Learn how to dance rock

A Guide to Rock and Roll Dancing

Rock is heavily linked to all the big names in music, like Elvis Presley for example. The King of Rock 'n' Roll quickly rose to fame in the 1950s thanks to his ground-breaking hip moves. So much so, they even earned him the nickname "Elvis the Pelvis".

His swiveling-hips and quick feet didn't just make him a star, but even changed the way people danced. A classic for a reason, rock dancing is still one of the most popular forms of dance today. Knowing how to put some basic steps together always makes an impact on the dance floor!

Are you itching to move your feet and finally learn how to dance to rock 'n' roll?

If so, here are our tips to make this happen. Whether it's solo, with your partner or as part of a dance class, why not give rock dance a go?

Or if you're looking for another rebellious dance form, check out urban dance!

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What Are the Different Types of Rock Dance?

Before we begin, it is important to clarify what we're talking about. Rock actually includes several types of modern dances. Firstly, there's a difference between 4-beat and 6-beat rock. However, these are not the only variants.

Even though rock 'n' roll was born in the 50s, some rock-style dances (6-beat) had existed before. An example of which is swing dancing (called the Jive in England and Lindy Hop in the United States), bebop and 6-beat swing. They were originally danced to swing music, a more lively branch of jazz music.

You can see their influence in a lot of rock dances.

Rock dancing, born out of the music genre of the same name, is actually four-beat rock. It's actually the first dance for two with a 4-beat rhythm.

Either way, rock is a fast dance that requires rhythm. Rock music, traditionally characterised by the sound of the electric guitar, has a very fast tempo.

Today, there are essentially 4 types of rock dances:

4-beat Rock: Also known as four on the floor or four to the floor, this style is easier to learn than 6-beat rock. To dance it, you essentially have to let the arms do all the work. The legwork is relatively simple. You can tap to the beat with your hands and do arcs movements with your arms between two moves. 4-beat rock can be performed to any kind of rhythmic music.
6-beat Rock: This is the classic style of rock dance that is taught in dance schools. Learning this dance, however, is less straightforward. Legwork is very important. Dance steps are made by counting 6 beats but doing 8 rests. There are plenty of steps involved in rock dancing. It's a pretty technical dance where you need to know the steps inside out so you can dance smoothly to very fast-paced music.
Swing Rock: Swing rock is a variation of 6-beat rock. What characterises it is its energetic leg kicks. We can say that swing rock jump lies somewhere between 6-beat rock and acrobatic rock.
Acrobatic Rock: Unlike the other, less lively, types of rock, acrobatic rock is a sport in itself, strongly linked to gymnastics. Dance partners perform acrobatics, holds, lifts, etc. They are required to relax their hands depending on the move.

If you like to be percussive in your dancing, you might also be interested in tap dancing!

The Basics of Rock 'n' Roll Dance

To learn 6-beat rock, currently the most widely practised, you will have to master the basic steps. This is where you will start at your first rock dance lessons near me.

Get ready to be swept off your feet ! Source: Visual Hunt

As mentioned before, rock is about dancing to a 6-beat rhythm, but dancers count 8 rests during these 6 beats.

To help you find the right rhythm, you should count like this in your head (one, two, three "AND" four, five "AND" six). The "AND" lets you to do the 7th and 8th rests more easily.

Another important point is that rock 'n' roll dancers dance within an imaginary line so as not to disturb the other dancers. You must, therefore, bear this in mind and practice dancing in a limited space.

Let's go back to the most fundamental step:

During the first 2 beats, dancers simultaneously move apart while moving their left foot back. (this is the rock step),
During the 2 following beats, they perform a chassé to the left (taking 3 rests),
During the last two beats, they perform one chassé to the right (with also 3 rests).

Once you've got the hang of this, you're on the right track and can progress to the next step:

Learn the more complex moves,
Learn how to turn your dance partner,
Replace steps with your own footwork to add your own style to the dance,
And much, much more...

Rock requires perfect cohesion between the two partners. It is therefore essential to train as a two as regularly as possible to dance to rock 'n' roll properly. Unlike 4-beat rock where the man leads his partner, to dance 6-beat rock, both partners must know the steps and know how to move together.

Find interesting hip hop dance classes here on Superprof.

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What Music to Dance To?

The best dancers seem wild, untamed; flinging limbs about as though independent of their body and smiling all the while.

Behind that seemingly carefree display, there is a crafty choreography guiding every tuck, slide and roll that takes tons of time and practice to master.

Dance technique is all good and well, but one must have an innate sense of rhythm if there is to be any hope at all of becoming proficient at executing these intricate steps to the music’s fast tempo.

The best way to find one’s rhythm is by listening to music but, with all of the selections out there, which would be the best to listen to for either the 6-beat or 4-beat dances?

Songs for 6-Beat Dancing

In the Mood: as its name implies, Glen Miller’s famous tune will put you in the proper mood for dancing – its opening bars feel like a call to get on the dance floor. Do you dare to keep still while it plays?

If you watch the video, you’ll note that none of the musicians can help but move; even Mr Miller himself frantically taps his foot as he plays his slide trombone.

By contrast, the dancers themselves seem rather tame but then, with the floor so crowded and their clothing so restrictive, who would chance to execute any energetic moves?

Yes, clothing plays a part in your ability to dance and the spectacle you create; we’ll talk about that a bit further on in this article.

Sing, Sing, Sing by Benny Goodman is of a similar vein; it provides a long intro prior to the whole orchestra joining in. Here again, physical restraints may be necessary to keep yourself from moving along, driven by the energy of this ditty.

Note: nice drum solos throughout the tune provides dancers ample opportunity to showcase their special moves individually before joining up again.

Moving ahead a few years, to a time when musical influences were melding and dancers were getting more inventive, more energetic and more daring with their moves.

In solidarity with them, you might find that:

Danny and the Juniors is inviting you to dance At The Hop; their frenzied beat provides an excellent backdrop to showcase dancing talent.
The Everly Brothers tried to Wake Up Little Susie
Little Richard enticed us with Tutti Fruitti
Bill Haley and his Comets challenged us to Rock Around the Clock
- They also intoned what could have been an advert for a jalopy: Shake, Rattle and Roll

As mentioned before, Elvis Presley produced a trove of music to dance to.

Jailhouse Rock never fails to cause dancing pairs to pogo their way to the dance floor, flared skirts and beribboned hair flying... for a good reason!

It’s not just the visual of The King swinging his pelvis around in time to the beat that spurs dancers on; the whole song is simply irresistible!

In fact, this song is unusual in that the lyrics determine the 6/6 beat rather than the drums so, instead of listening for each downbeat, you should focus on Elvis’ rising and falling tones while he sings to get your timing down.

Another great Elvis song to dance to is All Shook Up. Here again, the lyrics are easier to follow than the beat... possibly because of the greater emphasis given to them than the backing music.

Hound Dog, our third Elvis pick could be a bit slower paced, depending on which version you listen to but it is still a great tune to dance to, especially if you’re just starting to learn how to dance to rock music.

Find interesting ballroom dance lessons here on Superprof.

Although the lady's shoes are not ideal, the skirt is perfect for dancing! Source: Pixabay Credit: Scott Webb

Tunes to Practice 4-Beat Dancing

The disco era was short-lived; some say mercifully so. Nevertheless, that brief span turned out some of the best 4-beat dance music ever recorded.

Prime among them, some might say that the very voice of the era was projected by the Brothers Gibb, better known as the BeeGees.

Saturday Night Fever, superficially a film about how liberating dancing can be is filled with 4/4 beat BeeGee tracks you could learn how to dance and practice your moves to.

Stayin’ Alive is a great song for more reasons than one: not only is it the anthem of the disco era but it maintains the perfect tempo and beat to perform CPR to!

Other BeeGee tunes on that soundtrack include Night Fever and Jive Talking.

That soundtrack being the backdrop to a movie about dance, the type of dance where your footwork is less important than your display – a factor essential to 4-beat dancing, you could practice your moves to just about any cut that record offers.

Interesting movie trivia: John Travolta and his dance partner rehearsed one of their dance scenes to a different song altogether but the movie producers could not afford to buy the rights from the original singer so they dubbed in a BeeGees song that had approximately the same tempo.

The Gibbs brothers rocketed to worldwide fame while the original song’s performer to this day remains relatively unknown outside of America.

Boz Scaggs lost potentially millions of dollars in royalties by not licensing the use of his song, Lowdown, in the film. On the other hand, you could benefit from his artistry by working your groove to his music!

One feature common to all of these songs is what is called ‘the money beat’: a dum-DUM,dum-DUM drum score that Michael Jackson was particularly adept at dancing to.

In fact, his song Billie Jean epitomises that 4/4 beat as well as the upper body movement with minimal footwork that characterises this type of rock dancing.

“But all of those songs are decades-old!”, you cry.

For more modern and massively fun – songs with a 4/4 beat to dance to, you might try Justin Timberlake’s Can’t Stop the Feeling.

If you watch the video to Justin’s song, you will hear a drum intro that acts as a call to the dance floor. You’ll see minimal footwork and lots of upper body movement – in fact, some of the dancers’ feet aren’t even shown! Everyone dances solo until the end, when they all get together for a synchronised dance under the bridge.

By contrast, Shut Up and Dance by Walk the Moon is shown danced by a couple. Still, it embodies the same characteristics – mellow song intro, minimal footwork, lots of upper body moves and the 'money beat', albeit accelerated.

If you were ready to try moving a bit faster, this would be a great song to do it to!

Obviously, there’s lots of music out there you can learn rock dancing to; your dance teacher will most likely introduce you to more great selections!

Find interesting online dance classes here on Superprof.

Learn Rock Moves by Taking Classes

To learn to dance quickly, the best way is to enlist the help of a dance teacher. You can do an intensive rock dancing course to learn the basics or take dance classes over a long period of time. Regular practice at a specialised dance school will allow you to improve quickly. Moreover, you will avoid common pitfalls with the guidance of your dance instructor. A professional dancer will guide you in your learning, whatever your level. But where do you find a suitable class? Try searching the web for 'dance classes near me'. Or if 'dance classes near me' doesn't work for you and want to search for a particular location, then why not try 'dance classes glasgow', for example. Failing that, if you want to search for a style of dance like Rock and Roll or pole dancing classes, then give one of them a search on your computer.

Having a solid foundation beforehand is essential for rock dancing and helps you advance from beginner to intermediate level quickly. Once you've mastered the basic steps and learned a few simple moves, you will be able to dance with ease and continue to progress while gradually refining your dance style.

Acrobatics are reserved for the accomplished rock 'n' roll dancers! Source: Visual Hunt

Rock 'n' roll dance has countless moves and variations. Everyone can add their personal touch to the dance.

To take rock lessons, look if there are any of the following near you:

Dance schools,
Dance associations that offer dance classes in ballroom or rock 'n' roll,
Private dance teachers.

Taking rock lessons at a dance school is perfect if you want to learn and make friends at the same time.

This is a good solution if you want to take classes year round and practice dance regularly.

If you'd prefer to do a one-off dance lesson, opt for an intensive rock 'n' roll dance course or individual dance classes to prepare you for a special event such as a bachelor party or the first dance at your wedding. Make sure to ask if this kind of lesson is available.

For personalised dance training, private dance lessons are a great option to take into account. With a private teacher, you will be able to progress at your own pace and learn according to your level.

For example, with Superprof, you can find lots of profiles of dance teachers based throughout the UK.

Rates vary depending on the teacher, but also on the student. There are classes suitable for everyone's budget.

Hourly rates vary from £15 to £60. Some teachers come to your home while others give classes from their own dance studio.

What to Wear on the Dance Floor

Choreography (or the lack thereof) and rhythm are technical aspects of dancing to rock music but presentation is everything!

Thus your wardrobe choices should be dictated both by the type of dancing you do and if you’re dancing with a partner - your choice of outfit should match, not clash.

Tops

If you’re dancing to 6-beat rock, the focus is less on your upper body than on your legs and feet.

Thus, a close-fitting shirt or blouse would be suitable, possibly with flared sleeves – but they should be cuffed to prevent an accidentally missed grab of your partner’s hands or arms, or worse: getting tangled up inside excess material! This applies to gentlemen as well as ladies.

For the more informal 4-beat dances, looser fit jerseys or cotton garb would work well, perhaps also with flared sleeves to better show off your arm movements.

Below the Waist

Here again, inverses hold true: if you’re dancing 6-beat, a knee-length skirt with a bit of a flare would be in order; one that moves well and accents your hip and step movements.

For the gentlemen, close fitting (but not restricting) slacks would be the order of the day; the better to show off your intricate footwork.

For 4-beat dancing, what you wear on your bottom half is not as important. Provided it is comfortable and breathes well – so that you don’t overheat as you exert yourself, pretty much anything you choose to wear would work.

For any type of partner dancing, it is recommended to coordinate your outfits to give a visually appealing presentation!

Dancing Shoes

Whereas acrobatic dancing fairly demands a shoe whose sole will ‘grab’ the dance floor, in 6-beat dancing, you need the opposite effect.

Slick-soled shoes are necessary to give the impression of gliding across the dance floor, so you should shop for a leather-soled shoe.

Ladies, you would need a low heel or even a no-heel shoe – certainly a lower heel than for ballroom dancing! The important criteria is that your shoes are sturdy enough to withstand vigorous use and will remain securely on your feet during your kicks, flips and twirls.

That is why so many women’s dance shoes have an ankle strap or one that goes over the bridge of your foot!

Selecting footwear for 4-beat dancing is, of course, easier. As there is little footwork involved in this type of dancing, male and female dancers may even wear their most comfortable trainers!

Find interesting swing dance lessons near me here on Superprof.

Be careful not to step on your partner's feet at the start. Source: Visual Hunt.

Learn to Dance to Rock 'n' Roll Solo

You want to learn rock moves, but it's just you?

It is, in fact, possible to learn to dance without taking online Zumba classes. For this, you have a number of options, which can also help you in your approach:

Asking your friends and family: think carefully, you're bound to have know someone who can dance to rock 'n' roll well? Start by asking them if they would showing you a thing or two,
Learning to dance at home has never been easier with online videos and websites. On the internet, it's now so easy to find step-by-step tutorials to learn rock dances. They are available for all levels: beginner, intermediate and expert. You can find free online lessons on websites such as Learn To Dance,
Attending your local rock night: remember, to learn to dance, you have to dance. Imagine going to a dance party or nightclub and showing off your rock and roll dance moves. You will actually be able to put the steps you've learned from online videos into practice. If you have a good dance partner, you'll not only improve but you'll enjoy yourself,
Downloading mobile apps will also allow you to practice your steps at home or away or, with Map Dance, for example, you can easily find places to go dancing wherever you may be.

To learn rock dancing, any of the above methods will be helpful. From London Salsa classes to learn the basics of ballroom dancing, the most important thing is to have fun.

Your passion for dance may potentially lead you to try a new style such as the Argentine tango, Zumba, the waltz or even hip-hop!

Or, are you now too tempted by acrobatic rock?

Find interesting dance classes for toddlers here on Superprof.

7 TikTok Dance Moves You Can Learn At Home

TikTok is filled with short, fun dance routines that you can watch for endless hours (trust me, I've done it), share with friends, and learn at home with STEEZY.

But, let's face it.

If you don't have a dance background, the short, hard to follow tutorials on TikTok can be a frustrating roadblock to joining in on the fun.

Here are simple, easy ways you can learn the 7 most popular moves on TikTok.

1. The CitiRokk

The CitiRokk is that one SUPER POPULAR TikTok dance move where you rock your body from side to side and cross your arms in front of your chest.

Watch this video with the move’s creator, CitiBoyRio, to see how the move took over TikTok!

*BONUS*

While the CitiRokk was popularized on TikTok by the Renegade dance routine, CitiBoyRio just dropped a new routine of his own!

Learn the CitiRokk Shuffle routine just in time before it goes viral. 😎

Hit this link to learn both the CitiRokk and the CitiRokk shuffle step-by-step on STEEZY Studio.

2. The Woah

Just WATCHING people hit the Woah gets me excited.

It's simple, hype, and easy to apply to any song with a dope bass beat.

If you've been lurking on TikTok for any time at all, you've probably already seen it yourself and understand how it's supposed to look.

How you create the reverb motion, where to position your arms, and when to move your body to hit the beat on time is all you need to learn. 👇

3. The Swagg Bouncee

Do your hips naturally sway from side to side when a good song comes on?

Think of the Swagg Bouncee as your natural hip-sway's cooler, trendier sibling.

Lil Rich Swagg, who created the Swagg Bouncee, says to “Stay on your tippy toes to get a full range of motion,” in his STEEZY Studio class.

By committing to the move and making it bigger, you'll look more confident!

‍

4. The Kangsta Wok

In the video below, this TikTok dance move's creator, Zaya Sosho, explains how he based the Kangsta Wok on a "dip" move he saw during a cypher.

When you do the Kangsta Wok, make sure not to over- or under-exert your energy.

Attack each level drop with a little intensity to make the move look extra hype, but don't go so hard that your body tenses up!

You want to make it look effortlessly cool. 😎

Still not totally sure how to make that happen?

Don't worry... Zaya Sosho will teach you in the tutorial below!

Use this guide to help to you practice too!

5. The Smeeze

This move first entered the dance scene in 2009, but at the time, it was mainly used during battles and parties.

When TikTok arrived in 2018, the move's creator, Chonkie, knew this was the perfect platform to bring the Smeeze to the next level.

With hashtags like #SMEEZEEVERYWHERE, and dance crews like the Jabbawockeez picking it up, the Smeeze quickly became a TikTok favorite.

You can learn more about it from Chonkie himself in this video!

While millions of people are, in fact, Smeezin' everywhere, the move can be a little tricky due to the alternating movements of the arms and legs.

Use this step-by-step tutorial to get the timing jussssst right!

6. The Bust Down

As far as TikTok dance moves go, the Bust Down is definitely on the sexier end of the spectrum.

Characterized by a scoop/thrust motion of the hips, the move is great for raunchy club jams like "Thotiana" by Blueface – the song that popularized the move!

If adding a lil sexy swagger to your movement feels like climbing Mt. Everest, know that practice and repetition will be your best friend!

STEEZY's tutorial breaks the move down simply and efficiently, so you can learn it in just 9 minutes and repeat sections LITERALLY AS MANY TIMES AS YOU WANT.

Trust us, you'll have swag down to a science.👨‍🔬

7. The Cosby Walk

Yes, when executed the right way, the simple act of marching can become a dope dance move!

Watch our video with Rated R, creator of the Cosby Walk, to see exactly what we mean:

As you're learning this move, make sure you're placing your feet firmly on the floor and evenly distributing your weight!

If your bottom half is weak and wobbly, you'll look more bambi than bad@$$.

Related article: Why Staying Light On Your Feet Is Actually Bad Advice

As much as we love watching the mesmerizing 15-second dance tutorials that already live on TikTok...

It's LIFE-CHANGING to have legit dancers break moves down and make them easy to learn.

Now, you have everything you need to master the hottest dance moves and join fun challenges on TikTok.

Start learning now for free!

‍

Open dance lessons to rock and roll in Moscow

The event has passed

Have you long dreamed of becoming freer and more liberated? Then this event is for you! On Saturdays, the Buff Theater hosts free boogie-woogie classes. These are social couple dances for adults to the hits of the 50s. Boogie-woogie's creed is improvisation and self-expression through dance.

Who dances boogie-woogie? Everyone who loves an active lifestyle, communication, new acquaintances, energy and movement. Did you recognize yourself? Or just want to join a bright and creative environment? In any case, come dive into the dance!

You can find out more and sign up for an open lesson at the link.

If you find a typo or error, select the text fragment containing it and press Ctrl + ↵

When was it?

November 23, 2019	19:00
November 30, 2019	19:00
February 22, 2020	19:00

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Where was it?

Venue

Moscow Buff Theater

Address Buff Theater

st. Lesnaya, d. 59, building 1

Nearest metro station

Belorusskaya, Mendeleevskaya

Additional Information

Price

Is free!

Phone

Show phone

+7 (925) 517-42-17

Please tell the organizers of the event that you found it on KudaGo

Website

igoevent.com/msk/event/rock-n-roll-dance

Age restriction

12+

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Perm will host free boogie-woogie and rock-n-roll dance workshops in the summer of 2021 | 59.ru

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All news Gorky will have a dance floor. Its visitors will be taught how to dance boogie-woogie and acrobatic rock and roll for free. There is no need to pre-register for the workshops.

The dance floor is organized by the federal and regional federations of acrobatic rock and roll, the Ministry of Sports of the Perm Territory, Gorky Park and the Become a Champion Foundation for Physical Culture and Sports. This became possible thanks to the federal project "Lessons in Acrobatic Rock and Roll and Boogie-Woogie in the Parks." Classes will also be held in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Samara, Rostov-on-Don and other Russian cities.

— Acrobatic rock'n'roll and boogie-woogie classes in Gorky Park will be held on Saturdays and Sundays from 14:00 to 15:00. We invite everyone to take part in master classes and learn how to dance incendiary acrobatic rock and roll and boogie-woogie,” the Perm Territory Acrobatic Rock and Roll Federation reported. - Also, park guests will be able to see the performances of the best athletes of the Perm Territory.