Ballet: The ballet troupes in Amsterdam made it a rich dance city. Het Nationale Ballet (National Ballet) is the famous troupe in the city and the largest in Europe. The troupe that includes dancers from over 25 countries also perform modern ballet and classics like Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Mouse King.

Folk Dance: The city of Amsterdam also boasts of smaller, contemporary dance groups like Krisztina de Châtel and Danswerkplaats Amsterdam. The folk dance often called "Folkloristisch" include "Boerendansen" ("farmer-dancing") and "Klompendansen" (clog dancing).

Modern Dance: The crowds are drawn to the city not only to watch and enjoy its classical dance. They also enjoy the number of modern dances prevalent in the city. There are many small companies in the city that explore all types of modern dance, beginning from experimental work to tango salons and salsa parties. The various discotheques in the city such as Odeon, Escape, Paradiso, Soulkitchen and the Melkweg hold disco dances throughout the night where people enjoy their nightlife.

Dance Festivals: The city pays witness to many dance festivals that are conducted annually. This draw in plenty of tourists from far and wide. Large-scale events such as Holland Festival, Julidans and Tangomagia are the main dance festivals in the city. The challenging performance of the dancers made these festivals gain international attention. Julidans is a controversial festival where the development of dance is watched closely. It usually takes place in July. The Holland Festival is the most prestigious and internationally known festival held in the city. The big festivals such as Dance Valley, Awakenings and Sensation lure in crowds from all over the world. The largest dance three-day music industry event in the city with over 300 DJs performing in 30 clubs is worldly known.