Thoughts from the Dance Floor: Why Moving Sideways Matters
Most of us spend a great deal of our lives moving in one direction: forwards.
We walk forwards, climb stairs forwards, push a shopping trolley forwards and head from one room to another forwards. Even when we go out for a walk, which is a wonderful form of exercise, our bodies are usually repeating the same forward motion over and over again.
Then we come into a Zumba Gold, Zumba or Lift & Laugh® class and suddenly I am asking everyone to step to the side, reach across the body, turn, travel diagonally or shift their weight from one leg to the other. Sometimes I can almost see the thought pass across the room: My body doesn’t usually go this way!
That is exactly why these movements are worth doing.
The side steps, little turns and changes of direction we use in class may simply feel like part of the choreography, but they also encourage us to move in ways that everyday life does not always provide. They help us explore the space around us, practise transferring our weight and stay more comfortable and confident when life asks us to move in a direction other than straight ahead.
And life does ask us to do that—probably more often than we realise.
Life doesn’t happen in a straight line
Think about an ordinary day. You sidestep around someone in a busy shop. You turn to reach something from the back seat of the car. You move around a chair, step over a bag, reach across a kitchen counter or change direction when somebody suddenly stops in front of you.
You may need to move sideways along a row of theatre seats, step around a puddle, turn while carrying the laundry or make room for another person on a narrow pavement. None of these actions feels like “exercise”, but they all require your body to organise itself in different directions.
The more varied our movement is, the more familiar those actions can feel.
That does not mean we need to perform complicated drills or force ourselves into huge ranges of movement. It simply means giving the body regular opportunities to do something other than travel forwards. A comfortable side step, a gentle reach or a small turn can all be useful practice.
This is one of the reasons I love dance-based exercise. Without turning the class into a technical lesson, the music naturally invites us to explore different directions.
A salsa rhythm might encourage a side-to-side weight change. A cha-cha may take us forwards, backwards and across. A Bollywood-inspired routine might include sweeping arms and diagonal reaches. Before we know it, we have moved around our own little patch of dance floor in all sorts of ways.
It feels like dancing because it is dancing—but there is a lot more going on beneath the fun.
Why sideways movement can feel surprisingly unfamiliar
When somebody is new to class, a simple side step can sometimes feel less natural than expected.
This is not because they are “bad at dancing”. It is often because the movement is unfamiliar.
Our bodies become efficient at the things we do regularly. If most of our daily movement involves walking forwards, sitting down and standing up, those are the patterns we practise most. Moving sideways, turning or combining a step with an arm movement may ask for a little more thought.
This can be especially noticeable after a period of being less active. Illness, injury, caring responsibilities or simply getting out of the habit of exercise can gradually make our movement world smaller.
There is nothing wrong with being cautious, but gently reintroducing variety can help us rebuild confidence.
I often see this happen in class. At first, someone may keep their steps very small and concentrate hard whenever we change direction. A few weeks later, they are moving more freely without even realising it. The improvement has not come from trying to force a bigger movement. It has come from regular, relaxed repetition.
The change can be wonderfully quiet. There is no dramatic before-and-after moment; a movement simply starts to feel more natural.
The importance of shifting our weight
Every time we step sideways, we have to move our weight from one leg to the other.
That may sound obvious, but it is an important part of how we navigate the world.
When we walk forwards, our bodies repeat a familiar pattern. When we step to the side or change direction, we have to respond slightly differently. One leg supports us while the other moves, then our weight transfers again. The feet, ankles, knees, hips and torso all contribute to that process.
In class, we practise these weight changes to music. Sometimes they are slow and obvious; sometimes they become part of a flowing routine. We may tap a foot rather than fully transfer our weight, or we may travel a little further if that feels comfortable. There is always room to adapt.
The aim is not to take the widest possible step or keep up with the person next to you. A small, controlled movement can be far more useful than a large step that makes you feel unsteady. There is no prize for travelling the furthest across the hall; the right size is the one that keeps you secure and in control.
Over time, those repeated shifts of weight can help sideways movement feel less unusual. That familiarity matters when we have to step around an unexpected obstacle or adjust our position quickly in everyday life.
Turning is an everyday skill too
Turning often gets blamed for making people feel muddled in a dance class—and I understand why.
You are following the music, watching the instructor and remembering which foot you are standing on, and then I cheerfully ask you to face another direction!
But turns do not have to be fast or dramatic to be worthwhile. Even changing to face the side of the room encourages the body and brain to work together in a slightly different way.
Outside class, we turn constantly: to look behind us, change direction in the kitchen or greet somebody. Practising gentle turns in a supportive environment can help keep the movement familiar. In my classes, a turn is always optional. You can stay facing forwards, reduce a full turn to a quarter turn or take extra steps.
There is no benefit in becoming dizzy or uncomfortable. The useful part is having the opportunity to explore the movement safely and at your own pace.
Familiar music and repeated choreography give people time to work out what feels best. The first time, you may watch; the next time, you might try part of the turn. Eventually it may flow—or you may decide that your adapted version suits you perfectly. Both outcomes are valid.
Reaching across the body
Another movement we use regularly is reaching across the centre of the body. We might sweep one arm diagonally, reach towards the opposite side or combine an arm pattern with a side step.
We reach across ourselves to fasten a seat belt, put on a coat or reach into a cupboard. Our upper and lower bodies often need to cooperate while we do it.
In class, adding the arms to a foot pattern can feel like rubbing your tummy and patting your head at the same time. It is common for the feet to behave until the arms join in—and then everything seems to go in a different direction!
That is not failure. It is simply your body working something out.
You can keep the feet going and leave out the arms, make the reach smaller or add it when you feel ready. The choreography is an invitation, not an examination. You do not have to reproduce every movement exactly to gain something from the class.
A walk is wonderful—but it is not the whole picture
I am a great believer in walking. It is accessible, practical, good for our wellbeing and an excellent way to stay active. For many people, it is also one of the easiest forms of movement to fit into daily life.
But no single activity gives us everything.
Walking mostly takes us forwards at a steady pace. A dance or functional-fitness class can add some of the movements that walking does not naturally include: stepping sideways, moving diagonally, changing direction, varying speed and coordinating the arms with the legs.
The two work beautifully together. A walk can support general activity and endurance, while a varied class can help us explore a broader “movement vocabulary”. Just as having more words gives us more ways to express ourselves, having more familiar movement patterns gives our bodies more options.
And, of course, music makes that practice feel far less like homework.
Confidence grows through familiarity
One of the most valuable changes I see in class is not always physical—it is the growth in confidence.
Someone may arrive convinced that they have two left feet or that they will never manage a particular step. At first, they stay close to one spot and watch carefully. Gradually, the room becomes familiar, the music feels friendlier and the movements stop seeming quite so strange.
They begin to trust themselves.
That does not mean every turn becomes effortless or every routine is remembered. It means they are less worried about missing a cue. They know they can march on the spot, make the movement smaller and join in again when they are ready. That confidence can extend beyond the dance floor and remind us that our bodies are still capable of learning.
We sometimes assume that getting older means gradually doing less and making our world smaller.
I prefer to think in terms of keeping as many options open as we comfortably can. A side step may look like a very small thing, but it represents something bigger: the willingness to keep moving in different ways.
Small movements still count
It is worth repeating that none of this requires enormous steps, deep twists or fast turns.
Healthy ageing is not about proving what your body can tolerate. It is about working with the body you have today and helping it continue to do the things that matter to you.
Some days your side step may feel wide and energetic. On another day it may be a gentle tap. If you have a painful joint, feel tired or are returning after a break, you may keep everything smaller. You can hold your arms lower, reduce the turn or stay facing forwards.
Adaptation is not cheating. It is intelligent movement.
The people I admire most are often those who notice what their body needs and adjust without embarrassment. Once the pressure to be perfect disappears, it becomes much easier to enjoy the music and explore what your body can do.
A little practice for life beyond the dance floor
The next time we move sideways in class, it may just feel like a step-touch to a favourite song. When we turn, it may simply be part of the choreography. When we reach diagonally, we may be more interested in the music than in which muscles are working.
That is exactly as it should be. Exercise does not have to feel clinical to be useful.
Behind those enjoyable movements, we are shifting our weight, changing direction and reminding ourselves that movement can happen forwards, backwards, sideways and around. We are practising for real life without making it feel like practice.
So, if a sideways step feels unfamiliar or a turn takes a little extra thought, please do not decide that you are no good at it. Make it smaller, slow it down and give yourself time. Familiarity grows through repetition, and every comfortable attempt counts.
Life rarely moves in a perfectly straight line. It makes sense that our movement should not either.
A final thought from the dance floor
Next time you step sideways, turn to a new wall or reach across your body, notice how it feels. Is one direction easier than the other? Is there a movement you rarely use outside class? Has a step that once felt awkward gradually become more natural?
You do not need to judge the answer. Simply noticing is useful.
And when the music starts, remember: every little step is doing more than carrying you through a routine. It is helping you stay curious, adaptable and confident in the way you move through life.
If you would like to explore movement in a friendly, welcoming environment, come and join me for Zumba Gold, Zumba or Lift & Laugh®. All abilities are welcome, you can go at your own pace and there is never any pressure to get every move “right”.
Visit zumbawithjo.com to find a class near you.
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