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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Hip-hop dance (1–10)
Brooklyn
The Brooklyn step features big, impressive movements.
At first glance it may look difficult because of those large motions, but the actual difficulty is low and it’s easy for beginners to dance.
However, this step’s vibe changes a lot depending on the dancer’s skill.
If you want to make it look cooler, don’t focus only on the feet opening and closing—pay attention to the upper-body choreography.
When the upper-body movements are dynamic and sharp, this is the kind of dance where the step suddenly stands out.
club
A side-to-side step performed while twisting the ankles—the club step.
It’s a fundamental step second only to the box step and is used across many dance genres.
Although it seems simple, it can be surprisingly challenging for beginners, and it tends to feel difficult to dance without supple ankles.
If you’re finding it awkward, try paying attention to your center of gravity.
Because ankle softness is crucial for the club step, having your weight too low makes it harder for the ankles to rotate.
Box
The box step could be called the most basic step to learn in dance.
It’s a fundamental move used not only in street dance but across many dance genres, and among the steps introduced here, it’s one of the easiest to master.
You alternately step one foot forward and then the other, and then step your feet back, tracing a square shape—hence the name “box.” It’s also great for developing your sense of rhythm, so give it a try.
Running Man
The Running Man is a step frequently used in old-school hip-hop dance.
You step as if you’re running in time with the rhythm.
Since you’re not actually moving your body across the floor, it can be somewhat challenging.
If you find it hard to dance, try focusing less on moving your feet and more on using small jumps to lighten your center of gravity.
The basic steps in the video might feel dated, but it’s a dance that’s often performed to LDH tracks as well.
The vibe changes significantly between new-school and old-school, so it might be helpful to compare both.
Popcorn
The popcorn step is a classic of street dance.
If you’ve done hip-hop dance, it’s a rite of passage that everyone goes through at least once.
It’s a step used frequently in new school dance styles and is great for developing a sense of rhythm.
It looks like a skipping motion, but unlike skipping, you don’t actually travel.
It may seem difficult, but it’s easier to master if you focus on pulling your foot backward rather than stepping it forward.
Keep that point in mind as you give it a try.
House dance (1–10)
Happy Feet
Starting from a stance with your feet together in the center, this step opens the body forward, back, left, and right in time with the rhythm, and it’s commonly used in house dance.
What matters is how quickly you can maintain balance—where your center of gravity is when you tilt your body, and which part of your foot you use as the pivot.
Pay attention to shifting the axis between heel and toe and to the knee action that makes those transitions look smoother, and practice gradually.
If you also focus on how you swing your arms when transferring weight and on the shapes you create when you stop, it will not only improve your balance but also make the step look more dynamic.
Backskip
A back skip with fine, sharp footwork that leaves an impression.
It’s quite a challenging step for beginners.
It may seem simple, but as the name suggests, this step mainly involves pulling your foot backward, which requires muscles you don’t typically use in daily life.
Keeping rhythm while doing that kind of step can be difficult for beginners.
Keeping your center of gravity lifted is important, but I also recommend a practice method where you repeat the movement over and over until you no longer have to think about the step itself, and only then focus on riding the rhythm.