Competitions in International style dancing will include the five "standard" (a.k.a."modern," a.k.a. "ballroom") dances--waltz, foxtrot, tango, Viennese waltz, and quickstep--and the five "Latin" dances: cha cha, rumba, samba, paso doble, and jive. American style competitions feature four "smooth" dances--waltz, foxtrot, tango, and Viennese waltz--and five "rhythm" dances: cha cha, rumba, mambo, bolero, and east coast swing. Thus smooth corresponds approximately to standard, and rhythm to Latin.

Most social ballroom dancers learn American and/or International versions of the above dances, although paso doble is rarely seen outside of competitions. Several "club" dances are also popular: west coast swing, hustle, salsa, and nightclub two step. Outside California, nightclub two step is also known as the California two step; it is not related to the country two step.

The term "ballroom dancing" includes American-style, International-style, and club dances: that is, waltz, foxtrot, tango, Viennese waltz, quickstep, cha cha, rumba, mambo/salsa, paso doble, jive/east coast swing, samba, hustle, west coast swing, and nightclub two step. The Argentine tango and Swing are becoming increasingly popular with the local ballroom crowd. Ballroom dancers also do some polka and merengue. The Polka is extremely popular in the mid-west.