Formation dance - Definition and Overview

Formation ballroom dance involves anywhere from two to dozens of couples performing a choreographed ballroom dance routine. These routines generally feature at least some free-form choreography, which may include movements from jazz dance, ballet, or any other type of dance.

The choreography of a formation team includes both choreography of a ballroom routine of an individual couple and the overall pattern of movements of the couples on the stage.

Formation routines allow dancers to show off their own technique in addition to their ability to move as a team.

Formation routines may be based on a particular dance, e.g., Tango routine or Cha-cha-cha routine. Another popular format is a potpourri routine, often a mixture of dances of the same category, e.g., of International Latin formation or International Standard formation. The latter format is used during the competitions of ballroom formation teams.