Top 10 most common beginner mistakes in dancing
Many people want to learn to dance. But what is the right way to start? Often, people start without any support from a good dance teacher. They watch a few videos on YouTube and expect their moves will look good. However, many beginning dancers make the same mistakes. That's why we will focus in this article on the top 10 most common beginner mistakes in dancing. Being aware of these mistakes helps you avoid them, which enhances your dance journey and makes you more confident on the dance floor! Let's explore the most common mistakes.
Mistake 1: Neglecting the foundations
Every dance style has its own foundations, and they exist for a reason. The dancers who created these styles built the entire dance form on these fundamental principles. Therefore, it is very important to always go back to the source of your dance style that you are practicing. Learn about the dancers who developed the style and what moves they introduced. Make sure you master those foundational moves. From there, you can continue to grow and evolve. This is a process that never ends. Even the very best professional dancers practise the foundations daily to maintain their skill and focus.
Mistake #2: focusing on difficult moves
When practising dance, you will spend hours working on a variety of movements. Sometimes these are moves that you have already mastered, and other moves are completely new to you. The key is to find a good balance between focusing on moves you haven’t mastered yet and revisiting those you have already fully or partially perfected.
Remember to focus on the foundations and the basics at first. If you have mastered the foundations, you will find it easier to perform more difficult moves. Besides, beginner dancers that focus on difficult moves too much, often find themselves discouraged, which in turn can kill their joy and passion for dance. For example, if you practice the jack in house dance, then all more complicated steps will get much more flow. Likewise, if you practice your 2-steps in breaking, this will also improve your swipes.
Most dancers understand that the difficulty of a move isn’t what matters most. It’s about how consistently you practise it after you’ve learned it. Mastery is built through repetition, not by how hard the move is.
Mistake #3: speed over technique
Take your time! This is a commonly given advice by dancers. While it sounds simple, slowing down can feel tough, especially with people watching. You have to realize that the pressure you feel from other people watching you is in your head. You're training for yourself, that's what it's all about. Our advice when learning something new is to always practice it at an almost slow-motion speed before going fast. Practising at a slow, controlled pace helps your brain better absorb movements and builds muscle memory. Speed can hide mistakes, but slowing down reveals every detail, forcing you to perfect your technique. Master movements slowly first, and speed will come naturally. True control shows when you can do it flawlessly at any pace.
Mistake #4: skipping warm-ups
When you're dancing, you are performing a lot of intense and unnatural movements. Your body needs to be properly prepared for this. You want your muscles to be warm and in tension. Without a warm-up, your muscles are more prone to strain and injury. A good warm-up raises your muscle temperature and activates tension, improving flexibility and control. Always dedicate at least 15 minutes to warming up with light dancing, small jumps, and dynamic stretches. This makes sure your body is ready to move safely. If you are a member of MyGrooveGuide, you will get detailed warm-up guidance with our MyPracticeGuide, designed to help you structure your warm-ups.
Mistake #5: not dancing on the music
As a dancer, you always want to dance on the beat.
To do this, you first need to understand the structure of the music. In the dance styles we offer at MyGrooveGuide, we always work with 8 counts. A section of music will typically follow this 8-count pattern, either repeating or transitioning into something new. In particular, you should recognize the kick and the snare, which form the rhythm. You can hear the kick usually on the 1, 3, 5 and 7, and usually the snare falls on counts 2, 4, 6 and 8.
The snare is where dancers often perform stronger moves, like bounces and stops. Beyond this, skilled dancers learn to isolate and move to other layers in the music, such as instruments or additional sounds. This ability to adapt adds depth to your performance. At MyGrooveGuide, we have a separate class about how to dance on the beat: the polyrhythm and musicality class by Alex the Cage.
Mistake #6: not practicing regularly
Consistency is the key for all dancers! If you stop practicing, then your skills can quickly decline. Just like any other discipline or sport, dancing demands a lot from your body and brain. The more often you train, the better everything gets into your system. This is what we call muscle memory. Experiencing muscle memory in dance can lead to a true flow state, where all the movements connect very naturally.
This is why you should always keep up with your foundations. This is the basic rule. It's okay to practice new moves additionally, but it's important to find a good balance between practising foundational techniques and exploring new moves. Without proper guidance, finding this balance can be tricky. That's why we at MyGrooveGuide created our MyPracticeGuide to support you in structuring your dance practice. This MyPracticeGuide is available for all MyGrooveGuide members.
It's important to create a consistent training routine. Start small, perhaps one session a week, and stick to it. Maybe you start with one training a week. Gradually increase your practice frequency as you build momentum. Regularity is the fastest path to improvement!
Mistake #7: not connecting with others
Dancing is most fun when you can share the moment with others. That’s why it’s so important to connect with fellow dancers in your community. Training alone every day can become very uninspiring and boring. Dancing with others gives you a fresh perspective, motivation and also inspiration. Sharing your journey and supporting one another makes dance more rewarding. That is why we created our Discord community, where you can connect with other dancers for free. We recommend you to join our dance community!
Dancing is also about the contact you can make with the audience. Dare to have a proud attitude, and look at your surroundings. Really connect with everyone around you! This will boost your confidence and deepen your understanding of both dance and yourself.
Mistake #8: not seeking feedback
When you dance, you can't see yourself. You can use a mirror, but still then you cannot always see everything you do. Besides, everyone looks at themselves differently. Some people are always extremely critical of themselves, while others may love everything they do. That's why it's important to sometimes have an experienced dancer look at your dance and give you feedback. Their outside perspective can help you spot areas for improvement that you might miss on your own.
Feedback is a tool for growth, not criticism. It’s essential to remain open and understand that constructive feedback is meant to help you, not harm you. So don't take it personally when you get feedback. The fact that this person takes the time to give you feedback, shows that the person cares about your progress. By embracing feedback, you can refine your skills and grow as a dancer!
Mistake #9: imitating others instead of creating
In urban dance, “biting” refers to copying someone’s signature moves or style. Sure, every other dance style has its foundations, and these should be passed on to every next generation. But it is very important that you as dancers give these foundations your own twist and flavor. Ask yourself: what makes your movements unique? What defines you as a dancer?
Once you have mastered the foundations of your dance style, it’s time to explore and discover what suits you best. Your dance style will often reflect your personality, taste, and body. It’s natural to feel inspired by certain dancers. Everyone has influences. But avoid copying these dancers exactly. Instead, take inspiration and reinterpret it in a way that’s authentically yours. Dance is about self-expression, so let your individuality shine through!
Mistake 10: neglecting core strength
As a dancer, you’re essentially performing at the level of a top athlete. It is thus very important to build the right strength and conditioning to support your movements. We highly recommend working on your body, in addition to dancing itself. Make sure you get strong legs and knees by doing different squat exercises. For your upper body, you should do push and pull exercises, such as bench press, push-ups and pull ups. Besides, core exercises are essential to maintain overall stability and control.
However, strength alone isn’t enough. You also need flexibility and mobility. Certain stretches and yoga can greatly enhance your range of motion and reduce injury risks. We recommend to plan your gym session around your dance training, to avoid overworking yourself and increasing the risk of injury due to fatigue. Our MyPracticeGuide offers structured advice on combining strength, flexibility, and dance training to help you perform at your best.
Avoid these beginner mistakes
MyGrooveGuide helps you to improve your dance skills. Along the way, we will guide you and help you avoid all beginner mistakes. Follow dance classes in hip hop, breaking, popping and house dance by some of the best dancers in the world. Besides, you will get access to our MyPracticeGuide. See our overview of classes and join now!
