Is your studio varying the dance styles it offers to attract new clients? When developing what you’ll teach, you should consider many factors.
In this guide, you’ll learn about different dance styles, what’s best for different age groups, and how to align dance classes to student goals.
Style vs. Genre vs. Technique
All these terms seem interchangeable, but knowing the differences in dance language is important.
- Genres represent broad categories of dance – like ballet, hip-hop, jazz, etc. – which are best determined by its music, culture, and history.
- Dance styles describe how a dancer approaches and expresses said genre through movement. For example, hip-hop alone can include styles like breaking, popping, locking, and so on.
- Dance techniques are the specific skills and methods used to physically execute the movements. It’s how dancers build strength, alignment, coordination, flexibility, musicality, and control.
Why is this important? It helps studios create a more intentional culture. A fitness-focused studio may prioritize accessibility and energy, while a competition-focused studio may emphasize technical rigor and performance quality. A social dance studio may care more about partner connection and community than recital preparation.
In any case, incorporating any genre of dance into your studio involves knowing and providing the variety that exists within it.
How to Choose a Dance Style for Your Studio
What are the most important areas to assess when considering types of dancing for your studio? You should consider goals, music preferences, format, and difficulty.
Consider your goals: fitness, performance, social dancing, or competition?
The goals of your studio will help map out which types of dances you should put on your schedule. Consider some of the following:
- Are our students primarily looking for fitness, performance opportunities, social connection, or competition training?
- How physically demanding are our classes, and are we offering enough variety for different fitness levels?
- Which dance programs could create additional revenue through performances, costumes, competitions, or workshops?
- Can we offer a balanced mix of recreational and advanced classes?
- Do we have instructors who are truly experienced and passionate about each style we offer?
Match the style to your music preferences
Dance styles and music must go together. If there is a specific type of music you prefer, there’s a dance style that aligns with it. Just as important, if you can’t stand a certain style of music, you may want to avoid its dances.
Think about solo, partner, group, and improvisational formats
How will the format impact the dance styles you offer? This will depend on your studio size and teaching strategies. Solo is the most common, while partnering is popular for ballroom styles too. Group and improvisational dances are more variable, though can attract larger crowds.
Think about difficulty level, flexibility, and injury prevention
If a dance has a high difficulty entry level, beginners may be too intimidated. Flexibility also matters in terms of scheduling and availability.
Injury prevention should be on your radar as well. Some dances can be hard on specific areas of the body, so you’ll need to teach in a way that protects dancers. Can your studio provide basic aid or knowledge of these injuries?
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Popular Types of Dance Styles
Ballet
Ballet originated during the Italian Renaissance before evolving into the highly respected concert dance style we know today. As one of the oldest forms of dance, ballet has remained popular across generations and is suitable for a wide range of ages and skill levels. Known for its precision and discipline, ballet is also one of the most technically demanding dance styles.
In recent years, ballet has seen a resurgence among adults. The Los Angeles Times reported that many dance studios across LA have expanded their adult ballet class offerings to meet growing demand.
Contemporary
Contemporary dance is a relatively modern style that first emerged in the mid-1900s, blending elements of classical ballet, modern dance, and jazz. While it’s highly technical, contemporary dance is also known for its emotional expression, fluid movement, and strong focus on torso and legwork.
Unlike more structured dance styles, contemporary choreography often embraces unpredictability, using sudden shifts in movement and pacing to create drama and emotion. There are no strict rules that define how movements must look, which gives dancers the freedom to explore creativity, spontaneity, and personal expression through performance.
Jazz
Jazz dance traces its roots back to African music and dance traditions brought to America in the 17th century. Over time, these traditions blended with European influences, evolving into the energetic and expressive dance form we know today. It has branched into several iconic styles and social dances, including swing and Lindy Hop, which have vibrant social and competitive dance scenes today.
Known for its rhythm, athleticism, and personality, jazz dancers often use sharp isolations, quick footwork, leaps, and turns. One of the defining characteristics of jazz is its freedom and individuality, allowing dancers to add their own style and emotion to movements.
Hip-hop
Hip-hop dance originated as a street dance movement deeply connected to music, culture, and self-expression. It first emerged in New York and California during the early 1970s alongside the rise of hip-hop music and urban culture.
What began in streets, clubs, and community gatherings has since grown into one of the most influential and recognizable dance styles in the world.
Despite becoming more mainstream, hip-hop still carries the creativity, individuality, and cultural influence that shaped its beginnings.
Tap
Tap dance is a form of percussive dance where dancers create rhythmic sounds by striking the floor with the metal taps attached to their shoes. The movement and sound work together, turning the dancer into both a performer and a musician.
Popular with both children and adults, tap dance is known for its energy, timing, and musicality. It has long been a staple of musical theater, choreography, synchronized formations, and memorable stage performances. Over time, tap has evolved into several distinct styles and influences, including rhythm tap, Broadway tap, post-modern tap, and flamenco-inspired tap techniques.
Ballroom
Ballroom dancing is a style of partner dance that originated in 16th-century France and has since evolved into a popular form of both social and competitive dance around the world. Some of the most well-known ballroom dances include Latin ballroom, the waltz, tango, foxtrot, samba, and cha-cha.
Ballroom dancing remains popular through social dances, studio classes, and international competitions. In recent years, interest in these classes has continued to grow as more people look for fun ways to stay active and build confidence. For many couples, ballroom dance also offers a unique opportunity to strengthen communication and grow closer together.
Latin dance
Latin dance is rooted in the rich traditions and cultures of Latin America, known for its vibrant rhythms, expressive movement, and high energy. Latin dance includes a variety of popular social dances such as salsa, bachata, merengue, and tango, all of which are commonly enjoyed in clubs, social gatherings, and dance communities around the world.
It also includes competitive Latin ballroom styles like the samba, cha-cha, rumba, and jive, which emphasize precision, musicality, and partner connection.
Lyrical
Lyrical is a “fusion” dance style, taking the discipline of ballet and marrying it with contemporary and jazz, which embodies more freedom and expression. Because it incorporates so many styles, lyrical dancing is very expressive, fluid, and hard to define. While typically a solo performance that tells a story, choreographed dances can include larger numbers.
Folk and cultural dance
Often passed down through generations, folk dances serve as a form of visual storytelling, expressing history and community through movement and music. Folk dances are commonly performed during festivals, ceremonies, and heritage celebrations, helping preserve cultural identity and tradition. Examples include Irish dance, Bharatanatyam from India, samba from Brazil, and hula from Hawaii.
Because these dance styles are so rooted in tradition and authenticity, teaching them often requires specialized training, cultural understanding, and extensive experience. For dance studio owners, it can also create meaningful opportunities to offer students a richer and more diverse dance education.
Acro dance
Acro dance combines the technique and artistry of classical dance styles like ballet and jazz with the athletic movements of acrobatics, including tumbling, balancing, and contortion.
One of the defining characteristics of acro dance is its emphasis on control and seamless transitions between dance choreography and acrobatic skills. Dancers must develop flexibility, balance, coordination, and core strength while maintaining the performance quality and musicality of traditional dance.
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Dance Styles by Age and Skill Level
Best dance styles for young children
Kids usually do well with group classes that include fun and basic technique building. Certain dance styles mesh well with allowing children to explore movement and rhythm. For these reasons, ballet, jazz, hip-hop, and tap are a great fit for this age group.
Best dance styles for teens
Dance class can help adolescents build confidence, stay active, relieve stress, and improve overall coordination.
Teens often perform best in more sociable, culturally popular dances, like hip-hop and contemporary. Some teens want to build on the dance experience they already have, which is most likely from jazz and ballet.
Best dance styles for adults
Adults are a unique age group to consider, with wide-ranging skills and goals. Adults are most likely to take dance classes for fitness, creativity, and social interaction.
In the case of couples, ballroom or any other partner dance style is a great option. They may be planning an event or looking for something fun to do with their partner.
Individual adults often opt for hip-hop for the cardio benefits, ballet for better posture and flexibility, or contemporary for expressing creativity.
Beginner-friendly dance styles
Dances with basic steps and a long history of tried-and-true teaching methods are a good starting point. Those include ballroom, ballet, and jazz. However, with a patient and skilled teacher, beginners will feel comfortable and ready to learn any dance style.
Dance styles for advanced or competitive dancers
For the more seasoned dancer, you’ll want to offer high-skill focused styles. These styles require precision, technical aptitude, and artistry: Latin, contemporary, jazz, and street dance.
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Dance Styles by Goal
Your customers will have different goals. From a desire to be creative, get in their cardio, or socialize, there’s a dance option for every goal.
Best for technique and discipline
In terms of foundational dance style, ballet is the leader. It requires specific technique, discipline, and control of the body.
Jazz and tap have many of the same attributes as ballet, emphasizing sharp lines, jumps, turns, and footwork.
Best for creativity and expression
For those who want to express themselves, dance styles with flexible disciplines and room for personal interpretation are a great fit:
- Contemporary
- Modern
- Hip-hop
- Street dance styles
- Lyrical
Best for cardio and fitness
If cardio and fitness are your clients’ goals, then they’ll love anything that keeps the heart rate up. Hip-hop has intense cardio sequences, as do jazz and salsa.
Best for rhythm and musicality
If rhythm is top of mind for your audience, tap dance should be at the top of the list. Additionally, for timing and musical expression, hip-hop, Latin, and jazz are excellent options.
Best for social dancing
For social dancers, the dance styles that are the most versatile and popular include:
- Salsa
- Jazz, specifically swing
- Merengue
- Bachata
The Best Dance Style Is the One Students Enjoy and Stick With
You’ll learn over time which kinds of dance are the most popular and see returning students. Use that data to review your schedule every three months.
When making your dance style list, remember that having fun is often the biggest motivator for someone signing up for your classes. What your audience loves will always be the best option!
