Country/western dance
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Country/western dance also called Country and Western dance, encompasses many dance forms or styles, which are typically danced to country-western music, and which are stylistically associated with American country and/or western traditions. In this article the terms "country/western", "country-western" and "western" are used interchangeably.
These dance forms or styles fall into two basic categories:
- Partner dances, also known as western couple dancing
- Group dances
Western couple dancing is a form of social dance. There are many specific dance styles, among these are Two Step, Shuffle, Western promenade dances, as well as western-style variants of the Waltz, Polka and Swing. This style of dancing is not recognized within competitive ballroom dancing, however there are separate country/western dance competitions.
Western group dances include the following:
- Line dance
- Square dance
- Traditional square dance
- Western square dance
Clogging is also a country/western step dance which is usually danced in groups, and is most often danced to bluegrass music. It could be described as being like a more animated version of Irish step dance or a country/western version of tap dancing. There are also dance competitions for clogging.
Country/western dance is practiced in country-western dance bars, social clubs, dance clubs and ballrooms worldwide.
The United Country Western Dance Council (http://www.ucwdc.com/) establishes standards and sanctions dance competitions for this form of dancing.
See also Wikipedia:Dance basic topics, Country dance.