How to dance kpop for beginners
How To Learn K-Pop Dances
So, if you’re anything like me, you love a good K-Pop song and the fun, popular choreography that comes with it.
But I have to admit… if you asked me if I’ve ever actually tried learning any K-Pop choreography… I’d embarrassingly have to say “No”.
Even though the dances are meant to be simple to learn, it’s easy to feel intimidated when you’re watching the moves being executed by idols who’ve been training for most of their lives!
So, I decided to find out what it takes to master K-Pop routines AND perform like a legit K-Pop star.
Now, I’m gonna share everything I learned with you.
Keep reading to get all the tips you’ll need to become a K-Pop dancer yourself!
But first…
The term “K-Pop” is an abbreviation for “Korean popular music.”
While the name is pretty general, “K-Pop” is typically used to describe a mixture of East Asian and Western music genres that can be traced back to the 1880s.
Throughout the 1880s-1940s, Koreans were introduced to Western music through American missionaries and radio broadcasts, but it wasn’t until the 1940s when North and South Korea parted ways that K-Pop music really started to thrive.
Many American soldiers remained in South Korea after the Korean War, and started spreading the latest Pop, Gospel, Rock, Jazz, Hip Hop, R&B, Folk, Country, Classical, and Reggae.
As a result, South Korean music artists started infusing their own music with Western rhythms, instruments, vocalization styles, and languages.
And sure enough, Korean singers started getting their big break within Western circles.
Ever heard of The Kim Sisters?
Around 1959, they were the first Korean artists to drop an album in the U.S!
Of course, this music doesn’t sound like K-Pop as we now know it…
The music we currently call “K-Pop” is most heavily influenced by Western music from the 1990s-2010s.
It was during that time period that the internet made it easier than ever for countries to share music with each other.
The Korean government was putting more focus on marketing their music to other countries, but it wasn’t just the K-Pop industry running the show anymore!
Take the boyband Seo Taiji & Boys for example.
Despite the fact that they scored really low during a televised Korean talent show with their song Nan Arayo, their fans went crazy over that same song AND their album.
They posted their music video online and the song made it to the states where new audiences fell in love with it!
Whether it was Seo Taiji & Boys’ unique fusion of Rap, Hip Hop, Rock, Jazz, and EDM, the sound of the Korean lyrics, or their standout fashion sense, thousands of teens and tweens around the world saw their video and looked at them as “idols” – a term that would become the #1 descriptor for K-Pop group members.
Many other K-Pop artists followed suit and in the 21st century, names like Super Junior, Big Bang, Wonder Girls, Psy, BTS, Blackpink and TWICE were household names.
Of course, one of the main things that sets K-Pop apart is the dancing!
The choreography is full of fun dance moves that are actually easy to learn.
And since the late 2000’s, K-Pop choreography (and the highly produced music videos that showcased it) has heavily contributed to the genre’s virality.
The choreography that went with the chorus of each song was meant to be catchy and attainable, so that anyone in the world could “cover” the choreography just like they would cover the song itself.
Soon, sites like Youtube and Facebook were filled with dance cover videos that gave free advertising to each new K-Pop song.
The moves and combos were heavily influenced by the Hip-Hop-heavy choreography used by 90s/2000s American groups, but K-Pop dances also tended to lean very cute/playful or very edgy – much like the music itself.
For example, compare how Britney Spears’ and Girls Generation’s choreography look.
They’re both filled with sharp and precise movements, hyper-feminine grooves, and playful gestures. And it's not just one person dancing. You get to see lots of bodies moving in unison!
Many of the early K-Pop groups who were popular in the states followed this formula, but the first modern K-Pop song to get serious radio play featured unisex moves that were appropriate for any age.
Enter “Gangnam Style” by Psy!
Due to that “galloping horse” move, this was the first video on YT to receive over a billion views.
If you want to learn how to dance K-Pop, start by choosing a few groups that you really resonate with!
Then, you can dissect what makes their choreography unique and master their style!
For example, if you really love BLACKPINK’s Lisa, you might notice that she’s all about intricate details and putting serious power into her stage performances.
So, as you’re learning a BLACKPINK or Lisa routine, really focus on those style elements as you practice each move.
Be thoughtful about flicking your wrist to finish a move or tilting your head at a particular moment.
Remember to stay powerfully grounded when you strut, rather than bouncing lightly on your feet.
Once you know which idol you want to look like, you can then focus on mastering the actual dance steps.
If you’re totally new to dance, start by looking for choreography that’s a little more smooth and groovy.
Basically, you want to look for the same types of moves that you’d do at a club or party.
A great example would be the routine from “Pretty Savage” by BLACKPINK.
Related article: Top 10 K-pop Girl Groups in 2022
The chorus section is all about hair whips, booty shaking, and bouncy moves that hit right on the beat. Even if you don’t look exactly like the idols when you do this routine, you’ll still look great!
P.S. If you wanna learn this choreography step-by-step, we have a tutorial on STEEZY Studio. ;)
Click here to learn it!
If you’re further along in your dance training, then you can choose a faster, more precise routine.
Typically, these types of choreographies will test your ability to use speed and control at the right time - all while dancing to more complex rhythms.
Take ATEEZ’ “Say My Name” choreography for example:
During the chorus section, you’ll notice that there's a lot of jumping, quick hand movements, and sudden transitions from fast moves to slow moves.
You’ll need to practice this routine a lot since many of the moves won’t come naturally to you!
P.P.S. You can learn “Say My Name” on STEEZY Studio too! Just click here.
After you know the style of choreography and routine you want to learn, you’re ready to really dive in!
There are a few ways to go about learning K-Pop choreography.
A lot of people learn the routines by studying the highly produced music videos that come with most K-Pop songs.
You can find the videos on YouTube, slow down the tempo, study the movements, and then practice in a mirror at home.
Many other K-Pop songs come with what’s called a “practice video” – basically, this is a video of the music group rehearsing the routine in a clean, simple environment.
These videos are much easier to learn from since they don’t include all of the fancy cuts/editing that can make it harder to see what the idols are doing.
Here’s an example of BTS practicing their routine for “Fire”:
Of course, when you’re learning a K-Pop routine, you’re not limited to just videos from the music groups themselves.
There are also tons of K-Pop covers artists on YouTube who break down the routines into step-by-step tutorials.
One of the most popular cover artist duos, Ellen & Brian, has nearly 3M followers!
Now, while all of these YouTube options are useful, they definitely come with some learning limitations.
You’ll likely spend a lot of time pausing and rewinding, stopping to check yourself in a mirror, and digging for videos where the content is flipped on screen so that you can copy the instructor directly (basically, if they lift their left arm on screen, you wanna be able to lift your left arm too.
You don’t wanna have to think in your head, “ok, her left arm is going up, but the camera is reversing the image, so I should lift my right arm, right???”).
Luckily, all of these annoying issues are solved for you on STEEZY Studio!
Unlike YouTube, STEEZY’s a platform made for learning dance routines.
You can flip the video’s orientation with the tap of a button, play tricky sections of the routine on loop while you practice, and use your webcam as a virtual, on-screen mirror so you can see yourself right behind the instructor.
We’re regularly dropping the latest and greatest K-Pop tutorials so definitely check it out here!
And if you’d like to try STEEZY out for free, start with these 10 FREE K-Pop moves classes.
One last tip before you dive into allll the K-Pop routines!
It’s important to keep in mind that K-Pop choreography doesn’t exist in a vacuum.
Choreographers from all over the world put together the routines for your favorite groups, and those choreographers have unique styles and dance backgrounds that are worth learning about!
For example, if a certain choreographer regularly creates routines for your favorite group, and that choreographer is a big fan of Jazz dance steps and lots of hair movements, it might be worth it to take their classes directly so that you can perfect those skills.
Here are a few K-Pop choreographers who you can train with on STEEZY:
Choreographer Brian Puspos is known for working with BTS and being one of Jimin’s favorite dancers.
Teen dancer sensation Bailey Sok choreographed for Red Velvet.
Swag queen Rie Hata is the genius behind several NCT, BTS, and Red Velvet routines.
All of these K-Pop choreographers and many more (Ian Eastwood, Lyle Beniga, Ellen Kim…) have classes on STEEZY Studio that will teach you how to dance smooth, sharp, fast, slow – everything!
Planning to make your own K-Pop dance cover video?
Now that we know what K-Pop is and how to do K-Pop dances, the last step is learning how to look the part!
Make sure you:
1. Wear a mix of fitted clothing pieces like skinny jeans and tight tops, combined with clothing that’s loose and baggy. The fitted clothes will show the lines of your body as they cut through the air while the baggy pieces will add more motion to each of your movements. Leggings or shorts with a loose buttoned-up shirt or a skirt with bike shorts underneath are great options. Use the music videos for inspiration.
2. Have fun with your hair – it’s often part of the choreography! You can search “k-pop hair ideas” on Pinterest to come up with fun ways to style ponytails, pigtails, and braids that will complement your outfit.
3. Set up the “set” you’re going to dance in front of! You don’t need to do something super fancy like the music videos themselves – mainly focus on creating a set that’s visually interesting without being distracting. If you want a city skyline in your background, you can dance on the high floor of a parking garage. You can use brightly colored walls in your town as a backdrop.
You can throw some string lights behind you in your bedroom or make use of a color changing bulb. Just make sure there isn’t any clutter in your space!
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Now, who’s ready to learn some K-Pop moves?
Head over to STEEZY Studio and immerse yourself in the K-Pop world y’all!
Related article: 4 of the All Time Greatest K-Pop Groups Everyone Should Know
How to Learn K-Pop Dances: The Ultimate Guide for Beginners
If you’re reading this, you likely want to know how to learn K-Pop dances. With so many choreographies and easy K-Pop dance tutorials, you may wonder where to begin.
On One Studios wants to give you the tools to learn K-Pop dance choreography. Also, you don’t always have to dance alone in your room. You can do it in dance studios too! After all, K-Pop dancing is not just an activity, it is a community. We want to help you be part of it.
How Hard Is It To Learn K-Pop Dancing?
The truth is, learning K-Pop dancing and choreography is a huge challenge.
It takes dedication, focus, and patience, but something challenging doesn’t have to feel difficult.
Learning K-Pop dances is worth the hard work. If anyone is an example of this, it would be the idols with the longest training periods. Jihyo of TWICE and G-Dragon are amongst those who dedicated the most years to training before their debut, and now they are worldwide stars.
No matter your dance level, learning beginner K-Pop dances can be fun, invigorating, and contributes to your overall health and well-being. Before we get into how to learn K-pop dances, let’s look at some of the best choreography for beginners.
3 Easiest K-Pop Dances for Beginners
Starting with simple choreographies will let you jump in and start dancing without getting too frustrated. From the biggest names to your favorite groups, there are plenty of simple choreographies to begin with. If you want to go further and get feedback, dance classes may be just what you need.
“Go Go” by BTS
(Dance practice video)
You can’t talk about K-Pop choreography without mentioning BTS. Though BTS is known for challenging choreography, K-pop dance performances like “Go Go” are humorous and easy to learn. The “Go Go” dance challenge is one of the most iconic dances. It went viral after YouTubers The Williams Fam found it so fun that they posted a cover.
“Dance The Night Away” by TWICE
If you’re wondering how to learn K-Pop dances, look no further than this fun tutorial for TWICE’s hit single “Dance the Night Away.”
The next step is to try a mirrored dance video.
“Dance The Night Away” was released in the summer of 2018. The choreography for this song became a sensation in the viral K-POP IN PUBLIC challenge. TWICE is known for their immense talent. They represent a perfect way to start learning K-Pop dancing.
“BANG BANG BANG” By Big Bang
You can’t learn how to dance K-Pop without learning Big Bang’s famous choreography routine from BANG BANG BANG.
This song is pumped-up but the choreography itself is simple enough to be learned even by beginners. Though the song was released back in 2016, a remix challenge of the chorus choreography went viral on TikTok in 2021.
How To Learn K-Pop Dances Easily
There are tried and true methods to learn how to be good at dancing K-Pop. If you follow these easy steps, you’ll be on your way to making your own dance cover video in no time.
Choose Easy Dances with Basic and Repetitive Moves
Perhaps the only mistake you can make as a K-Pop dance beginner is trying to learn choreographies that are way too complicated. The last thing you want is to get overwhelmed and frustrated.
Choosing an easy dance with repetitive moves will allow your brain to get into the dancing mode, and help you discover your style instead of trying to imitate complex moves. You can even start by just learning sections of simple choreography, and then expand from there.
Learn Dance Moves in 4-8 Counts
There is a reason we hear the chant of “5-6-7-8” in the background of dance practice videos and K-pop dance performances.
Counts are how dancers break songs down into more easily digestible sections.
Ensuring the K-Pop choreography you are learning is in 4-8 counts will make the learning process smooth and manageable. Choreography that gets more complex with half counts runs the risk of tripping you up before you can find your flow. These choreographies allow your brain to keep up with the new movements and creates the muscle memory that will eventually make dancing look easy.
Getting familiar with how 4-8 counts work is an essential element to learning how to dance K-Pop.
Use Mirror Dance Videos As Reference
One of the unique traits of K-Pop is that most groups release a mirrored dance practice video of their singles or popular songs. Mirrored dancing helps dancers keep track of their moves, flow, accuracy, and synchronicity. Mirrored practice also helps with another significant aspect of K-Pop dancing, which is facial expressions.
Sign up for dance classes to get a clear view of the entire choreography, showing the whole group.
In mirrored practice videos, you can see the choreography of the individuals and the group, and their fabulous facial expressions while they perform.
To learn K-Pop dance, you need to strip the choreography down to its bare bones. Watching a dance practice video or a dance cover video is the best way to do this.
Practice Your K-pop Dance Moves Daily
You might not have the time to dedicate 12+ hours a day to training and dancing, but getting a little bit in each day will go a long way to help you become a K-Pop dance master. Dancing every day is a great way to get exercise and stay active. There is also evidence that dancing helps ease symptoms of depression and improve overall health.
If you hope to dance the way your idols do, you’ll want to consider how much time they practice. There is no doubt these idols practice every day.
One of the benefits of practicing every day is instilling that muscle memory we mentioned before. By practicing daily, you’ll soon realize you’ve made vast improvements and are on your way to dancing with ease.
Sign Up for Dance Classes
There is nothing wrong with self-learning K-Pop dancing. However, if you’re serious about learning your favorite choreographies and advancing at a steady pace, we offer a dedicated K-Pop dance class.
If you’re concerned about cost of the dance classes, we offer a variety of memberships and drop-in prices. Our classes focus on the biggest and most viral K-Pop choreographies as well as your favorites.
We want you to dance, and we believe in a practice that brings joy, community, and growth.
Level Up and Learn More Advanced K-pop Dance Moves
Once you have mastered a few simple routines and developed a daily dance habit, you can start challenging yourself further with more advanced K-pop dance performances.
Dancing is about constantly growing and working to learn new ways to use your body for exercise and expression. Huge groups like The Boyz, BLACKPINK and Stray Kids didn’t get where they are by being cautious with their choreography.
The trait of a great idol dancer is the courage to learn new moves that aren’t always easy. When you’re ready, our focused classes can help you with more advanced choreographies.
Are You Ready To Challenge Yourself and Have a Blast Doing It?
Nobody ever said learning K-Pop dance choreography would be easy, but part of the fun is the immense physical and mental challenge that dancing can bring.
With the right beginner’s tools, simple choreographies, and a little guidance, you can grow as a dancer while building community and having fun.
Check out our options if you are ready to sign up for dance classes, and how to learn K-Pop choreography. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out, because On One Studios wants to share your love for dance.
5 Easy K-Pop Dances to Incorporate into Your Weight Loss Workout Program
Want to shed a few pounds before summer arrives? These five easy k-pop dances are great for working out.
The choreography presented in the list is one of the most technical and easy to learn.
See also: "Yumi's Cells 2" Kim Go Eun and Jin Young's cute looks in the new poster
- BLACKPINK - "As If It's Your Last"
Hit BLACKPINK "As If It's Your Last" is not only catchy and upbeat, but also perfect for training. The choreography includes movements that can help shape the waist and hips. The dance is relatively simple and contains movements of the arms and lower body.
- TWICE - "CHEER UP"
"CHEER UP" is considered a "representative" song TWICE and her choreography is good to make you sweat a lot.
This sweet and cheerful melody makes you want to move. The dance contains jumping and can help stretch your lower back. This easy dance is the perfect pre-workout warm-up.
- BIGBANG - "BANG BANG BANG"
This song is a must for K-pop dance practice. The song BIGBANG "BANG BANG BANG" will help you lose weight in no time. While the song's chorus is quite simple, the rest of the song is a bit technical and "challenging" to the feet. The choreography includes jumping and stomping steps and should be done with as much strength and dedication as possible. nine0003
- MOMOLAND - "BBoom BBoom"
Viral Dance MOMOLAND "BBoom BBoom" is another girl group song to sweat to.
The song is easy to learn, but that doesn't mean it won't be tiring. The post-chorus section contains a lot of jumping and arm movements that can quickly get you out of breath. This choreography is ideal for those who want to lose weight in their legs and hips.
- EVERGLOW - "DUN DUN"
"DUN DUN" EVERGLOW is one of today's most loved songs thanks to its catchy chorus and choreography. The dance for "DUN DUN" works the entire body and is a great replacement for traditional cardio training. In addition, due to somersaults in the chorus, you can work out the abdominal muscles.
Anjali © YesAsia.ru
SOURCEkpopboo.com
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What is k-pop cover dance
K-pop, that is, Korean pop, is not only a musical genre, but also a whole culture, including a dance direction, which is becoming more and more popular outside of South Korea.
We tell you how to dance k-pop, what is k-pop cover dance and where to learn it (spoiler: here!).
Dancing is the most important thing k-pop . The release of a single by a k-pop artist also implies the release of a video in which there are a lot of dances. To create the image of an idol, that is, a South Korean pop star, along with vocal abilities, one must take into account his appearance, style and dancing skills. After all, every performance of idols is a show that is built not only through scenery, costumes, singing, but also dancing. Therefore, would-be idols spend as much time in dance classes as they do in singing lessons, if not more. nine0003
The dance direction of K-pop is based on the stage choreography of idols. In the early days of K-pop, dancing didn't play such a big role. They served a decorative function, the movements were simple and catchy, and sometimes "viral" so that fans could easily repeat them. By the beginning of the third generation, the choreography has grown a lot, it has become quite complex, it is now difficult for fans to repeat it without dance training.
That's why k-pop cover dance classes appeared .
K-pop cover dance is a popular dance style that learns the choreography of famous K-pop artists, such as idols such as BTS and BLACKPINK .
Learning idol choreography is so popular not only because of the large number of their fans around the world, but also because of the specifics of the dances themselves. The fact is that k-pop cover dance combines a variety of elements from several modern dance styles. That is why it is not necessary to be a fan of Korean pop culture, the choreography of the k-pop cover dance direction can resonate with those who just want to develop in dance. And the thing is that k-pop cover dance is able to reveal your potential and captivate you into the world of a new, perhaps still unfamiliar, culture. His bright presentation and stylish music will cheer you up and will not leave you indifferent. nine0003
What kinds of dance styles can be found in k-pop cover dance? These are, of course, complex elements of hip-hop, which are more often performed by boy bands.
