Free Lessons · Videos · Step-by-Step Guides
Free Ballroom Lessons With Amy
Short beginner videos from Amy Hanson, the three-time defending Dancer’s Cup Tour Top Teacher, plus step-by-step guides for the foxtrot, waltz, rumba, swing and hustle. Watch, practice at home, and come back as often as you like.
Free to watch and read. No sign-up, partner or experience needed.
Quick Answer
Ballroom by Amy offers two kinds of free lessons. Amy Hanson’s video lessons cover the Hustle, American-Style Rumba and Single-Time Swing, each about two minutes with a full transcript. The step-by-step guides break down the Foxtrot, Waltz, Rumba, Single-Time Swing and Hustle for leaders and followers, with more dances on the way. When you want personal feedback, Amy teaches private lessons and group classes across the Twin Cities.
Two Ways to Learn for Free
Watch
Video lessons with Amy
See Amy and her partner William dance it, hear her cues, and follow along. Three dances, about two minutes each.
Read and practice
Step-by-step guides
Each guide breaks a dance down for leaders and followers, with the count, footwork diagrams, a count-along lesson and tips for practicing at home.
Step-by-Step Dance Guides, by Style
Ballroom dances fall into families. Pick a family that matches the music you love, or start with whichever dance you need first for a wedding, gala or night out.
Smooth
Graceful dances that travel around the floor.
Rhythm
Compact, rhythmic dances you can do on a crowded floor.
Nightclub
Social dances for weddings, parties and nights out.
More dances are on the way, from tango and cha cha to salsa and East Coast swing. You’ll always find every guide under Free Lessons in the menu at the top of the page.
The Video Lessons: Pick a Dance
All three videos are made for beginners. Choose the one that matches the music you like, or watch all three and see which one feels like you.
American-Style Rumba
Slow and smooth. Great for learning to move your weight.
Lesson 1 · Lively and social
Free Hustle Lesson
The Hustle is a lively partner dance you can use at weddings, parties and nights out. Amy calls it one of her favorite dances. She and her partner William start with the basic rock step and build up to turns and a basket.
What you’ll practice:
- The basic: a rock step, then march, march, counted 1, 2, 3, 4
- Rotating the basic gently clockwise, as much as feels comfortable
- An outside-to-inside turn
- The basket (also called the cradle), followed by an inside turn
Want the steps written out? Read the step-by-step Hustle guide
Read the transcript
Hi, I’m Amy Hanson, and today I’m going to demonstrate the hustle with my partner, William.
Okay, leaders, you’re going to be stepping back on your left foot. Followers, you’re stepping away on your right foot. Leaders left, followers right. Leaders are moving back. Followers are moving back. It’s a rock step, so we rock away and back. In between, we have a march, march. We have a rock away, rock away, march, march, rock away. We can put counts to it: 1, 2, 3, 4.
When we’re ready, we’re going to rotate clockwise for the leader, just ever so slightly, however much rotation is comfortable. Always rocking away from our partner. March, march comes a little bit more toward your partner. One, two, three, four.
We’re going to stay stationary for a minute. We’re going to demonstrate our outside-to-inside turn. Leaders, raise the hand. Rock step. One, two. Rock. The turn will happen after the rock step. Here we go. We’ll demonstrate again. One, two, rock away. One, two, rock away.
From here, we have our basket. Leaders will use two hands to wrap up their partner on the right side of their body. We rock together. He sends her out. Let’s try that again. One, two, rock. Wrap your partner. Send them out.
After our cradle, or our basket, we will then follow with an inside turn. So let’s do our basket. Send your partner out. Leaders and followers trade places. There you have it.
Okay, thank you so much for watching. The hustle is one of my favorite dances. It’s my husband’s only dance. It’s his go-to dance. We’ve been using it for years at every wedding and party we attend. If I can get him out on the dance floor, that’s what we use. I think you’re really going to like this one. Make sure to check out some of the other videos on the website. If you want to learn more about private lessons or group classes, check us out at Ballroom by Amy.
Lesson 2 · Slow and smooth
Free American-Style Rumba Lesson
American-Style Rumba is slower and smoother, so you have time to think about your feet. It’s built on the box step, a pattern you’ll use in other ballroom dances too.
What you’ll practice:
- The box step: forward, side, together, then back, side, together
- The rumba count: slow, quick, quick
- Closing your feet and changing weight cleanly
- The box with an underarm turn for the follower
Want the steps written out? Read the step-by-step Rumba guide
Read the transcript
Hi, I’m Amy Hanson, and today I’m going to demonstrate the American-style rumba with my partner, William.
Starting off, we have our box step. Leaders are going to go forward on their left foot, followers back on the right. We take one step, and then side, together, side. We close our feet and change weight. Leaders are going to go back on their right foot, followers forward on their left: side, together, and change weight. We repeat that. We count slow, quick, quick, slow, quick, quick, slow, quick, quick. Slow. Good.
After this, we have our box with an underarm turn. Followers, you’re going back as well on the right. Leaders are going forward on their left, just like normal. When we get to this corner, leaders are going to still step back on their right foot. Followers are going to go forward on their left. We’re going to make a circle around the floor. Coming back to our partner again, followers are going forward: left, right, left, right, side, together, left together, right back into our box step. Leaders are maintaining their box footwork while she does her turn. Slow, quick, quick, slow, quick, quick, slow, quick, quick. Very nice.
Thanks for watching. Check out some other videos from us.
Thanks so much for watching. I hope you guys enjoyed the videos. Make sure to check out the other videos on the website. If you guys want to learn more, dive into private lessons or group classes, please reach out to Ballroom by Amy.
Lesson 3 · Upbeat and fun
Free Single-Time Swing Lesson
Single-Time Swing is an upbeat, simplified swing that fits a lot of popular music. The basic is just step, step, rock step, with a little swing in the hips.
What you’ll practice:
- A relaxed closed-position hold
- The basic: slow, slow, quick, quick (step, step, rock step)
- Swing motion in the hips and gentle clockwise rotation
- The outside underarm turn
- The basket, followed by an inside turn
Want the steps written out? Read the step-by-step Single-Time Swing guide
Read the transcript
Hi, I’m Amy Hanson, and today I’m going to demonstrate the single-time swing with my partner, William.
All right, single-time swing. We’re going to start in a closed position. The follower’s left hand comes on top of the leader’s right arm. We take a nice, relaxed hold over here. Followers step with the right foot to the side, leaders with the left foot. We have step, step; we rock, rock. Step slow, slow, quick, quick. We add in a little bit of swing motion with our hips to create that look and feel of our single-time swing.
We can add in some rotation, just like the hustle. We’re going clockwise in this one. Quick, quick, slow, slow, quick, quick, slow, slow.
Our next step is our outside underarm turn. Leaders will raise the left hand after they rock. Slow, slow, rock away. Bring your partner back. Notice how the leader and the follower change positions when they do that outside underarm turn. Slow, slow, quick, quick, slow, slow, quick, quick. We can get back to two hands and maintain our basic.
When we’re ready, we will do our basket. Leaders wrap the partner up on the right side of their body and send her out. We’ll try that again. Slow, slow, wrap them up. Slow, slow, wrap together. Slow, slow, rock step. Following our basket, we will then lead an inside turn. Slow, quick, quick. Good. We’ll put our basket together with our inside turn. Quick, quick, slow, slow. Here’s our basket. The follower goes, and then we trade places. Slow, quick, quick. There you have it.
Thanks so much for watching. I hope you guys enjoyed the video. Make sure to check out the other videos on the website. If you guys want to learn more, dive into some private lessons or group classes, please reach out to Ballroom by Amy.
How to Practice With the Videos and Guides
- Watch once all the way through before you try anything, so you know where the lesson is going.
- Learn the footwork on your own first, saying the count out loud: “slow, quick, quick” or “1, 2, 3, 4.”
- Stay with the basic until it feels easy. The turns will make more sense once your feet know the pattern.
- Practice in short bursts, five or ten minutes at a time, a few times a week.
- Clear a little space and wear smooth-soled shoes that let you turn. Grippy sneakers make turns harder.
- Use the transcripts to read Amy’s cues at your own pace when a step goes by too fast.
- Pair a video with its guide. Watch Amy dance it, then use the guide’s diagrams and count-along lesson to drill the steps one at a time.
Ready to Learn Faster With Amy?
Free videos and guides are a great start. Personalized lessons help you correct small mistakes, build confidence and learn the dances you actually want to use.
Amy teaches singles, couples and groups across the Twin Cities, from group classes to wedding first dances and competitive dancing.
Amy typically replies within one business day. Not sure what to ask for? Find the right lesson for you.
Why Learn With Amy
Amy Hanson is the three-time defending Dancer’s Cup Tour Top Teacher. She has danced professionally and internationally and built friendships with dancers many people recognize from Dancing with the Stars. She has taught since 2009 and founded Ballroom by Amy in 2013.
Her teaching in person sounds a lot like these videos: clear counts, simple cues and plenty of encouragement. Complete beginners are welcome, and no partner is required.
Ballroom by Amy is based in the Twin Cities, teaching in Saint Paul, Roseville, Shoreview and Plymouth, and welcoming dancers from across the metro.
Free Lesson FAQs
Are these lessons really free?
Yes. The videos and the step-by-step guides are free to use as often as you like, and there’s nothing to sign up for.
What’s the difference between the videos and the guides?
The videos show Amy and her partner William dancing, with Amy’s cues. The guides spell out every step for leaders and followers, with diagrams and a count-along lesson. Many people watch the video first, then practice with the guide.
Do I need a partner?
No. You can learn the footwork on your own. The videos and guides cover both the leader’s and the follower’s part, so they work whichever part you dance.
I’ve never danced before. Is this too advanced?
These lessons are made for beginners. Start with the basic step in any video or guide and stay there until it feels comfortable. The turns can wait.
Which dance should I learn first?
If you want something slow and steady, start with the Rumba or the Waltz. For an elegant dance at a gala or wedding, try the Foxtrot. If you want a dance for parties, try the Hustle. If you love upbeat music, try Single-Time Swing.
Can I follow along without sound?
Yes. Captions are built into each video, and the full transcript is right below it. Every guide is written out step by step, so you can learn from the page alone.
Can Amy help me in person?
Yes. Amy teaches private lessons and group classes across the Twin Cities. Email her or call or text 612-308-7708, and she typically replies within one business day.