I’m Scared To Record A TikTok Dance. What Should I Do?

It can often seem that half of your TikTok feed is filled with dance videos. When that happens, most people feel compelled to hit the “Record” button on their phone and get into the action.

It’s difficult for many TikTok users to force themselves to get started, though. Some are shy or scared that they’ll look foolish, some aren’t very coordinated, and others simply can’t dance very well (or are convinced that they can’t dance).

If you’re in one of those groups, it’s time to put aside your hesitations and give it a try. Need a gentle push?

• Many TikTok dances don’t require full-body coordination. You only need to master hand movements for quite a few.
• If you don’t like how your TikTok dance content comes out, you don’t have to post it.
• Most of us are too critical of ourselves. If you practice for a while before hitting “Record,” your TikTok post will probably be fine. And even if your video isn’t outstanding, others will just scroll past it. No harm, no foul.
• There are lots of slow-motion dance tutorials on the social media platform which will help you learn the moves step by step.

Most importantly:

• The point of TikTok is to have fun. If you enjoy showing off your attempt at the latest trending dance move, who cares? You can just laugh about it along with your friends.

Ready to give it a go?

How To Do TikTok Dances

This advice, needless to say, isn’t for the prodigies who can dazzle on the dance floor or watch a TikTok video and immediately pick up the moves. They don’t need any help.

Here’s what everyone else needs to know.

First, find a dance that you like (and looks relatively easy to do). It doesn’t have to be the latest viral trend; there are thousands and thousands to choose from. If you’re not even sure where to begin, try doing a TikTok search for “easy dance videos,” and you’ll have plenty to work with.

Next, watch the video you’ve chosen, multiple times. Watch until you’re almost sick of seeing it; burning it into your brain means you won’t have to think about what the dance should look like when it’s time to actually film yourself.

Position yourself in front of a mirror, or somewhere else where you can watch your reflection as you practice the moves.

It’s time to get started. Bring up the dance video you’re trying to “memorize” and long-tap on it; then scroll the top menu on the popup to find the “Playback speed” option and choose “0.5x.” That will play the video at half-speed, making it easier to mimic the creator’s dance moves.

Now, try memorizing just the first two or three moves. Do it over and over again until you’re satisfied, and then switch the playback to full-speed (“Normal”) and practice until you’ve got it nailed. Now move on to the next part of the routine, and so on.

Popular TikTok dance videos are even easier to learn by using a tutorial; many TikTok users create those posts in slow motion, and they’re a terrific resource. Just enter the name of the dance and “tutorial” in the app’s search bar to find them.

When you think you’ve got the dance moves nailed, take a shot at recording your version (using the same music that others use, naturally). Check out your first take, figure out where you’re still having trouble, and go back and practice those moves some more.

Before you know it, you’ll be ready to create and upload your TikTok dance video. Give it a try —you have nothing to lose!