Undoubtedly, joining a dance class for the first time may be quite daunting. As you watch music videos, you become fascinated with how effortlessly and confidently the dancers perform. However, it is worth noting that hip hop dancing is easy to learn and is accessible to all beginners irrespective of age or background.
This type of dance is highly dependent on the ability to connect with the music and express yourself. At Chara Christian Dance Academy, we strongly believe that any beginner can learn the basic moves by just giving themselves a chance. We offer hip hop dance classes for kids to help young dancers discover their potential. Therefore, this list provides ten beginner-friendly hip hop dance moves that will surely help you improve your skills.
The Basic Movements
Bounce
First and foremost, you need to learn the bounce dance. This move is one of the foundational hip hop dance moves that involves bending of your legs on the beat of the music. It is essential to note that we always advise our students to relax their shoulders when learning the move.
Rock
After mastering the bounce, you should now learn how to rock your legs from left to right while keeping your legs bent. This is one of those easy hip hop dance moves that helps build your rhythm and comfort with the basic steps.
Prep
This move prepares you for more advanced moves. It involves stepping out with one leg while leaning the torso at a certain angle. Learning the dance moves in hip hop like the Prep helps set a solid foundation for progressing to more complex techniques.
Iconic Hip Hop Steps
C-Walk
The C-walk is known for involving quick footwork that makes a dancer look cool. Though mastering this particular move may take some time, the heel-toe movement is quite simple to learn. This step is a great introduction to some hip hop dance moves for beginners who want to build confidence on the dance floor.
Shuffle
As its name suggests, you slide your legs across the dance floor by pushing off the ground with one leg. This move is often included in lists of basic hip hop dance moves that are perfect for those starting out.
Dougie
Dougie is one of the steps that turned hip-hop into a global phenomenon because of its uniqueness. All you need to do is pass your hand near your head while moving sideways. The move is relaxed and allows many styles and creativity.
Character and Style
Wave
By using this move, you make it appear as though the energy passes through your body. You start with flexing your fingers, then slowly move the wave to the opposite arm.
Robot
This dance involves performing quick yet stiff movements, thus making it quite unique. The move is characterized by abrupt flexing of the muscles. We recommend practicing this particular move in front of a mirror.
Pop
It involves quick contraction followed by relaxation of a certain body part. This move adds high energy to your performance.
Wop
As far as we are concerned, there is nothing more exciting than this step that includes punching your arms out from side to side.
Make Your First Step into Dancing
All in all, mastering the above ten moves is possible only if you are ready to put in the required effort and keep practicing. In our studio, we always advise our students to pay much attention to the feeling of dancing rather than achieving perfection. Put on your favorite song and dance in your living room. Feel free to use your imagination and enjoy the process!

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