Syncopation (dance)

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The terms syncopation and syncopated step in dancing are used in two senses:

The first one matches the musical one: stepping on (or otherwise emphasizing) an unstressed beat. For example, ballroom Cha cha is a syncopated dance in this sense, because the basic step "breaks on two." When dancing to the dispartate threads contained within the music, hands, torso, and head can independently move in relation to a thread, creating a fluidly syncopated performance of the music.
The word "syncopation" is often used by dance teachers to mean improvised or rehearsed execution of step patterns that have more rhythmical nuances than "standard" step patterns. It takes advanced dancing skill to dance syncopations in this sense. Advanced dancing of West Coast Swing makes heavy use of "syncopation" in this sense (although swing music and swing dances feature the "usual" syncopation, i.e., emphacising the even beats).

Many dance teachers are now abandoning the use of the term "syncopation" in the second, loose, sense. They are now using the term "double-time" steps when that is what they mean. They've decided that they don't change the meaning of other musical terms, so they should honor the musical definition of syncopation. In this way, they can enjoy subtle musical syncopations and dance to them as well.

Dance syncopation often matches musical syncopation, such as when (in West Coast Swing) the leader touches slightly before beat 3 or stomps on beat 6. Two Time US Open WCS Champion [Kelly Buckwalter] teaches these syncopations.

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