Learn a Dance

If you’ve never had any dance experience, learning a choreographed routine can be difficult at first. It is a world of counting to eight over and over again.  Instead of words to accompany the motions like in a cheer or chant, each motion goes to a count or half-count.  Those counts must then be in sync with the beat of the music.  Sometimes hearing the beats can be tricky, but with practice you’ll learn how to count to music.

You might have already heard the famous  “5, 6, 7, 8.” This is used to signal the start of the routine. Dances can include cheer motions, steps, kicks, jumps, etc.  To help you memorize the dance, make sure to count out loud when learning it. The verbal cues and physical motion will help your mind and body remember what comes next.  I also suggest practicing an 8-count over and over until you have it before moving on to the next section of the dance.  It’s like trying to memorize words or numbers. It’s much easier to memorize a small group at a time than a large group at once.  

Take a look at the example tryout dance from 2014.