According to the "purpose" of dancing, we distinguish: social, competitive and show dancing. The goal of social dancing: is to have fun in an atmosphere conducive to social interplay. These include balls, weddings, parties, dinner dances, etc.
When dancing for competition or show, the emphasis is on being spectacular. The gentleman wears a suit of tails, and the lady wears a long, flowing ballroom gown (in Latin competition, any garment will do!) Competitive dancing is not free-spirited but rather follows a set of choreographed, coached dance routines. Thanks to TV, dance competitions made ballroom dancing once more popular throughout the world.
Latin dances reflect the spirit of South America and the islands. A distinguishable feature of Latin dancing is the so called Cuban motion. Either an undulating hip motion, as in the rumba, or an agitated hop motion such as we see in the mambo or salsa.
For additional dances, see: