For centuries now, dance has been hugely popular all over the globe, in many forms. Today, this is still the case. In fact, dance today is arguably more popular than ever.

Dancing is not just a fun way to learn a new skill and pass the time, it’s a great way to socialise, meet new people, make new friends, and get some exercise in the process. What’s even more exciting is the fact that there are so many different dance styles to choose from.

Whilst dancing is inclusive and for everybody, one of the main things holding people back from taking up dance are concerns about a lack of rhythm and coordination. Rhythm when dancing is all about flow, expressionism, energy, and harmonisation with the tempo and beats of the music. Like anything in life, some people have more of it than others.

So, does this mean that those with no rhythm should give up on their dreams of dancing before they’ve even made a start? Absolutely not. Dance is for everybody.

Here are several dance styles perfect for beginners with no/little rhythm.  

Contra

For complete beginners who, by their own admission, struggle with rhythm and/or coordination, Contra is the perfect dance style to begin with.

While not exactly as mainstream as, say, styles like Salsa and Foxtrot, it still has its place in modern society, despite dating all the way back to the 17^th century. It has mixed origins, which is why it’s so unique. There’s English and Celtic folk origins, French and European dance, North American, and even Appalachian folk. That’s quite the mixture. So, what exactly is it?

Contra dance is a unique style of folk dance. It is characterised by two long parallel lines of dance partners/couples who dance to different styles of old-timey folk music such as English and Celtic folk. It is a high-energy, fun, invigorating style of dance that is easy to pick up, and requires very little rhythm or coordination. Before each movement is performed, a caller will announce the movement and demonstrate it so dancers know what is coming next.

Salsa

Up next, we have one of the most popular and beginner-friendly dance styles in the entire world – Salsa.

Salsa is Latin dance style that can be performed in a variety of different variations and styles. It does not require a great deal of rhythm as it is characterised by a ‘quick, quick, slow’ tempo, danced to a 4/4 time signature. It requires hip mobility, slow, but controlled foot and arm movements, and basic turns.

Salsa is great for beginners as it allows for a great deal of creative freedom and improvisation. Providing you keep up with the tempo, you can mix things up until you find a style that best suits your abilities. You can even begin as simple as taking simple steps forwards and backwards to begin with. Once the music takes over, the rest will flow naturally.

Bachata

Bachata is another Latin inspired dance style that is extremely easy to perfect as a beginner. It also does not require a huge amount of balance, coordination, or rhythm either.

For those who are perhaps a little too intimated by Salsa dancing, Bachata is a great compromise and is considered even easier to perfect. It features a simple four-beat rhythm and a much slower tempo than Salsa. Straightforward movements include simple side-steps and hip swings, with room to scale as you pick up the basics. Because the music tempo is slower, and features a consistent beat, it’s much easier to find the right rhythm. Once you find it, you’re pretty much all set.

This unique dance style, which originated in the Dominican Republic, is also a great way to socialise as it is typically performed with a partner.

Zumba

Despite being a high-energy dance style, Zumba is very beginner-friendly and is ideal for dancers who weren’t blessed with a great deal of natural rhythm, balance, or coordination.

Zumba features a great deal of repetitive choreography and is designed to be copied by others. Zumba dance classes for example, are often taught by an instructor so participants can copy the movements as they go. It’s also energetic which makes it a fantastic form of cardiovascular exercise.

Zumba is less about footwork and more about hip mobility, arm swinging, and basic core steps forwards and backwards. Zumba is less about technical perfection and more about energy and excitement. It therefore allows a great deal of creative freedom and improv.

Contemporary

Finally, for beginners who are looking for a more energetic, physically demanding, and versatile style of dance, contemporary is ideal.

Contemporary dance is a blend of multiple dance styles and genres, with a more modern twist. It combines different dance styles such as jazz, ballet, hip hop, and street. It’s one of the newer dance styles out there, as it only rose to fame during the mid-20^th century.

For beginners who wish to tell a story, and convey their feelings and emotions through the medium of dance, contemporary is ideal. Movements are fluid and energetic, yet there are no complex steps, routines, or movements to learn. Like many of the other styles on our list today, it too offers plenty of artistic freedom for the dancers, with many of the movements being torso heavy, rather than relying on complex steps and rhythmic movements.