How to become a great dancer


The Ultimate Beginner Dance Guide

Do you want to be a good dancer? Well, you've come to the right place.

STEEZY has organized this guide to being a good dancer into 16 steps:

  1. Get inspired
  2. Warm up and stretch
  3. Study music
  4. Learn basics and grooves
  5. Take dance classes
  6. Train technique and execution
  7. Learn to dance with feeling
  8. Explore through freestyle
  9. Create choreography
  10. Find what makes you unique
  11. Stay growth-minded
  12. Kill it on stage
  13. Become a leader
  14. Collaborate with others
  15. Share your work
  16. Take care of your body

Keep reading to see how you can become a good dancer – starting today.

P.S. Ready to start dancing now – like RIGHT NOW? Head on over to STEEZY Studio: the best place to take dance classes online.

We have a 10-day "Intro to Dance" program that's designed to get you moving and grooving, step-by-step, so you can get down in any social setting and lay the foundation for any other type of dancing you wanna do.

Click here to take the first four days for free!

1. Get inspired

Whether it's your first week or 10th year of dancing, the key to being a good dancer is wanting to be a good dancer. Remind yourself why you think dancing is fun or cool in the first place!

This "why" is gonna keep you going in the times you feel defeated or lazy.

Feed your inspiration by watching dance videos, talking to your dance friends, going to dance shows – whatever makes you feel that spark again.

2. Warm up and stretch

Before you start dancing, you need to make sure your body is ready for it! Because trying to dance when your body’s cold and stiff is no fun.

Pulling a muscle and sitting out is even less fun. And getting seriously injured is no fun at all.

Warming up and stretching before you dance will help you move with wider range of motion and more control, and help prevent injuries.

Follow these diagrams for an easy, quick daily stretch routine: Do These Stretches To Help You Dance Better (And Stay Injury-Free!)

‍And watch this video on how dancers should and shouldn't stretch:

3. Study music

Training your body is just one part of becoming a good dancer. Studying music will to give you a much, MUCH better understanding of how dance to it.

Dance is, after all, your body becoming a physical representation of the way that music sounds. Those dancers that you watch that somehow become the music?

They do this by first understanding the sounds mentally. Read this to study dance musicality: What Is Dance Musicality?

And watch this video to learn how to count like a dancer:

4. Learn basics and grooves

Narrow down the styles you want to learn, and focus on the foundational movements of that style. Something that all dance styles have in common is a groove.

You probably groove all the time already! Do you bob your head while listening to music in the car? Do you go to the club and sway side to side to the beat?

Those are all grooves! Of course, there are so many different grooves – some have official names and techniques that you can learn.

Bianca Vallar teaches tons of easy Hip-Hop-influenced grooves in her "Intro to Dance" program on STEEZY Studio.

Practicing grooves and getting comfortable with how your body moves will make you look better dancing in class, at a performance, anywhere.

Carlo Darang talks about grooving and loosening up:

5. Take dance classes

Taking classes at a studio is a great way to learn choreography, practice performing, and meet new dancer friends! Not sure how to find one?

Use this guide for How To Take a Dance Class.

And if you're not quite ready to head to an IRL dance studio, try taking online dance classes, right at home.

In this video, professional dancer Alexander Chung shows you how to do just that:

6. Train technique and execution

Techniques and foundation are the ABC's of all movements.

Drilling techniques will ingrain that movement into your muscle memory, so you can just do those without thinking.

For example, doing Popping exercises will train your control, power, and understanding of your muscle groups.

Learning House steps will make you more comfortable with your footwork.

Ballet can train, well, pretty much every part of your body.

Whatever the style, focus on the elementary techniques first using this easy-to-follow training method:

7. Learn to move with feeling

Executing movement the way you want has a lot of different parts.

There are the technical parts (which you'll master through learning the basics of a dance style and taking lots of classes) and the artistic parts (which you'll learn by connecting to the music and finding ways to convey the feeling of a sound).

While it's important to start your dance training by learning the more technical building blocks that you'll need to move your body in a way that looks cool, confident, and relaxed, the next phase of your training should be focused on becoming THAT dancer –

The person who walks onto the dance floor or stage and makes EVERYONE think: wow, they don't dance to the music. They become the music.

To do this, you'll need to learn all about texture, which is how dancers describe how sounds feel.

For example, the sound of a cymbal being struck might feel sharp and sudden.

Or the sound of a bass note might feel intense and deep, like a boom that reverberates through your chest.

So when you hear a cymbal you might dance sharp and fast.

When you hear a bass, you might use heavy, grounded movements.

Learn more about texture in this video!

8. Explore through freestyle dancing

Freestyling is a great way to practice your fundamentals, get in touch with the music, and to explore the ways your body wants to move.

‍Here's a more comprehensive guide on freestyling: How To Freestyle Dance

‍If you feel insecure about your freestyling, then watch this video:

9. Create choreography

Making choreography is a great way to challenge yourself as a dancer.

You'll be pushed to come up with creative new moves, freestyle, and pay attention to music in ways you never did before.

Never made a piece before? We got you: How To Choreograph A Dance In 6 Simple Steps

‍Watch this video when you get stuck:

10. Find what makes you unique

The most captivating dancers are the ones who have found their own voice and learned to use it.

Think about your music tastes, develop your natural groove, embrace those weird poses your body comes up with.

Your unique style won’t just make you a better dancer, it’ll make you the best dancer you can be.

11. Stay growth-minded

Don't pigeon-hole yourself into a "type" of dancer. Let yourself explore all different kinds of dance, let yourself fail, let yourself keep striving for growth.

Read tips on becoming growth-focused! 5 Ways Your MINDSET Is Holding You Back As A Dancer (And How To Change It!)

‍If you’re constantly growing, even in baby steps, you’ll soon be at a level you never thought possible.

So keep growing, keep changing, keep evolving – one day at a time.

‍Scared of judgement from others? Watch this video:

12. Kill it on stage

Dance is a performance art – so being a great dancer means that you know how to kill it on stage.

The next time you're at a show or competition, or filming a video, bring out your best performance.

Try these tips: 7 Easy Ways To Kill It On Stage

‍Make sure all eyes are on you.

Read: How To Dance Bigger, Stronger, And More Full Out

13. Become a leader

If you want a push yourself even further, then consider being a captain or director of your dance team.

Not only will being a leader teach you management and communication skills, it's an opportunity to give back to a team and community that gives you so many opportunities.

It all starts with the 'why.'

Write your team's mission statement the help of the pioneers: Dance Leadership Tools From Arnel Calvario And Anna Sarao

14. Collaborate with others

We’re blessed to be surrounded by talented, passionate, like-minded individuals in our community.

Share the love by collaborating with other dancers – this can mean working together to create a piece, host a workshop, whatever!

‍Tips on joint choreography creation! How To Collab With Someone To Make A Piece

15. Share your work

It's not about the video. But if you worked hard on a piece or enjoyed teaching a class, do share! Your work can inspire someone else, and push you to create better.

16. Take care of your body!

Though our bodies are the very tool we use for dance, many of us neglect it.

A healthy, nourished, hydrated body will perform much better than a weak, stiff, dehydrated one in any dance setting.

Be a good dancer by keeping your body in optimal, dance-ready condition.

Do these things to be in tip-top shape: How To Take Care Of Your Body As A Dancer

‍Being a good dancer is a journey that looks different for everyone. Take the tips you need in yours to make your growth more focused and efficient!

We hope this helped you understand how to be a good dancer.

How To Become A Better Dancer: 5 Tips -

So you want to know how to become a better dancer?

Here are 5 important tips that will help you improve as a dancer fast:

1.

Take Lessons Consistently (You’re not special)

Some people think that they can get good without ever taking any dance lessons…

This is a mistake. Think about everything else you ever learned in your life, did you just wing it? No, you probably took lessons to become good at it. The same goes with dancing. You can take lessons in person or online. For in-person lessons you can do group classes or private lessons. For online lessons you can learn from videos. Check out our online Ballroom dance videos here.

Furthermore, it is important to take the time to find the right dance teacher for your goals, because some are definitely more qualified than others. My recommendation is try out a lesson with several teachers before committing to one specific dance instructor. Read our article on what makes a good dance teacher.

2. Practice Daily At Home/Studio

One of the most important habits you need to adopt is daily consistent practice. No matter how naturally good you are, you need to practice if you want to become a better dancer. Many people assume that just because they take lessons, they don’t need to practice. This could not be further from the truth. It is precisely because you take dance lessons, you need to practice even more to make sure you retain everything you’ve been learning.

Becoming a better dancer requires muscle memory. And muscle memory requires a lot of repetition through practice. So don’t overthink it – simply make some room in your living room, get a mirror and practice the things you worked on at your last lesson/class. Check out our practice guide for Ballroom dancers.


3. Have A Goal

One of the fastest ways to improve your dancing is simply to have a goal to work towards. The goal can be a performance at your studio’s showcase or party. It can also be a dance competition. Even if you don’t want to perform you can still come up with a social dance goal such as “be able to dance comfortably at next month’s party”. Be creative with it as there is no wrong or right goals. The most important thing is to have one and to have a future date that you’re working towards. This will keep you motivated with your daily practice!

4. Feel your body

After you’ve learned the mechanics of the steps and routines, you need to make sure that you let your body “Feel” the movements so that all the steps and styling can really sink in to your muscle memory. You don’t want to be stuck in your head when you’re practicing or taking lessons, you need to be in “your body” to retain the dance moves, and progress faster.

After you got it pretty good, just put on the music and try to feel your body going with the music… This will also add enjoyment to your dancing.

5. Keep yourself inspired

It is critical to work on staying inspired and motivated with your getting better in dancing goal. Life gets in the way, so some days you will be more inspired than others… The key is to figure out some specific triggers that can energize you quickly to get back in the groove, whenever you’re not feeling it.

For example, let’s say you don’t feel like going to your dance practice today. What you can do is watch some videos of your favorite dancers performing your favorite choreography on youtube!

That should get you back on track fast.

Watch Video – 5 Tips For Improving As A Dancer:


What do you think? Leave a comment below.

By: Leon Turetsky
Professional dance instructor

Related:
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Types of ballroom dances
Styles of Latin Dances

ᐅ How to become a dancer? | How do they become dancers?

Many people dream of working as a professional dancer, imagining fame, popularity and brilliance of spotlights. But how to become a dancer, what is needed for this? Let's find out!

To begin with, it is worth understanding that this is, first of all, hard work, and only a few are given to break onto the stage.

The profession of a dancer requires good physical shape and long training sessions.

  Contents:  
  • How to become a dancer?
  • How do you become a dancer from scratch?
  • Schools where one becomes a dancer
  • How to become a dancer without education?
  • How to become a good and successful dancer?

How to become a dancer?

Anyone can become a dancer. This does not require special education, somewhere to study, and all that is needed is to experience the pleasure of dancing. But that's if it's a hobby. Amateur and professional dancing, pleasure and work as a dancer are very different concepts.

I dream of becoming a professional dancer. How do they become dancers in general, what do you need to know and be able to do, how to start?

Unfortunately, and maybe fortunately, not all become successful dancers. To do this, you need not only to love to dance, but also to have a confident and strong desire to improve, overcoming difficulties.

In order to reach the top in the profession, it is not so much external data that is important, but attitude to business and diligence. With these qualities, you can become a good dancer, whose performances are pleasant to watch the audience.

How do you become a dancer from scratch?

In order to become a dancer from scratch, you need to be sure that this particular job will become the work of a lifetime. Such a creative profession requires complete dedication and the ability to express vivid emotions.

In addition, you need to prepare physically and develop endurance. After all, rehearsals last many hours and take place almost every day.

Before you start mastering the profession, you need to decide on the style.

There are a huge number of them, and it is important to choose the most suitable one for yourself. When choosing, it is worth considering personal preferences and your level of physical fitness. For confidence, you can rehearse in front of a mirror.

Schools for becoming dancers

You can become a dancer after receiving a special education. To do this, you need to enter an art college or university. They are accepted here on the basis of nine and 11 classes, depending on the direction.

To enroll in a group, you need to pass a creative competition, for which you should prepare well. You also need to be ready to provide the results of the exam in Russian and literature. The exact list of subjects required for admission can be clarified at the educational institution.

Training to be a dancer in an educational institution is not yet a guarantee that you can become one.

Getting a professional education on the basis of a college or university will not yet give you the opportunity to become a dancer, but it is an opportunity to acquire all the necessary knowledge and skills.

Experienced teachers will help you develop your talent and fully reveal your creative potential. They will point out mistakes and help correct them. But a lot depends on the student. Therefore, the educational institution itself will not make you a dancer, it will only give you an opportunity.

For example, while studying, students have the opportunity to participate in many competitions and festivals, which will help them test their strength and even get a job offer.

How to become a dancer without education?

Many people become dancers without special education. For this profession, attitude and talent are much more important. If a person truly loves to dance and develops his abilities, then he will be able to achieve considerable success. It is important to understand that a couple of hours of training three times a week is not enough to become a professional dancer. You have to work hard and hone your skills.

For beginner dancers, it is not so much the technique of performance that is important, but the development of endurance and the ability to express their emotions through body language. The presence of charisma and a bright personality distinguishes a good dancer from the rest. You need to be ready for constant hard training and strictly follow the regimen.

You can learn to dance professionally if you have good skills on your own. But it is better to seek help from professionals. To do this, there are many circles, courses and dance schools. There, in a fairly short time, you can master a certain dance style. Regular classes with a dance teacher will help develop physical endurance, learn basic dance moves, and develop talent in yourself.

Members of clubs and dance schools often get the opportunity to participate in competitions and perform at concerts. This has a positive effect on emotional mood, increases confidence and gives you the opportunity to express yourself. Achievements in competitions will be a great addition to the portfolio of a novice dancer.

How to become a good and successful dancer?

In order to succeed and shine on stage, you will have to make a lot of effort. The most important qualities of a good dancer are charisma, perseverance and hard work.

The main thing is to choose this profession consciously and remember that behind the beauty and brilliance of dancers' performances there are constant training and heavy workloads.

And as mentioned above, one cannot become a dancer overnight, without proper preparation. You need to play sports and follow the necessary regimen. Only thanks to this, professional dancers cope with difficult numbers and exhausting rehearsals.

It is important to choose the most appropriate dance style for you. You can master it perfectly by completing training as a dancer in a professional educational institution. And for people who want to learn how to dance without going to college or university, there are many options for circles, courses and dance schools.

In any case, learning to dance professionally is much easier with a teacher. It will help you master all the dance moves and learn how to beautifully express emotions on stage with the help of dance.

I want to dance, but my parents are against it! How to be?

We have come across such a situation so many times: a talented child wants to dance, is eager for training, but the parents are against it! The reasons are different, we came across three main ones:

  • the child does not study well at school and should be punished
  • dancing is, according to parents, a hopeless and unnecessary activity
  • the child dances badly
Dance school is not a hindrance

Many parents forbid their children to go to training if they do poorly in school. The system of "carrot and stick" has been known for a long time. But why use as a "whip" such an important process for the development of the child as "hobby"? Passion for something, doing what you love - this is what the soul lies in, what happens, what you want to learn - this develops the child, makes him work and overcome difficulties. Punishing the child with a ban on going to dances, parents put the school on the scales opposite to their favorite business - the school subconsciously becomes an "unloved business" - this is time. And two - parents become in the mind of the child those people who do not allow something to be loved. It is worth considering whether the correct value system is built in the mind of the child.

We affirm that dancing should help the child to study at school. Firstly, regular dance training (at least 2-3 times a week) predetermines the child’s employment: he does not sit at the computer for no reason, does not mess with “bad company”, does not mess around lying on the couch. You know for sure that during training your child receives physical activity that is useful for the development of a young organism, communicates with peers, interacts with a coach - learns and develops. Secondly, the more things a person has to do, the more collected he is. When a child knows that he has 2 hours after school to prepare his homework for the next day, he does not waste time on the Internet and telephone conversations, he learns to allocate his time in such a way as to be in time at school and in the sections. If a child has problems at school, this does not mean that dancing interferes with his studies, taking up all his time. It just means that he thinks he doesn't need school, but that's a completely different problem. It is impossible to cure a sore back by bandaging a hand, even though they are parts of the same organism.

Dancing is not for my child

Many parents know what their children want. Or rather, they think they know. Sometimes children themselves do not know what they are interested in - then they either follow the recommendations of their parents, or try all the sections and circles in a row. But now we are talking about a different situation, when parents do not allow the child to do what he wants, but insist on what they consider necessary. Of course, in this situation, too, many variants of events can be distinguished: when the child just “repeats” after someone he knows, when he insists on doing some activity “in spite of” the opinion of his parents, when parents fear for the child’s health, etc. We we want to warn those parents who think they know what their child is capable of and inclined to - give him the opportunity to start thinking for himself. Give him the challenge of making a thoughtful decision. Describe all the pros and cons, tell us about the costs that you expect, tell us about your experience. He will be grateful to you for believing in him, he will be doubly responsible for his choice, because he made it on his own, he will be diligent, because hopes were placed on him. Let it be his choice and his experience.

Dancing must be learned

Of course, each person has certain inclinations and talents. However, if you think that your child does not show promise to become a great dancer, this does not mean that he should not dance! First, dance is a long and painstaking work. Not all good dancers, who are called talented, danced “well” right away. Each of them, including the “naturally talented”, works long and hard on their skills. Secondly, there are so many dances, each of them is individual - perhaps your child needs to spend a little time finding "his" direction, and then you will see how he DANCES.


Learn more

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