Gertrude Stein wisely said, “You’ll look ridiculous if you dance. You’ll look ridiculous if you don’t dance. So you might as well dance.” Embrace the wisdom and get ready to move because we’re diving into the joyous world of dance, inspired by the iconic “Mamma Mia Dancing Queen”!
Have you ever felt the irresistible urge to dance when “Dancing Queen” by ABBA plays? The song is pure elation, and the Mamma Mia movie rendition amplifies that feeling, making you want to leap up and twirl around. Now you can learn to dance like you’re in Mamma Mia with this fun and easy-to-follow tutorial, originally created as a special 40th birthday celebration and now available for everyone to enjoy. And if you love this energy, you might be interested to know that this dance enthusiasm is just a taste of what you’ll find in my new book, “Sweat with Brook Benten,” launching this Monday!
This isn’t just any dance; it’s a celebration of life, energy, and the sheer joy of movement, all wrapped up in the spirit of “Dancing Queen.” Imagine bringing that Mamma Mia magic to your next party, or even better, dancing this at my funeral – a true testament to living life to the fullest!
This “Dancing Queen” choreography is designed to be accessible for everyone. No prior dance experience is needed! We’ve broken it down into eight simple parts, making it easy to learn step-by-step. We’ll be using the infectious version of “Dancing Queen” from the Mamma Mia motion picture, performed by the talented Meryl Streep, Julie Walters, and Christine Baranski. Download this version from your favorite music platform like Apple Music or Spotify, and let’s get started!
Part 1 of 8
Part 2 of 8
Part 3 of 8
Don’t be intimidated, Dynamos! Part 3 might seem a little more challenging in our 8-part choreography breakdown, but you’ve got this!
In these tutorials, I initially face you directly. To make it easy to follow, I’ve mirrored my movements – think of me as your reflection in the mirror. So, when I say “right,” I mean your right. Forget about overthinking which side is which; just follow my lead as if you’re looking in a mirror (leave the mental gymnastics to me!).
Later in the tutorials, I’ll turn around to show you the moves from behind, ensuring you can follow step-by-step and move-by-move in perfect synchrony.
Part 4 of 8
Once you feel comfortable with Part 4 (below), it’s time to turn up the music! Put on “Dancing Queen” (Mamma Mia! motion picture version, remember!) and dance along with this section.
Again, I begin by facing you, using that mirrored image technique to simplify learning. Just remember, “right” means your actual right. No need to get caught up in reversing directions in your head – I’ve taken care of that for you!
And just like before, I’ll turn around to show you the steps from the back, ensuring we’re moving together seamlessly.
This particular section might feel a tad trickier because it involves facing both forward and backward. But remember, Dynamo, you’ve come this far! Trust yourself, you’ll catch on quickly. A helpful tip for this part: remember that the sequence initially leads to the right, and when you hear the lyric “gone,” pivot on your right foot while waving your right hand.
Part 5 of 8
After a quick refresh of the chorus choreography in Part 5, we’ll crank up the music and put everything together from the beginning! To eliminate any footwork confusion, I’ll face the same direction as you for this segment.
Part 6 of 8
Part 7 of 8
In this tutorial, I’ll explain the dynamic movements. In the full dance, there will be moments where we’re doing slightly different things before coming back together for the grand finale. I’ll guide you mirrored initially, and then turn to face the same direction as you to ensure crystal-clear footwork.
Part 8 of 8
This is it – the tutorial that brings the entire dance together! With the wonderful Julie Anna assisting, I’ll lead you through the complete “Dancing Queen” choreography. You might notice a little arm mishap on my part after the air guitar section when I’m facing you (shimmying the wrong way!). It’s proof that even instructors have moments! {My apologies – keeping the mirror image lead straight in my head can be challenging, just reverse it to match your mirror image!} After demonstrating the moves to the music while facing you, I’ll then turn to face the same way as you, once again ensuring no confusion with the footwork. This video is a bit longer, but that’s because it covers the entire routine twice – once mirrored, and once mimicking you.
Get ready to unleash your inner Dancing Queen and bring the joy of Mamma Mia to life!
