Who's good on YouTube for teaching dance exercises to a beginner?

January 18, 2021 3:34 PM

Trying to add more movement + cardio into my life, so I'm looking into dance workouts on YouTube. I am super-uncoordinated though, so I'm looking for some good entry-level videos that help break down moves/sequences. Who are your favorites to learn from?

Another pandemic fitness question! I'm trying to get back on the horse exercising this winter so I don't go stircrazy. It's really easy for me to slack, and standard exercise routines get old real fast for me. Currently I have been finding some good results using my Switch to play Fitness Boxing and Ring Fit Adventure, but I definitely want to keep moving my body and have fun while doing it. Was thinking of stringing together some boxing and then some dance via YouTube to mix things up. But, I'd gauge my current skill level as 'uncoordinated giraffe.' I tried a couple videos at random but realized quickly that I am not really adept yet at seeing a move and replicating it, which is really frustrating when it's vigorous cardio. I think I need to start simpler-- basically walk then learn to run. So I'm wondering: who are your favorite YT channels for learning dance fitness?

I tried part of this exercise from Abby Pollock which seemed to be more like what I needed: sequences are broken down, she seems to explain the motions as she does them.

Another great suggestion I found from a previous AskMe: Kukuwa Fitness. This style of dance looks pretty energetic, but also not overly complex to get the moves down after a few repetitions. I like that it seems lower-impact too.

My details: I'm overweight, late 30s, and my reflexes are a bit slow currently. I'm pretty sedentary due to my job, so I am also trying to work on loosening up my tight hip flexors and hamstrings. I'm not flexible, but working to improve that (especially in my spine and legs) Hoping to find exercises that are lower impact, as I have occasional pain in my knees and ankle from a previous injury.

Bonus points if it's queer/fat friendly and there's good music to dance to-- I loved DDR when it was more popular so electronic/pop/dance music is great, but I'm open to other genres too. I'm also open to paid/non-YT options if they're way better, but really would love to start with YouTube.

Thanks in advance!

posted by actionpact to Health & Fitness (5 answers total)

Just Dance 2021 has a demo you can try on the Switch. I play the 2020 version and its great! My only warning is to get all the songs you have to subscribe to the unlimited songs service. I think its 30$ a year, but its totally optional.
posted by ljesse at 6:26 PM on January 18, 2021 [1 favorite]

Hey fellow ex-DDR-fan! Our household has gotten hooked on Just Dance. You don't need a console to play it, because you can load the (free) app on your smartphone and hold the phone in your hand to register motions, while using any kind of screen to display a web page which is showing the moves (eg. computer, internet-enabled TV, TV/screen hooked to a PC). It doesn't break down the moves, and some songs are HARD, but it's easy to repeat a song several times and "get" most of the moves. It's a bit different than DDR because you move your whole body, with a lot of emphasis on hands. You get one free dance a day in the app so you can try it out. The yearly unlimited subscription is 30$ and includes access to continually updated content.
posted by gakiko at 1:01 AM on January 19, 2021

You tube all of the Dance Central gameplay videos out and set up a playlist so you can go from one song to the next. I promise after 5 or 6 songs you'll feel amazing
posted by The_imp_inimpossible at 2:47 PM on January 19, 2021

To steer away from dance games, The Fitness Marshall (Youtube, homepage) is my usual go-to for your scenario. The free videos are just dancing, but AFAIK if you pay for access, he takes you through each choreography step-by-step. He's silly and I like him.
posted by gakiko at 8:40 AM on January 22, 2021 [2 favorites]

Genuinely accessible step-by-step breakdowns are really hard to find! I'll be watching this thread with interest... I suspect once you're comfortable dancing, you forget how hard it is to be someone who can't lol. That said, I've managed to change from a person who was alienated from their body and too awkward to do the most basic wiggle in the club into a person who actually enjoys dancing (in public!). The biggest trick for me — and maybe this is a bit goofy — has been to adjust the youtube settings to change the playback speed to 75% or 50%. I'll throw on a playlist from 1Million Dance Studio's Learner's Class or Millenium or DanceWithAbby and just try what I can.

As for beginner-accessible dance fitness-specific recommendations, I like Ryan Heffington's IGTV Sweatfest videos or emkfit. Some of the Billy Blanks videos work too, although some aren't low impact. Good luck on your journey!
posted by TayBridge at 3:54 PM on January 23, 2021