Learn to dance: everything you need to know when you start dancing

Why learn to dance?

Learning to dance is like any sport: a certain rigor is required! Before you start, it is important that you know the basics and above all that you proceed in the right order to promote good learning. Dancing brings you a lot of benefits, let’s take stock!

The basics to know 

To launch into the discipline with confidence, you must first of all know and learn certain basics. 

Thus, dance can be defined as a sport aimed at linking movements together in order to create a choreography. These movements are rhythmic and performed on a music chosen according to the type of dance. 

To excel in the discipline, a dancer must therefore acquire several principles based on:

• respect for rhythm

• coordination between legs and arms

• body movements

• space occupation
• etc.

The benefits

Did you know that dance is a more than complete sport, which allows you to work and use many different muscles... But not only that!

The dance has many benefits, so much physical and psychological :

• work on your cardio

• strengthen your muscles

• promote coordination between the different members of the body

• improve balance

• develop your creativity

• to exercise and let off steam
• clear your mind

For more information on the benefits of dance on the mind, check out our article on the subject!

Which dance style to choose?

There are so many different dance styles how difficult it can be to know which one to choose! The most important thing is to choose a dance that matches your temperament but also your own goals.

The different types of dance

You can easily get lost between all the dances! Each of the dances has its own characteristics And his own style. Firstly, it is important to know how to differentiate them, to be able to make a choice later. 

Here are the main dance families:

• Latin dances : rumba, cha cha cha, samba, salsa, etc.
• so-called “timeless” dances : classical dance, modern jazz dance, modern dance, contemporary dance, etc.
• urban dances : hip hop, breakdance, street jazz, etc.
• ballroom dancing : salsa, rock, waltz, tango, etc.
• traditional dances : oriental dance, Tahitian dance, folk dance, Breton dance, Bollywood dance, etc.

To find out more and discover in detail which dance to choose, check out our article!

There are dances that are more or less easy to learn, especially when you are a beginner! To guide you in your choice, do not hesitate to read our article easy dance to learn to see it a little more clearly.

How to make a choice ?

Now that you know the different dances, you will have to make a choice… Or test everything if you wish it !

To make a choice, you must ask yourself these questions:

• Why did I decide to do dance? Let off steam, burn calories, strengthen my body, work on my flexibility, clear my head, etc.
• What style of music do I like to listen to? If you like the music to dance to, this will allow you to appreciate and feel your choreographies more.
• How much time do I want to allocate to discipline? Once a week, weekends only, every day, etc.
• How do I want to learn to dance? Take private lessons, participate in group lessons, learn alone, learn to dance in pairs, etc.

If you want tolearn to dance in pairs, go to our dedicated article!

Depending on the criteria you establish, you will have less difficulty making a choice because it will be easy to draw!

How to dance well?

Dance well is a broad concept, and yet many people wonder about ways to improve! here are some tips for learning how to dance well.

Train daily

One of the main tips for dancing well is training ! It’s well known, and it’s very effective! 

Whether it's a workout during your course Or at your place, everything counts. The main thing is to always want do better than during your last session. 

Set yourself some goals, they will allow you to always give the best of yourself and above all to be proud of you when you reach them. 

You need more guidance to know how to dance well ? Visit our article!

Bonuses to improve

As you might expect, thedaily training is not the only way that will allow you to improve yourself. 

So, to improve in dancing, you can of course add other ways of working every day to your habits :

• develop your musical ear : she will be a great asset to carry out the choreographies

• adopt a suitable diet : it's useful if you have big ambitions! Prefer foods rich in protein and fiber to processed products.

• create and develop your own dance style : be unique by giving free rein to your creativity and imagination

• work on your self-confidence : More self-confidence means you will have no shame or anxiety when performing your dance steps. Don't pay attention to other people's eyes!
• enjoy : instead of putting pressure on yourself, dance for yourself and to have fun! You will perform better, you will see!

Not having the rhythm, is it serious?

As seen previously, developing your sense of rhythm and his musical ear maybe a real asset for progress in dance and become a pro! But is it unacceptable if you don't have a sense of rhythm? We tell you more!

The notion of rhythm

Do you know what the pace ? It can be defined as the duration of different notes in a melody. 

In dance, rhythm is generally counted on 8 beats : “1-2-3-4”, “5-6-7-8”. However, some dances count the rhythm in 6 beats For example : “1-2-3”, “1-2-3”. 

If you have already chosen the style of dance you want to learn, don't hesitate to find out about the type of rhythm used during the choreography!

Tips for improving your pace

If you suffer from rhythmic deafness (nothing serious, don't worry!), several tips are good to take to improve your sense of rhythm:

• take the time to relax and breathe : there is no point in stressing out! You will get there eventually :)
• concentrate on identifying the rhythm : count the different beats from 1 to 8 to immerse yourself in them
• reproduce the rhythm : try to reproduce the rhythms you hear in your daily life. To do this, clap your hands, snap your fingers, stamp your feet, all means are good!
• move to the rhythm : while walking, bending the knees, etc. It's up to you to find your way!
• have fun : don't put pressure on yourself and do things at your own pace! It will take as long as it takes.

Learn to dance when you don't have the rhythm, it's possible ! Do not hesitate to consult our article on the subject.

Can I learn to dance on my own?

You wish learn to dance alone to get started or you just don't have time to take lessons? No problem ! It is entirely possible to learn alone. We'll give you an update!

Observe in different ways

The secret to starting dancing alone is observation ! And yes, you should definitely watch for immerse yourself in attitudes, techniques and movements. 

To do this, you have several options available to you:

• watch videos on the Internet : tutorial, online dance lessons, rebroadcast… everything is good to watch!
• go to competitions, shows, battles, etc.

In addition to analyzing the performances of professional dancers to see their way of transmitting their emotions and their message, all these techniques will allow you to exercise your memory. You will develop a ease of remembering choreographies. 

In this way, you will be able to better realize the sequence of steps and you can notify a boost your self-confidence ! May advantages come to you!

Be your own teacher

The most complicated thing when you decide to start learning dance alone is that you absolutely must be objective towards yourself. 

You must therefore be your own teacher and it's not necessarily the easiest exercise! 

You must use all the elements available to you: mirror, camera, etc. They will allow you to analyze in the best possible way according to your level and your different services. Without this, it will be difficult for you to have a new look at yourself and therefore to progress.

Get all the tips for learn to dance alone in one click thanks to our article!

To conclude

In conclusion, to learn to dance you must take into account 

• Choosing your dance style : making a choice is the first step. Analyze your goals, your tastes in music and also the time dedicated to the discipline
• Training to dance well : training is the key to success! Practice and you will see improvements in your dancing
• Work at your own pace : having a musical ear and rhythm is not innate but you can work on it! This will help you more than you think.
• Learn to dance alone : initially, to be more comfortable 

Remember, the main thing is to to amuse you And to be proud of what you do ! Do not put don't set the bar too high, learn at your own pace And accept your mistakes. Thanks to all this, you will be able to progress!

Start dancing with DECIBEL®

Have all these tips motivated you to start dancing? Start with complete freedom within the studio DECIBEL® !

Let yourself be carried away by the wild rhythm of the music and this mixing concept dance and workout. 

You will be able get to know your body face the music and determine how you want to approach your personal vision of dance!

Our coaches are there to guide you through the different choreographies and make you sweat!

Let off steam and only think about yourself during the 50 minutes of DECIBEL® sessions !