DanceManualTempo chart

datasetMusic

Dance Tempo Chart

Tempo, meter and count for 25 partner dances, grouped by family. 21 have a published band, taken from dance rulebooks (WDSF, NDCA, UCWDC) or a named reference; the rest say "not yet measured" until we have measured them. Rulebook figures are competition targets, and social music varies more widely.

Published · Last reviewed

your tempo

—BPM

Tap the pad on every beat of a song. Four taps give a reading; keep tapping to steady it.
family
StyleMeterCount patternBPM bandMPM · federation
American rumba 1124 BPMNDCA American Rhythm, 31 MPM31 · NDCA American Rhythm
Bachata 2,1Three steps and a tap, on 4 and 8~108–152 BPMSocial range · NDCA 12030 MPM · NDCA Nightclub (±2)
Bolero 192 BPMNDCA American Rhythm, 23 MPM23 · NDCA American Rhythm
Brazilian zouk 3,4no published range for the dance, not yet measured
Cha-cha 5,1120–128 BPMWDSF competition, 30–32 MPM30–32 · WDSF; 31 Int’l, 30 American · NDCA
International rumba 5,1100–108 BPMWDSF competition, 25–27 MPM25–27 · WDSF; 25 · NDCA
Mambo 1188 BPMNDCA American Rhythm, 47 MPM47 · NDCA American Rhythm
Merengue 1,6A step on every beatsocial range not yet measured32 MPM, 2 beats per bar · NDCA Nightclub
Paso doble 5,1120–124 BPMWDSF competition, 60–62 MPM at 2 beats per bar60–62 · WDSF; 55 · NDCA
Salsa 2,7,1Counted in 8: step 1-2-3, 5-6-7; pause on 4 and 8~160–220 BPMSocial range · NDCA 20050 MPM · NDCA Nightclub (±2)
Samba 5,1100–104 BPMWDSF competition, 50–52 MPM at 2 beats per bar50–52 · WDSF; 50 · NDCA
East Coast Swing 8,1,96-count: rock step, triple, triple126–144 BPMUCWDC couples range (2024) · NDCA 14035 · NDCA American Swing
Jive 5,1,10168–176 BPMWDSF competition, 42–44 MPM42–44 · WDSF; 43 · NDCA
Lindy Hop 118-count swing-outno published range, not yet measured
West Coast Swing 12,8,1,136- and 8-count patterns, each ending in an anchor90–120 BPMNASDE routine guideline · UCWDC 92–10028 · NDCA Nightclub
Ballroom tango 5,162–66 BPMWDSF 31–33 MPM, at the 2 beats per bar NDCA counts31–33 · WDSF; 32 Int’l, 30 American · NDCA
Foxtrot 5,1112–120 BPMWDSF slow foxtrot, 28–30 MPM28–30 · WDSF; 28 Int’l, 30 American · NDCA
Quickstep 5,1200–208 BPMWDSF competition, 50–52 MPM50–52 · WDSF; 50 · NDCA
Viennese waltz 5,11-2-3, three steps per bar174–180 BPMWDSF competition, 58–60 MPM58–60 · WDSF; 58 Int’l, 53 American · NDCA
Waltz 5,11-2-3, three steps per bar84–90 BPMWDSF competition, 28–30 MPM28–30 · WDSF; 29 Int’l, 30 American · NDCA
Country two-step 14,8,15Quick-quick-slow-slow over 6 beats~130–200+ BPMGeneral range · UCWDC 168–192
Nightclub two-step 172–80 BPMNDCA Nightclub, 18–20 MPM18–20 · NDCA Nightclub
Polka 8,1106–120 BPMUCWDC couples range (2024)60, 2 beats per bar · NDCA Nightclub
Hustle 1,16Counted &1 2 3120 BPMNDCA Nightclub, 30 MPM30 · NDCA Nightclub (±2)
Kizomba 17,18No single codified basicslow; no published range, not yet measured
StyleBPM bandMPM · federation
American rumba124 BPMNDCA American Rhythm, 31 MPM31 · NDCA American Rhythm
Bachata~108–152 BPMSocial range · NDCA 12030 MPM · NDCA Nightclub (±2)
Bolero92 BPMNDCA American Rhythm, 23 MPM23 · NDCA American Rhythm
Brazilian zoukno published range for the dance, not yet measured
Cha-cha120–128 BPMWDSF competition, 30–32 MPM30–32 · WDSF; 31 Int’l, 30 American · NDCA
International rumba100–108 BPMWDSF competition, 25–27 MPM25–27 · WDSF; 25 · NDCA
Mambo188 BPMNDCA American Rhythm, 47 MPM47 · NDCA American Rhythm
Merenguesocial range not yet measured32 MPM, 2 beats per bar · NDCA Nightclub
Paso doble120–124 BPMWDSF competition, 60–62 MPM at 2 beats per bar60–62 · WDSF; 55 · NDCA
Salsa~160–220 BPMSocial range · NDCA 20050 MPM · NDCA Nightclub (±2)
Samba100–104 BPMWDSF competition, 50–52 MPM at 2 beats per bar50–52 · WDSF; 50 · NDCA
East Coast Swing126–144 BPMUCWDC couples range (2024) · NDCA 14035 · NDCA American Swing
Jive168–176 BPMWDSF competition, 42–44 MPM42–44 · WDSF; 43 · NDCA
Lindy Hopno published range, not yet measured
West Coast Swing90–120 BPMNASDE routine guideline · UCWDC 92–10028 · NDCA Nightclub
Ballroom tango62–66 BPMWDSF 31–33 MPM, at the 2 beats per bar NDCA counts31–33 · WDSF; 32 Int’l, 30 American · NDCA
Foxtrot112–120 BPMWDSF slow foxtrot, 28–30 MPM28–30 · WDSF; 28 Int’l, 30 American · NDCA
Quickstep200–208 BPMWDSF competition, 50–52 MPM50–52 · WDSF; 50 · NDCA
Viennese waltz174–180 BPMWDSF competition, 58–60 MPM58–60 · WDSF; 58 Int’l, 53 American · NDCA
Waltz84–90 BPMWDSF competition, 28–30 MPM28–30 · WDSF; 29 Int’l, 30 American · NDCA
Country two-step~130–200+ BPMGeneral range · UCWDC 168–192
Nightclub two-step72–80 BPMNDCA Nightclub, 18–20 MPM18–20 · NDCA Nightclub
Polka106–120 BPMUCWDC couples range (2024)60, 2 beats per bar · NDCA Nightclub
Hustle120 BPMNDCA Nightclub, 30 MPM30 · NDCA Nightclub (±2)
Kizombaslow; no published range, not yet measured

sources

  1. NDCA Rules & Regulations, July 2026 edition, IX.B Approved Tempi. www.ndca.org/pdf/2026%20July%20-%20Compiled%20Rule%20Book%20Master%20v3%20-%20reduced%20size.pdf · checked Oct 10, 2026
  2. SalsaVida, "Salsa vs Bachata". www.salsavida.com/articles/salsa-vs-bachata · checked Oct 10, 2026
  3. Wikipedia, "Zouk". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zouk · checked Oct 10, 2026
  4. Wikipedia, "Brazilian Zouk". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_Zouk · checked Oct 10, 2026
  5. WDSF Competition Rules 2026, Rule E.3.2 (tempo table). dancesport.box.com/s/qy5nek5sckojhlauf21e5gj23cmnxdzq · checked Oct 10, 2026
  6. Wikipedia, "Merengue music". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merengue_music · checked Oct 10, 2026
  7. Wikipedia, "Salsa music". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salsa_music · checked Oct 10, 2026
  8. UCWDC rules update, couples tempos (revised November 1, 2024). ucwdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Fall-2024-Immediate-Rules-Updates.pdf · checked Oct 10, 2026
  9. Wikipedia, "East Coast Swing". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Coast_Swing · checked Oct 10, 2026
  10. WikiDanceSport, "Jive". www.wikidancesport.com/wiki/jive · checked Oct 10, 2026
  11. Wikipedia, "Lindy Hop". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindy_Hop · checked Oct 10, 2026
  12. NASDE, routine guidelines. nasde.net/routine-guidelines · checked Oct 10, 2026
  13. Wikipedia, "West Coast Swing". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Coast_Swing · checked Oct 10, 2026
  14. Wikipedia, "Country-western two-step". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Country-western_two-step · checked Oct 10, 2026
  15. ibiblio, "Two Step" dance notes. www.ibiblio.org/schools/rls/north/dances/two_step.html · checked Oct 10, 2026
  16. Wikipedia, "Hustle (dance)". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hustle_(dance) · checked Oct 10, 2026
  17. Wikipedia, "Kizomba". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kizomba · checked Oct 10, 2026
  18. Library of Dance, "Kizomba". www.libraryofdance.org/dances/kizomba · checked Oct 10, 2026

Every source was opened and read on the date shown. How we source tempo figures

Swung rows carry accents on 2 and 4. Their eighths are written even and played long-short, as the first and last notes of a triplet; a score says so with the swing mark:

MPM is measures (bars) per minute, the unit rulebooks use; BPM is derived from it with the rulebook's beats per bar, so a tapper may report double or half for 2/4 dances. NDCA lets directors vary traditional dances by ±1 MPM and nightclub dances by ±2. How we source and convert each figure: methodology.

Count grids, style by style

each links to its guide
Salsa On1
1Step
2Step
3Step
4Hold
5Step
6Step
7Step
8Hold
QuickQuickSlowQuickQuickSlow
~160–220 BPM · Counted in 8, pause on 4 and 8
Salsa On2
1Step
2Step
3Step
4Hold
5Step
6Step
7Step
8Hold
QuickQuickSlowQuickQuickSlow
~160–220 BPM · Same count, the break moves to 2 and 6
Bachata
1Step
2Step
3Step
4Tap
5Step
6Step
7Step
8Tap
~108–152 BPM · Tap on 4 and 8
East Coast Swing · 6-count
Rock stepTripleTripleleader
1L
2R
3L
&R
4L
5R
&L
6R
follower
1R
2L
3R
&L
4R
5L
&R
6L
126–144 BPM · 6-count: rock step, triple, triple
West Coast Swing · sugar push
Walk walkTripleAnchor
1Back
2Back
3Fwd
&Fwd
4Fwd
5Back
&Back
6Back
90–120 BPM · Six counts, ending in the anchor
Waltz · 3/4 × 2
Bar 1 · 3/4Bar 2 · 3/4
1Fwd
2Side
3Close
1Back
2Side
3Close
84–90 BPM · 1-2-3, three steps per bar
Country two-step · QQSS
1Quick
2Quick
3Slow
4Held
5Slow
6Held
QQSS
~130–200+ BPM · Quick-quick-slow-slow over 6 beats