Bolero
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Bolero
Category: American Rhythm
DWTS performances in dataset: 3
Average total score: 25.33
First appearance: Season 9, Week 4 — Natalie & Alec (Better in Time)
Lift rule on DWTS: Allowed (non-core / specialty style on DWTS).
Origins and history
American Rhythm bolero is a slow, rising dance in the U.S. syllabus, related to but distinct from Spanish/Cuban bolero song traditions and from International rumba.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Bolero (dance) — American Rhythm placement
- Wikipedia: List of DanceSport dances — USABDA bolero tempo
How it is danced
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Time signature | 4/4 |
| Tempo (MPM) | 24–26 (USABDA chart) / ~23 NDCA Rhythm |
| Tempo (BPM, approx.) | ~92 NDCA reference |
| Character | Slowest American Rhythm dance; rising/falling romantic sway distinct from International rumba. |
| Hold / frame | Rhythm holds with more rise than International Latin. |
| Basic steps & figures | Basic, crossover breaks, side passes — with Bolero rise and fall. |
| What judges look for | Sustained movement, romance, Rhythm technique. |
Competition tempi cite WDSF Competition Rules E.3.2 and related DanceSport charts where applicable; theatrical styles are song-driven.
History on Dancing with the Stars
Statistics below are computed from the Data with the Stars SQLite performance and score tables (not invented).
- Times danced: 3
- Score range: 16.0 – 36.0 (total judges’ score as stored)
- Perfect nights (every judging mark = 10): 0
Average score by era
| Era | Performances | Average total |
|---|---|---|
| S1-10 | 2 | 20.0 |
| S11-20 | 1 | 36.0 |
Best scores
- 36.0 — S15 W4: Emmitt & Cheryl — Better in Time (Leona Lewis)
- 24.0 — S9 W4: Natalie & Alec — Better in Time (Leona Lewis)
- 16.0 — S9 W4: Michael & Anna D. — One Day I'll Fly Away (Randy Crawford)
Lowest scores
- 16.0 — S9 W4: Michael & Anna D. — One Day I'll Fly Away
- 24.0 — S9 W4: Natalie & Alec — Better in Time
- 36.0 — S15 W4: Emmitt & Cheryl — Better in Time
Most-used songs
- Better in Time — Leona Lewis (2×)
- One Day I'll Fly Away — Randy Crawford (1×)
Charts


Watch top performances
- No linked YouTube clips in the dataset for this style yet.
Educational fan reference. Dance histories paraphrased from cited sources; DWTS stats from project data. Not affiliated with BBC Studios or Disney.
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