Guide
How to count music for dance
Dancers count music in 8-counts: two bars of 4 beats. Here is how to find the beat, find count 1, and write a count sheet you can rehearse from.
- 1
Find the beat
Tap your foot or clap along with the steady pulse of the song. That pulse is the beat. Most dance music has between 90 and 130 beats per minute. If your counting feels rushed, you are probably counting twice as fast as the beat: count every other tap.
- 2
Find count 1
Count 1 is the strongest beat, where a musical phrase starts. Listen for where the drums hit hardest, where the singer starts a line, or where the music changes. Most songs group beats in 4s (one bar), and dancers count two bars together: 1 to 8.
- 3
Count in 8s
From count 1, count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 and start again at 1. Each group is one 8-count. Write the time each 8-count starts, so you can skip straight to it in rehearsal.
- 4
Check it against the music
Play the song and count out loud. Big changes in the music (a chorus, a drop, a new verse) should land on a 1. If a change lands on a 5, start your 8-counts one bar later.
Tricky songs
Intros and pickups
Many songs start before count 1. A short lead-in is often counted as 5 6 7 8, just like a teacher calls it. Write it as an intro before set 1.
Waltzes and 3/4 time
Some songs have 3 beats in a bar instead of 4. Count them in 6s (two bars of 3), or in 3s.
Cuts and mixes
A competition mix can drop or add beats where two songs are joined. After a cut, find count 1 again. A set with 4 or 12 counts on your sheet usually marks a cut.
Where moves start
Most moves start on 1, 3 or 5. Bold those counts on your sheet so they stand out when you teach.
Let Choreosheet count it for you
Upload your song. Choreosheet finds the beat and count 1, then gives you every 8-count with its timestamp and the lyrics on each count. Try it with your song, or start with a free blank 8-count sheet.