showdans

Showdans, or show dance, is a form of dance performance that blends elements of competitive dancesport with theatrical staging. It emphasizes choreographic storytelling, musical interpretation, and stage presence, with routines designed to entertain as well as demonstrate technical skill.

In practice, showdans appears in national dance sport circuits and in professional stage productions. Dancers perform solo, in couples, or in groups, and routines typically last two to four minutes. The style draws on jazz, contemporary, Latin, and classical ballroom vocabulary, while costumes, lighting, and props are considered integral parts of the performance. Some programs allow or encourage non-traditional moves not usually seen in standard ballroom categories, subject to safety rules and federation guidelines.

Origins and terminology: The term is used in several European languages to describe an exhibition-based variant of ballroom or Latin dances. While not universal, many dance federations maintain a Showdance division or category as a distinct competition track within dancesport, sometimes alongside Standard and Latin.

Judging: Showdance panels typically weigh showmanship, originality, interpretation of the music, and overall entertainment value, in addition to technical accuracy of steps and timing. The emphasis is more on performance quality and audience engagement than on reproducing a strict technical syllabus.

See also: Showdance; DanceSport; Ballroom dancing; Latin dance.