How to Learn to Dance

How Long Does it take to Learn to Dance

How to Learn to Dance at Home

A guide to learning how to dance: techniques, tips for beginners and popular dance styles.

Learning how to dance will bring joy, confidence, physical fitness and discipline. Whether your goal is to be a professional dancer or move to the beat easily at a social event, everyone can learn to dance. In this guide, we will explore dance techniques, give you tips for mastering movement, and introduce you to various dance styles so you’ll be able to step into the dance world with confidence.

Why should you learn to dance?

Dance is more than just a boogie on the dance floor, is a way to express yourself and build coordination, strength, and muscle. It also helps you to escape, not just in your body but your mind too. Finally, it’s fun! Movement helps keep your mind and body healthy, relieving stress and helping you feel more confident.

How can I learn to dance?

If you’re reading this and wondering how can I learn to dance if I have never done it before, don’t panic, it’s easier than ever to start dancing. Build your confidence at home with the help of online video tutorials. From the first steps of ballet barre to fun dance workouts, there are loads to choose from to start your dance journey.

Try a beginner ballet with RAD here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNXFCLuEafw

An easy-to-follow and quick dance workout with Mad Fit here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jxyl2RYe1gs&list=PLN99XDk2SYr7YFHIVmTffejyRZliMGGIM&index=9

Essential Techniques

Posture and balance: Good posture is key in dance, maintaining posture makes your movements look elegant and helps keep you balanced through different steps. Stand tall and keep your shoulders relaxed and keep your core muscles tight to keep you stable. You’ll need to maintain good posture, no matter the dance style!

Rhythm and musicality: Dance and music are definitely partners in dance so understanding rhythm is a must! Start by listening to music and tap along to the beat with your foot. Most dances follow a count of beats in sets of four or eight so it’s good to practice counting this to music. Once you feel comfortable with the beat you can start to add in movement, even if it’s just stepping from side to side.

Coordination: As a beginner it can be hard to synchronize arm movements and footwork but this improves with lots of practice. Practicing in front of a mirror will be beneficial to see how your body is moving.

Freestyle and Improvisation: A fun aspect of learning to dance is learning how to improvise. You will mostly learn in structured routines and steps however it’s key to be able to move freely to music. Put on a favourite song and don’t be afraid of dancing freely, it will help build confidence!

Tips For Beginners Learning To Dance

Take It Slow: As you start to learn to dance you should start with simple routines and build up the difficulty slowly. Focus on mastering the basics of dance.

Practice regularly: Consistency is key, allow yourself dedicated time to practice. Practice makes perfect!

Record yourself: Videoing yourself as you practice allows you to see your progress and you will pick up on details to improve your technique.

Take dance classes: Whether it’s at a dance studio or at home, taking classes can provide structure and dance teachers will correct your form and give good feedback so you can progress quicker.

Don’t fear mistakes: Learning to dance takes time and lots of practice, making mistakes is all part of the process! Be patient and don’t forget every dancer starts at the beginning.

How To Learn Dance At Home

Learning to dance at home has become easier than ever with the help of social media! Look on YouTube for tutorials and skill development. Alternatively, professional dancers now provide paid courses so you can get 1-1 tuition from a dancer with experience in the industry. Look for channels such as Steezy or Dance Tutorials Live for tutorials.

Popular Dance Styles You Can Learn

Hip-Hop: The street style dance that’s getting ever more popular, it focuses on expressive moves and rhythm so is a great place to start learning to dance.

Ballet: The most classical dance form known for it’s elegance and techniques. Perfect for those learning to dance who want to build strength, flexibility and balance. You could start learning the basics in a ballet barre class. For this class we recommend wearing a dance leotard and ballet shoes.

Salsa: Popular in the UK due to Strictly Come Dancing which makes it’s way on to our screens each year. Salsa focuses on fast footwork and dancing with a partner. It’s fun and energetic so perfect for social dancers.

Contemporary: This dance style is a mix of ballet, jazz and modern dance and emphasizes on flowing movements and self expression. It’s perfect for dancers who want to learn dance in a creative way.

Heels: Heels dance classes is a modern dance where classes are high-energy and danced in heels. They are perfect for dancers who want to build self confidence and empowerment. To feel most comfortable in this class we recommend dancing in a dance boot.

Learning to dance is fun, will help you feel more confident and is a very rewarding journey. Whether you are looking to do dance better at your wedding or others, or want to take your career path to a professional level it’s easier than ever to start! Focus on essential techniques, take time to practice till it’s perfect and explore different styles of dance to find your favourite! So, how can you learn to dance? Follow the simple steps above and don’t be afraid to take the first leap!

Be ready to step into dance class in style, with dancewear and dance shoes from Move Dance. Learn more about Commercial Dance here. 

Thanks for reading, 

Team Move Dance!