Norma Brandt
n/a
Santley Tango
New York
1912
Joseph
Santley
"When Dreams Come True"
Sapateo de, El
n/a
c1800s
Fanny
Essler ?
n/a
Sarabande
Guatemala
1560s
Andalusian ,
aka: Sarabanda, Zarabanda
Spanish
Dance , Tarraga, Chacona ,
Zarabanda, Rastro, Sarabanda
Sararo
Galicia
1500s
Ball Game dance at a Carnival
Muyneria, Gallega, Minuet ,
Cotillion
Sardana
Cataluña
c.1600s?
Catalan
Contrapas, Spanish
Saut Basque
Basque
n/a
aka: Mutchíco
Zorzico, edo carrica dantza
Sauteuse
1830's?
n/a
(a kind of waltz )
Waltz ,
Quadrille
Savannah, the
USA
1926
Done to a Spanish Foxtrot called the Valencia
Modified Charleston ,
Tango
Savoy
Ballroom
New York
12/14/1926
Created by Charles Buchanon
Roseland, Palomar ,
Jitterbug ,
Lindy
Savoy Style Swing
New York
c.1930s
Smoother version done at Savoy Ballroom,
NY
West
Coast Swing , Lindy ,
Hollywood Style
Scalp Dance
America
c. 1800s?
American Indian
American Indian Dance
Scarf
Dance
?
c.1890s
1920 Scarf dance s/m
Foreman Hall, Skirt ,
Fan ,
Bubble ,
Veil
Schäfflertanz
Munich
1600s?
originated from Bow & Hoop Dance
Bow and Hoop,
Schönpart
Nürnberg
n/a
a Carnival Dance
n/a
Scottish Espagnole
France
1900s
aka: Spanish Schottische
n/a
Schottische
Germany
c.1840s?
Created by Markowski (Poland )
Folk ,
Country, Square ,
Friska, Polka ,
Rheinlander, Mazurka
Schuhplattltanz
Bavaria
n/a
Bavarian Folk Dance
Ballet ,
Folk ,
Balanchine
Schuhplatteln
Germany
n/a
n/a
n/a
Schwertertanz
Europe
n/a
n/a
Sword
Schwabentanz
Austria
c.1800's?
4/4/ & 3/4 mix
Waltz ,
Scotch
Reel
Scotland
n/a
National Dance
Virginia
Reel , Roger
de Coverly , Hornpipe ,
Jigs ,
Square
Dance
Scratchin' The Gravel
n/a
1910's
aka: Sand Dance
n/a
Scronch, The
Kentucky
n/a
n/a
Skronch, Cab
Calloway
Siebensprung
Germany
1600's?
2/4 time
n/a
Sea Sick Dance/ Glide
USA
1913
Ragtime Dance
Texas
Tommy , Bunny
Hug , Grizzly
Bear , Tiger, Boston Dip, Dallas Dip, Horse
Trot etc.
Sefton Waltz
n/a
1908
Created By J.B. McKewen
Waltz ,
Sequence Dancing
England
n/a
Such as square /
round dancing,
steps taken in certain definite order
such as the Military Two-Step, Veleta, Square
Dance etc.
Sequidilla
Castile, Spain
n/a
n/a
Spanish
Dance, Sevillana
Serious
Family Polka
New York
1850
Created by M. Frederick at Burtons
Theater
Polka
Serpentine
Dance
Paris
1892
Created
by Loie Fuller
Butterfly Dance, Fan ,
Bubble ,
Veil ,
Skirt , Scarf, Sword ,
Fire
Seven Years Itch, The
USA
1910's?
Scratching the Body in Rhythm
n/a
Sevillana
Andalucía, Spain
n/a
n/a
Spanish
Dance , Seguidilla ,
Flamenco
Sewin' The Rice
USA
1910's
n/a
Ballin
The Jack , Eagle
Rock , Baltimore
Buzz
Shadow Dance
New York
c.1890's
Created
By Lydia Thompson
Cancan ,
Jig
Shag,
Carolina
Myrtle Beach, So. Carolina
c.1930's?
Unknown
West
Coast Swing , Push, Supreme Swing, Jitterbug ,
Whip,
East Coast Swing , Lindy
Shag
(A. Murray)
New York
c.1930's
Created
by Arthur Murray
Balboa ,
Collegiate ,
Jitterbug ,
Collegiate
Shag
Shag,
Collegiate
???
c.1920's
College Students?
aka: Arthur
Murray Shag , Balboa
Shag, New Orleans
???
c.1925
Richard Jones?
Collegiate ,
Swing, Lindy
Hop , West
Coast
Shag,
St. Louis
St. Louis
1930s
n/a
Fast, Charleston Like couples dance
Shame Dance, The
USA
1923
n/a
Universal
Shake and Quiver
Haiti
???
Via slave trade. aka: Shitka, Shimmy
Shika, Shimmy ,
Shimmy-Sha-Wabble, Shake
Shakers,
The
New Eng.
1770's
Sister Anna Lee
Religion, Morris ,
May
Pole
Shark Swish
n/a
c.1913
n/a
One of the Ragtime dances
Shawl Dance
?Paris?
?c.1839?
n/a
Scarf Dance, Fan
Dance , Ballet ,
Bayadere
Shika Dance
Nigeria
n/a
n/a
Shimmy ,
Shake and Quiver, Shimmy Sha Wabble, Shake dance
Shim
Sham, The
See below
c.1920s
See also: Shim Sham Shimmy
Tap ,
Clog ,
Jazz ,
Theater, Act
Shim
Sham Shimmy
New York?
1937
Leonard Reed
Line, Big
Apple , Swing, Lindy
Shimmy,
The
USA
1908
claimed
by Gilda Gray , Mae
West in 1918/19
Chemise, Shake, Shake and Quiver, Shimmy
Sha Wabble, Shake dance, Bull Frog Hop Song (1908)
Shimmy Grab, The
USA?
1910
Shimmy ,
Shmmie Sha Wabble, Shake Dance, Shiver, Itch, Scratch
Shimmy Sha Wabble
Haiti
1911
Pre cursor to the Gilda /West Shimmy Dance, probably
from Shika dance
Shimmy ,
Chemise, Shake and Quiver, Shimmy Sha Wabble, Shake
dance, Rules and Regulation Song (1911).
Shinto Dance
Japan
-
-
Oriental Fan Dance, Geisha, Maiko
Shishi Mai
Japan
n/a
Traditional Lion Dance w/ Chinese roots
Shishi Odori
Shishi Odori
Japan
n/a
Deer Dance
Shishi Mai
Shout
Africa
c.1800s
African Hymns
n/a
Shuffle
USA
1920s
Ragtime Dance
n/a
Sicinnis
n/a
BC?
n/a
Violent shaking dance
Sicillian
(a), La
Sicily
c.1850s?
Pastoral dance,
(6/8 or 12/8 time )
La
Tarantella , L'Italienne, Valse
Redowa ,
Sicilienne
Poland
c.1700s?
Markowski
(difficult, but graceful )
Friska, Schottische ,
Mazurka ,
Libonienne, L'Italienne
Silent Dance
USA
1928
n/a
(Social Dance thru Recorded Music
and Headphones )
Silent Dance
n/a
1500's
Venetian's
Weddings
Sir
Roger de Coverly
England
c.1800s
see Roger de Coverly
n/a
Sirillas
Chili
n/a
(Quellón region )
n/a
Siva Dance
Samoa
c.1880s
Samoan?
Apia, King Malietoa
Six Step Waltz
New York
?
Oscar
Duryea
National Biscuit Company
Six-Eight, The
England
1927
n/a
n/a
Skating Waltz
Paris
1903?
Created by Maurice
Mouvet as a boy
Solo Waltz
done to Innamorata song. can be done to any waltz
song however.
Skákava
Bohemia
n/a
n/a
Mazurka
Skillipoop, the
Stratford, Canada
1968
Alan Lund with Chela Matthison and Sylvia Shaffer
(at the Stratford Shakespearian Festival "Timon
of Athens".)
African-Oriental couples stage dance
Skip Dance
n/a
c.1800s?
n/a
n/a
Skip Rope
Dance
Buffalo,
New York
1895
choreographed for Irene
Pirson by Horatio N. Grant. (The rope describes
two revolutions to each bar. The dancer leaves the
floor with a leap or hop every count in the bar, 164
hops and leaps. The rope goes under the feet on 1st
and 3rd counts. )
Skirt
Dance
n/a
1876?
Kate
Vaughan
Serpentine ,
Veils, Butterfly, Bubble ,
Fan
Skronch
Kentucky
n/a
n/a
Scronch, Cotton
Club , Cab
Calloway
SLÅNGPOLSKA FRÅN VIKBOLANDET
Sweden
n/a
danced at weddings and Holidays
Folk ,
Russian ,
Ukrainian, Israeli
Slop,
The
California
n/a
American Bandstand Introduction
aka: Maybe
West Coast Swing?
Slovak Folk Dance
Slovakia
-
Czech/Slovak dances
Cardáš, Strasak, Hat dance
Sluefoot,
The
California?
1954
Daddy Long Legs
see Leslie
Caron , Fred
Astaire , Daddy Long Legs Film
Slow
Drag
New Orleans
c.1890s
n/a
Fish, Pony, Treemonisha
Slow Rag
USA
1910
(Probably mispelling of Slow Drag)
Bunny
Hug , Turkey
Trot ,
Smurf, the
USA
c.1980s?
Smurf Cartoon Dance
Urkel, Pee Wee Herman Dance, The Pacman
Snake Dance
Arizona
1903
?Hopi Indians?,
Hopi, Moki, 2/1911 Nat'l Geographic
Mag.
Snake Dance
Havana
c.16th Cent.
Voodoo Priests
Naningo, Matar La Culebra
Snake
Hips
New York
c.1920s
Earl
" Snake Hips " Tucker
Connie's Hot Chocolates, Congo Dance
Soft
Shoe
The South
1910's
George Primrose, Barney Fagan
- (See Tap ,)
Leonard, Sand
Dance , Virginia
Essence , Clog ,
Tap ,
Buck
/Wing , Juba
Soleares
Spain
n/a
origin of the Flamenco
Spanish ,
Flamenco ,
Alegrias
Son, The
Cuba
n/a
aka: Rumba
Mambo ,
Cha-cha ,
Salsa, Latin ,
Rumba
Sonia Polish Dance
Poland?
1924
aka: Polka
Polka
Sophisticated
Swing
California
c.1940s
Myrna Myron name for West Coast Swing.
West
Coast Swing , Western Swing, Supreme Swing, Push,
Whip, Swop, Swango, Swustle, Swag, Carolina
Shag
South Sea Fling
n/a
c.1944
Efate Dancers
n/a
South Sea Hula Dance
New York
1922
Gilda
Gray
n/a
Southern Slide
USA
1911
Composer: Jos. A. Burke
Spagnoletta
Netherlands
c.1600s
n/a
Pavane ,
Espunyolet, Spanish
Spanish
Dance
Spain
550 B.C. (Varies?)
Andalusia
Flamenco ,
Sarabande ,
Spanish Espagnole, Salaterello ,
Jaleo ,
Sequidilla ,
Fandango ,
Dancing Girls from Cadiz, Jota
Spanish
Espagnole
Paris?
c.1900s
n/a
Spanish
Dance , Schottische
Spanish Waltz
USA
1896
(DMOA)
Waltz done side by side
Spanish Yorke
n/a
1895
(DMOA)
Yorker, Yorke, York
Spider Dance
NY?
c.1800s
Lola
Montez (Gilbert), done in Louise Glaum 'Sex' Film
[1920]
Spanish ,
Lola
& Andre'
Spirit of America, the
USA
1910s
Dance Masters of America. Danced to "Dixie Song".
Partly a Cakewalk
Cakewalk .
Rosevelts Gavotte ,
Motto Gavotte,
Spoon Dances
Turkey?
n/a
Anatolia
Dinar, Silifke, Bolu, Konya
Spreading Chestnut Tree
England
n/a
Miss Adele England
Miss England,
Springar
Sweden
n/a
Swedish and Norwegian Country Dance
aka: Springdans, Springleik
Square
Dance
England?
c.1800s
n/a
Country, Round, Folk
Square-Order Shuffle
England
1788
Father Joseph (Shakers)
Shakers
dance ,
St.
Louis Shag
E. St. Louis
c.1930s
Kenny
Wetzel was a main devotee of this dance.
Charleston ,
St. Louis Hop, Lindy ,
Shag , WC
Swing,
St. Louis Shuffle
USA
C.1937
A. Murray (Lets Swing It)
n/a
St.
Vitus Dance
Germany
1374
Middle Ages
Tarantella ,
Dance Marathons ,
Stag
Dance
USA
1863
Union Soldiers
Ballroom ,
Stag Line
USA
1937
Single Men
Cutting In, Single, Escort
Statue Dance
n/a
1840s?
Minstrel Shows
Pedestal
Dance, Jig ,
Clog ,
Step Dance,
Tap
Step Dance
Ireland
400's
(see tap for now)
Tap ,
Clog ,
Jig,
Pedestal
Steppin'
Chicago, IL
1940's
n/a
Stepping, Swing, DC Hand Dance, Walk,
Offtime
Stevenson Stomp
New York
1952
Natl. Dance Masters Ass.
Political, Al Smith Hop, Lindy
Hop
Stomp-Stomp-Stomp
USA
1960
(8/1960 - Ballroom Dance Mag)
the Madison
Stop-Time Dance
-
1920s
Fred Stone and Dave Mongomery danced this dance
Tap ,
Vernacular, Minstrel
Stop Trot
London
1927
-
Stork Hop
n/a
1912
Danced by Many Couples Together imitating the Long
Legged flight of a Stork.
Fox Dance, Goat Bound, Grizzly
Bear , Bunny
Hug etc.
Strasak
Slavokia
-
-
Cardáš, Hat dance
Strassburger
Paris
1770
n/a
Mozart, Landler ,
Strassbourgeoise
Strathspey
Scotland
(Straph / Vale Spey river )
1750
National dance of Scotland.
Basically a slow reel.
Highland
Fling , Highland Schottische ,
Hornpipe ,
Slower than Reels
Stroll, The
USA
c.1913
Albert Newman - (from Hesitation
Boston, became fad in 1960s )
Hesitation
Boston
(Waltz ),
Fad, Twist ,
Frug,
Strollypso
USA
c.1960s
Jackie Dee
Stroll, Calypso
Strophe
Crete
B.C.
Thesus
Strophe, Anti-strophe, and the Stationary,
Mythology
Strut, The
USA
1900?
Uncle Tom's Cabin [1903], Hallelujah
[1929], Music Box Revue?
Paul Whiteman, Cakewalk
Strut,
The Champion
USA
c.1940s?
See Marge
and Gower Champion
Cakewalk ,
Charleston ,
Jitterbug
- mix
Stumbling Steps, the
USA
1922
Donald Kerr & Elfie Weston
Walking Dance for Dummies :)
Sturlungasaga
Sweden?
n/a
n/a
Strophe, Faroe
Styrienne
n/a
n/a
Fanny
Essler
Cachucha ,
Varsovienne ,
Tarantella
Subway Glide
c.1914
n/a
n/a
Ragtime Dance, Glide
Sugar
Foot
No. Carolina
c.1930s
Pre-cursor to the AM Shag,
although was name of a few patterns as well.
Shag ,
Flea Hop, Balboa ,
Jitterbug ,
Break
Away , West
Coast , 1923 -Sugar Foot Stomp-s/m
Sugar Step
London
1927
-
-
Supreme
Swing
Oklahoma
?
Named by Jerry Crim
West
Coast Swing, Push, Whip, Sophisticated, Western
Swing, Carolina
Shag , Rock
& Roll
Surfer Stomp
USA
1960's
Side, Cross, Side, Stomp - repeat (solo
or couple )
Fad, NC2, Twist ,
Disco
Suzy
- Q
USA
1937
n/a
Big
Apple , Truckin' ,
Lindy
Hop , Shim
Sham
Swallow
Bavaria
n/a
n/a
Animal
Swedish Ring Dance
?Sweden?
-
-
-
Swing
Dance
USA
1914-99
Folk
Dance (Umbrella Term for all forms of swing.
See right side ---> )
Balboa ,
Big Apple , Boogie
Woogie , Bop ,
BreakAway , Carolina
Shag , Ceroc, Champion
Strut , DC Hand Dance,
ECS , Hustle ,
Jitterbug , Jive ,
Jitterbug-Jive, Leroc, Lindy
Hop , Mooch,
New Yorker , Pony, Push,
Rock & Roll , Savoy Style,
Shag ,
Shim Sham , Sophisticated Swing, Steppin, Supreme
Swing, Suzy
Q , Swag, Swango, Swop, Swustle, Texas
Tommy , Truckin ,
WCS ,
Whip, and others.
Swing Trot
New York
1947
Fred
Astaire
Foxtrot
Swing
Waltz
n/a
1937
n/a
Waltz
Swop Dance
Hollywood, CA
7/2006
Coined by group Outkast. Means medium tempo Old Skool
(SW)ing (128-148 bpm) and Hip-h(OP) mixture or SW-OP
from film Idlewild.
West
Coast Swing , Hip-Hop, Push, Whip, Shag, Lindy
Sword
Dance
Rome
n/a
Spartans and Romans, Later Scotland
(1058)
Mattachins, Highland
Fling , Matassins, Gillie Callum, Moresque, Mooris
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