step dance

From step +‎ dance.

step dance (plural step dances)

1. A dance emphasizing the dancer's steps.
   • 1876, John Ruskin, “Letter LXVIII. Notes and Correspondence.”, in Fors Clavigera. Letters to the Workmen and Labourers of Great Britain, volume VI, Orpington, Kent: George Allen, →OCLC, page 269:

     He then gave us a step-dance, so as not to dwell too long on one subject.

   • 1887 April 11, Rudyard Kipling, “The Taking of Lungtungpen”, in Plain Tales from the Hills, Calcutta: Thacker, Spink and Co.; London: W. Thacker & Co., published 1888, →OCLC, page 103:

     Orth'ris began rowlin' his eyes an' crackin' his fingers an' dancin' a step-dance for to impress the Headman.

2. A postcopulatory behaviour of whistling ducks, genus Dendrocygna.

• stepdance, step-dance

step dance (third-person singular simple present step dances, present participle step dancing, simple past and past participle step danced)

1. (intransitive) To perform a step dance.
   • 1903, Charles Edward Osborne, The life of Father Dolling, E. Arnold, page 254:

     […] place, where we boxed, played skittles, step-danced — a place in which I could say to all these dear street-corner, out-of-work people, "Come in and spend […]

• step-dancer, step dancer, stepdancer
• step-dancing, step dancing, stepdancing

• dance step, depascent