Dance Like Beyonce

Beyonce Knowles is a masterful hit song creator, and with each song she brings dance routines that amaze and delight. There are many reasons that she is one of the most famous female entertainers of her generation. The signature dance moves she performs are one of them. You may never dance like Beyonce as well as Beyonce, but you can introduce some Beyonce-like flair into your dancing. All you need to start is a little knowledge of hip hop technique and close copying of Beyonce's signature style.

Steps

Learning Hip Hop Dance Fundamentals

1. Utilize both relaxed and jerky movements. Hip hop dancing relies a lot on the contrast between loose, flowing moves and quick, jerky ones. Generally, the hips are kept loose while the arms and hands perform sudden, dramatic movements, though quick hip moves are not uncommon either. The first step to making your dancing more hip hop-like is to embrace this contrast.
2. Introduce popping and locking into your dancing. Popping and locking are two dance styles that provide a foundation for a lot of hip hop dance technique. Learning the basics of both will allow you to quickly look more like Beyonce while dancing.
   • Popping: This is a bouncy style of dancing that requires the isolation of body parts, moving them in succession, to the beat. To perform popping, imagine a wave moving through your body, making your body parts move one after another.
   • Locking: The basic concept of locking is to move quickly and then freeze, and then continue moving at the same speed as before. This can be applied to both the whole body or to one body part at a time. Usually, locking involves jerky arm movements and a looser hip area, which moves to the beat.
3. Master some of the basic moves of hip hop dancing. Once you understand the basics of popping and locking, you can learn a few basic hip hop moves that will get you started. These moves are the kind of things they'll teach you at almost any beginner's hip hop dancing class.
   • Hip step: Start in the standard position with your feet shoulder length apart and knees slightly bent. Kick one foot out in front of you, then swing it to the outside of your other foot, crossing your legs. Then uncross your legs by moving your other foot back into standard position. Repeat in the other direction.
   • Slide and step: From the standard position, move your feet closer together. Then step far to the side with one foot. Slide the other foot towards the first foot and then step it back into place next to the first foot. Then repeat in the other direction.
   • Arm cross: Lean your torso forward a bit. Spread your arms in either direction, outwards but still pointing toward the floor. Then swing your arms both in and cross them in front of you. Move your hips back and forth to the beat as you do this.

Adopting Beyonce Moves

1. Watch Beyonce's music videos. Videos like "Single Ladies" or "Crazy In Love" demonstrate some of her most recognizable moves. The more you watch and pay close attention to how she dancing, the better you'll be able to replicate it. Study her movements and take notes, either in your head or one paper.
2. Dance the "Flawless chorus". The chorus to "Flawless" has a very recognizable dance routine. It's very interesting visually but at the same time not too difficult to learn.
   • Step up and down in place with your right foot three times. As you do, hold your hands up, fingers spread, near your shoulders and flip them over with your stomping foot.
   • Lean to the right with your whole torso and thighs, bending your knees. Hold your head in your hands with your elbows pointing out as you do. Lean back twice before returning to your original position.
   • Repeat the stomp and hand turn move. Then do the lean move again, but only once. Instead of leaning back a second time, cross your right foot over to the left, fluidly moving your body back into front position. As you do, hold your torso low and wave your left hand in front of your face.
   • Repeat the stomp and hand turn move a third time. Then move backwards by bouncing on your left foot, with your right foot slightly lifted. As you do, spread your arms out on either side with your hands extended.
3. Copy some of the moves from "Single Ladies". Her popular music video for the song "Single Ladies" contains some simple but entrancing signature dance moves. Practice these moves by simulating them in front of a full length mirror.
   • Execute "The Spank" by moving your hands in a wide, circular pattern above your head. Then bring them down to meet your backside with a light swat.
   • Perform "The Pump Walk" by walking in one direction with your heels lifted while simultaneously punching towards the ground.
   • Learn to do the "Hip Shake" by positioning your feet wide apart, your arms and hands above your head, and shaking your hips from side to side.
   • Dance to the "Wind Down" by keeping your legs wide apart and moving your shoulders, torso, hips and arms while simultaneously lowering yourself to the ground.
   • Accomplish the "Pussy Cat Crouch" immediately after the "Wind Down." Once you're as far down as you can go you bring your legs together then arch your back while returning to the standing position.
   • Perform "Put A Ring On It" by two-stepping side to side and then pointing to your ring finger.
4. Dance the "Run the World" opener. The opening dance move in Beyonce's "Run the World" is easy to learn and hard to master. The movements are simple but fast and jerky. You perform it by moving your shoulders up and down quickly, twice as fast as the beat. As you do that, your head should spin from side to side with the beat.
   • As with all these moves, practice it while watching the video to get the particulars right.
5. Copy some of the moves in "7/11". Beyonce's video for "7/11" doesn't include one or two iconic dance routines, but instead includes a variety of shorter, but nonetheless appealing dance moves. This makes it a good video to copy from. Some of the moves include:
   • Clap your hands above your head as you bounce forward with your feet together.
   • Bend yourself back and to the side by leaning your torso backwards and bending your knees. Rock your arms in a fluid, rolling movement up and down while you're bent back.
   • Spread your feet very far apart and get your torso low. Move your hips from side to side as you do.

Going Above and Beyond

1. Practice dancing in heels. Beyonce consistently performs her dances in heels. In fact, she even wears heels while rehearsing, to make sure you can do the real thing flawlessly in stilettos. If you want to really mimic Beyonce on the dance floor, you'll have to get comfortable moving quickly and fluidly in heels. So start by just practicing at home with your high heels on.
   • Dancing in heels can be dangerous, so it's best to stretch your feet thoroughly before strapping your heels on.
2. Take lessons at a dance studio in your area. Locate a studio near you that specializes in hip-hop dancing. Schedule lessons with trained instructors, who can teach you how to duplicate some of Beyonce's dance moves. Beyonce's dancing is a style all of her own, but it's based in hip hop dancing, so increasing your familiarity with hip hop dance will make you look more like Beyonce when dancing.
3. Take ballet lessons. It may seem unintuitive, but you can get a lot closer to dancing like Beyonce by taking ballet lessons. For one, the similarities between dancing in heels and dancing ballet are striking. Ballet will strengthen your legs and especially your calves, which is necessary to get better at dancing in heels. Also, learning ballet will make you a better, more graceful dancer in general. You'll learn greater control of your body and its movement. And Beyonce's dancing is anything if not graceful and controlled.
4. Apply your new-found Beyonce moves out in the world. As a tongue-in-check internet trend has revealed, Beyonce's dances are very flexible. So when you're out dancing, don't be afraid to apply some of Beyonce-style dancing to different types of music. Dancing is a very individualistic activity, so experiment.
   • Try sprinkling some of the specific Beyonce dance moves in with your normal casual club dancing.
   • Try applying some of hip-hop dancing techniques to other types of music, like electronic music. See what feels right and go with it!
   • Try taking inspiration from Beyonce's moves to make your own Beyonce-style choreography to a song with a friend or two.

Tips

• Stretch before you begin dancing.
• Have fun. If you concentrate too much on your dance moves, you may look uncomfortable or awkward on the dance floor. Take a deep breath, relax and don't take yourself too seriously.
• Schedule a time to perform in front of friends and family. Strive to impress them with your knowledge of Beyonce's moves. Honest feedback from family and friends can help you improve your dance moves.
• Make sure you are physically fit before you try to learn Beyonce's dance moves. Many of her moves incorporate lunges and squats and require flexibility.
• Remember you are not Beyonce, so it's okay if it doesn't look exactly like her "moves", just have fun and put your own flavor to it.

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Sources and Citations

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