| adagio | |
| across | The foot position where one foot is placed on or over the path of the other. |
| action | A movement or type of movement (e.g. Pivoting Action, Lowering Action). |
| activate | To set in motion (e.g. Activate the moving leg). |
| Alemana | An underarm turn in which the lady turns to the right under the right hand, used specifically in International Rumba and Cha Cha. |
| alignment | The direction that the feet are pointing in relationship to the room and to the line of dance. Alignment can also indicate the direction of the movement. |
| amalgamation | A combination of two or more patterns or movements. |
| amateur | A person who does not seek financial gain from the teaching or performing of dancing. |
| American style | A type of ballroom dancing which evolved from social dancing and is now a fully recognized competitive style of dancing. The 9 main American dances are divided into two groups: (1) American Smooth, consisting of: Waltz
Tango
Foxtrot
Viennese Waltz (2) American Rhythm, consisting of: Cha Cha
Rumba
East Coast Swing
Bolero
Mambo |
| amount of turn | The amount of rotation of the feet which occurs on one step, or between two consecutive steps. In the charts, rotation is measured in fractions of a full turn. Body rotation is indicated only when different from the feet. |
| anchor step | A type of triple step where the feet stay anchored in one place. |
| anticipation | Premature action taken by the follower, before signal is given by the leader. |
| apart | Any dance position where the man and lady have no points of contact. Since there is no physical connection, the use of apart position is limited to visual lead and follow, or open choreographed dance routines. |
| appel | An accented movement in place, where the body weight is dropped sharply onto a flat foot. The Appel usually marks the beginning of a strong directional movement. |
| arabesque | A position of the body where the free leg is extended straight behind the body, usually lifted off the floor. |
| arm styling | Positioning and movement of the arms, reflecting the character of a dance or style of dancing. |
| arc turn | An underarm turn in which the lady turns to the right under the right hand, or to the left under the left hand. |
| arch | The part of the foot between the ball and the heel, which forms the shape of an arch. |
| Argentine Tango | A style of Tango which originated in the streets and salons of Buenos Aires, characterized by its passionate hold and complex leg and foot movements. |
| Associate | The first complete level of the International style syllabus, representing the foundation of movements and basic dance concepts. |
| attitude | A body position where the free leg is raised with the knee bent. |
| axis of rotation | An imaginary vertical line around which the body turns. Depending on the type of rotation, an axis can run through the center of the body, through one of its sides, or outside of the body altogether. |
| American Smooth | A subset of the American Style of Ballroom Dancing which includes the following 4 competitive dances: Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, and Viennese Waltz. |
| across | A step taken in the direction of the foot position described in #1. |
| alignment | The positioning of the different body parts relative to one another. Proper alignment is achieved by vertically lining up the different "blocks of weight" of the body (head, shoulders, abdomen, and hips), allowing for the natural curve of the spine. |
