Party Dance Game Ideas

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Friends dancing at beach party
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You can liven up a party's mood by incorporating dancing games and up-tempo music. Dance games can entice even the most introverted party guests to get on their feet and interact with other guests. Dance games are especially effective when hosting a crowd with a broad range of age groups. Consider playing dance games to make your next party or event especially entertaining and memorable.

The Limbo

Friends doing limbo
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The limbo is a dance game that involves little preparation and lots of fun. The game begins with a pair of people holding the limbo stick approximately 4 feet from the ground. Participants must then pass under the stick by walking forward and bending backward in a dancing motion. The pair holding the limbo stick lowers it each time all guests have completed a pass under the limbo stick at a certain height. If a person touches the stick during his turn, he falls out of the competition. The objective of this dance game is to be the only player that can make it under the limbo stick at its lowest point.

Dance Charades

Group doing dancing charades at party
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Dance charades is a variation on the traditional version of the game and tests your guests dancing skills and movie knowledge. Before the party, the host prepares a container with folded up pieces of paper with each containing the name of a popular movie with a dance scene, such as "Dirty Dancing," "Saturday Night Fever" and "Flashdance." A player starts the game by pulling a piece of paper from the pile, then pantomiming the movie she picked to the other players. The first person to correctly guess the movie earns a point. The person with the most points at the end of the game wins.

Musical Chairs

Adults playing musical chairs and gathering
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Musical chairs is a party dance game enjoyed by adults and children alike. To play musical chairs, first select some upbeat music at a fast tempo to play during the game. Count the number of guests participating in the game and arrange chairs one less than the number of players in a circle, back-to-back or in a straight row. Guests start encircling the chairs once the music starts, and must find a chair to sit on the moment the music stops. The player left standing falls out of the game. Remove one chair and the process begins again when the music resumes, and continues until there is only one participant left sitting.


Friends throwing dance off party
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A dance-off is a sensible option for a dance-themed party. Select two or three guests to judge the competition, then have all other guests take to your dance floor and start grooving to the music. At the end of each song, the judges must agree on which dancer or pair of dancers to eliminate from the competition. Continue playing songs until only one couple or single dancer remains on the floor. A music selection involving a variety of dance types, such as hip-hop, salsa and swing, adds to the entertainment and allows your guests to showcase their rhythmic abilities.