Dance Practice Guides
Tempos, drills, and song suggestions for the dance styles BeatLoop users practice most. Each guide is built around looping — the single most underused tool for getting better, faster.
Salsa
180–220 BPMMaster the cross-body lead, shines, and on1/on2 timing.
Salsa moves fast — most tracks live between 180 and 220 BPM, with intricate footwork built on a 1-2-3, 5-6-7 timing pattern. Whether you dance on1 (LA style), on2 (NY style), or Cuban Casino, the foundation is the same: hearing the clave and putting your weight on the right beat..
Read the practice guideBachata
110–140 BPMDrill the 1-2-3 tap, body waves, and partner connection.
Bachata sits in the 110–140 BPM range and is built on a 4-count rhythm with a hip pop or tap on the 4. Whether you dance traditional Dominican, modern, or sensual style, the foundation is the basic step plus body movement that matches the syncopation..
Read the practice guideKizomba
70–100 BPMSlow it down. Find the connection. Walk in time.
Kizomba is the slowest of the partner Latin dances at 70–100 BPM. It's built on grounded walks, weight transfer, and an intimate frame between partners.
Read the practice guideHip-Hop
80–100 BPM (classic), 100–140 BPM (modern)Drill foundations, isolations, and grooves on the break.
Hip-hop dance covers a wide range — from the foundational old-school grooves at 80–100 BPM to modern choreography at 130 BPM and up. The common thread is the bounce: a vertical pulse on each downbeat.
Read the practice guideContemporary
Variable (60–140 BPM)Phrasing, accents, dynamics. Internalise the music.
Contemporary dance lives in the relationship between the body and the music. There's no fixed tempo, no set pattern of steps.
Read the practice guide