Dancing is a great way to keep fit, test yourself and learn something new.

There are so many different dances you can learn. Have a look at a few that we have picked out. Try googling “dance classes” and the name of the city/town/village you live in to find out where you can learn locally.

Swing

Swing became popular in America during the 20s and 30s. It’s lively and energetic. You might see classes offering Lindy Hop, which is very similar to swing and just as popular. Swing music is mostly based on jazz. You will need a dance partner.

Irish Step Dance

Riverdance brought Irish step dancing to the world, and now it’s used by many as a way to keep fit. You have to keep your upper body stiff whilst your feet are doing all the work. Irish step dance is usually accompanied by traditional music played using wind instruments like the flute.

Capoeira

Capoeira is a Brazilian dance that incorporates martial arts. It is a combination of acrobatics, rhythmic movements and martial arts kicks. The music comes from a traditional Brazilian instrument called the Berimbau, and drums feature strongly too.

Breakdance

Breakdance originated in New York during the 70s with street dancers dancing to Hip Hop music. It’s an energetic dance involving floor work. You need strength, flexibility and balance to do it well. Most breakdancers dance alone, but you can coordinate moves with other people too.

Bollywood

The Bollywood dance comes from India and is used in the famous Bollywood films. It’s a combination of traditional Indian folk dance, belly dancing and modern jazz. You need to be able to sway your hips in time with the music, which is usually energetic Indian pop.

Ballet

Ballet requires strength and stamina. It’s a graceful dance, which is normally based on classical music. Many people think that to learn ballet, you need to start young, but this isn’t the case. You can take up ballet at any age.

Lion Dance

Lion dancing comes from China. It’s traditionally performed by two people wearing a lion costume, which consists of a papier-mâché head and a body made out of cloth. The costumes are very colourful and ornate. The dance is usually performed by students and professionals of the martial art Kung Fu. There are Kung Fu classes in many towns and some of them offer to teach Lion Dancing too.

Flamenco

Flamenco comes from Southern Spain. The women wear beautiful flouncy skirts and stamp their feet to music that relies a lot on classical guitar and rhythmic hand clapping. Flamenco dancers carry castanets in their hands, while they gracefully move their arms and hands in time with the music.