First off, I know guys can have a harder time dancing than girls because they can’t pull off just any moves. Don’t worry, guys. The first two moves are just for you. After that, we’ll go into unisex moves, throw in some sexy steps for women and end with hot new poses you’ll want to strike soon!
1. Guys, here’s how to hang loose with the jack-in-the-box move.
This move is perfect for house music, and it’s one from the late ’80s that’s come back in style. First, practice keeping your weight on your heels. Turn your toes so that your feet point away from each other. Practice keeping your toes pointed forward and then out to the sides. Repeat by staying on your heels and say, “Toes face forward; toes face out,” as you turn your feet out and in. Next, practice bending your knees every time that you turn your toes out. Straighten your knees when you turn your toes forward again. You’ll bend your knees and turn your toes out simultaneously on the loudest beats you hear in the music, OK? Now make it more interesting by leaning to the right when you bend your knees; then lean to the left the next time you bend. Keep alternating leaning right and then left each time you bend. To finish it off with maximum style, bend your elbows a little each time you bend too. Check out what it looks like below.
2. Warm up with the easy step-touch and its variations.
This bit of dance choreography took birth around the ’70s, and it’s hot now because you have so many easy ways to mix it up and bounce lower for a stronger hip-hop feel. Start by bouncing with “baller” style! Don’t move your feet; just stand still and bend your knees every time you feel the beat of the music. Snap your fingers when you bounce to feel the beat in your arms too. Got it? Now add some foot action by taking one big step out to the left side with your left foot. Move your right foot over to tap the left one. Now repeat it on the right side; step your right foot out and follow it by touching the right foot with your left foot. Say it while moving and keep your knees bent, “Step to the right, touch; step left and touch.” You’re still bouncing to the beat; you just take a step on every beat. Add something sweet by doing the same thing and cross the “touch” foot in front and swing your arms to get into it! Watch this video to see how to rock this move.
3. Make them scream with Michael’s trademark moonwalk from the ’80s.
According to Michael Jackson, the secret to a great moonwalk is pushing back and sliding on your heels. Start with your right heel off the floor and press the top of the right big toe into the floor while pushing and sliding your left heel behind you. Then your left heel takes its turn to pop up off the floor and stay still while you push and slide your right heel back behind you. Don’t slide with your toes! See how the moonwalk master did it in this video.
4. Get into it with the running man.
Both ladies and bros can do the running man, which is one of the most popular dance steps from the ’90s that’s always a hit at any party. It’s really just two steps. You can do this! Remember when your feet are apart, always keep them both flat on the ground. Start with your feet apart, one behind the other. Then hop your back foot up in the air to bring it in line with your hips. Finish by hopping your front foot back and putting your back foot forward at the same time. Each step is two hops. Watch how it breaks down and see how to add to it in this video.
5. Dive into the dip for women.
This move is a modern hip-hop staple that every girl should know on the floor! First, start with your feet together and put your hands on your thighs; then bend your knees. As you go down when your knees bend, you’ll push your right hip out to the right when you come up by straightening your legs again. Every time think, “Dip down; come up and pop it out!” Bend your knees and pop it out to the right; then bend and pop it out to the left like in this video.
6. Learn how to do a body-roll groove.
Ladies, this move has been an epic success ever since the ’90s. Begin with your feet apart and practice one fluid motion of lifting up your shoulders, then lift and arch your chest and roll your belly from in and up to out and down as if you were rolling your body over a ball behind you. Bend your knee up after the second time you roll down. Now alternate it with chest rolls around your core from side to side like Keaira in this video.
7. Here’s how to twerk.
This freaky move started in West Africa and first reached America around the late ’80s. However, it didn’t become “socially acceptable” until after the late ’90s and the public escapades of Miley Cyrus. To do it, put both your hands on your hips. Spread your feet wide apart. Bend your knees and turn your feet out so that your toes point away from each other. Don’t let your knees go in front of your toes. Press your thumbs into your lower back to help push your hips forward. Pull your fingers against your hip bones to guide your hips back. Now squat down with your hands on your knees and grind into it like you see in this video.
8. Do simple new moves like the Tinder swipe and selfie stick.
On one awesome “Ellen” episode, a dancer made up some hot new moves for 2016. Hold an imaginary iPad in your left hand in front of you and swipe with your right hand to the beat. Swipe for three beats, then do a fist pump! At any dramatic moment in the music, raise your right arm in the air like you’re working that selfie stick, keep your left hand on your hip and then kiss the camera. Watch this video to see it in action.
