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:
More Dance Articles & Tips
Types of ballroom dances
Styles of Latin Dances
Too few instuctors require the man to be a better leader.
Can you please expand? The article is on “How to become a better dancer”.
hi I would I become a better dancer I have been doing dancing for a while and I would like to get a job as dancer tnx
Could you please confirm that, when did you write this article and when did you accessed it? I need to write reference in the bibliogaphy in my essay. Thank you in advance 🙂
hi I would I become a better dancer
that is just dumb jk just kidding
caca
I think you are forgetting about the people who just want to be happy social dancers. Yes, you still have to have the amibition and desire to learn, just like with anything. But people who are working (often more than 1 job) and bringing up families can’t solely concentrate on dancing.
There is nothing wrong with being happy social dancers and still be very serious about learning and practicing.
I work with many dancers like that.
That’s true. But there has to be a balance, and I have seen many drop out because of time objections. People need to understand that they need to practice – just like they need to practice golf and tennis – but it can’t be all consuming.
As a new social dancer, I think you do need amibition to practice and train enough to become comfortable with basic steps and patterns. Without this, dancing will not be relaxing or fun…to me, anyway.
I have been Dancing for almost 10 years now. With the same instructor, they are getting very lazy and nobody seems to be progressing I dont know what to do the good places are REALLY expensive and the rest are just worse than where i am at now. PleAse help!
Hi Emily, Where are you currently taking lessons? And what type of dancing do you do?
Since the good places are very expensive ….
You don’t have to wait for your instructor to give you any tutorials
Just go online and search out latest dancing steps according to your styles of dancing
I hope that helps?
Leon: I believe that there are numerous motivations that drive ones interest in dancing and certainly Ambition is primary for anyone planning to make a career of it. Additional factors could include having the free time to practice, having a like minded dance partner available when you are free, having a facility that is close and has adequate space for practice, and having enough money to cover all the expenses for the preceding Talent, physical fitness, gracefulness in my view would all be needed to contribute to the drive to excel at dancing. Gene
Amen . to all that, Gene.
Also get out there to the dance clubs and dance as often as possible.
Totally agree with the ambition. However, practice doesn’t make perfect; practice makes permanent. I find it just as hard unlearning a mistake as it is to make a step/move engrained in muscle memory.
Just wish to say your article is as surprising. The clarity
in your post is simply cool and i could assume you are an expert on this subject.
Well with your permission let me to grab your feed to keep updated with forthcoming post.
Thanks a million and please continue the gratifying work.
thank you passion4dancing for giving me wonderful information
It’s good to learn that you should practice after lessons at home to become a better dancer. My wife and I are wanting to put our daughter into ballet classes and we were wondering what she can do to progress quickly. I’ll be sure to tell her to practice after her lessons to retain what she learned.
I have been in several relationships and Everytime I dance they get upset because I don’t know how to. I’m 25 years old and don’t know how to dance. But I met this girl that I really care about and want to make her happy by learning how to dance properly and smooth to impress her. I haven’t told her that I can’t dance because I think it’s embarrassing because I can’t dance. I work as a pallet jack operator Sundays through Thursdays and I don’t get paid enough to really do anything like taking dance lessons. Some will say that it is just a waste of time. But if you want my opinion I think everyone should know how to dance. It keep the body moving and to where your bones won’t get stiff in your golden ages. What should I do. I live in Evansville Indiana and I would like to learn how to dance to really impress my girl that I just met yesterday.
i really need to be a better dancer it has been my dream to be on a company dance team and when i tried out for company i got so nervous i hope i can become flexible and gracefully but how?
Hello Jazz,
Maybe give Ballet and Jazz lesson a go to really improve your technique and practice as hard as you can. Once you are comfortable with the repertoire, give Acrobatics a go too to improve control and flexibility. If unable to do these make sure to dedicate your time to practicing every day to ensure quality results.
Hope this helped
Official_kennedy_waya is 17 years old
Cool. I think I’m a great dancer so this doesn’t help
My daughter is wanting to take some tap dancing classes this fall so that she can learn a new skill and maybe make some new friends in the process. I found it interesting when you explained that it is important to take the time to find a teacher that can help you meet your goals. In addition to having a good teacher, I would imagine that it would be necessary to have the right kind of gear, such as tap shoes.
I liked how you mentioned that you should set goals to improve your dancing quicker. My daughter is wanting to learn how to dance and she was wondering how she can improve her abilities quicker. I’ll be sure to tell her to set goals to improve her dancing abilities.
I Like Where U Said I Need To Attend Classes Fast.Stay Blessed!
your not better then everyone else so stop acting like it
Wao I absolutely loved this article on dancing. I truly love the art and it is wonderful that you share your precious wisdom with us. If you wish to expand and teach other enthusiasts the wonderful skill of dancing, I suggest you checkout our skills exchange platform Kool Stories. Thank you so much for the insightful article 🙂
It’s a great point that you need to practice to get better at the dance, nothing else can really help. My spouse and I are trying to get our kids into dance because they are interested in it. We need to look online for a local dance studio that has great reviews and will teach our kids well.
THANK You So Muchooo!!
Brilliant post! I’ve done dance since I was little only starting with ballet and tap then I started doing Street then did alevel dance covering many types. I’m now doing ballet again at 27. I’ve always struggled learning because of my ADHD. I have ALOT of energy which is great for dancing but I’ve always been the one in the class who’s still not remembered the routine after months because my memory is awful. I’m getting there now because of my medication. One comment that has ALWAYS haunted me is when I was 14 I went to one of those teen club nights for under 18s and I let loose when I’m not dancing to a routine, I just go crazy but I remember my friend telling me when we came out that another so called friend was talking about me saying I can’t dance. I don’t understand why she felt the need to personally in mention me and no one else when the others were clearly not great at all. And I have never seen her dance only Bob her head and stand around so I don’t understand why she commented. In fact writing this out now makes me realise how daft of s comment it was and that she knows nothing about dance so why did I ever listen haha.
I think that starting your article out by telling people they are not special, is actually very pathetic .
Thanks anyways tho!
It sure was helpful when you said that you should try out a lesson with several teachers before commuting to one specific instructor. As you said, it is important to take the time to find the right dance teacher. My plan is to find an acrobatic class for my 7-year old daughter because she would like to be a good dancer. She is also interested in ballet dancing, and it is important for me to make her feel that I support her goals. I will be sure to do all your tips so I could find a class where I can enroll her before the month ends.
I don’t know how to dance help me
I pray to become one of the best dancer worldwide
I pray to become the best dancer in world wide
Official_kennedy_waya know as the top 1 best kid dancer in Nigeria is 17 years of age
Terence Lewis Professional dance training institute is India’s no.1 dance training institute with professional courses for you now streaming online at the best prices.
I love how you advise taking lessons constantly if you want to get anywhere in your skills. My parents have always wanted to know how to dance but never had the time or money. Now that they do my mom has been looking into finding studios that’ll teach them how to dance with each other and keep them healthy in the process.
First of all, dancing is not just about stepping, you should also do some stretching. You don’t have to do it for very long but you must do it every day. Stretching prepares your body for dancing. It does not matter if you are not flexible. Because stretching is a dynamic exercise, you will become more flexible over time. If you want to do ballet, you must take ballet classes. If you want to be a good dancer, you should take different dance classes, because every dance has its own style. Another way to become a better dancer is to watch other dancers. This helps you to learn more styles and to be your own dancer.
You also need to streach at all times and have a high ego so that you think your better then everyone else so that you are, you gotta belive it to be it
My favorite part of your blog is when you said that you must ensure daily consistent practice to become a better dancer. This reminds me of many flying sequences at different dance events. I could imagine how the dancers must be taught by a reliable choreographer to ensure that they would perform at their best at all times.
I now understand how simply setting a performance at your studio’s showcase or party as a goal to train toward is one of the quickest ways to improve your dancing. It could also involve a dance-off. My mom has always wanted to try out ballroom dance lessons but is too shy she’s old for it so I’ll make her read this. I want her to pursue whatever she wants because life is short and she spent her life providing for us so it’s now time she learns how to dance.
I recently visited your website and read your article titled “How to Become a Better Dancer,” and I wanted to express my appreciation for the valuable insights and guidance you provide. Your article offers practical tips and inspiration for dancers looking to enhance their skills and grow as artists.
Your emphasis on the importance of practice and consistency is fundamental. Becoming a better dancer requires dedication and commitment to regular practice sessions. Your suggestions on setting aside dedicated practice time, breaking down movements, and seeking feedback are invaluable tools for improvement. By incorporating these strategies into their routine, dancers can develop muscle memory, refine technique, and build confidence in their abilities.
I appreciated your encouragement to step out of one’s comfort zone and explore different dance styles. Diversity in training not only broadens dancers’ skill sets but also nurtures creativity and adaptability. Your suggestion to attend workshops, take classes in various genres, and learn from different instructors is an excellent way to expand horizons and discover new dimensions of dance.
The emphasis on performance and stage presence is also commendable. As dancers, we have the privilege of sharing our art with audiences. Your advice on connecting with the music, engaging with the audience, and expressing genuine emotions on stage resonated deeply. These elements elevate a performance from technical execution to a captivating experience that connects with the hearts of viewers.
I appreciated your recognition of the importance of self-care and injury prevention. Dancers often push their bodies to the limits, and it’s crucial to prioritize rest, proper nutrition, and injury management. Your reminders to listen to the body, warm up before dancing, and seek professional guidance when needed are essential for maintaining physical well-being and longevity in the dance journey.
Thank you for providing dancers with valuable insights, tips, and inspiration on how to become better dancers. Your commitment to sharing your expertise and fostering growth within the dance community is truly commendable. I look forward to exploring more of the resources and content you offer on Passion4Dancing.