Dance Genres

Classical Ballet is known as the building block of all dance and is characterised by fluid and precise movements done in “turned out” positions. This graceful, meticulous art form is spoken in French and is considered the foundational style of all dance technique. Both soft shoes and pointe shoes are permitted.

Character dance is a specific subdivision of classical dance. It is the stylised representation of a traditional folk or national dance and uses movements and music which have been adapted for the theatre.

Lyrical dance is a style that combines ballet and jazz dancing techniques.  It is performed to music with lyrics so that it inspires expression of strong emotions which the choreographer feels from the lyrics of the song.  This style concentrates on an individual approach and expressiveness of emotions such as love, joy, hurt, or anger.  It does not concentrate on the dancer’s precision of movement. 

Contemporary dance is very interpretive in its choreography and often focuses on emotions and storytelling.  It can be performed barefoot, with pointe shoes, and with or without music.  Contemporary dance almost defies description because it can be balletic or wholly abstract, jazz influenced or lyrical, structured, or unconventional.

The initial motif of the Modern dance genre was to break away from the mould of Classical Ballet and focus on freedom of movement and expression.  Modern dance choreography is performed with a theme in mind with soft and fluid movements.  It has a special technique for developing the use of the entire body in movements expressive of abstract ideas.

Jazz dance is free form and employs a variety of sharp turns, hops, jumps, leaps and jazz walks all set to an upbeat style of music.  Some identifying elements of jazz dance include a dancer keeping a low centre of gravity, often bending their knees and syncopation (accenting an offbeat or note of the musical accompaniment that surprises the audience).

Tap has evolved as an American dance form, popularised throughout the world, with debate about its origins coming from African dance, Irish dance and/or clog dancing. The dancer uses their feet to strike the floor, beating out different rhythms, with dancers wearing tap shoes which have small metal plates on the toe and heel to give the distinctive sound. Tap dance is a theatrical art form often seen on stage in musicals.

Tap dance is broadly divided into two categories: rhythm tap and theatre tap. Rhythm tap focuses more on musicality and improvisation. Theatre tap (also called Broadway or Show Tap) is a much more presentational style of dance, and concerns itself with the aesthetics of the entire dancing body.  Both styles of tap are welcome at Supreme Dance, but not please there are to be no pre-recorded “taps” on the music accompaniment.

Song & Dance entries will be theatrical performances combining both singing and dancing.  There has to be at least one third of either singing or dancing in the routine to enter this category.  Head microphones will be provided at all venues for up to 3 performers at a time.

A vocal entry will be singing only.  The musical accompaniment must not have any vocals on it.  The performer will be provided with either a hand-held or a head mic.

Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance, often to tell a story.  It is often quite stylistic and can use a variety of theatrical techniques.  Head and handheld microphones will be available if needed at each competition.

An Open entry may incorporate a mix of lyrical, contemporary and acro, alongside the technical elements of classical ballet with the freedom, fluidity, expressiveness, and airier aspects of jazz.  “Open” in competitive dance terms essentially means “without restrictions”. 

Acro dance is a style of dance that combines classical dance technique with precision acrobatic elements.  It is defined by its athletic character, its unique choreography, which seamlessly blends dance and acrobatics, and its use of acrobatics in a dance context.

Street dance, also informally referred to as “Street”, is an umbrella term which encompasses a range of dance styles characterised by descriptions such as hip hop, funk and breakdancing.  Its eclectic nature has spawned a whole new street dance lexicon, including terms such as popping, locking, waving and krumping.

Hip-hop dance refers to street dance styles primarily performed to hip-hop music or that have evolved as part of hip-hop culture. It includes a wide range of styles primarily breaking which was created in the 1970s and made popular by dance crews in the United States.

Commercial dance has evolved from urban styles such as hip hop and fused with a more theatrical jazz style to give dancers the freedom to unleash their sass factor and share their stuff in a style that is on trend and fabulous.