How To Dance K-Pop Better: Move Like A Korean Idol

Can you dance like a K-Pop idol?

Dancing is essential to the wild and wonderful world of K-Pop. But don’t be fooled. You can’t just learn those iconic K-Pop dances overnight, especially as the complex choreographies of K-Pop have evolved.

Thankfully, though, it is possible to boogie into the domain of K-Pop dancing. As with all styles of dance, you can improve your skills tremendously so long as you learn the fundamentals. 

With these tips, you can learn how to dance K-pop better in just a few short weeks.

How to Learn K-Pop Choreography

At first, the journey to K-Pop dance superstardom might seem impossible. But we’ve broken down six steps to lay the foundations of your K-Pop dance journey. Once you have mastered the fundamentals, you’ll be dancing like a K-Pop star in no time.

1. Choose a Dance Choreography

Before hitting dance studios, you’ll want to focus on learning one specific choreography. Although it’s tempting to just jump up and start dancing whenever you hear your favorite K-Pop tune, it probably won’t help you learn the fundamentals.

Instead, select a specific dance that you’d like to learn. You’ll be able to focus your energy on specific steps and hone your skills with laser focus.

Try selecting just one dancer to follow. Most K-Pop groups only have one main dancer at a time, so you can pick them out and follow along with them.

2. Search for Mirror Dance Videos

Okay, you’ve chosen your favorite dance and selected a dance practice video to learn from. But then you get all mixed up. Are you supposed to raise your left arm when the dancer raises their right? Before you know it, you’re in a pretzel.

This is why you should always search for mirror dance videos. Mirror dance videos are videos that are horizontally flipped. Normal videos show dances from the front, so watching them will give you the dance moves backward. 

Watching a mirror dance video solves this problem. Doing so allows you to correctly “mirror” the dance moves. When the dancer moves their left leg, you move your left leg, and so on.

3. Slow it Down

It’s overwhelming to try to take in all the dance moves at once. But slowing down the dance practice video in the video settings is a better way to learn K-pop dances. Try adjusting the speed to .5x or .75x and gradually working your way up to full speed.

4. Count Down the Steps

All K-Pop dances are arranged on timed rhythms, so you’ll want to pay attention to how the steps coordinate with the music. Watch for how many steps (read: beats) are in each bar of music by counting along with the music. 

Counting will help you internalize the way the choreography relates to the music. After all, dancing doesn’t mean much if it doesn’t follow the rhythm of the music.

5. Practice Daily

This step is essential. Practice makes perfect.

None of the best K-Pop idols just walked onstage and started dancing perfectly. All of them practice dancing every day. Most people auditioning for K-Pop groups have practiced for at least two years in dedicated dance studios.

Practicing each day will help you, too. In no time, you’ll commit the dance to memory. What’s more, you’ll build muscle strength and cardiovascular endurance.

6. Sign up for Dance Classes

And where should you practice? There’s no better place than classes at dance studios like On One Studios, which offers dedicated K-Pop classes. These classes are invaluable, as they focus on the distinctive K-Pop dances that most groups follow.

Typically, the cost of dance classes is fairly reasonable, especially when compared with the immortality you’ll gain from becoming a K-Pop star.

Tips to Improve Your K-Pop Dance Skills

As you learn the fundamentals of K-Pop dance, you can improve your skills by practicing more complex choreography and trying out more challenging dance moves. Of course, the more you learn, the more there is to practice.

For that reason, make sure to find dance studios that allow you to level up to advanced dance classes that focus on K-Pop dances. On One Studios, for instance, offers unlimited dance classes for dance experts and beginners alike, giving you the chance to continually refine your skills.

K-Pop’s Top 10 Dancers

When you’re contemplating learning complex K-Pop dance choreographies, it’s always a good idea to look to the stars for inspiration. Here are ten of the best:

1. Kai – Main dancer of EXO
2. Taemin – Legendary member of SHINee
3. J-Hope – The main dancer superstar group BTS
4. Lay – Another member of EXO
5. Lisa – Superstar member of Blackpink
6. Jimin – A BTS dancer with experience in ballet and hip-hop
7. Hyolin – Former member of Sistar    
8. Hoshi – Member of SEVENTEEN
9. Rain – Icon of K-Pop
10. Yugyeom – Member of GOT7

How Will You Learn to Dance Like a K-Pop Idol?

As we’ve seen, the key to becoming a K-Pop dance master is faith in the fundamentals and commitment to K-Pop dance classes. While it isn’t an easy road to making your body a living testament to the power of dance, you can do it. So what are you waiting for? Sign up for dance classes and dive into some K-Pop dance choreography.