How to Record a TikTok Dance

Learning and recording a popular TikTok dance can feel like a huge challenge, but it's much more accessible than you think. This guide gives you a complete, step-by-step breakdown of the entire process, from finding a trending dance and mastering the moves to filming, editing, and posting a video you'll be excited to share.

Part 1: The Prep Work: Setting Yourself Up for Success

A great dance video starts long before you hit the record button. Nailing these preparation steps will make the actual filming process smoother, faster, and much less stressful. Think of this as building your foundation.

Choosing and Learning the Dance

First things first, you need a dance to learn. Your primary source for what's trending right now is your "For You Page" (FYP). Pay attention to which dances you see over and over from different creators - that's a sign that the trend is currently popular.

• Find the Trend: Scroll through your FYP and listen for sounds that are attached to dances. When you find one, tap on the spinning sound icon at the bottom right. This will take you to the audio page where you can see how many other videos have been made with that sound. A high number (hundreds of thousands or millions) means it's a major trend.
• Save the Sound and Key Videos: Save the sound by tapping "Add to Favorites." You should also 'favorite' a few videos of creators who perform the dance clearly. This gives you references to study.
• Break Down the Moves: Watch your reference videos multiple times without trying to do anything. Just observe the movements and the rhythm. Then, use TikTok's "playback speed" feature. On most videos, you can press and hold the screen to change the speed to 2x, 1.5x, 1x, or 0.5x. Slowing it down to half speed is a lifesaver for catching tricky footwork or quick hand gestures. Practice the choreography one eight-count at a time until you feel comfortable. Don't worry about being perfect, just get the core motions down.

Perfecting Your Filming Environment

You don't need a professional studio, but your environment dramatically impacts the quality of your video. Focus on three things: location, lighting, and background.

Location and Space

Pick a spot where you have enough room to fully extend your arms and legs without hitting anything. A crowded space will restrict your movements and make the dance look cramped. Test out the full range of motion for the dance in your chosen spot before you even set up your phone.

Lighting is Everything

Good lighting is the single most important factor in making your video look high-quality. Low-quality, grainy footage often comes from poor lighting, not a bad camera.

• Natural Light: The best and cheapest light source is a window. Position yourself so you are facing the window. This provides bright, even light across your face and body. Avoid having the window behind you (backlighting), as this will turn you into a dark silhouette.
• Artificial Light: If you're filming at night or in a room without good natural light, a ring light is a fantastic investment for creators. Place it directly in front of you at roughly head height to create that classic, well-lit social media look.

Background Check

The background of your video should be simple and free of distractions. A messy room or people walking behind you can pull focus away from your performance. A plain wall, a tidied-up corner of your room, or a clean outdoor space works perfectly. The goal is to make you the subject, not your laundry pile.

Setting Up Your Phone for the Perfect Shot

Hand-holding your phone is not an option for a dance video. You need stability and the right angle to capture your moves properly.

• Use a Tripod: A tripod is a non-negotiable tool. It keeps your phone steady, ensures a well-framed shot, and frees up your hands. Propping your phone against a stack of books is a last resort - it's unstable and rarely gives you the right angle.
• Find Your Angle: The standard angle for a full-body dance video is straight on, with the phone camera at about chest height. This captures your body's proportions accurately. Filming from slightly below and angling the camera up can make you appear taller and more dynamic, which is a popular technique.
• Frame Your Shot: Before you record, do a quick rehearsal of the dance while looking at your phone screen. Are you ever cut off at the top or bottom? Can you see your full range of motion? Adjust the tripod's distance and height until you stay completely in frame for the entire routine.

Part 2: Let's Record! Using TikTok's Tools Like a Pro

With your dance learned and your set ready, it's time to film. TikTok has built-in features that make recording dance videos by yourself incredibly simple. The timer is your best friend here.

The Magic of the Timer Feature

The timer allows you to start recording automatically, giving you enough time to get into your starting position.

1. On the TikTok camera screen, find the "Timer" icon on the side panel (it looks like a small stopwatch).
2. Choose a countdown length - 3 seconds is usually plenty of time to step back from your phone and get into position.
3. Next, you'll see the audio timeline at the bottom of the screen. You can set exactly where in the song your recording should stop. This is really helpful for recording a dance in smaller chunks.
4. Once you're ready, tap "Start countdown." The app will count down, and then automatically begin recording.

Recording in Chunks

Feeling overwhelmed trying to perform the entire dance perfectly in one take? Don't. Break it down. Nearly all experienced creators record complex dances in smaller segments. It’s far more efficient and leads to a cleaner final product.

Here's how to do it:

1. Use the timer to record the first 8 or 16 counts of the dance.
2. The app automatically saves that first clip. Go back into the timer.
3. Now, use the audio timeline to start the recording exactly where the last clip left off.
4. Use the countdown again and film the next section of the dance, starting in the pose you ended with in the last clip for a seamless transition.
5. Repeat this process until you've recorded the entire dance. TikTok will automatically stitch all the clips together into one video.

This method lets you focus on smaller parts of the dance, reducing the chance of mistakes and taking the pressure off of a flawless one-take performance.

Part 3: The Edit: Polishing Your Performance

Now that your raw footage is recorded, a few simple edits can take your video from good to great. TikTok's in-app editor has all the tools you need for this.

Trimming Your Clips and Syncing the Sound

In the editing screen (which appears after you finish recording), tap on "Adjust clips." This is your main editing interface. You can trim the beginning or end of your clips to remove any awkward moments where you're walking into frame or fumbling with your phone. If you recorded in chunks, you can adjust the timing of each one to make sure your transitions look smooth and are perfectly synced to the beat of the music.

Adding Text Overlays

Text can add context, humor, or clarity to your video. It's an excellent way to boost engagement.

• Add Text: Tap the "Text" icon to add captions or commentary. Choose your font, color, and background to make it pop.
• Set Duration: This is a powerful feature many creators use. After you write your text, tap on it and select "Set duration." You can then choose the exact moments in the video when you want that text to appear and disappear, great for highlighting specific lyrics or moves.

Choosing an Eye-Catching Cover

The cover is the thumbnail image people will see on your profile. Don't let TikTok choose a random blurry frame! From the posting screen, tap "Select cover." You can now scroll through your entire video and choose a clear, dynamic, and interesting frame as your thumbnail. Select one that represents the peak action of the dance to attract more viewers.

Part 4: Posting for Maximum Reach

Your video is filmed and edited. The final step is sharing it with the world. Your caption and hashtags are more important than you might think.

Crafting Your Caption

Keep your caption short, engaging, and relevant. A common strategy for dance videos is to say something relatable about learning the routine, like "This dance took me way too long to learn 😅" or ask a question to drive comments, such as "How many tries do you think this took? 😂"

How to Use Hashtags Correctly

Hashtags help TikTok's algorithm understand what your video is about and who to show it to. You don’t need 20 of them. A good strategy is to use 3–5 relevant hashtags.

• Broad/Trending: Always consider using #fyp or #foryou. These are general but widely used.
• Niche/Specific: Include hashtags related to the dance or sound, like #[soundname]challenge or #[dancename]trend.
• Community-based: If applicable, use a hashtag that connects with your audience, like #dancetok.

Final Thoughts

Recording a TikTok dance is a learned skill that mixes planning, practice, and a little bit of technical know-how. By breaking down the process - from setting up your shot and using an effective timer, to adding simple edits - you can consistently create high-quality videos that you’re truly proud to share.

Once you get the hang of creating great dance videos, the next step becomes building a consistent content schedule. That's where we found things could get tricky, trying to juggle one viral hit while also planning for Reels and YouTube Shorts. We built Postbase to streamline this entire process for the modern creator. It’s designed specifically for today's video-first world, allowing us to plan all of our platform content in a visual calendar and schedule videos across TikTok, Instagram, and more without the usual publishing headaches.