Prior to the Meiji Restoration, dances were clearly distinguished however after the term Buyo (Japanese dance) was created as a Japanese translation of the English 'dance,' the distinctions became vague.
明治以前は踊りとは、はっきりと区別されていたが、ダンスの和訳として舞踊という言葉ができ区別が意識されなくなった。