Bailar vs. danzar
The Spanish verbs 'bailar' and 'danzar' both translate to 'to dance' in English. Although they are often used interchangeably, there are certain differences in their usage and context.
Bailar
'Bailar' is a regular -ar verb used generally to refer to the act of dancing.
Me encanta bailar salsa.
(I love to dance salsa.)
Vamos a bailar en la fiesta esta noche.
(We are going to dance at the party tonight.)
Tienes que aprender a bailar para la boda.
(You have to learn how to dance for the wedding.)
Danzar
'Danzar', while also meaning 'to dance', often carries more poetic or artistic connotations, being associated more with formal dancing or dancing as an art form. In ancient times, the verb 'danzar' was used to talk about ceremonial dances.
Los bailarines comenzaron a danzar al ritmo de la música.
(The dancers began to dance to the rhythm of the music.)
La pareja de enamorados danzó bajo la luna llena.
(The couple of lovers was dancing under the full moon.)
Summary
'Bailar' and 'danzar', both meaning 'to dance' in Spanish, tend to be used interchangeably. However, 'bailar' is more common for general use referring simply to the act of dancing, while 'danzar' is often used in more poetic, formal, or artistic contexts.