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Country & Western Competition tempos sanctioned by the United Country Western Dance Council (UCWDC) (does not apply to Masters and Champions divisions).

Dance	Tempo
Two-Step	182-198 bpm
Waltz	84-100 bpm
West Coast Swing	112-128 bpm
Cha Cha	100-116 bpm
East Coast Swing	142-158 bpm
Polka	114-130 bpm
Tempos are specified in beats per minute.

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Ballroom & Latin Competition tempos sanctioned by the International Council of Ballroom Dancing (ICBD), the United States Amateur Ballroom Dance Association (USABDA), and the National Dance Council of America (NDCA).

Dance	ICBD Tempo	USABDA Tempo	NDCA Tempo
International Waltz	31 mpm	30 mpm	N/A
International Tango	33 mpm	33 mpm	N/A
International Viennese Waltz	60 mpm	60 mpm	N/A
International Slow Foxtrot	30 mpm	28 mpm	N/A
International Quickstep	52 mpm	52 mpm	N/A
International Samba	56 mpm	50 mpm	N/A
International Cha Cha	32 mpm	32 mpm	N/A
International Rumba	28 mpm	27 mpm	N/A
International Paso Doble	62 mpm	62 mpm	N/A
International Jive	44 mpm	44 mpm	N/A
American Waltz	N/A	N/A	28-30 mpm
American Tango	N/A	N/A	30-32 mpm
American Foxtrot	N/A	N/A	30-32 mpm
American Viennese Waltz	N/A	N/A	54-56 mpm
American Cha Cha	N/A	N/A	28-30 mpm
American Mambo	N/A	N/A	47 mpm
American Merengue	N/A	N/A	29-32 mpm
American Rumba	N/A	N/A	32 mpm
American Samba	N/A	N/A	54-56 mpm
American East Coast Swing	N/A	N/A	34-38 mpm
American West Coast Swing	N/A	N/A	28-32 mpm
American Polka	N/A	N/A	60-62 mpm

In ballroom dancing, the convention is that tempos are specified in measures per minute. This can be somewhat confusing unless it is realized that some dances (e.g., Tango, Samba, etc.) are danced in 2/4 timing.

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Web Site Administered by Steve Mueller Last Modified June 9, 1998 Let's Dance Denver, dance@letsdancedenver.com