Top 5 Basic Ballroom Dance Steps: Beginners Guide

The beast has returned to its natural human form, and you, as Belle, are ready to share the floor with your beloved prince.

However, you still need to learn basic ballroom dance steps, and you need to enter the ballroom with confidence.

With this quick guide, you’re about to ace the ball dance with your prince and Ms. Potts serenading in the background.

That’s too magical!

Basic Ballroom Dance Steps: Learn How

There are two principal styles of ballroom dancing:

American and International.

As the name suggests, the American style is principally practiced in the USA.

It’s also not as stereotyped as the International style, which is globally recognized.

For each style, there are two classes.

In the American style, the classifications are called Smooth and Rhythm.

International style roams around Standard and Latin.

Generally, the Standard and Smooth classifications include similar moves, and the Latin and Rhythm classifications have identical moves.

The Popular Ballroom Dances

Despite the most common classifications discussed above, the five most popular ballroom dances, yet the easiest ones to adopt, are:

• Rumba
• Swing
• Cha Cha
• Waltz
• Foxtrot

If you master these steps, you can easily dance with your partner anywhere in the world.

The Box Step

One of the mandatory terms used in ballroom dancing is the box step.

It’s an essential move in ballroom dancing.

This step is named after the figure it makes on the floor, similar to a square or box.

The Posture

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You need to perfect your posture. Generally, you should stand firm at a 90-degree angle.

Hold your partner’s hands with an astute posture (closed dance body).

Generally, the man takes the lead, and the woman steps back to start.

Counting with your music and syncing with your partner can make an unmatched intimacy on the dance floor.

It will be more like a memorable Royal Dance with your glass slippers.

Different Dances and Their Steps

1. Rumba

Rumba is a languid, romantic dance that oozes tease between the partners.

To master it, you must focus on your partner’s eyes—do not look anywhere!

Also, hold your partner’s hands at an acute angle with both elbows.

As the pioneer, raise your left hand.

If you are not a leader, then raise your (opposite) right hand.

Ensure that your arm remains up.

The placement of the hands and shoulders depends on who you are.

In other words, if you’re leading, move your right hand behind your partner’s left shoulder or vice versa.

Your position matters as well.

If you are in position, ensure the two of you keep your feet near one another.

One more thing, keep your load over the chunks of your feet, as Rumba requires brisk and persistent movements.

2. Swing

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A post shared by NaughtySwing (@naughtyswing) on Apr 14, 2019 at 8:00am PDT

You may have seen it in The Great Gatsby!

All you need is to stand, and you will repeat one another’s steps on opposite feet as you are a mirror image of each other.

It is also referred to as East Coast Swing.

It always starts with your left leg, taking it and rocking behind one-two and following it up with a triple-step action.

East Coast Swing has an essential check of one, two, three, four, five, and six.  

On the initial “one and two,” the (leader) completes a left-right-left advance to one side.

The follower does right-left-directly on her right side.

On the second, “one and two,” the man completes a right-left-right advance on his right side back to the beginning position.

The women do left-right-left to one side.

On “one,” the man steps back and away to his left side foot, and the woman does the same on her right foot.

On “two,” the partners move their load to the next foot.

Now, toss on an old swing hit and practice until your heart syncs.

Swing is a fun, playful move, so keep up that vitality and enjoy those moves!

3. ChaCha: Cuban Twists

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Have you seen “Shall We Dance”?

If so, you are already a master in these moves and must polish your hip moves.

The cha-cha dance requires mastery of the Cuban movement, a typical hip development in Latin-style moving.

The hip movements, for the most part, originate from twisting and straightening the knees.

As one knee bends (or straightens), the hip drops (or raises).

The fundamental parts of the cha-cha are triple and rock steps.

Quick, little steps must be kept up all through the moves.

The movement of the hips would result from the constant bending and straightening of the knees.

4. Waltz

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Waltz is a German word that means “to roll.”

There have been many Waltz types throughout the years; modernly, it is known as the Viennese Waltz.

The essential movement of the Waltz is a three-step sequence comprising a step forward or in reverse, a step to the side, and a step closing the feet.

The timing of the steps is known as “one, two, and three.

“Waltz is the artistry of “rise and fall” and “body influence.”

The best illustration could be Emma Watson or Belle dancing in Beauty and the Beast.

With the steps mentioned above and a little focus on the dance Emma or Belle does, it can help you master these moves!

5. Foxtrot

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It is one of the ballroom dances where the moves are based on uneven beats with a rotation of slow and quick steps.

Particularly to the foxtrot, artists make long steps amid the slower counts and short steps amid the quick counts.

To keep up the trot of this move, artists ought to shorten their means as the beat of the music increases.

A few steps might include forming an alluring crisscross as well.

There are two main steps here:

• Weave: Consists of six fast, consecutive steps, all on the toes.

• Feather step: The man steps outside of the lady.

It is also called continuity finish in American Foxtrot-style ball dancing.

Frequently Ask Questions (FAQ)