Dance may not come naturally to everyone, but online dance classes can help you learn the world’s most popular dance form. This is the time to step out of your comfort zone and start tapping into some upbeat music. 

Dance is a beautiful form of expression of emotions, feelings, sentiments and stories. All over the world, different cultures have contributed to the global landscape of dancing art with their dance styles. Some of these popular dance forms were invented almost 7 centuries back. They gained huge amounts of popularity across the globe and continue to dominate the international dance scene even today. In this article, you will find the top ten most popular dance forms from around the world. 

Hip Hop

Hip Hop undoubtedly is one of the most popular dance cultures all over the globe. It is relatively new as compared to other internationally popular dance styles yet it has taken the world by storm because of its high energy, liberating and colourful nature. Besides the high energy and competition, hip hop provides other reasons for its fans to love it more than anything. 

Highlights:

• It is a rebellious dance form that became a way of life for all the artists involved in Hip Hop. 
• It involves more than just dancing since music and street art (graffiti) are a big part of hip hop culture. 
• There are no binding rules and dancers can invent their signature moves which allows them to customize their performance as per their emotions and agenda.

Salsa

Salsa makes it to the number two spot in the list of most popular dance styles from around the globe. While fast-paced lively music does have a role to play in the growing popularity of salsa, there are many other reasons for the same. 

Highlights:

• Salsa is a fun dance form and while the movements are sharp, it is fairly easy to learn. It is the first choice for most dancers who want to unwind after a long day at the desk. 
• Salsa is undoubtedly one of the sexiest international dance forms. Many couples take salsa lessons together to rebound and strengthen their relationship even further. 
• While most popular dance styles help get fit, salsa is no exception. With its high energy moves, you will be huffing and puffing in no time. Since it is a couple’s dance, this can provide for a great fitness activity with your partner.

Zumba

While dances like tango, salsa and flamenco sound like party dance styles, Zumba is loved by fitness enthusiasts. All over the world, it is easy to find gyms accommodating a special Zumba room for group fitness dance classes. Here are the benefits of Zumba which make it one of the most popular dance forms across the globe. 

Highlights:

• Zumba has been designed to enhance cardiovascular activity. Most Zumba classes oscillate between high and low-intensity routines which blaze your cardiovascular system and shoot up the heart rate. 
• Besides cardio, Zumba is also a great alternative to regular stretching and mobility sessions since a lot of its moves have been designed to achieve enhanced flexibility. 
• Zumba is known to build core strength and it is a common practice to perform a few moves with weights. This consequently helps tone the limbs and other body parts too.

ChaCha

Cha Cha Cha is another one of the most popular dance forms and the reason is its simplicity. It looks mighty fancy to see a cha-cha performance but it is one of the easiest dance forms to learn. This is one of the reasons why people choose cha cha cha to begin their dance journey, the rest are mentioned below. 

Highlights:

• Cha Cha is a combination of dances like Rumba and Mambo. By learning it, you will automatically be more adept to learn the other two dance forms. 
• It is a two-level dance form (in that, it has two types) including American style ChaCha which is a more basic form and preferred by beginners, and International ChaCha which is an advanced version of the former.

Swing

Swing dance gets its name from the “swinging beats” which are essentially delayed beats by the musicians. Like Hip Hop, swing also provides the freedom to the artists to add their personal touch and truly make the style their own. The reasons for the popularity of swing dance are numerous but the major ones have been mentioned here. 

Highlights:

• Swing dance has grown in popularity for many reasons but the primary one must be the unity that it signifies. Swing dance brought together the black and the white musicians together in a racially discriminatory era. 
• It is a basic 8-count circular and allows one to learn other 8-count and 6-count rhythms easily.  
• Because of its versatility, swing dance is one of the most popular dance choices for beginners. It has a rich culture of senior and accomplished dancers encouraging beginners to learn with them. 
• More than a dance, the swing is a social skill. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that this is the most basic social dance form that everyone should try to learn.

Ballet

Ballet is the number one choice for beginners among the most popular dance forms. Learning to dance ballet will help to develop a general understanding of music, beats, rhythm, flow and dance. This, along with the below mentioned, makes the list of reasons for the popularity of ballet all around the world. 

Highlights:

• Ballet involves a basic technique that helps develop an aptitude for other dance forms like contemporary and lyrical. 
• It helps in the development of toned muscles and strength to aid in other dance forms or sports. 
• There is an undeniable grace to ballet that makes it so unique and pleasing to the eye. It helps dancers get a better idea of their physical strengths and weaknesses. Both these combined help dancers to gracefully embrace any other popular form of dance.

FoxTrot 

Fox Trot was invented by Harry Fox in a rooftop dancing competition in New York in 1914. It emerged as one of the most popular dance choices at social gatherings and thus gained popularity. 

Highlights:

• FoxTrot is the most common form of social dancing. The reason for such popularity is its easy-going and mellow nature. You can be heavily dressed and yet dance to the slow beats while talking to your partner and enjoying a lovely evening. 
• Due to its versatility, FoxTrot is open for different types of dancers (beginners, intermediate and advanced) whether they want to try Peabody, Roseland or the Quickstep. 
• The right mix of quick and slow movements make it the perfect dance form which was needed by American Ballroom dancing. Fox Trot provides a flexible and much more enjoyable form of dance in the American Ballroom.

Rumba

Rumba finds itself at the number eight spot in the list of ten most popular dance forms around the world. Like Jazz, Hip Hop and Salsa, Rumba too has Cuban roots of origin. There is a lot to like about this dance form which makes it an internationally loved dance form. 

Highlights:

• The first and foremost reason for the popularity of Rumba is the competition. It is perceived as a competitive dance form all around the world. The World Dancesport Federation organises Rumba dancing competitions throughout the year. 
• It also is a popular choice for social dancing besides being a competitive performing art. Again, due to its adaptability to slow music and intimate nature, Rumba is often preferred to be the first dance between a married couple. 
• Rumba provides a great starting point for people who want to learn dancing.

Bollywood Dance

Just like India, the country of its origin, Bollywood dance is a vibrant and colourful form of dance involving hip music numbers and moves full of vigour. It is a freestyle form of dance and one of the most popular dance styles because of its open nature. 

Highlights:

• There are no bounds in Bollywood dancing. The whole purpose of the choreography is to enjoy the music. Lack of rules makes Bollywood dance a preferred choice for both dancers and non-dancers. 
• It is a mixture of all global dance forms and various Indian folk dances. It can be used for social dancing like in pubs, on spot dancing and even as a competitive dance form. 
• Anyone who knows dancing and is familiar with tapping to beats can perform Bollywood dance. Since it has no rules or set moves, you can invent your very own moves. Bollywood choreography also provides ample room for innovation as this dance form essentially calls upon your creativity to best the competition.

Bharatnatyam

Bharatnatyam dance is a folk dance from India which is gaining popularity all across the globe for its slow and fast fluid nature of dance mixed with expressions and classical Indian music. It is very different from other dance forms in that it is used to narrate stories. This essentially makes it a form of lyrical dance. Here are some reasons for the popularity of Bharatnatyam all over the globe. 

Highlights: 

• Like all other dance forms, it helps you build strength and agility at the same time. 
• While other dances help you improve overall muscle strength and structure, learning Bharatanatyam involves practising various mudras (hand gestures) which can help in developing fine motor skills in children. 
• It is a complete performing art that includes an understanding of music, rhythm, dance and acting. The hand gestures and feet movement is as important as the expressions and thus it helps in the overall development of artful aptitude.

If you want to learn dance and are scared about what others would say, then you have found the solution to your problems. At PiggyRide, you can find online dance classes for beginners of all ages. With the guidance of experts and professionals, you can easily learn the most popular dance forms from around the world. This is your chance to learn dancing and bond with your kids. Stop surfing uselessly and signup for a dancing class with your children at PiggyRide. Learn to dance while bonding with your little one. Happy dancing.