Ballroom Dance Steps

Basic ballroom dance steps are really quite easy to learn. Many patterns and elements are shared among different dances. So if you learn one, you'll have a good foundation for the others. You just have to start somewhere.

At the beginning, it's very important to start at the beginning. Master the basic dance steps first and only then move to more advanced elements. This will keep you from discouragement and frustration.

To get comfortable with the basic steps of the most popular ballroom dances, see the section below. Always remember, the key to mastery is practice.

Waltz

Waltz is a great dance for beginners. All you really have to know in order to start waltzing is a basic box step, which forms the foundation of the dance. It's very easy to learn. Find out more on waltz steps page.

Cha Cha

Most people know Cha Cha by its catchy rhythm – one, two, cha, cha, cha. The steps are quite simple and focus mainly on just shifting weight from one foot to another. Check out the cha cha basic steps page and see how it’s done.

Salsa

Salsa is a very good introduction to Latin American dances. It’s a passionate and spicy dance. The basic salsa steps are simple and easy. You know what salsa teachers often say - if you can walk, you can salsa.

Foxtrot

Foxtrot is a very elegant and useful social dance quite similar to the waltz. It's characterized by flowing movements and rise & fall motion. See the foxtrot basic steps for more details.

Tango

Tango, a dance of passion, is characterized by quick and sharp movements, and is quite different from traditional ballroom dances like waltz and foxtrot. See tango steps for more info.

Jive

Jive is a fast, energetic and also very energy-consuming dance. Easy to learn, fun to dance, and a great workout. The footwork is very simple – a combination of rock steps and triple steps or chasses. For more info and a diagram see – Jive steps.

Rumba

Rumba is also known as the Latin waltz and is the simplest of the Latin dances. To start dancing rumba all you need to learn is a simple box step. See Rumba steps for more details.

Samba

Samba is a Latin dance of Brazilian origin, but don’t confuse ballroom Samba with the Brazilian original that is a solo dance danced at festivals and carnivals. Ballroom Samba is more of a waltz-like dance. The basic samba steps are very easy.

Swing

Swing is a very upbeat and versatile dance. Out of many different styles of Swing, the East Coast Swing is the easiest and most suitable for beginners. To start swinging all you need to learn is a basic 6 count step. Quite easy to master. For more info, see – Swing steps.