Hip-Hop Dance Moves for Kids

Can you really get good at hip-hop dancing when you’re still a kid? With the right help and enough determination, absolutely yes! In this article, Howcast is going to teach you how to perform some of the most popular hip-hop dance moves for kids. Designed for kids and kids at heart, these free video dance lessons are full of detailed but simple-to-follow instructions. By the end, you’ll be on your way to dancing like a pro!

Cupid Shuffle

You’ve probably seen people doing the Cupid Shuffle at a school dance or party and wanted to learn the move yourself. The Cupid Shuffle is easy to pull off and lots of fun too. Here are the basic steps:

Step 1: Take four steps to the right.
Step 2: Take four steps to the left.
Step 3: Kick your feet (right -> left -> right -> left), bouncing a little with each kick.
Step 4: Turn to the left using the “walk it out” move (which we’ll cover later on).
Step 5: From your new stance, continue the Cupid Shuffle as described above.

To see how it’s done, watch pro dancer Jeff Cowans’ video tutorial from Howcast!

Dougie

The Dougie is a very fun hip-hop dance move for kids, but it can be a little tricky. There are two different things going on at the same time, with moves both on bottom and on top. Here are the steps:

On Bottom

The pattern to remember here is “single-single-double.”

Step 1: Do a “single-single-double.” This means you step-touch, step-touch, and then double it up.
Step 2: Do the same thing, going the other direction. This means step-touch, step-touch, and then “double it up.”

On Top

For the top part, you’ll use the pattern “single-single-double it up.”

Step 1: On the first “single,” bring your right hand to sweep across the right side of your head.
Step 2: On the second “single,” bring your left hand to sweep across the left side of your head.
Step 3: To “double it up,” bring your right hand to sweep across the right side of your head, and keep it there for a double-step.
Step 4: Repeat steps 1-3.

Now combine the bottom and top movements together with music, and you have the Dougie! Don’t worry if it seems a little complicated at first. Keep practicing, and you’ll get it in no time! You can watch Howcast’s dance tutorial at the beginning of this section to see how to Dougie, step by step.

Walk it Out

To “walk it out,” you’ll be performing two simple steps over and over again. This will make it look sort of like a shuffling walk from side to side, and it’s very cool with the right music. This is a fun and simple hip hop dance move for kids to learn!

Step 1: Step your right foot out to the side, pointing your foot and knee to the right so that you’re at an angle.
Step 2: Now step your left foot out the same way, pointing your foot and knee to the left so that you’re at an angle.

The important thing here is that you keep your knees bent. This allows you to “bounce” from one step to the next while giving the impression of walking it “out,” because your knees are pointed outward.

Watch Howcast’s tutorial to see how the “walk it out” move should look. Jeff Cowans shows each step separately, then puts it together with tips and tricks on how to succeed.

Whip My Hair Dance

The Whip My Hair Dance is very iconic and lots of fun once you get the hang of it. The first eight steps are pretty simple to learn:

Steps 1-2: Turn to the right and whip your hair (step 1) and again (step 2).
Steps 3-4: Turn to the left and whip your hair (step 3) and again (step 4).
Steps 5-6: Turn to the right and whip your hair (step 5) and again (step 6).
Steps 7-8: Turn to the left and whip your hair (step 7) and again (step 8).

After the first eight steps, you do a hair push, a step pivot, and then you pivot back around. It will look something like this:

Hair Push. Put your feet together. Jump and push your hair out of your face on the right. Jump and push your hair on the left now. Jump and push your hair on the right again.
Step Pivot. After this, you’ll do a step pivot. Step to the right, pivot to the left (facing the left side).
Pivoting Back Around. To end, you’re going to whip your hair around in circular motions, while pivoting back to your original position.

To learn how to do the Whip My Hair Dance, watch Howcast’s dance tutorial above, where the dance is broken down into easy-to-understand steps.

The Bernie

Anyone can do The Bernie! Even if you’ve never danced before, you’ll be able to learn this one pretty quickly. Here are a few key points:

Your arms should be loose, almost lifeless, and you’ll just kind of wave them around.
Your entire body will be that way, loose and lifeless.
Make sure your knees are bent, which will give you the bounce you need.

This dance is so much fun! Plus, because of the very relaxed state of your body, you’ll be able to dance to every beat within the song. Does it sound too easy? Watch Howcast’s video on how to do The Bernie above to see if you’re doing it right!

It’s Time to Dance!

Now that you know how to do the most popular hip-hop dance moves for kids, it’s time to practice and start dancing. We recommend that you start with one dance move at a time, working your way up.

For even more hip hop dance lessons, check out our main Hip Hop page here!

ABOUT THE EXPERT

Jeff Cowans

Jeff has worked as both a dancer and choreographer for various artists including Crystal Waters and Athena Ripka. Currently, Jeff is the Assistant Director of hip-hop at Icon Dance Complex in New Jersey. He is also the creator of the Get 'Em Gear clothing line.