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Learn the count

How to count 8 counts.

Most dance music is counted in eights. Once you can hear the 1, every routine gets easier to learn and to teach.

Step by step

How it works.

01

Find the beat

Tap along with the steady pulse of the track. Each tap is one count.

02

Group by eight

Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8, then start again on 1. In most dance tracks that's two bars of four.

03

Listen for the 1

The 1 usually feels strongest. New sections of a track tend to start on a 1.

04

Practice with help

In Groove, turn on the count to see 1 to 8 over the track, add a count in of one eight, and use the metronome.

Questions, answered

Why do dancers count in eights?

An eight covers a full phrase of movement in most dance music, so it's easy to teach, cue and remember.

Can Groove show the counts for me?

Yes. Groove lays a 1 to 8 count over your track, with a count in and a metronome you can turn on.

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