How to Learn High School Musical Dances

Learning to dance is all about repetition.

"High School Musical" is a Disney movie for children and teens in which actors dance and sing to articulate events throughout the story. The popularity of the first movie led to "High School Musical 2" and "High School Musical 3: Senior Year." It seems that young viewers cannot get enough of the enthusiastic choreography and songs performed by their favorite actors. To learn the dances choreographed for "High School Musical," you can either watch the movies themselves on repeat, or purchase the "High School Musical Dance Along" instructional video.

Things You'll Need

• "High School Musical" or "High School Musical Dance Along"
• Television
• Floor space

Instructions

1. Prepare to practice. Place the DVD in your television. Move furniture and other valuable objects aside to clear a dance space.

2. Play a dance segment of "High School Musical" or play a dance lesson segment on "High School Musical Dance Along."

3. Watch the segment several times before doing anything. Become familiar with the dance moves in chronological order from start to finish.

4. Watch the first three moves, then pause the movie if using the "High School Musical" movie. Practice imitating just these three moves until you attain muscle memory. Muscle memory is a way of describing any motor learning. By repeating the moves through conscious muscular effort, you will eventually be able to perform them unconsciously.

5. Watch the next three moves and repeat step four. Combine the first three moves with the second three moves until you can memorize and perform them all at the same time.

6. Move through the rest of the dance repeating steps four and five.

7. Watch and follow along if using "High School Musical Dance Along." Listen as the actors and dancers describe the way the moves should feel. For example, the teacher describes one move as feeling like you have picked up a heavy box as you bend your arms and knees. Feel what he is saying as you practice the moves.

8. Play the "High School Musical" dance segments from the original movie. Attempt to follow along with the dancers. Repetition will help you attain muscle memory.

9. Articulate the moves with more enthusiasm once you have them memorized. Watch and compare yourself to the actors to see what extra articulation they add to the moves.

Tips & Warnings

• Recruit your friends and teach them the dance. Reenact the movie and tape yourselves to see how you compare.

References

• Disney: High School Musical
• IMDB: High School Musical Dance Along