In recent years, Kpop, or Korean Pop music, has taken the world by storm with its catchy tunes, impressive choreography, and vibrant performances. If you don’t know how to learn a kpop dance, this is for you! Learning Kpop dances can be a fun and rewarding way to stay active, express yourself, and connect with a global community.
If you’ve been watching Kpop videos and feel the urge to join the rhythm, here’s a step-by-step guide to help you start learning Kpop dances.
If you need some easy dances to get started, check out our blog post!
Table of Contents
- How to Learn a Kpop Dance?
- Understanding the Basics
- Preparing Your Body: Stretching and Flexibility
- Finding the Right Tutorials and Mirrored Videos
- Choosing the Right Dance
- Watch Before You Start
- Find an Open Area
- Break it Down
- Start Slow, Then Speed Up
- Use a Mirror and Record and Review
- Details Matter
- Confidence is Key
- Focus on Fun, Not Perfection
- Stay Inspired
- Consistency and Finding Friends
How to Learn a Kpop Dance?
Learning a Kpop dance can be a fun and rewarding challenge. To start, focus on breaking down the routine into smaller sections, paying attention to the key moves. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to improve, learning a Kpop dance requires practice, patience, and dedication. Use online tutorials and slow-motion videos to help you get the steps right. With the right mindset and consistent effort, you’ll be able to master any Kpop dance you set your mind to!
For more detailed information, keep reading!
Understanding the Basics
Before diving in, it’s essential to understand the fundamentals. Kpop choreography is known for its precision, synchronization, and energy. It often combines various styles such as hip-hop and contemporary, making each routine unique and challenging. Here are some tutorials you can follow to learn some basic steps.
You can also follow channels like these that teach dance tips
Preparing Your Body: Stretching and Flexibility
Before diving into Kpop choreography, it’s crucial to prepare your body. Stretching is an essential part of any dance practice because it helps prevent injuries and improves your overall flexibility. Begin with stretches to warm up your muscles and increase blood flow. Focus on key areas such as your legs, hips, and upper body.
Dynamic stretches like leg swings, hip circles, and arm swings are great for warming up. If you have the time you can watch one of these 10 minute stretching guides
Flexibility and strength training are also important. Flexibility exercises such as splits and deep stretches can improve your range of motion, while strength training helps with overall endurance and control. Both help with executing the dynamic and sometimes strenuous moves found in Kpop choreography.
Consider splits stretching, yoga, and pilates to get more flexible. Strength training can be done at a gym near you, or you can do push ups, situps, and squats at home.
You can use this app to stretch for splits
And you can follow a tutorial like these below.
Finding the Right Tutorials and Mirrored Videos
When it comes to learning Kpop dances, the internet is your best friend. Start by finding high-quality tutorials and mirrored dance videos. Mirrored videos are particularly useful as they allow you to follow along as if you’re looking in a mirror, making it easier to replicate the moves.
YouTube is a great resource for this. Look for channels that specialize in Kpop dance tutorials. Some popular options include BLACK CAT (@BLACKCATKPOP) and K-dance mirrored (@kdanceemirrored). You can also search for the name of the song you want to learn, followed by “dance practice mirrored”.
If you prefer a tutorial there are plenty of options! Tutorials often break down the choreography into manageable sections and provide clear instructions. You can either search for the song you want to learn followed by “dance tutorial”, or you can use one of the following youtubers.
Choosing the Right Dance
Choosing the right Kpop dance as a beginner involves selecting routines that are
- Manageable
- Enjoyable
- Straightforward
- Simple
- And minimal footwork
Opting for songs with these qualities allows you to focus on mastering basic steps before progressing to more complex routines. You also want to decide how much of the dance you want to learn. You can choose to learn the whole thing, which will take more time, or you can just learn the chorus or section. I recommend just starting with the chorus as a beginner.
When starting out, it’s best to choose routines that match your skill level. For example, consider learning dances from groups like TWICE or Red Velvet, whose routines often include moves that are beginner-friendly. Songs such as TWICE’s “Cheer Up” or Red Velvet’s “Russian Roulette” feature more repetitive, easy-to-follow patterns, making them ideal. Starting with these will help you develop a solid foundation and make the learning process enjoyable.
Red Velvet’s “Russian Roulette”
Watch Before You Start
Before attempting the dance routine, watch the video a few times. Familiarize yourself with the choreography and the flow of the routine. If you are planning to learn a dance tomorrow, watch the mirrored dance video 8+ times the night before. This will give you a better understanding of the moves and the overall feel of the dance. Pay attention to details such as timing, transitions, and how the moves fit with the music. If you are planning to only learn a certain section, you can just rewatch that section.
Find an Open Area
Practice in an open space where you have enough room to move freely. Avoid practicing in cramped spaces where you might risk injury. If you don’t have an open space, you can dance in your bedroom, or if circumstances allow, you can practice outside. If you get more serious, you can look to see if there is a local studio or rec center with a practice space available.
Break It Down
Before you start learning, take a section you want to learn (for example a chorus), and watch it around 3 times to get it in your brain. Start learning by breaking down the dance into smaller sections. Focus on one segment at a time, you can pause and play the video as much as you want. It’s easiest to watch one move, then pause and try it yourself. Sometimes it may be helpful to start with the legs or footwork before moving on to the arms and upper body, and vice-versa. This approach helps prevent overwhelm and allows you to master each part before putting it all together.
Start Slow, Then Speed Up
Begin practicing each section slowly. Usually around 50% speed. This gives you time to think of what comes next and really focus on your body movement. Once you have been able to get that section good 2-3 times, you can move up to 75% speed. Once you are comfortable with that, you can move onto the next section, or speed up to 100%. I recommend getting all segments to 75% and then getting the whole section or dance to 100% all together. You can use the playback speed feature on Youtube.
Use a Mirror and Record and Review
Utilize tools like a large mirror to compare your movements with those of the dancers in the tutorial. The visual feedback is great for adjusting your technique and ensuring that you’re hitting the right poses and angles. If you don’t have access to a mirror, you can use the photobooth application on your computer. You can set it up next to the dance practice and watch how you look next to the idols
Recording yourself while practicing is a great way to track your progress. Set up a camera or use your phone to film yourself. Review the footage to see how well you’re performing the moves and identify areas for improvement. This self-assessment can guide your practice and it is much easier to see what needs to be fixed in a recording.
Details Matter
Pay attention to the finer details of the dance. Notice whether the moves are supposed to be powerful or flowy. Is your head supposed to move in a specific way? Are there particular accents in the music that need to be reflected in your movements? Details like looser hips, where to use power, and overall flow can make a big difference in how polished your dance looks.
Confidence is Key!
I am a firm believer that confidence, lip syncing, and stage presence will always make you look better. Even if you don’t believe you are great at dancing, be confident! Enjoy yourself and your performance. You can make a playlist of the songs you know and listen often to learn the words. Confidence will always make you a better dancer.
Focus on Fun, Not Perfection
One of the most important tips is to focus on having fun rather than achieving perfection. Don’t compare yourself to professional dancers or Kpop idols. They have years of training and practice. Celebrate your progress and enjoy the learning process. Kpop dancing is all about having fun and enjoying yourself.
It doesn’t have to be perfect on the first day. In fact, I recommend learning the dance to about 80% perfect, and then letting it sit in your brain overnight. When you practice the next day, you will be able to do the dance much better and remember and do moves better. Sometimes your body needs to adjust to moving a certain way and your brain needs to catch up.
Stay Inspired
Kpop dances are known for their high energy and creativity. To keep your motivation, regularly watch performances from your favorite Kpop artists. Pay attention to the details in their movements. This not only provides inspiration but also helps you understand the level of commitment and effort that goes into perfecting these routines. It can also be fun to participate in online dance challenges or trends that often emerge on social media like TikTok and Youtube Shorts. Here are some places to watch dance cover artists and groups.
Consistency and Finding Friends
Consistency is key when learning Kpop dances. Try to set a weekly or daily practice goal. This could be something like practicing 30 minutes a day, or learning 1 new dance a week. Additionally, finding friends who share your interest can make the learning process more enjoyable. You can look for clubs in your school, or groups online (Facebook and Discord are great places to look). When you meet new friends you can practice together, motivate each other, and share tips to enhance your skills.
If you can, I suggest trying out to join a kpop dance team or kpop cover group in your area.
Learning Kpop dances can be an exhilarating and rewarding experience. It can get hard, but don’t give up. By following these tips—stretching properly, finding the right dances, breaking down the choreography, and focusing on fun—you can start your dance journey and reach your goals. Remember to practice regularly, embrace the learning process, and make some new friends. As you progress, you’ll find yourself not only improving your dance skills but also deepening your love for Kpop. So, get on your dancing shoes, hit play on your favorite Kpop track, and let the music guide you on this journey. Happy dancing!