Learn Dance Steps Through Speaking

When learning dance steps, it is very helpful to use all of our senses - how we see, hear, feel and move. By speaking the words, doing the actions, and feeling the results in our body movements, we will increase our ability to learn dance steps.

What this means for us is to count aloud the steps (slow, slow, quick, quick, slow) or the timing (1, 2, 3) in a strong, clear voice as we take each dance step.

This simple exercise enables the sound of our voice to match the underlying music and over time will develop our inner voice so that we do not have to say the steps out loud. This activity integrates our physical ability with our musicality. In short, it gets our feet used to the music.

Which Dance Steps For The Music?

Being able to recognize the rhythm of a song is the way to know which are the most appropriate dance steps to do. As dancing comes from music, it is all about recognizing the fundamental elements of timing and rhythm. Each dance step was developed to match its own music and expresses the rhythm and timing of that music.

For us to learn how to hear the differences between songs for the different dances, we need to listen for the bass line (i.e. the consistent beat of the drum, percussion or bass guitar) to discern the timing of the music. Turn up the bass on your stereo and turn down the treble in order to hear the bass line more clearly.

Here are some example songs and dance steps:

Samba Dance Steps
Livin' La Vida Loca by Ricky Martin
Bailamos by Enrique Iglesias

Cha Cha Cha Dance Steps
Sex Bomb by Tom Jones
I need to know by Marc Anthony

Foxtrot Dance Steps
Sixteen Tons by Tennessee Ernie Ford
Walking my baby back home by Nat King Cole

Jive Dance Steps
Jack is Back by C’lan
Candyman by Christina Aguilera

Tango Dance Steps
Libertango by Kirsty Maccoll
La Comparsita

Mambo Dance Steps
Baby Keep Smiling by Lou Bega
Mambo No 5 by Lou Bega

Rumba Dance Steps
Under the Boardwalk - Bruce Willis
Take my breath away – Berlin

Salsa Dance Steps
Corazon Espinado by Santana

Waltz Dance Steps
Come Away With Me by Nora Jones
Theme from Papillon

Correcting The Dance Steps

To effectively learn new dance steps, we must commit our entire body to the step. Committing to the movement as a couple allows us to feel what the dance steps actually feel like.

This commitment will give us the feedback we need to learn and show us the mistakes that we are making. If we were to do the steps right the very first time, we would have no need to correct them. The same errors will only continue if we keep doing the same thing over and over.

We can measure our progress in dancing ability by how quickly we can correct a dance step. Like flying a plane, taking control of a dance step is a process of constant correction.