The Best Dance Styles to Improve Fitness and Lose Weight (2026 Guide)

Why Dance Is One of the Best Workouts

Dance is one of the most effective — and enjoyable — ways to get in shape.
It boosts cardiovascular health, burns a high number of calories, improves muscle tone, increases flexibility, and releases endorphins that elevate your mood.

The best part?
You don’t need a gym, equipment, or prior experience. You can start at home with online classes designed for beginners.

Here are the top dance styles proven to be effective for fitness and weight loss.

1. Dance Workout (Cardio Dance)

 Best for: Full-body workout, calorie burn, beginners

Dance workouts combine simple choreography with aerobic movements. They increase heart rate, improve endurance, and help burn fat quickly.

Benefits:

• 300–500 calories per session
• Easy to follow
• Great for mood and energy
• Works the entire body

Try on digi.dance:

90s Dance Workout — perfect mix of fun and cardio, inspired by the 80s–90s aerobic style.

2. Hip Hop / Urban Dance

 Best for: High-energy cardio, stamina, body control

Hip hop is one of the best dance styles for weight loss because it involves fast footwork, groove, isolations, jumps, and dynamic routine flow.

Benefits:

• Burns 400–600 calories
• Improves coordination and agility
• Builds lower-body and core strength

 Try on digi.dance:

Hip Hop classes with Oreste Gaudio — ideal for beginners who want fun + intensity.

3. Latin Dance (Salsa, Bachata, Cha Cha)

Best for: Core strength, rhythm, cardio

Latin dances are fast, rhythmic and incredibly fun. They keep your body constantly engaged, especially the hips, legs and torso.

Benefits:

• Tones abs, glutes and legs
• Improves rhythm and mobility
• Moderate to high calorie burn

Try on digi.dance:

Latin & Caribbean classes with Chiquito, Lucrezia Lando and other top instructors.

4. Jazz Funk

Best for: Confidence, performance, muscle tone

Jazz funk mixes jazz technique, pop choreography and commercial style routines — perfect for students who want to tone muscles while dancing to energetic music.

Benefits:

• Strengthens legs and glutes
• Improves flexibility
• Burns 300–450 calories

5. Regggaeton & Dembow

Best for: Intensity, power, calorie burn

Explosive, dynamic and high-energy, reggaeton and dembow make you move constantly, engaging abs, glutes, shoulders and back.

Benefits:

• Huge calorie burn
• Strengthens core
• Boosts stamina and mobility

Try on digi.dance:

Urban Caribbean styles with Chiquito.

6. Ballroom / Standard (Quickstep, Slow Fox, Viennese Waltz)

Best for: Posture, leg strength, endurance

Ballroom may look elegant — but it’s an incredible workout. Quickstep and Viennese Waltz especially challenge cardio and coordination.

Benefits:

• Improves posture and balance
• Strengthens legs and back
• Great low-impact cardio
• Try on digi.dance:

Classes taught by Angelo Madonia, world-class Ballroom coach.

7. Tango Argentino

Best for: Core engagement, balance, tone

Not as high-impact as hip hop, but extremely effective for building strong posture, stability and leg tone — especially when practiced consistently.

Benefits:

• Strengthens inner thighs and legs
• Improves balance and coordination
• Burns 200–350 calories depending on intensity

Try on digi.dance:

Tango with Pablo Moyano & Roberta Beccarini — perfect for beginners wanting elegance AND fitness.

Which Dance Style Burns the Most Calories?

According to fitness studies:

Any style can help you lose weight — what matters is consistency and enjoyment.

How Often Should You Dance to Lose Weight?

For effective results:

• 3–4 sessions/week of 20–40 minutes
• Mix cardio styles (hip hop, dance workout) with technique styles (latin, ballroom)
• Add stretching or conditioning once a week

Slow, steady changes turn into long-term results.

Dance Your Way Into Shape

Dance is one of the most enjoyable and effective ways to get fit, lose weight and improve mental well-being. Whether you choose hip hop, latin, jazz funk or a 90s workout, the key is to move consistently and have fun doing it.

Explore all fitness-friendly classes on digi.dance
Try free previews to find your favorite style
Start your fitness journey with rhythm, energy and passion

Your transformation begins with the first step — and dance makes every step enjoyable.