Longboard dancing is a visual skill that includes balancing tricks and fluid cross-stepping while carving on a longboard. These tricks are generally called “flatland” tricks, which are different from freestyle tricks such as kickflips, ollies, and shuvits.
While longboard dancing is one of the best tricks you can do on a longboard, it takes some exercise before mastering it as it requires a light touch and impressive skills to learn the form of longboarding. However, one shouldn't underestimate the importance of selecting a longboard for dancing.
Dancing longboards are a tiny bit different from traditional longboards because they provide more comfort and maneuverability.
While you can technically use any longboard for dancing, the dedicated dancer boards feature the added benefit of an effective foot platform which serves the purpose of providing more freestyle tricks for beginners.
If you're looking for a longboard, which you can move around to enable you to dance, all while keeping the board in a carving motion, keep on reading.
Below, we've reviewed the top 9 longboards for dancing.
In A Hurry? The Best Dancing Longboard Roundup Winner After 15 Hours Of Research:
Our TOP PICK
Magneto 46" Dancer
Why is it the best?
Long - 46”
High-quality bamboo and fiberglass
Smooth wheels
Dual kicktails for different tricks
Best Dancing Longboard Roundup - Comparison Table
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Cheaper Alternatives - Comparison Table
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Our Top Picks
1. Magneto 46" Dancer - The Best All-Rounder
The Magneto Dancer is everything one could ever want in a dancer longboard. It's high quality, fashionable, flexible, and comes with all of the necessary additions.
This board is made of three plies of bamboo and fiberglass, enabling it to flex in multiple ways without snapping. This mix of materials is perfect since it's sturdy enough for any weight or skill level, making this board incredibly durable.
At 46 inches long, the shape of the Magneto Dancer is ideal for those who want to increase their longboard dancing skills. This board also comes with dual kicktails, which is perfect for achieving more tricks - although this means the Magneto Dancer is better suited for people with more experience in longboard dancing.
The wheels are also an important part of the board. These wheels are 70mm tall and soft, offering a smooth ride no matter the surface you're riding on. This is crucial for dancer longboards because smooth wheels provide additional balance.
All in all, Magneto dancing longboard is a perfect choice for those who are looking to enhance their longboard dancing skills, and it's also a great board for those who want to try out a longer board.
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2. Loaded Mata Hari - Best Compact Size Dancer Longboard
The Mata Hari is highly responsive, incredibly smooth, and comfortable to ride. Carving on Mata Hari is simply amazing. The elevated edges make this longboard sensitive even to the slightest movements while you're doing dancing tricks on the deck. The long wheelbase offers you reassuring stability when trying to walk and spin.
This dancing board is true to Loaded’s distinct innovative construction which involves two laminated bamboo cores positioned between layers of fiberglass, epoxy resin, and gorgeous outside bamboo veneers.
As with most of Loaded’s boards, this blend of materials results in a deck that’s surprisingly lightweight for its size, but it also provides resistance to high impacts.
Additionally, The Mata Hari showcases a mild rocker and mellow concave. The slightly raised rails feel incredibly comfortable while riding and they feature a tight foot grip even in areas with no grip tape.
Mata Hari is a truly versatile board, which, apart from dancing tricks, you can still use for cruising and even for some distance commuting. It’s also lightweight, which makes it very nice to carry around.
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3. Landyatchz Stratus - Great Lightweight Option
The main strength of the Landyatchz Stratus is its weight. The board weighs around 4 lbs, making it easy to carry around.
The light weight of this board results from Landyachtz’s own “Hollowtech” construction that utilizes wood material and hybrid fiberglass around the deck, making it appear hollow in its core – you can actually see through the board's deck in the sun.
The Stratus has a remarkably big and flat standing platform which makes it perfect for performing dancing tricks. It’s fully symmetrical with very slight concave. The tails on this board are pretty big though, and constructed out of wood for increased strength, offering some pop tricks.
The board's deck has no grip between the trucks since grip can sometimes interfere with boardwalking by making your feet stick. On the other hand, the tails feature strong grip on them providing an extra stable ride.
In addition, The Landyachtz Stratus comes in two flex options, “Standard” and “Super Flex”. The latter one works best for lightweight longboard dancers – heavier riders may easily bottom out when jumping.
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4. Loaded Icarus - Snowboard-Style Dancer Longboard
Are you looking for a dancer longboard that you can even ride on snowy days? Then, Loaded Icarus is the ideal dancing board for you. This longboard's style is as same as the shape of snowboard-style carving.
Icarus is constructed out of laminated bamboo and fiberglass. This combination of these materials provides durability and excellent flexibility to the riders.
The board's truck is designed to offer the longboard dancer an amazing dancing experience. So, while dancing on this board, you won't need to push with heavy force - just a little push is all it's needed for you to go far!
The longboard's nose is designed to provide an easier but also a safer ride. The cork bottom works amazingly as it reduces most of the vibrations while riding. The Icarus's compact size makes it user-friendly - the tiny nose and tail kicks help a rider to navigate, as well.
If you have trouble while turning with your dancing longboard, worry no more. The reverse kingpin trucks on the Icarus offer a controlled turn. Furthermore, the Orangatang wheels featured in this longboard will enable you to experience a very smooth ride.
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Cheaper Alternatives
1. Apollo Drop Through Longboard - Our Top Budget Pick
The Apollo Drop Through board is made for carving, commuting, cruising, and downhill riding. However, this longboard works amazing if you decide to use it for longboard dancing.
This longboard features some great materials, including 5 layers of Canadian maple wood combined with bamboo for the bottom layer. The board's deck has a width of 9" and a length of 39" and due to the high-quality material choice, the Apollo Drop Through is pretty robust and long-lasting.
Furthermore, the board's deck is covered with a very grippy OS780 grip tape which will help you keep a stable position while cruising down the road.
The board's shape offers you great balance while reducing the chances of wheel bite while carving.
Apollo comes in various deck sizes ranging from 36" to 40" so you can choose which one suits you the best. The longboard's deck is wide enough and will allow you to place your feet comfortably and perform dancing tricks with ease. In addition, Apollo can easily hold a weight of up to 220lbs.
Furthermore, Apollo Drop Through comes equipped with 7" aluminum trucks and 69 x 55 mm wheels that will definitely provide a comfortable ride.
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2. Volador 46" Dancer - Colorful Dancer Longboard
The Volador dancing longboard is another 46” longboard - making it perfect for those who are looking to get a longer board.
The board's length is matched with the 37" wheelbase which makes for a steady board. Volador is made of 8 maple layers - a high-quality and rigid material that enables for maneuverability and flexibility.
The reason why Volador is so successful and popular in the longboard dancing community is because it was designed by professionals who know exactly what longboard dancers need in a dancing longboard. This goes from the smooth wheels to the adjustable aluminum 7” reverse kingpin trucks.
On that note, Volador's wheels are made out of a durable 78A PU material with ABEC-9 precision bearings, making it perfect for freedom of movement on various different surfaces.
The board also comes with adequate kicktails for more experienced longboard dancers.
Lastly, this longboard comes in a wide range of graphic designs for those who prefer a colorful board making it great for showing off a distinct display during your dancing sessions!
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3. WHOME Pro 42" Dancer - Great Budget Compact Dancer Longboard
The Whome Pro is a 42” longboard which is a perfect size for riders of any skill level, age, or weight, and with its deck made out of 8 layers of maple, it can hold up to 330lbs of weight.
This longboard is all about offering just the right amount of safety for any type of use. The length of the board's platform is perfect for beginners and those looking to improve their riding styles, before they can explore longer boards.
The Whome Pro showcases a wide wheelbase and trucks made out of aluminum alloy offering extra stability and balance, which then makes bending and swerving contours much easier. The board is also very sturdy, meaning it's going to last for quite some time while providing consistent stability.
For additional control, this sturdy deck has an anti-slip grip tape that provides traction for your feet to grip onto. Likewise, the 70mm chrome steel wheels will provide you with a smooth ride that will furthermore enhance and improve balance.
All in all, the Whome Pro can be used for dancing, practicing tricks, or just cruising along the sidewalk.
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4.Playshion Drop Through - High Weight Capacity Dancer Longboard
The Playshion Drop-Through longboard is a perfect choice tailored to meet the demands of people looking for an inexpensive dancing board.
Despite being budget-friendly, Playshion Drop-Through doesn’t skimp on performance. This board is made from a rock maple and bamboo blend which is sturdy and flexible, despite its thickness.
Furthermore, this longboard has just the right amount of flex that won’t pose an issue for beginner longboard dancers. Additionally, Playshion Drop-Through has a generous capacity of 250lbs, so the bigger riders shouldn’t have any problems riding this one.
A drop-through design is quite a popular one among the longboarding community as it gives a lot to the rider. This design is useful to the longboard dancer because it lowers the center of gravity, which furthermore increases the overall stability, so the rider is less likely to fall when performing his longboard dance.
What's more, dancers will love the 70mm polyurethane wheels since these offer a nice and comfortable ride. These wheels are also capable of picking speed and aren’t hampered by obstacles a rider usually encounters while riding. As for the board's truck, the 7” reverse trucks make the board slide easily and offer a comfortable ride.
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5. Slendor 42" Dancing Longboard - Great For All Skill Levels
The Slendor 42” longboard is a perfect choice for those who want an affordable, all-rounder longboard to practice longboard dancing.
the materials used in creating this board are 9-ply hard-rock maple and epoxy glue which provides durability and flexibility and are great for supporting high impact from dancing tricks.
Whether you prefer a 50 or 45-degree angle is entirely up to you as the 7” aluminum trucks can be adjusted for your comfort.
Likewise, the wheels are of great quality and reach the standard of what you should look for when shopping for a dancing longboard.
At 70mm tall, these wheels guarantee effective cushioning and come with a shock-absorbing ring that enables a smooth ride and balance no matter the surface.
The Slendor also features kicktails for people who are looking to experiment with more complex dancing tricks.
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Best Dancing Longboards Dancing Buying Guide
If you are unsure which dancing longboard to go for as there are thousands of boards available on the market, just relax. Follow our buying guide so you can get a clear picture of how to pick the best dancing longboard for you.
Here are some of the elements you should keep in mind so you can select the right board for you.
Board Deck
The deck is probably the most crucial factor to consider when looking for a dancing longboard. You'll need a longboard that is big enough to give you space to move around and dance, and one that is suitable for your height and weight.
Longer boards are generally better for taller riders while shorter longboards are better for shorter riders. Also, longer boards are generally more used by experienced riders, as they know how to skilfully utilize the space much more.
In addition, certain materials are better suited for taller and heavier people, which we'll cover in the following section.
Board Deck Materials
The two main materials used in designing a dancing longboard include layers of bamboo and maple. Some longboards even come with a blended mixture of both.
Generally speaking, bamboo is the better option for offering a lightweight and flexible board. However, don’t be fooled by this, since bamboo is very durable for holding larger weights and more movements. When blended with fiberglass, this will increase the strength and will prevent the deck from cracking.
In addition, Bamboo is a more eco-friendly choice compared to maple. Bamboo is a fast-growing tree, taking around 5 years to fully grow, whereas maple can take between 30 and 40 years to fully grow.
So, if you wish to stay environmentally aware while longboard dancing, we recommend going for bamboo longboards.
However, the disadvantage of bamboo longboards is that they are typically more expensive compared to maple boards.
On the other hand, maple is the best choice of material for those who want a stiff deck. Maple longboards are still flexible based on where the tree was grown. For instance, the Canadian maple is grown at a higher altitude compared to other maple trees grown globally. This provides them with denser fibers.
This stiffness is what makes maple boards more adequate for beginner riders who are getting to know how to ride the board with simple dancing techniques since it offers the best stability and balance.
But, as we've already mentioned, maple isn't as good for the environment as bamboo. This is due to the fact that the maple tree takes so long to fully grow, and as it doesn't regrow without re-harvesting it, this can contribute to mass deforestation.
Some companies, however, source their maple via managed forests without damaging the environment. Maple from America also supports the American economy, which could arguably be more beneficial in terms of the environment than bamboo.
Kicktails
Longboard kicktails are upwards-facing bends. However, some longboards have them, and some don’t, some have two kicktails whereas some only have one.
Nevertheless, kicktails serve the purpose to provide extra tricks and dancing techniques. This is why kicktails are generally more beneficial for experienced longboard dancers since they provide the ability to do much more tricks than with a regular longboard.
These tricks include ghost-rides and shove-its, making your dancing routine look more polished and exciting.
On the other hand, while kicktails provide more experimentation for tricks, boards that have them aren't always recommended for beginners. This is due to the fact that boards without kicktails usually offer more stability, as the board's deck is almost completely straight.
Also, kicktails may encourage beginner riders to try out tricks before even mastering some simpler riding styles, which can then lead to the rider's injuries or damage to the board.
If you are a beginner rider and want to keep yourself safe and your longboard in top condition - we recommend you wait until you are more experienced before you go for a longboards with kicktails.
Wheels
Since dancing longboards can be ridden on a wide range of different surfaces and places, it’s crucial to find a board that has adequate and high-quality wheels. Because of the longboards' size, they require bigger and taller wheels compared to an average skateboard.
Keep in mind though, that wheels that are too big can delay acceleration which can pose a huge safety risk.
Generally speaking, 70mm makes for the perfect wheel height used in dancing longboards since it offers enough height above the ground to perform various tricks without halting acceleration.
A good dancing longboard will have Polyurethane wheels as this material will offer the best stability and shock resistance.
While most longboard wheels come in a round shape some also come in a square lip. We generally recommend going for the round shape over the square lip since they provide the smoothest ride possible.
Round wheels also have a quicker response to changes in action and sharper movements. This smoothness is crucial since it allows the rider to dance in various places with all sorts of surface textures. Obviously, there are some surfaces that are impossible to ride on, but round wheels will give a smoother ride on generally rough surfaces including concrete and gravel.
Trucks
The trucks of a longboard are what keep the board's wheels in place. They can be adjusted in width based on how wide or narrow you prefer to have your wheels. Generally, the greater the distance between wheels, the more balance a rider will have. If the wheels are closer together, you may find that it might be easier to perform certain tricks.
In addition, the best material for trucks on a dancing longboard is aluminum alloy, since it's the most durable one.
Design
The dancing longboard's design all comes down to personal preference. Some longboards mimic the traditional surfboard appearance with a vintage design that pays homage to the Hawaiin surfers who actually originated longboards.
Others prefer to have their longboard with a more graphic design, whether it's a cartoon or a grunge aesthetic. Luckily, some companies provide a wide range of designs as well as custom designs for those who want to include vibrant colors in their dance routine.
Best Dancing Longboards FAQs
Q: What shape and type of deck is suitable for dancing?
A: For longboard dancing, go for one with a width of 9.5 inches or more as this will give you more room for your feet to comfortably perform tricks.
Q: What is the best longboard flex for dancing?
A: The level of flex in a longboard comes down to a personal preference.
Many dancers prefer a softer flex since it enables them to perform deeper carves and stand without losing control.
Stiffer boards, on the other hand, don’t bounce compared to ones with more flex and are less likely to throw you off balance while you are doing tricks.
Q: Should I wear protective gear while longboard dancing?
A: This will depend on your skill level and how confident you are with and without protective gear.
If you are a beginner or you are practicing new dancing tricks, it’s best to get elbow and knee pads, gloves, and a helmet. This way, you will prevent injuries should the dancing trick go wrong.
Over time you may gain more confidence with a particular dancing routine or area to ride on so you won't feel the need for protective gear.
Final Words
We hope our reviews of the best dancing longboard have helped you to choose the right longboard for you.
At the end of the day, if you wish to get into longboard dancing, make sure you go for the high-quality components as these will enable you more stability and will help you master longboard dancing tricks more easily.