Dancing can be awkward, fear-filling, embarrassing, confidence-reducing, forced, and at its worst a mysterious unenjoyable activity. These feelings are something most people have experienced at some point on a dance floor. The question is, how do you become a good dancer?
Well, our Principle Author, Jake, who is a dancer with 20+ years of dancing experience across numerous dance styles persisting through various age groups and environments and whose mother was a professional ballerina, is someone who knows exactly how to become a good dancer. He is here to share with you some potentially life-changing insights.
To be a good dancer, whether it’s in a club, at a house party, at a wedding, etc, you will need to become comfortable and confident with freestyle dancing. Freestyle dancing is the ability to dance to music without choreography, there are no ‘steps’ to remember and no teacher telling you how to move.
There are 9 aspects that are critical in becoming comfortable and confident with freestyle dancing. In doing so you will become a good dancer.
The 9 steps to dancing better:
The 9 steps to becoming a good dancer include:
- Finding a room with enough space to extend your arms horizontally and turn in a circle without hitting an object. Note that the more room you have the better.
- Making sure the room in question has carpet, not a rug, you will need proper carpet.
- Making sure the room is completely private or can be made private with curtains.
- Getting a decent sound system with good bass. Place this sound system in the room.
- Playing danceable songs that reflect how you feel.
- Getting a large mirror that hangs flat, not leaning against a wall, make sure it’s completely flat. The larger the better, but at a minimum get a full-length one.
- Wearing clothes which do not inhibit your movement, but also make you look good, and as a result, feel good.
- Spending enough time practicing to relax into dancing.
- Capitilize on emotional highs and lows to motivate your dancing.
To find out why these 9 criteria are key in making you a formidable dancer, read on my friends.
The need for the right environment:
Every good dancer has a safe space to practice, from Chris Brown to Michael Jackson. These famous dancers usually have the luxury of time and dance studios all to themselves, however, that doesn’t mean we cannot create a dance space to practice in and allocate time to practice. Just as a rugby player needs a gym, an Olympic archer needs a target range, so too does a dancer need a dance practice space.
The following headings will take you through in more detail why each of the aspects mentioned previously are so important.
Have a large dance room:
Having a room with enough space to dance in (aka being able to extend your arms and legs horizontally, diagonally, and vertically and turn in a dynamic sphere without hitting an object- at a minimum) is necessary for obvious reasons, so you can dance with some level of freedom. However, an ideal space that I personally used for many years measured 3.05m long and 2.15m wide. If the dance space is too small it will inhibit your dancing and make you feel constrained, which is not what we want.
Have carpet in your dance room:
Carpet is most useful for two reasons. One is that it provides good acoustics for the sound system. Two is that it provides a good level of cushioning for your feet and reduces the noise of your feet moving as you dance, as a result, you will feel less self-conscious. Hard floors amplify the sound of your feet and also make your feet ‘stick’ somewhat to the floor making it harder to move. Now many clubs have hard floors, what then I hear you ask? Great question, once you solidify your skills in the most conducive environment to dance (aka using carpet) dancing on harder surfaces will come more naturally. The point is to give your dance skill and dance appetite the best chance of growing, much like a plant in sunlight.
Ensure your dance room is private:
Room privacy is very important to ensure that you are able to feel the music and move however you feel is good WITHOUT JUDGEMENT FROM OTHERS. This lack of judgment will mean your dance moves will become bolder and more confident the more you practice, and you will start to develop some serious swag. Now true dance swag is surprisingly shy at times, at least for beginners, this is why room privacy is crucial to letting the swag come out and solidify in your muscle memory. This way your muscles will remember how to move when you dance in a club.
Get a high-quality sound system:
The sound system is the motor of your dancing. A good system with decent bass is worth its weight in gold. The reason for this is that music is the driver of dancing, not peer pressure, not beautiful people, not teachers, but music, and the better the music sounds, the more motivated you will be to dance. Listen to the music, try different music, try different volumes explore what songs make you feel like moving. The more immersive the sound system, the better.
Select danceable songs:
If the sound system is the motor of your dancing, then the music is the fuel. Learn what songs feel danceable (aka songs with a regular beat that’s not crazy fast nor non-existent for example) and learn what songs are not particularly danceable (aka songs that are just an acoustic guitar with no beat or heavy metal songs). NOTE that just because a song is not danceable does not make it a bad song, it’s just that some songs are better for dancing and others are better for chilling in a car, etc.
Be aware of the link between emotion, dance, and music:
Play songs that reflect how you FEEL in that moment. This is VERY IMPORTANT and a key to becoming a good dancer. Your dancing should express the music, and the music should reflect how you feel. Some days I feel like playing a slower beat song that’s kind of melancholy, and I move accordingly. Other times I feel like playing a hype beat song that’s a pump up, and I move accordingly. In other words, genuinely feel the music, move slowly when the music is slow, and fast when the music is fast, move in a gentle way if there is a gentle piano playing, or aggressive with a hard and rough beat, etc.
This will mean that you become more discerning about what songs you feel like dancing to in a club. It’s not much use ‘dancing’ to a hype beat in a club if you’re feeling more slow that night and vice versa, as your dancing will not be genuine. This awareness will mean your dancing will become much more genuine, and instead of people pressuring you into dance, you will be more your own leader and say things like ‘I’ll sit this one out’ and the next moment ‘I love this song, let’s hit the dancefloor’.
Another important note is that there are many people out there who lack this awareness. DON’T BE FOOLED and get caught up in a poor dance environment using poor dance songs and then wonder why you feel awkward. Once you see what makes a good dancer you will also begin to see why many people are bad dancers.
Get a full-length and full-width mirror:
A large flat-hanging mirror is THE BEST TEACHER. And in order to become a good dancer, you need such a teacher.
The larger the better but at a minimum, I would suggest a full-length AND full-width mirror with the width that ideally encompasses both of your hands if they are outstretched to your sides. Be sure to have the mirror flat and not leaning against any object at an angle, as this will skew your image.
The width is very important otherwise you will start to dance in a narrow fashion to encompass a smaller width mirror. Horizontal mirror space is more important than vertical mirror space. The reason for this is that hands and shoulders are where much of the self-conscious movement issues occur in dance. If you can feel comfortable with your hands and shoulders, the feet and hips will follow automatically.
A mirror is highly accurate, gives immediate feedback nor is its feedback personal. You will be able to immediately see what looks good when you move, and what doesn’t look good. MOST IMPORTANTLY when you use a mirror you will AUTOMATICALLY start to correct bad-looking movements with better-looking movements, and in time and as a result, your confidence will also grow! This is one of the key steps in becoming a good dancer.
Vary Mirror Distance:
- A useful mechanism is to try changing the distance that you dance from the mirror, it can feel quite different if you dance close to a mirror versus far away. I will often vary my distance from the mirror whilst dancing as I feel the need. A general rule of thumb is that the further you are from the mirror, the less self-conscious you may feel. So try and get as much distance as you can from the mirror whilst also still being able to see your movements clearly.
Adjust Visible Body Segment:
- Another useful mechanism is to try changing what segments of your body are shown in the mirror. By this I mean, if you place a length of cloth on the mirror to cover the reflection of your legs, this can reduce the amount of self-consciousness you may feel by half. You will still be moving your legs to the music but it will be more of a natural response as your active mind is engaged with the reflection of your upper body movement.
Adjust Light Level:
- A final useful mechanism is to adjust the light level in the room. It can be useful to lower the light level or change which way the light is directed to reduce feelings of self-consciousness. Just ensure the light isnt too low or the light direction isn’t too skewed that you can’t see your body movement clearly in the mirror.
Because of the mirror YOU WILL KNOW that you look good when you dance, this is so useful because even if some people (might be friends, partners etc) in clubs might take digs at your dancing it won’t affect you because you know that you look good. And this does happen, even if you are a good dancer, there are some people who feel insecure enough in their own dancing that they will take potshots at you to make themselves feel superior, this is why having confidence in your own dancing will enable you to see through such poor behavior by others.
Wear clothes which do not inhibit your movement, but also make you look good, and as a result, feel good:
Wearing the right clothes for dancing will give your body the best chance of moving without unnatural restrictions, and will also make you feel good about yourself in the mirror. So try and wear clothes which make you look and feel good athletically. Early on, the fewer things that take away from you feeling like a good dancer, the better.
Choose Clothing With Good Aesthetics:
- The aesthetics of clothes can have an impact on how you feel about your dancing. For example, if I wear a tank singlet, it tends to highlight the length of my arm which makes me feel more self-conscious about my arm movement. Whereas if I wear my favorite baggie hoodie I will feel less self-conscious about my arm movement. For good examples of what dancers tend to wear, have a read of the article What To Wear To Each Dance Class: Inspired by professional dancers.
Choose Good Footwear:
- Shoe choice is personal, however, try and wear something lightweight and flexible such as a Nike Free runner. What you don’t want is a shoe that encumbers/restricts your movement or makes you feel self-conscious about your feet, such as a heavy boot. If you are unsure what shoe feels right for you, try starting out in just socks and then experiment with what shoe feels right for you. Once you have found the right shoe for you, STICK WITH THESE SHOES, this will act as a pillar of consistency for your dance practice and remove one less variable to impact your dancing.
Have Skin Visibility:
- Another mechanism that can be useful is being topless (for men) or just wearing a sports bra (for women). The reason for this is that you will be able to see your body moving more clearly which will assist with getting more accurate mirror feedback. I know when I do this I find that I take more note of my posture and abbs and engaging the relevant muscles.
- It can also serve a second purpose which is that it encourages you to work out more and to have a body that looks good with fewer clothes on. Or it can make you appreciate those existing aspects of your body that you do like, for instance, maybe you like the shape of your pecs, or maybe you have great abbs, etc. This in itself can be a great way to boost your confidence in your own dancing ability and indeed, improving general self-esteem.
- However, if this step is too confronting, or it’s very difficult to get the body you feel comfortable wearing fewer clothes in, then it’s okay to skip this step.
Nurture Injuries:
- Tape/strap any injuries.
- Make yourself physically at peace.
Remember that the aim is to give your body and mind the best chance of getting into that dance zone and mindset, the correct clothing choice helps with this.
Spend the right amount of time practicing:
When you first start your dance practice/session in private, sometimes it takes some time to feel coordinated and until the moves start to flow freely. This is very similar to playing a sport like tennis, but this occurs in other sport as well. For example, have you ever felt, when you have just started a training session, that the movements take some time to feel natural? But 30min later your body is used to the movements and everything feels smooth and natural? This happens with dance as well.
When you are not used to dancing, you will feel awkward. But, as u get more used to it, you will begin to sound out movements and find what movements works for you more than others, and your dance toolbox will grow.
How long to practice for?
The next time you start dancing in private and you feel uncoordinated or stiff, STICK WITH IT. Give the dance some time to feel natural. I would suggest allowing 30 min per dance session if you are serious about improving your dancing. Obviously the more you practice the better and more naturally the dance will become, but at the minimum, I would recommend 2 x 30 min sessions per week. And make these sessions quality sessions, really try and follow all of the listed steps and you will see improvement, but remember that sometimes dance will come easy and other times not so easy, either way, stick with it and you will see improvement.
If you don’t practice, your chance of becoming a good dancer or even maintaining your existing dance skills is lessened.
Dance when you have energy:
A useful tip here is to be aware of tired muscles from other activities. As with any athletic pursuit, if your body’s energy levels and muscles are weakened from other vigorous activities such as a large hike that day or a length gym session (particularly activities that rely on feet/calf/quad/glute exertion), then you will be approaching the dance practice from a compromised physical position. As a result, it will be much more difficult to move your body in a free way. So if your mind is willing but your body feels inadequate, don’t immediately assume it’s because you can’t dance, it may just be that your body’s energy levels have been depleted from another activity.
Don’t be afraid to take breaks during your dance practice, feel free to have a sip of a nice drink whilst selecting your next dance song. Also remember that over time your dance fitness will improve, particularly in the feet, calves, and quads and so the more you dance the less difficult it will be physically.
Again this is about reducing the number of factors that can inhibit your dancing. Much like sunlight is required for a growing plant, so too is energy for a good dancer.
Also remember, that with anything, the more time that goes by without practicing, the harder it is to improve. Again think of tennis, a person who practices tennis twice a year is bound to remain a poor player. But a tennis player who practices every month or week, will see improvement.
Capitilize on the highs and lows of emotion to motivate your dancing:
This is something that good dancers do, but few are aware that they are doing it. What this is capitalizing on the highs and lows of emotion to motivate them to dance. What this means is that at its core, dancing is a form of emotional expression. Now, there are different levels of emotion in our lives. Sometimes we are very happy, sometimes we are just happy, sometimes we are neutral, sometimes we are frustrated, and sometimes we are very frustrated.
Good dancers, capitalize on the times when they are very happy or perhaps very frustrated, preferably very happy obviously.
Think about it, when you are really excited to go out for a night on the town with your close friends, or perhaps you are very happy after a date went well with your crush, at these times there is an abundance of emotion. Now remember that dancing is a form of emotional expression, and so when you are feeling an abundance of emotion, this is a key time to express that emotion through dance.
At these times your body and mind will be primed for movement, as the word emotion comes from the Latin word ’emovere’ which means ‘to move’. This is why people often feel like dancing at celebrations such as weddings. So the next time you are feeling really great or perhaps really frustrated by something, take to your dancefloor and use that emotion to generate some amazing dancing.
Other emotional factors to be aware of:
Also, be aware of how the relationships in your life affect how you feel. If you find yourself feeling quite lonely/stagnant with a lack of meaningful relationships then you may experience a lack of emotion which translates to reduced motivation to dance. Similarly, if you have recently connected in some positive way with someone, then you will likely experience a lift in mood and emotion and be more likely to want to dance.
Whilst there may be different variables involved, this principle is similar to when you might feel really into a gym workout and are completely focussed on it, as opposed to those days when all you want to do is be on the couch watching TV.
So capitalize on your emotional highs and lows for your dancing as they present a fantastic opportunity to connect your heart with your dancing, a true meeting of body and soul.
Why These Criteria?
The above criteria each fill an important part in honing how you dance to music.
Having a ready, safe/private, suitable space with the necessary equipment (such as mirrors and good speakers) for maximum feedback and enjoyment is a huge tool that will be intrinsic to you learning how to dance naturally. And learning to dance naturally will translate to you becoming a good dancer.
Learning to dance naturally is very similar to learning how to drive a car. For example, when you learn how to drive a car you don’t immediately go out onto a busy part of town at night when it’s raining and then wonder why you feel inadequate. You will most likely spend some time just sitting in the car while it’s stationary and get to know the controls, then you might progress to driving slowly in a deserted car park. Another example would be learning to walk normally and naturally before learning a complex parade drill (if you were in the army).
Learning to dance freestyle is very similar. Many people will spend no time practicing in a private space and getting to know how to feel a beat or what moves feel the most natural to them and their bodies. Instead, most people will just go out onto a busy dance floor with loads of distractions like beautiful people and judge-y friends and then wonder why they feel inadequate!
Remember Rome wasn’t built in a day:
The question of how long will it take to become a good dancer is difficult to answer as it depends on what skills you are starting with. For example, are you naturally athletic and have some coordination or are you completely new to any sort of athletic pursuit? I would recommend taking it slow and remembering that Rome wasn’t built in a day. But also remember that these are skills that will serve you for life and impact other areas of your life such as balance, coordination, and agility, not to mention general swag. So, recognize that being able to dance well is not an insignificant reward, so treat it with the effort it deserves.
With enough practice, you will go from feeling anxiety when approaching a dancefloor to wishing there were more dancefloors available for you to show the world your skill, talent, and character caliber. And that is a true story.