Want to learn how to dance but can't memorise the order of steps

[Lustard]

I'm very energetic and fairly flexible but have been awful at learning any dance due to the fact I cannot remember the steps of any of it any sequence (no matter what type of dance). I'd say I have a fairly average memory but find myself way behind when it comes to remembering dance moves and their order. Any tips? :(

why don't you try some online classes? If you wanted a different style of dance, jiveswing might be worth a try? they teach things like the Charleston and lindy hop, and have classes for absolute beginners. Since the classes are online now, it won't matter what group you join so you could just pick which time works best for you (the sessions are long but you can leave when it suits you)

Practise until it becomes muscle memory is the only way
Try a short sequence, slowly
Try it again 10 mins later
Try it again an hour later
6 hrs later, until bedtime
Then the next day repeat , possibly faster if it's better

Often easiest if you have the same music and same location ( face the same way in a room ) to start with

Or learn ballroom and get someone else to lead

Yes, it's a different kind of memory, you can't overthink it. Practise copying a video of an instructor, and as midgebabe says, keep practising until it's a muscle memory.

Tell us about about what you are trying to learn.

Very few people could pick up a sequence they are shown once without a lot of repetition and some tricks to help them remember/get it into muscle memory. Professional performers probably can but they have practised a lot and it's literally their job

Equally, very few people could attend a weekly class and remember a new sequence from one week to the next without writing it down. Or taping the initial demonstration and repeating it, first in chunks then all the way through.

Having a copy of the music helps as does a video of the demonstration. If you are not allowed to film, try the trick of 'turning on a video camera in your head'. Then write it up as soon as you can. Maybe learn to use stick figures to represent the moves.

It gets much easier if you already know some basics so only have to remember a list of names of steps with the count rather than trying to remember where each foot and hand is placed.

More detail of what you are trying to do would be useful to get more specific advice.

You have to learn the sequences very slowly and break them down into bits. If you have a choeography to 4/4 music just learn the first four beat sequence and practise only that to the whole piece if music. Then learn the next four best sequence and practise the two sequences to the whole piece of music and build it up slowly this way.

Yes, it's repetition, so your body remembers what to do rather than your brain!

Sleep helps. Practice (lots) before going to bed and then try again when you get up. Something happens in your brain at night that really helps muscle memory tasks.

Also, I can pick up abstract concepts much more quickly than average, but I need lots of time and practice to learn physical things that others pick up in one or two tries. It’s just my learning profile So it’s about finding the right instructor/platform for your learning needs.

My daughter tries to show me how to move my body and I can’t even memorise one move after the other. I look at these tiktok dances celebrity families post on Instagram and i just can’t imagine how they know where to put their hands and feet.
Can I train my brain to be coordinated?

The reason I can drive is that after more lessons than average, my subconscious can do the driving. If I had to explain what I was doing I wouldn’t have a clue.