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

Learn Dance Steps Without Music

Learning the dance steps for dances such as the cha cha cha, jive, mambo, waltz, foxtrot, and rumba is simply about repeating an action the same way each time.

As such we need to start learning the steps without music and to practice the steps soon after doing them for the first time in a ballroom dance lesson or after watching a dance steps video.

It is better to practice the steps every day for 5 minutes or so rather than for one hour per week. This constant practice trains our feet and our minds until we know what we are doing with our bodies.