By Alina Litvak
March 30, 2026
3 min read

Not sure which dance to try? How to choose your first style

Spoiler: there is no wrong answer. Here is how to find your best one.

Quick answer

Which dance style should I learn first? Choose based on your personality: Bachata for the easiest start, Salsa for energy and social variety, Waltz for elegance, Tango for drama, or Cha Cha for playful fun.

With over a dozen popular partner dance styles, choosing your first one can feel overwhelming. After 19 years of teaching and 1,000+ students at Quartier Latin Dance Studio in Montreal, we match people to styles by a few simple signals. Your personality, musical taste, and goals all point toward certain dances.

Match your personality

Social and energetic: salsa

Salsa is the extrovert of dance. It is fast, lively, communal, and joyful. Salsa events are parties with loud music, crowded floors, and high energy. If you get energy from being around people and love a lively atmosphere, salsa is your dance. At Quartier Latin, salsa classes are our most energetic.

Romantic and sensual: bachata

Bachata is intimate, connection-focused, and deeply musical. The close partner connection, slow tempo, and emotional music create a dance that feels like a conversation between two souls. If you value deep connection over high energy, bachata will speak your language. It is also the easiest partner dance to learn, making it perfect for absolute beginners.

Elegant and disciplined: waltz or foxtrot

The ballroom styles are for people who appreciate beauty, precision, and grace. If you love classical music, value aesthetics, and want a skill that works at every wedding and gala, waltz and foxtrot will feel like home. These are the most universally useful styles for formal events.

Intense and artistic: tango

Tango is the philosopher's dance, dramatic, complex, and full of detail. If you love art films, deep conversations, and intensity, tango will captivate you. Warning: tango dancers tend to become obsessed. It becomes a lifestyle, not just a hobby.

Playful and fun-loving: cha cha or jive

If you just want to have fun, cha cha and jive are your styles. They are rhythmic, bouncy, and full of personality. Grinning the entire time is not optional. It is inevitable.

Match your music

Marc Anthony, Celia Cruz, Latin jazz: Salsa
Romeo Santos, Prince Royce, R&B: Bachata
Classical, orchestral, film scores: Waltz
Frank Sinatra, Michael Bublé: Foxtrot
Gotan Project, Piazzolla: Tango
Santana, Latin pop: Cha Cha

Match your goals

Wedding first dance: Waltz (classic), rumba (romantic), cha cha (fun)
Social confidence: Salsa (biggest scene) or bachata (easiest start)
Fitness: Salsa (highest cardio) or dance fitness classes
Date night: Bachata (romantic) or salsa (energetic)
Mental challenge: Tango (deepest complexity)
Stress relief: Bachata (meditative) or waltz (flowing)

The real answer: try it

Your body knows best. The right dance is the one that makes you smile when the music starts, where the hour passes in ten minutes, and that you cannot stop thinking about afterward.

At Quartier Latin Dance Studio, I recommend trying two or three styles in your first month. We offer salsa, bachata, cha cha, waltz, tango, foxtrot, and more, so you can experiment without committing immediately. When stress relief is your goal, see how dance works as a moving meditation. When you are ready to pick a school, our guide to the best dance studios in Montreal shows what to compare.

You do not have to choose just one

Many dancers learn more than one style, and learning a second is easier than the first because foundational skills transfer. So do not stress about choosing the right one. Choose one. Start. And let the dance floor tell you where to go next.