Key Points
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A fun dance workout for beginners is stress-free, safe, and effective.
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People love dance fitness because it offers various styles and a welcoming community.
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Dancing for 30 minutes is a good workout when it's moderate to high-intensity.
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Zumba, barre, Jazzercise, Buti yoga, and dance choreography classes are fun dance workouts for beginners.
Do you tend to get bored while exercising? Are you looking for a fun dance workout for beginners that feels like a total party? You’ve come to the right place.
The dance fitness world overflows with fun dance workouts for beginners. These instructor-led classes replicate the high of dancing at nightclubs, wedding receptions, and music festivals. Ready to dive in?
What Is Dance Fitness?
Dance fitness is a type of group exercise that’s appropriate for all fitness levels.
It’s different from your typical dance class. Instead of learning and perfecting numerous dance routines for an upcoming show or recital, you copy your instructor’s cues to the best of your ability.
The goal isn’t to deliver a perfect performance — it’s to get a killer workout.
Dance fitness instructors integrate diverse dance styles into a heart-pumping, muscle-toning workout. They provide participants with easy-to-follow movements and dance sequences, offering modifications as needed. Instructors add fresh tunes and choreography to keep you engaged and entertained.
Dance fitness is low-impact, trains your rhythm and coordination, and introduces you to fun music genres. This conditioning session is full of energetic routines. It boosts your heart rate, strength, and flexibility.
The best part? It’s a full-body workout. Not one muscle is left un-toned.
Why Do People Love Dance Fitness?
Wondering what the dance fitness hype is all about?
Dancing is more than just a fun way to burn calories and get in shape.
From the moment you walk in, dance fitness communities are welcoming, inclusive, and supportive. The people you let loose, move, and sing along with instantly become your gym besties. They also push you to step (and dance) outside of your comfort zone.
Personal trainer Julie Granger, a former professional ballerina and founder of The Studio Paris and Ballerina Body Training, says, “Dancing is sharing, and when you take a class surrounded by other people, you know you all have something in common. You are not here to compete, you are here to enjoy, and there is an amazing feeling that comes with that.”
She adds, “Go take a class, and feel the energy of the room.”
Dance fitness tones your core, arms, legs, glutes, back, and hips. It supports heart health, encourages joint mobility, and builds impressive endurance. Dance fitness is great for self-expression, stress relief, and self-confidence.
Dance actively releases endorphins and reduces cortisol levels, so you leave class in an undeniably better mood. Dance fitness is a hobby, workout, and therapeutic outlet all in one!
Bonus? It boosts your brainpower, focus, and memory. Studies suggest dancing may decrease your risk of developing dementia later in life.
Dancing is a mental escape. When fully immersed in a specific routine, you temporarily forget about everything else. It’s just you and the dance floor.
Camaraderie and burden-free? Heck yes.
Is Dancing for 30 Minutes a Good Workout?
If you’re dancing vigorously enough to amplify your breathing and heart rates, dancing for 30 minutes can burn between 90 to 252 calories. An hour-long class — the most common — burns 180 to 504 calories.
What determines your calorie burn? Your body weight, the intensity of a dancing style, and how long your dance session lasts. Do you have a smartwatch? Wear it during class to view your stats in real time!
With consistency and effort, dance fitness classes help you lose weight. The key is to burn more calories than you consume — known as a caloric deficit. Achieve this by doing at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of high-intensity training per week and cutting your daily calorie intake.
What Are the Different Styles of Dance Fitness?
Dance fitness is so beloved because there’s an enjoyable style for everyone. Even better? You barely feel like you’re working out!
Unique dance categories stem from two main class types: cardio-based and slower-paced. Cardio-based classes contain simple, repetitive movement patterns that put you to work. Slower-paced sessions focus on core, strength, flexibility, toning, and balance.
It takes some experimenting to find a style that matches your ability, dance preferences, taste in music, and fitness goals.
Dancing at home? Download a dance fitness app or search for dance workouts on YouTube. In-person? Find dance classes at local gyms, fitness clubs, and specialty dance studios.
Zumba
Zumba is the most popular form of dance fitness. It combines high and low-intensity intervals, attracting people of all ages and dance abilities. This dance party workout is famous worldwide for its Latin-inspired music and choreography. Yes, you get to samba and salsa the night away.
Do you prefer jamming to hip-hop? Zumba has you covered. Instructors curate diverse playlists that include Latin, hip hop, jazz funk, reggaeton, and other musical genres.
On top of dance cardio, Zumba incorporates strength training and toning techniques to hit all your muscle groups. Imagine doing squat pulses with your buddies while Beyoncé’s “Flawless” blasts through the speakers. Sculpt your legs and sing your heart out? It’s a win-win.
Zumba is fun, beginner-friendly, and surprisingly effective. You don’t even realize how hard you’re working when you’re also having fun.
You move along to high-energy music and catch on to the instructor’s choreography as you go. Bonus? Zumba is a judgment-free zone.
Class type: Cardio-based
Duration: 60 minutes
Cost: $5 to $25 per class or included with a gym membership
Location: Online or at local fitness studios
Barre
Barre is a ballet-inspired activity that fuses dance, pilates, and yoga into a rigorous workout. Its slow, controlled movements are painfully satisfying. Barre sculpts your glutes, hamstrings, calves, quads, and core.
It's a low-impact workout, perfect for beginners and participants with lower-extremity injuries. Barre lets you work on your flexibility, strength, muscular endurance, balance, and technique.
Heads up: Barre is much harder than it sounds. It requires you to push until failure — you don’t stop until you absolutely have to.
For more advanced barre-goers, increase your exercise intensity by adding dumbbells and small weighted medicine balls. The instructor provides modifications and invites students to try more challenging movements.
Class type: Slower-paced
Duration: 45 to 60 minutes
Cost: $15 to $35 per class
Location: Boutique fitness studios, online, and at specific gyms
Jazzercise
Jazzercise is a cardio dance workout tracing back to the 1970s. Remember those videotapes of people in tights, leotards, and leg warmers? That’s the legendary Jazzercise, which features choreographed “jazzy” dance moves to upbeat songs.
The 2020s Jazzercise is a completely revamped version. This body-blasting fitness program fuses cardio, strength, pilates, jazz, hip-hop, yoga, and shadowboxing. Jazzercise offers a variety of classes that cater to all dancing styles, intensity levels, and workout preferences: Strike, Fusion, Core, Strength, and Dance Mix.
Even better, Jazzercise values community outreach and service. Their instructors have raised over $28 million for various causes. Your membership money benefits your physical health and charity!
The Jazzercise dance fitness company teaches over 32,000 weekly classes around the globe.
Class type: Cardio-based
Duration: 10, 20, 30, 40, and 60-minute options
Cost: $19.99 monthly (Jazzercise website offers a free 14-day trial)
Location: Online or in-person: Enter your zip code to discover a nearby location.
Buti Yoga
Certified Buti yoga instructor Hedy Wyland Capell says, “Buti is a soulful blend of power yoga, cardio-intensive tribal movement, conditioning, and deep abdominal toning. This workout tones and sculpts the entire body while facilitating complete inner transformation.”
Buti fosters a mind-body connection through restorative yoga. Its music-driven dynamic moves forge strength, flexibility, and stamina. Buti teaches you how to sweat with intention and discover your inherent self-worth. You're encouraged to begin where you are and grow at your own pace.
Don’t be fooled by the inclusion of yoga. Buti is highly demanding, intense, and sweat-inducing. It's designed for healthy adults with moderate to strong fitness backgrounds.
Dying to try it out? Practice traditional yoga first. Once you feel comfortable, move on to Buti-style classes.
Class type: Slower-paced
Duration: 30 to 90 minutes
Cost: $39 monthly for an online subscription (with a free 14-day trial), $15 to $35 per in-person class
Location: Butiyoga.com or at local yoga studios
Dance Choreography
During a dance choreography class, you warm up, stretch, learn a routine, perform it several times, and leave on cloud nine.
Dance choreography classes come in every style under the sun: hip hop, jazz funk, contemporary, pole dancing, belly dancing, and more. There’s even a heels class — often called “Stiletto Dance” — that teaches students how to perform in heels.
Note that heels classes are more sensual and spicy. They’re also great for toning your calves and channeling your inner Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and J. Lo.
Regardless of your preferred style, dance choreography classes gradually improve your timing, technique, flexibility, musicality, performance, and presentation. Class difficulty levels are beginner, intermediate, and advanced.
Most instructors correlate a series of movements to eight counts. From one to eight, every number gets a dance move. Dances typically contain 8 to 16 sets of eight counts.
Pro Tip: Want to learn how to pick up choreography faster? Dance classes train your brain through constant repetition. The more you take, the better you get.
The key is to focus. Choose a spot with a clear view of your instructor and pay attention to how the choreographer moves. Listen carefully and ask questions. Practice challenging sections, trust your muscle memory, and — most importantly — have fun!
Don’t be too hard on yourself or compare your dance abilities to others. Like you, everyone is at a unique stage of their dance journey.
First class? Feeling lost and behind is entirely normal. Your skills and confidence improve with time, practice, and consistent attendance.
Class type: Cardio-based and slower-paced
Duration: 60 to 90 minutes
Cost: $5 to $30 per class
Location: Online or local dance studios
How To Prep for Dance Fitness?
Select one of the above dance fitness styles. Feel free to explore as many as your heart desires. You may fall in love with a variety, allowing you to diversify your weekly dance fitness routine.
Research your instructor if possible. Study their dance style, pace, teaching techniques, music, and personality to discern whether or not you vibe with them. Ask around or read online reviews to see if they provide detailed instruction, helpful feedback and corrections, and positive class interactions.
Is the instructor certified? How many years of teaching experience do they have in their dancing field? Certified, seasoned instructors are incredible with first-timers. They create a more accessible and enjoyable experience.
Pro Tip: Zumba, barre, and Jazzercise are the best dance fitness activities for seniors. They're low-impact on muscles and joints, great for the heart, modifiable, and easy to follow.
How To Crush Your Dance Workouts?
Go to classes with a buddy or arrive early to meet regular attendees. Breaking the ice helps you feel more relaxed in your new exercise environment. Bonus? Befriending participants is a sure way to have a good time and look forward to future classes.
Wear form-fitting clothes and comfortable shoes with a good grip. For women, supportive sports bras and loose tanks or tees are best for moving around. Throw on leggings, high-rise sweatpants, or athletic shorts to complete your outfit.
Be mindful of studio etiquette. Some yoga and barre studios require you to participate barefoot or wear special grip socks during class. Check their website or social media page for late policies, no-show fees, and class expectations.
Fuel your body appropriately. Drink water and an electrolyte sports drink. Load up on carbohydrates three to four hours before your dance session. Why? They're the best fuel for your muscles, especially during high-intensity, heart-pounding dance sessions.
Stretch before and after. Expect to be sore after your first handful of classes. Your body recovers and adapts the longer you stick with it. Avoid pushing yourself too far or too fast. Ease into your dance fitness routine and always listen to your body.
Dance Like Nobody’s Watching!
Dance fitness is an intense calorie burner that leaves you sweating buckets. Whether you’re rocking a Zumba, barre, Jazzercise, Buti yoga, or dance choreography class, the physical and mental benefits of dancing are unmatched.
You burn tons of calories, tone your muscles, connect with beautiful people, and dance until your stress melts away. Careful, the joy of movement is seriously addicting.
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