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Beginner's Dance TipsHere are THE insider dance tips and tricks to get you accustomed to the dance world. Your BodyTurn up ON TIME! Each class, no matter what dance it is for, will usually start with a warm up. If you miss the warm up, you risk serious injury. You’ll usually find that a good dance teacher won’t let you join the rest of the class for that reason.
Don’t be disappointed – it’s your welfare the teacher is thinking of. Better to miss one dance lesson through being late, than a whole term of classes through being injured. And, don’t forget, it’s gonna take you longer to warm up when the weather is colder. Warming up applies just as much to doing videos and dvds at home – DON’T SKIP THE WARM-UP! There may or may not be a cool down at the end of the class/video/dvd. If you feel you need one and it isn't provided, see the Cool Down section for some simple exercises that will stretch you out after your class. Always, always drink plenty of water. Your DancewearHair should be worn pinned up and out of the way so you can see the teacher/tv. You shouldn't have to fish it out of your eyes, nose, mouth or anyone else's face for that matter.
Go to dance classes prepared with a variety of clothes and shoes - always at least a spare pair of socks. Next dance tip. Avoid wearing Grey Marl. See the Dance Class Information section to learn why. If you wear glasses make sure they are firmly fitted in place.Wear a minimum of, if any, jewelry. You should always imagine dancing with a partner and what a disaster it would be if you got your earring or bracelet entangled in their costume. Your DancingMost dance classes follow a rough structure of warm up, followed by learning a routine, beat by beat. You generally build routines in 32 beats - four sets of eight beats.
It is far better to be able to do a dance accurately and slowly than attempt a routine or step at speed and risk injury or embarrassment. Stop looking at your feet! Posture, Posture, Posture! And if there’s a mirror in your dance studio, don’t forget that it represents your audience. It should be your focal point. Use music and beats to support you and your eye line to balance you. On to more dance tips... Your Dance TechniqueBallet terminology has become dance terminology. Try to do at least one good absolute beginners Ballet class or video - it'll give you all the information you need on feet and arm positions, basic movements and pointing the foot. 
All these dance tips will prove invaluable for any other dance class that you choose to do. You'll need good posture and balance no matter what dance you want to do, and you will repeatedly hear things like "Stand with your feet in second position". It's a real boost to the confidence if you know what this is! And Ballet can teach you that. See the Ballet section. Practice pointing your foot. In most dance styles, there's probably going to come a stage when you need to point your foot. Find out how to on our dedicated Point Your Foot page. The one notable exception to this is some advanced types of urban and street dance that HATE their dancers to point their feet!
More dance tips? Drop in classes are sometimes canceled at short notice. Don't go home, use this time to try out another class for fun… Or why not watch a more advanced class in the dance discipline that you want to try? It'll give you great motivation, and you will be able to imagine where your own dancing may take you. Teachers must have insurance. See the Teachers section
Please bear in mind that these tips only cover the kind of dances that we here at DanceClass.com specialize in – that is, dances that are learnt as individual dances at the absolute beginners level, such as ballet, hip hop, modern etc.There is a whole other world of tips and etiquette for the social and partner dances. Yikes! So, for example, as your Salsa dancing improves to the level where you are starting to dance with a partner and put steps or ‘shines’ together, you’ll need some good pointers on the social etiquettes that should be observed.
The single, most important tip about Dance Videos… EVER! The best dance videos (and the ones to avoid) Dance Video Benefits – get the most from your program And loads of General Stuff about video’s, DVD’s and learning at home. Debate… An old teacher with many years of experience or a newly qualified teacher. Which is better? Why it’s SO important to be taught by a teacher, not by a dancer 
Watching Dance ClassesDebate… should you watch a class before you join? LOADS of fantastic, FREE info and dance tips that you can’t dance without! Including… The single, BIGGEST benefit from learning in a class What to wear in dance studios and schools Dance Class sizes… Huge overcrowded classes or tiny classes – which is better for your dancing? How to make sure it’s a class and not a performance And, Your first dance class What is it REALLY going to be like?
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Clothes should not irritate or need to be hauled around, picked out of places where they shouldn't be or generally rearranged every few movements. Check your choice of dance wear for move-ability. 
