A must-see for street dance beginners: A roundup of basic steps for each genre.
Even when we say “street dance,” there are many genres—breakdance, hip-hop, house, locking, and more.
Each genre also has many different basic steps, so beginners might be unsure which steps to learn first.
In this article, we’ll introduce the essential basic steps beginners should learn, organized by dance genre.
We’ll share lesson videos as well, so be sure to practice a lot and aim to improve!
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House dance (1–10)
Shuffle
If you want to step up from beginner to intermediate, this shuffle is recommended.
Since this step often puts your weight on one foot, it requires a certain level of strength and explosiveness.
As with other steps, it becomes easier to dance if you focus on lifting your center of gravity.
Since TikTok and Instagram became popular, shuffle dance has gone mainstream, so many of you have probably seen it before.
Triangle
If you’re a beginner who’s built up some leg strength, why not try this Triangle? Put simply, this step is the triangular version of the box step.
That doesn’t mean it’s as easy as the box step, though.
The step itself isn’t particularly difficult, but because it involves a big jump backward, it can be very tiring.
Beginners should dance in front of a mirror to check that their form isn’t breaking down.
Loose leg
If you want to develop softer movement, why not try practicing this step called the Loose Leg? It’s a step often used in house dance and is relatively simple in itself.
However, making this step look clean is surprisingly difficult; focusing only on the footwork won’t make it look polished.
The key to the Loose Leg lies in the hips.
By making your hip and glute movements more fluid, the step will instantly stand out—so keep that in mind and give it a try.
pas de bourrée
Beginners often get so caught up in the steps that they forget to ride the rhythm.
For those people, how about practicing this step called the pas de bourrée? Like the box step, it’s a very easy step, making it perfect for developing your sense of rhythm.
Some might think, “If it’s that simple, you probably don’t actually use it, right?” But in fact, this step tends to be used at the start of breakdance to help find the groove.
Breakdance (1–10)
Toprock
I think many people want to start breakdancing.
However, many beginners tend to jump straight into practicing power moves.
Of course, practicing power moves is important, but beginners should first work on basic steps.
The step I especially recommend for beginners is the toprock.
It’s a step used frequently in breakdancing, so it’s an essential skill no matter what style of dancer you aim to become.
It also helps you develop a sense of rhythm, so it’s recommended even for those who want to be breakdancers who focus on freezes.
6 steps
If you’ve learned the basic steps of breakdancing, the 6-step is highly recommended.
While it’s called a step, in breakdancing the 6-step is considered a floor move.
Even people who aren’t familiar with breakdancing have probably seen this move.
That said, because the 6-step sits between a floor move and a step, it isn’t easy for beginners to master.
If you’re finding it hard to dance smoothly, try focusing on your axis.
By keeping the supporting hand—the axis—in mind, you’ll start to intuitively sense your position.
Once you can keep your position, all that’s left is to keep the steps going.
So beginners should definitely practice with a strong awareness of their axis.
Salsa Rock
If you’re getting comfortable with basic breakdancing steps like the two-step and top rock, why not try practicing the salsa rock next? Salsa rock is a step frequently used in breakdancing.
It’s essential for dancers who use a lot of footwork, not to mention for those working on power moves and freezes.
For complete beginners, the crossing of the feet forward and back can make it relatively challenging, but if you’re already used to the two-step and top rock, you should be able to handle it without any trouble.