In this dance charades game every card is something to dance: a style such as Tango or Tutting, a party move such as The sprinkler, or a prompt such as Dance like a penguin. The actor performs it and the team names it. The 115 cards hold no song titles and no artists. Pick a topic, press Start round and hand over the phone.
Music on or music off
With music on, the actor fits the card to whatever is playing, so a Waltz may have to happen to a drum solo. Music off is harder, because the steps alone carry the clue. A house rule for both: no humming, but the stamping heels of Flamenco are part of the dance.
Read the full guide
Topics, levels and close guesses
The deck holds 47 styles in three topics, 30 Party moves and 38 Dance like prompts: 34 Easy, 44 Medium and 37 Hard. Easy is a name the whole room knows, such as Waltz or The robot. Hard is a name fewer guessers produce, such as Tinikling or The grapevine, so a dance class can play Hard alone. On a Dance like card, let the key word win: flippers is enough for Dance like you are wearing swim flippers.
Tips
As a house rule, the actor may pull one silent teammate onto the floor for a partner style such as Tango, and that teammate may still guess.
Clear some floor first and mime the floor moves: the hint under The worm in the full list shows it standing up. Skip any card that does not suit the actor.
For mixed ages, choose Party moves and Easy: The twist and The floss sit in the same pile.
Questions and answers
How do you play a dance charades game?
Split into two or more teams. One player takes the phone and dances the card while the team guesses until the clock runs out. Charades rules vary widely, so settle the details first. The common scoring is one point for each correct guess: tap +1, then Next card.
Can the actor hum the tune or count the steps?
Wikipedia's account of charades says the performance is silent and that humming and clapping may be banned as well, so the host decides. A fair house rule here: no humming and no counting aloud, because one, two, three gives away a Waltz.
Do players need to know how to dance?
No. The actor only has to make the dance recognizable, not good, and every card has an acting hint in the full list. Under Tango it reads: Cheek to cheek, one arm stretched ahead, stalk across the room and snap your head around at the turn.
Cha-chaTwo slow steps, then three quick ones on the spot, and again. The dance is Cuban, and its name copies the sound of the dancers' shuffling feet.
CharlestonSwivel your heels in and out and cross your hands over your knees. It is named after Charleston, South Carolina, and was at its most popular in 1926 and 1927.
FoxtrotLong, smooth, gliding steps around the edge of the room with a very straight back. Wikipedia calls it smooth and progressive, with long flowing movements.
JiveKick and flick from the knees, fast, with a partner held at arm's length. It began in the United States in the early 1930s and has its roots in swing.
Lindy hopSwing your partner out, whip them back and kick in between. It was born in Harlem in 1928, and that out-and-back move is called the swingout.
MerengueMarch on the spot with a sway in the hips, holding a partner close. It is the national dance of the Dominican Republic.
Paso dobleMarch with your chest out and sweep a cape past your hip. The name means double step, it began as a Spanish military march, and the dance is modeled on the bullfight.
QuickstepA foxtrot in a hurry: skip, hop and race your partner down the floor. Wikipedia describes it as slow foxtrot combined with the Charleston.
RumbaSlow steps, slower hips, eyes fixed on your partner. Ballroom rumba is the slowest of the five international Latin competition dances.
SalsaQuick steps forward and back on the spot, hips loose, then send your partner under your arm. It is usually danced with a partner, with some solo footwork.
SambaBounce at the knees with fast small steps and wave to a crowd on both sides of the street. Samba is a highlight of Carnival in Brazil.
Slow danceWrap your arms around a partner who is not there and sway. Your feet hardly move, which is how Wikipedia describes it too.
Swing danceBounce on your toes, swing your partner out to the end of your arm and pull them back in. It grew up with swing jazz between the 1920s and the 1940s.
TangoCheek to cheek, one arm stretched ahead, stalk across the room and snap your head around at the turn. It began in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, between Argentina and Uruguay.
WaltzHold a partner made of air and turn in threes: one long step, two small ones. It is a ballroom dance in triple time, danced in closed position.
Stage and street styles 15
A boy band routineFive dancers in a row, all played by you: point at the crowd, hand on heart, step, turn and reach.
A kick lineArms across the shoulders of the dancers beside you, real or not, and kick as high as is comfortable, left then right. On stage the whole row kicks to eye level in one straight line.
BalletRise onto your toes, make a ring of your arms above your head and take tiny steps. Ballet began in the courts of the Italian Renaissance in the 15th century.
BreakdancingRock on your feet, drop to the floor and end in a freeze. Mime the head spin. It came out of the Bronx in the 1970s and was an Olympic sport at Paris 2024.
Can-canLift the hem of a skirt you are not wearing and kick as high as you safely can. It was a music-hall dance of the 1840s, known for its high kicks.
DiscoOne hip out, one finger pointing at the ceiling, then down across your body to the floor. Disco was at its most popular in the 1970s.
Hip-hop danceKnees bent, shoulders loose, hit every beat hard and finish with your arms crossed. Wikipedia describes a range of street dance styles.
Ice danceGlide with long pushes, arms wide, and turn a partner without ever leaving the ice. It is figure skating that draws on ballroom dancing, and an Olympic medal sport since 1976.
Interpretive danceBecome a tree, a wave or a feeling, with great seriousness. It began around 1900 and turns emotions into movement.
Show all 115 dance charades cards (91 more)
Stage and street styles, continued
Jazz danceSharp kicks, a slide to one side, a turn, and finish with both arms thrown wide. It arose in the United States in the early 20th century.
PoppingTense and release your muscles so that every move ends in a jolt. Wikipedia calls the jolt a pop or a hit.
Shuffle danceRun on the spot while your feet slide and twist in and out. The Melbourne shuffle came out of that city's rave scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Tap danceShuffle, stamp and click your heels while your arms swing loose. Tap shoes carry metal plates on the heel and the toe, so the feet are the drum.
TuttingBuild right angles with your arms, wrists and fingers, and keep changing the shape. The style is named for King Tut and takes its shapes from the art of ancient Egypt.
VoguingFrame your face with your hands and strike one pose after another. It grew out of the Harlem ballroom scene and borrows the poses of fashion models.
Folk and world dances 17
BhangraShoulders bouncing, arms up, one knee lifted high, again and again. It is a folk dance of Punjab, tied to the harvest festival of Vaisakhi and danced to the dhol drum.
Bollywood danceTwist your wrists as if changing a light bulb, shrug your shoulders in time and smile at the camera. The dances in Hindi films blend classical and folk Indian traditions.
CapoeiraRock low from foot to foot, then swing a slow kick over a partner who ducks. Nobody touches. It is an Afro-Brazilian martial art with dance in it.
Cossack danceFold your arms, squat and kick one leg out at a time, or mime it from a chair. Wikipedia files it under hopak, a Ukrainian folk dance that began among the Zaporozhian Cossacks, in which the men perform squat sequences.
FlamencoArms curling overhead, fingers turning, then a burst of stamping heels and one sharp clap. It comes from Andalusia in southern Spain.
Highland sword danceOne arm up, one hand on your hip, and hop on your toes over two crossed swords without touching them. The swords lie crossed on the ground and the dancer works through the four quarters.
HoraJoin hands in a ring, step to the side, cross behind, and let the circle speed up. Wikipedia describes a circle dance of Southeast Europe.
HulaSway your hips over bent knees and let your hands tell the story. In hula the hand motions stand for the words of the song or chant.
Irish step danceArms pinned to your sides, body stiff, feet flying. Wikipedia notes the same two things: a stiff upper body and fast, precise footwork.
Line danceThumbs in your belt, step to the side, kick, turn a quarter and begin again. Everyone faces the same way in rows and nobody touches.
Lion danceTwo players share one costume: the front one works the head and blinks, the back one is the tail. It is performed at Lunar New Year. The long dragon carried on poles is a different dance.
Maypole danceHold a long ribbon high and skip in a ring, ducking under the dancers who come the other way. A maypole is a tall wooden pole put up for European folk festivals.
Morris danceSkip and hop with bells on your shins and wave a handkerchief in each hand. It is an English folk dance, and the earliest surviving mention of it dates to 1448.
PolkaHop, step, close, step, and gallop your partner around the room. It comes from 19th-century Bohemia and runs in quick 2/4 time.
Square danceHook elbows with a partner, swing around and bow. Four couples stand in a square, and in most American forms a caller tells them what to do next.
TarantellaWhirl with a tambourine held high, faster every time around. It comes from southern Italy and runs in quick 6/8 time.
TiniklingHop in and out between two bamboo poles that are clapped together along the floor. It is a folk dance of the Philippines.
Party moves 30
A conga lineHands on the waist of the dancer in front, even if nobody is there: three shuffle steps and a kick to the side. The line comes from the Cuban carnival dance.
A dance battlePlay both sides: throw your best move, step across, fold your arms and look unimpressed, then answer it.
A partner dipLower a partner made of air back over your arm, hold for one beat and bring them up again.
A pirouetteOne foot against the other knee, arms in a ring in front of you, and turn once on the spot. In ballet it is a turn on one leg that does not travel.
A touchdown danceSpike the ball, check that the crowd is watching, then celebrate with your own small routine.
The arm waveSend a ripple from the fingertips of one hand, through the elbow and shoulders, out to the fingertips of the other.
The box stepForward, side, together. Back, side, together. Your feet draw a square on the floor, which is where the name comes from.
The dabDrop your face into the crook of one bent arm and throw the other arm out straight beside it.
Dad dancingStep side to side a little behind the beat, snap your fingers, bite your lower lip and look very pleased with yourself.
The fishing reelCast a line at another player, hook them and wind the reel on the beat while they hop toward you.
The fist pumpOne fist punching the air on every beat, the other hand in your pocket, nodding.
The flossFists clenched, swing both arms from behind your body to the front, switching sides each time, while your hips go the other way.
The grapevineTravel sideways: step, cross behind, step, cross in front. Wikipedia describes side steps and steps across the supporting foot.
HeadbangingFeet wide, pretend guitar held low, and nod hard in time. Go easy on your neck.
The heel clickA small hop to one side, tapping your heels together in the air. Keep it low.
Jazz handsPalms to the crowd, fingers spread wide and shaking, with a big stage smile.
The lassoCircle a rope above your head, throw it over someone across the room and haul them in, hand over hand.
The lawnmowerPull the starter cord two or three times, then push the mower across the dance floor in time.
The limboLean back and shuffle under a bar that gets lower every time. Bend only as far as is comfortable. The tradition comes from Trinidad and Tobago.
The moonwalkGlide backward while your legs pretend to walk forward. Wikipedia also lists it as the backslide.
The pogoArms at your sides, body stiff, jump straight up and down on the spot. Wikipedia ties it to punk shows.
Raise the roofPalms up beside your ears, push the ceiling higher on every beat.
The robotStiff arms, sharp stops, head turning in clicks. Wikipedia describes the stilted movements of a dancing robot or mannequin.
The running manRun hard and go nowhere: slide each foot back as the other knee comes up. It copies a runner on the spot and dates from the mid-1980s.
The shimmyHold your body still and shake your shoulders back and forth, one forward as the other goes back.
The shopping cartPush a cart with one hand, take things off the shelf with the other and drop them in, all on the beat.
The sprinklerOne hand behind your head, the other arm straight out, ticking around in jerks and then sweeping back.
Stirring the potBoth hands on one huge spoon, stir a pot as wide as your arms, and let your hips follow the spoon.
The twistSwivel on the balls of your feet and work your arms as if drying your back with a towel. It was a worldwide dance craze from 1959 into the early sixties.
The wormMime it standing: send a ripple from your chest down to your knees. On the real floor version the dancer lies face down and the ripple carries the whole body forward.
Dance like… 38
Dance like a crabSideways only, knees bent, both hands snapping like claws above your head.
Dance like a flamingoOne leg tucked up, neck long, and bob your head forward on every beat.
Dance like a jellyfishPulse up and sink down, with your arms trailing behind every move like tentacles.
Dance like a kangarooFeet together, hands held small in front of your chest, and hop on the beat.
Dance like a knight in full armorNothing bends easily. Lift the visor to see your partner and creak when you bow.
Dance like a music box ballerinaArms overhead, turning slowly on the spot, slower and slower until someone winds the key.
Dance like a penguinArms straight at your sides, hands turned out, feet together, and rock from side to side.
Dance like a scarecrowArms out along a pole, head lolling, legs made of straw that fold when you put weight on them.
Dance like a secret agent crossing laser beamsStep over one beam, limbo under the next, and keep the rhythm the whole way across the room.
Dance like a slow-motion replayDo one move at full speed, then again at a tenth of the speed with the face to match.
Dance like a statue coming to lifeHold a pose. Move one finger, then a wrist, an arm, and at last the feet, stiffly.
Dance like a T. rexElbows glued to your ribs, two fingers on each hand, big heavy steps.
Dance like a video that keeps bufferingDance, freeze in the middle of a step, draw a circle in the air with one finger, then carry on.
Dance like a washing machine on the spin cycleStart with a slow slosh from side to side, speed up, then shake across the floor.
Dance like a windshield wiperBoth forearms sweeping left and right together, body leaning with them, never missing a beat.
Dance like an astronaut on the moonSlow, floating steps, a long time in the air, and a stiff suit that will not bend at the elbows.
Dance like an octopusArms rippling in every direction at once, as if you had eight of them.
Dance like mosquitoes are after youSlap your neck, your arm, your ankle, each one on the beat, and wave one away from your ear.
Dance like one leg has fallen asleepDrag the dead leg, slap it, shake it, and wince when the pins and needles arrive.
Dance like popcorn poppingCrouch small and still. One twitch, then another, then jump in every direction.
Dance like spaghetti being cookedBegin stiff and straight as a rod, then soften from the feet up until you are all loops.
Dance like the floor is an ice rinkFeet sliding out from under you, arms wheeling, and a save just before every fall.
Dance like the floor is hot sandQuick feet, never two on the ground for long, and a dash for the towel at the end.
Dance like the inflatable tube man at a car lotCollapse at the waist, shoot back up and let your arms fly about with no bones in them.
Dance like you are carrying a stack of platesHips and feet do the dancing while your top half stays level and your eyes never leave the stack.
Dance like you are in a crowded elevatorElbows in, tiny steps, a polite nod to the people on both sides, eyes on the floor numbers.
Dance like you are on a rocking boatThe deck tips one way and you run downhill, then it tips the other. Keep dancing between.
Dance like you are on a tightropeOne foot straight in front of the other, arms out, a wobble, a look down, and dance on.
Dance like you are on a trampolineEvery step turns into a bounce. Let your arms lag a moment behind your body.
Dance like you are trying not to wake a babyBig moves, no sound: tiptoes, held breath, and a frozen look toward the crib after every step.
Dance like you are underwaterEverything slow, hair floating, cheeks full of air, and one trip to the surface for a breath.
Dance like you are walking a dog that will not stop pullingOne arm yanked forward, feet catching up, and a few dance steps whenever the leash goes slack.
Dance like you are walking into a strong windLean far forward, hold your hat on, gain two steps and get blown back one.
Dance like you are wearing swim flippersLift each knee high and slap the foot down flat. Turning around takes four steps.
Dance like you have the hiccupsA smooth routine, broken every few beats by a jump of the shoulders.
Dance like you stepped in chewing gumOne foot keeps sticking. Peel it off, shake it, and it sticks again.
Dance like your partner is a broomBow to the broom, waltz it around the kitchen, dip it, and sweep a little when someone looks.
Dance like your shoes are three sizes too bigCurl your toes to keep them on, lose one on a kick and hop back to fetch it.
How this list was compiled: Written for this site by the editors; nothing was copied from another list. Every card is a dance style, a party move or a Dance like prompt, performed so that the guessers can name it. The deck holds no song titles, no artists, no film or show titles and no real people. A dance that exists only as the routine to one song was left out. A style that is danced to many tunes stayed in, even where a well-known tune shares its name, as with the twist and the Charleston. Each style name, and each fact in the line under a card, was checked on 2026-09-19 against that dance's own English Wikipedia article, 63 articles in all, for example https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waltz, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tango, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charleston_%28dance%29, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breakdancing (an Olympic sport at Paris 2024), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tutting, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hopak (the squat-and-kick dance most guessers call a Cossack dance), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_dance (earliest mention 1448), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion_dance and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twist_%28dance%29. Wikipedia's List of dance styles, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dance_styles, is an index of longer lists and names few styles itself, so each style was checked on its own article. Wikipedia has no separate article for Bollywood dance; that card follows the Hindi film dance section of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindi_dance_music. Claims the articles did not support were left out: the deck does not say who plays the matador in a paso doble and names no inventor for any move. The first sentence or two under each card is the editors' acting hint, not a fact about the dance and not a rule. Fourteen cards with no article of their own, such as The sprinkler, The lawnmower and The shopping cart, and all 38 Dance like prompts carry an acting hint only. Difficulty is an editor's judgment: easy is a name and a look everybody in the room knows, medium is a known name that needs a sharper performance, hard is a name fewer guessers will produce or a prompt where the dancing hides the clue. The deck was checked against the site's family-safe rule: nothing sexual, no alcohol or drugs, nothing that mocks a person or a group, and hints that keep every actor on their feet, with floor moves mimed and kicks kept comfortable. Card texts were compared with every other deck on the site on 2026-09-19. Four are also in this site's main charades deck (The worm, The robot, The limbo and Breakdancing). Ballet and The robot are in the kids deck, The robot is in the Halloween deck, A conga line is in the team deck and The limbo is in the wedding deck. A few bare names, such as Waltz, Salsa and Slow dance, are also answers in the site's word-game lists. The common rules of charades given on the page follow https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charades, checked 2026-09-19. Licence: own work