Dance term
Tempo
The speed of the music, usually measured in beats per minute, which sets how fast a dance is danced.
Tempo is simply how fast or slow the music is, counted in beats per minute. Each dance has a comfortable tempo range, a slow waltz sits far below a quickstep, and part of learning a dance is getting used to its speed.
Practising a dance slightly under tempo first, then bringing it up to speed, is one of the most reliable ways to learn it well.
Also called: speed.
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