This document discusses the origins and characteristics of several Western dance styles. It notes that modern dance originated in the 20th century and was pioneered by Isodoro Duncan who emphasized torso movements. It then describes several modern dance types - hip hop which originated from street dance in the 1970s, salsa which originated from Cuban Son in the 1920s, bachata which is a simple dance from the Caribbean set to a 3-step rhythm, and belly dance which originated in the Middle East and focuses on relaxed torso isolations.