Erotic dance is a major category or classification of dance

Dance

Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....

 forms or dance styles, where the purpose is the stimulation or arousal

Sexual arousal

Sexual arousal, or sexual excitement, is the arousal of sexual desire, during or in anticipation of sexual activity. Things that precipitate human sexual arousal are called erotic stimuli, or colloquially known as turn-ons. There are many potential stimuli, both physical or mental, which can cause...

 of erotic or sexual thoughts or actions

Human sexual behavior

Human sexual activities or human sexual practices or human sexual behavior refers to the manner in which humans experience and express their sexuality. People engage in a variety of sexual acts from time to time, and for a wide variety of reasons...

.

This compares to other major dance categories based on purpose, such as ceremonial dance

Ceremonial dance

Ceremonial dance is a major category or classification of dance forms or dance styles, where the purpose is ceremonial or ritualistic.This compares to other major dance categories based on purpose:* Celebration dance** Festival dance...

, competitive dance

Competitive dance

Competitive dance is a popular, widespread activity in which competitors perform dances in any of several permitted dance styles—such as acro, ballet, jazz, hip-hop, lyrical, modern, and tap—before a common group of judges...

, participation dance

Participation dance

Participation dance, also known as group-participation dance or audience participation dance, is a major category or classification of dance forms or dance styles based on purpose. The purpose of this type of dance is to actively encourage dancing in a group...

, performance dance and social dance

Social dance

Social dance is a major category or classification of danceforms or dance styles, where sociability and socializing are the primary focuses of the dancing...

.

The erotic dancer's clothing

Clothing

Clothing refers to any covering for the human body that is worn. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic and is a feature of nearly all human societies...

 is often minimal, and may be gradually decreased or eliminated altogether. In some areas of the United States, it is illegal for the female dancer to expose her genitalia. These dancers will often wear g-string

G-string

A G-string is a type of thong underwear or swimsuit, a narrow piece of cloth, leather, or plastic, that covers or holds the genitals, passes between the buttocks, and is attached to a band around the hips, worn as swimwear or underwear by women and men...

s.

Nudity

Nudity

Nudity is the state of wearing no clothing. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic. The amount of clothing worn depends on functional considerations and social considerations...

, however, is not a requirement of erotic dance. The culture and the ability of the human body is a significant aesthetic component in many dance styles.

Erotic dances include the following dance forms or styles:

• Can-can
  Can-can
  The can-can is a high-energy and physically demanding music hall dance, traditionally performed by a chorus line of female dancers who wear costumes with long skirts, petticoats, and black stockings...
  
  
• Cage dance
  Cage dancing
  A cage dance is a specific type of erotic dance, performed inside a cage, usually at a night club or dance hall. The activity originated in the 1960s and rose in popularity with the advent of disco music...
  
  
• Go-go dance
• Hoochie coochie
  Hoochie coochie
  The Hoochie coochie was a sexually provocative belly dance that originated at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition in 1876. It became wildly popular during and after the Chicago World's Fair in 1893...
  
  
• Mujra
  Mujra
  Mujra is a form of dance originated by tawaif during the Mughal era. incorporated elements of the native classical Kathak dance onto music such as thumris and ghazals or poems of those from other Mughal cultures such as Bahadur Shah Zafar. Mujra was traditionally performed at mehfils and in...
  
  
• Sexercise
• Striptease
  Striptease
  A striptease is an erotic or exotic dance in which the performer gradually undresses, either partly or completely, in a seductive and sexually suggestive manner...
  
  
  • Pole dance
    Pole dance
    Pole dance is a form of performing art, a combination of dance and gymnastics. It involves dancing and performing acrobatic tricks with a vertical pole and is an increasingly popular form of fitness and dance, practised by many enthusiasts in gyms or dedicated dance studios...
    
    
  • Bubble dance
    Bubble dance
    The bubble dance is an erotic dance developed by Sally Rand. This was an alternative to the striptease, with some similarities to fan dancing. The dancer dances with a huge bubble to make some interesting poses....
    
    
  • Fan dance
    Fan dance
    A fan dance is a dance performed with one or more fans. This form has been adapted in various countries. The Korean fan dance, for example, evolved from Joseon Dynasty court dances and remains a popular form of traditional Korean dance. The Spanish or Portuguese flamenco makes dramatic use of fans...
    
    
  • Gown-and-glove dance
    Gown-and-glove dance
    The Gown-and-glove dance is considered a very traditional form of the striptease. The performer, usually female, is dressed elegantly, in an evening gown with a back zipper and elbow length opera gloves. She will remove the gloves one at a time, in a slow teasing manner, before similarly removing...
    
    
  • Lap dance
    Lap dance
    A lap dance is a type of sex work performed in some strip clubs in which a naked or topless dancer performs an erotic dance either in immediate contact with a seated patron, or within a very short distance. With full-contact lap dances, the stripper may engage in non-penetrative sexual contact...
    
    
    • Couch dance
    • Contact dance
    • Limo lap dance
  • Dance of the seven veils
    Dance of the Seven Veils
    In several notable works of Western culture, the Dance of the Seven Veils is one of the elaborations on the biblical tale of the execution of John the Baptist...
    
    
  • Table dance
    Table dance
    Table dance, or bartop dancing, is typically an erotic dance performed at a patron's table, as opposed to on a stage. In some jurisdictions, a table dance may be an alternative to a lap dance, due to laws preventing exotic dancers from making contact with customers...
    
    
• Grinding (dance)
  Grinding (dance)
  Perreo is a Puerto Rican dance associated with reggaeton music, that focuses on grinding, with the man facing the back of the woman. The word 'perreo', meaning dancing doggystyle, derives from the Spanish word perro, meaning "dog". This is also known as "booty dancing" or "grinding" in the United...
  
  

Erotic dances are sometimes mistakenly referred to (or euphemised as) exotic dances. While there is overlap, they are not the same. Not all exotic dances are erotic, and vice versa.

See also

• List of dance style categories
• List of dances
• Fantasywear
• Striptease
  Striptease
  A striptease is an erotic or exotic dance in which the performer gradually undresses, either partly or completely, in a seductive and sexually suggestive manner...