I Love the Eighties Dance Moves

Lycra pants? Check. Heart sunglasses? Check. Leg warmers and sneakers? Check. Time to funk it up with the top 80s dance moves…

Electro, dubstep, house and repetitive beats… my heart belongs to clubbing, but the 80s were an awesome time for dance moves and I have to break into them whatever music I’m listening to. Check out my favourites and feel the beat! Or, if you’re doing the Worm, feel the unnamed sticky stuff on the floor as it presses against your cheek…

That’s Giulia on the right. She’s a Strictly Come Dancing choreographer who is teaching all our dance classes in the Reflex Studios in London.

The Moon Walk

The most famous dance move of all time. If you haven’t seen Michael Jackson interpreting the illusionary trick, you’re missing out. Get on YouTube right now and get some culture! But I’ll understand if you live on the moon and are only too aware of how it’s done, thanks. The idea is simple: You move backward but the mechanic of the legs is the one you’d use to go forward. Keep trying…

Giulia teaching 80s dance classes in London at Reflex Dance Studios. In the 80s, mint green was so in. Or moon green, as I call it.

The Running Man

If you are into street dance, this is THE move. Still done today. Bring your knee up and slide back with the standing leg when you bring it down. Next leg. Put some spicy bouncing into every movement. There you go. Tip: MC Hammer music – whichever – is the best for this move. Get your sneakers and go practice!

The Worm

Advanced. It’s basically imitating the moves of a worm. Yeah, that means that you have to lie down on the floor and have enough strength and flexibility to raise different part of your body in different moments. Sounds difficult, and it is! So try, and as you literally get down you might get some very awkward scenes going on!

This cool guy is hanging out at Kasia’s 80s dance class and he is not doing any of the moves I’m telling you about. He’s kind of letting us all down, no? He’s still a lovely guy, though – and keen!

The Cabbage Patch

Imagine you’re a shaman mixing some mysterious potion in a hip-height cauldron in front of you. Make sure you mix counterclockwise, or the potion doesn’t work. Done, you have your move. Pretty accessible!

Boogie Down

First, to make this effective, grow your hair as much as possible. Then play “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” by Wham on your Walkman (it’s the latest thing from Japan, you know). Now start swaying your head out of rhythm and twist your arms around. Make sure you make some space around you if you are ‘performing’ in a club!

What I love about these moves is that they’re infectious like zombie virus – the minute one person starts doing The Running Man, everyone has a go. Giulia’s 80s dance and aerobics classes are easy to get to (unless you live in not-London) and they’re available for hen parties and things, and they’re really friendly and happy and sillycool so you should get in touch. But never mind that, it’s all about you doing fun things for yourself – so find some 80s dance move videos on YouTube and have a go!