DBD stands for "Dance by Definition". It includes but goes a bit beyond "Extended Applications" and APD ("All Position Dancing"). In DBD, the caller uses the standard definition of the call, as defined by Callerlab®. But, the starting formations and each dancer’s position may be decidedly different.

Perhaps the best description we’ve heard of DBD is "Extreme Applications." Callerlab® has defined two sets of "Applications" for the basic calls:

• "Standard Applications" are those positions that a caller can be quite sure will be successfully completed by the vast majority of dancers. In general, these are the positions that are taught in New Dancer programs.
• "Extended Applications" are positions that may give the average dance floor some trouble, and may need some extra cues or a walk-through for dancers to succeed.
• "Extreme Applications" aren’t defined by Callerlab® or anyone else. These are the products of the caller’s imagination and may need experienced dancers, caller help, or both in order to succeed. They may include unusual formations or fractions of calls.

An example may help demonstrate this. The "Standard Application" for Scootback is parallel right-handed waves with all the same gender facing in. An "Extended Application" might be left-handed waves with opposite genders facing in. An "Extreme Application" could include a Quarter-Tag starting formation (Heads Pass the Ocean from a squared set.) It might also be Scootback once and a half.

DBD is specifically NOT "Take No Prisoners." The goals are entirely different. In DBD, the goal is success, with thinking required. If the dancers have trouble, the caller will get the floor moving again and work the trouble spot. In "Take No Prisoners", the goal is to give the dancers trouble. When the dancers have trouble, it’s up to them to get things moving again, without the caller’s help. Callers may use DBD choreography to do this, but as just one of the tools rather than the focus.

DBD is also not "Arky" dancing, although dancing DBD can help your Arky dancing. Arky is dancing the opposite gender. Unlike Arky, DBD dancers retain their original gender, regardless of position. In DBD, for the few moves that are defined as "men / women", the men always do the man’s part and the women do the woman’s part. So, the men don’t have to learn how the lady does "slide thru." However, most definitions aren’t sex-specific, so learning to do those moves from other positions will help when you dance Arky.