A Beginner's Guide to Finding Your Groove.

For some people, dance is a calling very early in life: they move and groove even before they walk, the steps they were born to take beckon them from a young age, and they pursue the style of dance they were always intended to perform into adolescence and adulthood – maybe even as a professional dancer.

For others, dance is instead a curiosity: they know they want to try dancing in order to achieve physical goals or to have a creative outlet. But they’re not sure which style of dance is best for them, or even how to choose a dance style to pursue. 

If you’re in the second category, keep reading: we’ll tell you everything you need to know about how to choose a dance style that best fits your needs, goals, and expectations!

Why Choosing the Right Dance Style Matters?

Hundreds (if not thousands) of different dance forms exist: from traditional styles like ballet to street styles like krumping, to ballroom styles like salsa. Choosing the right style is important because all styles of dance are unique and offer special benefits for the dancer. If you choose a style that doesn’t match your physical abilities, personality, or even musical preferences, you probably won’t stick with it for very long. Choosing the correct style of dance sets you on the right path for a successful experience as a dancer, and will help you make the most of that experience, so you can enjoy dancing to the fullest!

Factors to Consider When Selecting a Dance Style

There are many things to keep in mind when choosing a new dance style, but here are the three most important factors:

1. Your Personal Interests and Goals

Do you enjoy going to see The Nutcracker every holiday season – and have always wondered what it would be like to dance in the Land of the Sweets?! Or maybe you’ve always loved social dancing, and now you and your partner want to try a ballroom class as a way to spend more quality time together. Considering your personal preferences, interests, and goals as a new dancer is crucial to selecting the right style of dance.

2. Fitness Level and Physical Requirements

While anyone can become a stronger or more disciplined dancer over time if you’re not in great shape, have mobility issues, or you experience chronic pain or discomfort due to a medical condition or injury, you’ll definitely want to choose a style of dance that is low-impact, slower-paced, or has fewer physical requirements. If, on the other hand, you are in great shape and want to continue to push your physical boundaries, you can opt for any style of dance, including forms that require more intensive training and strength. No matter your fitness level, having the right footwear can provide the necessary support and comfort to help you move with confidence and ease. High-top dance sneakers are a great choice for dancers looking for versatile footwear that supports various styles while offering ankle stability and flexibility

3. Preferred Music and Rhythm

If you enjoy listening to classical or instrumental music, you may find more traditional genres of dance or ballroom dance styles most appealing – simply because you’ll be dancing to those types of music a lot more often! If you prefer hip-hop or rap music, street and urban dancing may be a better fit for you. Is your go-to playlist filled with today’s top 40 country songs? Consider line dancing or western! Music is a big part of dancing, so always think about what music you’d like to move & groove to most!

Another consideration: how do you prefer to move your body? Do you get an adrenaline rush and burst of energy from moving fast (example: you enjoy running), or do you prefer slower, steadier, focused movements (example: yoga). Consider choosing a style of dance that mimics the way you are more naturally inclined to move your body.

Exploring Different Types of Dance Styles

How many styles of dance are currently being performed around the world? The limit does not exist! That being said, here is a helpful breakdown of the basic groups of dance genres and the most common styles you should know before choosing your own.

1. Classical Dance Styles

• Ballet: A theatrical style that originated in the 15th Century during the Italian Renaissance; it often tells a story on stage and incorporates costume, music, and scenery, with formal steps and gestures set in flowing yet complicated patterns to translate artful expression. To perform intricate footwork with precision and flexibility, dancers rely on the right footwear. Split-sole ballet shoes are an excellent choice, offering enhanced arch support and allowing for greater movement articulation, making them ideal for both beginners and experienced ballet dancers.

• Kathak: indigenous to northern India & evolved under the influence of Hindu and Muslim cultures; features complex footwork and rhythmic patterns; similar to opera, tells stories through the combination of dance, song, and music; dancers may wear ankle bells.

• Bharatanatyam: Indian dance originating in the Hindu temples of Tamil Nadu in southern India; fusion style that mixes both religious and non-religious themes; involves precise movements and expressive body language.

2. Contemporary Dance Styles

• Modern Dance: highly creative and freeform style using abstract movements to portray themes and emotions; pulls from core movements of ballet, but more fluid than traditional ballet, with dancers moving more freely and naturally.

• Lyrical Dance: combines techniques from jazz & ballet with strong, expressive choreography that leans into the lyrics of song; performed with a variety of emotional musical styles, utilizing upper body movements that can resemble African dance forms. 

• Contemporary Jazz: lively style that combines ballet and jazz techniques; originated in African American communities in the late 19th century; super-high energy, and involves jumps, turns, and intricate footwork, which may require elevated strength and flexibility.

 

3. Street and Urban Dance Styles

• Hip-Hop: developed in the Bronx, New York, in the 1960s and 70's, originally inspired by African dance movements; characterized by bounces and rocks, and executed to hip-hop music; incorporates aspects of modern, tap, and swing, and is ever-evolving.

• Breakdancing: began in the 1960s and early '70s; pulls from a wide variety of movements, including martial arts and gymnastics; largely improvisational, and made up of variations of standard steps and moves, including freezes.

• Krumping: characterized by free, explosive, staccato movements that favor self-expression; popularized in the United States during the early 2000s; sometimes considered faith-based, with the acronym Kingdom Radically Uplifted Mighty Praise.

4. Social and Ballroom Dance Styles

• Salsa: vibrant and energetic Latin partner dance with origins in Cuba in the late 1800s; informed by diverse Spanish & African influences; one of the most popular styles of dance the world over, known for rhythmic hip movements, lively footwork, and fluid spins. 

• Tango: born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, but also has roots in Cuban habanera dance; a sensual style that reflects the resilience of the Argentine people, and employs “stalking” and “sneaking” techniques.

• Waltz: smooth style characterized by rise-and-fall motion, ¾ time music, and gliding movement; the oldest form of ballroom, dating back to the 13th century in Austria & Germany, where it was performed as a peasant dance.

Identifying Your Learning Preferences

If you’re completely new to dancing, you’ll want to join a class – either virtual or in-person – to master your new art. Here are a few things to consider when selecting a dance course.

Structured Classes vs. Freestyle Practice

If you often embark on a new hobby super-motivated to immerse yourself in a new craft, culinary skill, or sport, but then abandon your “passion project” after just a few weeks (or even days), a structured dance class may be best for you. Having a predetermined time and place to learn – with expectations from your instructor to show up for the next class! – can be a motivator from the start, and help you stick with your new dance style.

If, on the other hand, you enjoy pursuing new hobbies independently and have no trouble dedicating yourself to leisure-time projects, then learning a new dance style on your own with online tutorials, books, friends, and independent practice could also be a great option for you.

Group Lessons or Solo Training

If you decide to study dance in a formal capacity, you’ll need to choose between a group course or one-on-one training. If you enjoy being part of a team, thrive with a little friendly competition, or are hoping to make some new friendships alongside pursuing your new dance style, then a group class is your best option! If, on the other hand, you want to stay completely focused on your training, and you tend to get distracted in a group learning environment, a solo course or independent training might be best for you.

Matching a Dance Style to Your Personality

Do you thrive in a group environment? Or are you shy and prefer to ride solo? Find the right dance style to match your unique personality.

High-Energy Dance Styles for Extroverts

If you are an extrovert who loves to be out & about, mixing and mingling with people and filling your calendar with new social engagements, you may prefer a high-energy dance style, like a ballroom. Social dancing is a great way to connect with people who share your interests and develop your technique in a group setting; it can also be an amazing way to bond with a romantic partner while sharing a fun physical activity!

Expressive and Emotional Styles for Creative Personalities

Dance is a great way to express your inner artist. If you are introverted, or if you keep to yourself but have a vivid imagination and an active, “loud” creative mind, then expressive dance styles like modern and lyrical could be the best fit for your personality.

Trying Out Different Dance Styles Before Deciding

The best way to choose the right style of dance and stick with it? Experiment with different forms of dance before committing!

Taking introductory classes or workshops is a great way to “get your feet wet” in a new dance style without signing up for a full 90-day (or longer) course. Exploring online tutorials is also an easy (and budget-friendly) way to dabble in different dance styles and find the one you enjoy most. Be sure to watch lots of dance performances, too, to get inspiration and think about which style you can see yourself executing.

Choosing a Dance Style Based on Age and Experience

There are no set age limits for dancing, but you should consider your experience level when choosing a new style. Kids and beginners may benefit most by starting with a classic style like ballet, which will introduce them to the fundamentals of dance and basic techniques that are often utilized in modern or fusion dance styles. Adults and more advanced dancers who have experience with choreographed movements and are familiar with common dance skills may be ready for a more contemporary form of dance. 

Setting Realistic Goals When Choosing a Dance Style

Before you finally select your new dance style, press pause and ask yourself: why do I want to dance?! Here are a few things to consider.

Dancing for Fitness and Fun

Dance is a phenomenal workout – with so many styles to choose from, almost anyone can find a genre that matches their desired level of physical activity, strength, mobility, and time commitment. Dance is also a great mood-booster and a fantastic way to connect with fellow dancers and bond with people who appreciate the art of dance.

Pursuing a Career in Dance

Looking to find a new career path as a dancer? Dance usually takes many years of dedicated, intense study to master, but it’s possible to turn your new hobby into a lifelong career. When choosing a dance style, think about its career potential: would you like to be performing these moves on stage in 20+ years?! Are you thinking about a “side hustle” as a social media dance influencer? These are great questions to ask yourself when choosing a new dance style.

The wide, wild world of dance welcomes everyone, anywhere, of any age or ability level, to participate in an invigorating, joyful celebration of art & movement as one. Choosing a new dance style means considering many factors about your physical ability, movement preferences, personality, and goals, but all the self-exploration is well worth it – and on the other side, is a potentially life-changing pursuit of self-expression, creativity, and well-being for your mind, body, and soul.