If you are new to dancing, Fred Astaire Dance Studios can help you pick the type of dance style that is best for you as you start your ballroom dancing journey.

Dancing is a fun, social way to improve your physical fitness and enjoy quality time with your partner and friends. Dancing can burn calories, improve flexibility, and bolster endurance. It’s also been proven to elevate mood and improve self-esteem. Ballroom dancing can also reduce stress and relieve anxiety. If you are on board with learning some dance moves, knowing how to get started can be challenging.

Know Your Why

Understanding why you made the decision to learn how to dance will help you pick the type of dance to start with. If you opted to try dance lessons as a way to lose weight, it might be a good idea to start with a fast-paced dance like the salsa or swing. You can burn up to 143 calories in 30 minutes of salsa dancing. If you opted to take dance lessons to reconnect with your spouse, a slow, romantic option like the waltz or tango will be a good place to begin. If you are scheduling dance lessons with a group of girlfriends for a ladies’ night, hip-hop dancing or country line dancing will get you blood pumping and make for a fun night out.

Check out these female hip-hop dancers performing on “America’s Got Talent.”

Know Your Fitness Level

Fred Astaire Dance Studios recommends that students honestly assess their fitness levels to determine the best dance to get started. The Mayo Clinic recommends adults clock 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity and at least 75 minutes of vigorous exercise each week. They also advise people to make strength training a regular part of their workout. If jogging and fitness classes are part of your regular routine, you may be able to start with fast-paced options like the salsa or swing. However, if fitness has been on the back burner, it’s best to start learning a more sedate option, like the waltz, and build up to faster-paced dances as your fitness level improves.

This elderly couple swing dance at competitions worldwide to stay active, physically fit and have fun.

Know Your Music Taste

If Frank Sinatra is your musical jam, it may not be a good idea to take up hip-hop dancing. If you prefer music that gets your toes tapping and heart racing, the slow-paced foxtrot might be the best choice to spark a love of ballroom dancing.

Take a look at these performers performing a throwback dance on “Dancing With the Stars.”

The instructors at Fred Astaire Dance Studios will work with you to understand your goals and musical tastes to find a program of study you enjoy. The dance franchisor’s repertoire covers the full range of ballroom dances, including American, Latin, international style, and ballroom style, as well as exhibition and theater arts dances, for both social and competitive dancers. In addition to private lessons, Fred Astaire Dance Studios offers group lessons, which provide a fun, social environment for learning to dance. Group lessons allow you to learn a variety of ballroom dances and are geared to people at any age and stage of their life. Fred Astaire Dance Studios offers an Online Lesson Platform allowing you to take on-demand tutorials or live-stream a dance lesson to your living room.

Contact your local Fred Astaire Dance Studios to learn more about the type of dance lessons available in your area.