The dance leap is one of the most difficult techniques to accomplish, and improper landing is a common reason for injuries. The incidence of foot and ankle injuries among modern dancers is much lower than among ballet dancers. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate how modern technique is different from ballet technique and the benefits each provide for both ballet and modern dancers. The primary hypothesis was that ballet dancers would demonstrate greater typical risk factors associated with foot and ankle injuries during landing compared to the modern dancers. The secondary hypothesis was that the ballet leap would demonstrate greater risk factors associated with foot and ankle injuries compared to the modern leaps. Sixteen college dancers were recruited to test one type of ballet leap and two types of modern leaps, using a force plate, a two-dimensional motion analysis system and electromyography. No significant differences were seen between ballet and modern dancers in the ground reaction forces (GRFs) and dorsiflexion. Significant differences were seen in the GRFs and dorsiflexion among the three types of leaps. Both ballet and modern dancers in college had no professional dance experience;​ therefore, risk factors associated with foot and ankle injuries are similar in kinetics, kinematics and muscle activation during landing. The results also demonstrated that the ballet leap was more injurious than the modern leaps. The present study concluded that incorporating a modern technique might be advantageous for dancers by avoiding additional stress on the foot and ankle.