Inside: Baile viernes or dance in Spanish class. Get your Spanish class moving any day of the week with Spanish class brain breaks. Using dance in Spanish class every Friday with ready-to-go slideshows and playlists with dance songs in Spanish. If you are looking for a Spanish dance song, Spanish song for dance, Spanish Just Dance, or Spanish song dance my baile viernes playlist is for you.
Author – Allison Wienhold
Baile viernes was originally published on May 23, 2014 on Mis Clases Locas & most recently updated December 12, 2024.
Baile viernes was the 4th ever post on Mis Clases Locas, published on May 23, 2014 by Allison Wienhold. The original post has been updated over the years with new resources, ideas, and expansion. Make sure to use #baileviernes if you post your classes doing this activity on social media & tag @misclaseslocas.
What is baile viernes?
A favorite class routine for years has been baile viernes (dance Friday). Every day we start class with a Para Empezar bell ringer. Which is one of the only things I was glad I started right away in my first year of teaching.
I created a Slideshow in advance with a task for students to complete including any of the following: reading and answering questions about a Spanish meme, video, teaser to a new topic, or review from the previous day’s lesson. Slowly I started implementing a certain activity for each day’s bell ringer. Update: You can now get my ready-to-go Google Slides newest Para Empezar for a year here.
Why dance in Spanish class?
In my first year of teaching my students’ favorite day of the week became música miércoles (music Wednesday), where they would watch a video of a current or classic song in Spanish. Check out this blog post for playlists, slideshows, and more if you want to learn more.
I had a lot of very active classes who started wanting to dance to the songs, so I started playing videos with choreography instead of just music videos. Once it became a weekly event (the students named) baile viernes, it was the new favorite part of the week for many. (Yes, I know the name is not correct, but the students created it, I shared it in this blog post, and the name kind of took off, so it stuck. You can change the name if you would prefer).
Over the years I have learned and shared the importance of brain breaks and movement in Spanish class.
What started with playing a music video during passing time, turned into using the videos in the middle of class to break up block schedule. Or with some classes, it would be a reward at the end of class, like a fun Friday, or homeroom dance time. I have found that my class was the only time some students got to get out of their seats all day, which is sad.
How do you do baile viernes?
Just play a YouTube dance video. That’s it!
I have found it works well to start the video right away in passing time. We dance right at the start of class on Friday and do a mix of Zumba, Just Dance, or other choreography videos we find on YouTube. (*Note I am not a certified Zumba instructor but do enjoy taking classes and dancing in general).
How do you get students to dance in Spanish & participate in baile viernes?
How do you get high schoolers to dance in class you ask? First and foremost as the teacher, I am the example. I make a fool of myself learning the dances with them. Sometimes we tried a song and partway through the students decided they were over it. this is usually because it is too hard. So we quickly revert to one of their standby favorites, which varies by class.
I have had classes, or times in my career with groups who were never as into dancing, which is fine. But most classes come in excited and shouting baile viernes! Finally, I found it is a great way to get those Friday wiggles out at the beginning of class. This is especially important on game days and before long weekends.
I have found that students use our class songs for Spanish dance songs or Spanish songs for dance like Homecoming and Prom. I love seeing our baile viernes songs and dances used as Spanish songs for dances in school.
baile viernes resources
- If you want tons of options – Baile viernes bundle
- The newest dance in Spanish videos – Baile viernes 2025.
- Baile viernes 2025 in my Website store
- NEW Middle School baile viernes for a year
- Newer videos – Baile viernes 2023, Baile viernes 22 & Baile viernes 2021
- A mix of real people & Just Dance –Baile viernes for a year.
- My Baile viernes playlist with tons of videos.
- All of my baile viernes resources
What if I teach French?
More Dance in Spanish Resources & Spanish Dance Blog Posts
- The Ultimate List of Spanish Just Dance songs
- Spanish Just Dance Valentine’s Day (partner songs in Spanish)
- Halloween Dances (Most in English)
- Winter Holiday Dances (Most in English)
- 5 Ways to Use Dance in any Classroom
More of my Spanish Classroom Routines
- Monday – Weekend Chat
- Tuesday – Mapa del martes
- Wednesday – Música miércoles
- Thursday – Jaja jueves
- Friday – Baile viernes or alternate – future weekend chat – if you don’t feel like dancing
Chat about the music in Spanish Class!
*Update – now have music question cards to help support students chatting about music. It includes 56 different questions related to music. The music task cards include the following types of questions.
- General personalized questions chatting about music.
- Basic questions to discuss any song in Spanish.
- Questions to compare songs for a music bracket. (See below for links)
- Intermediate-level questions to discuss any song in Spanish.
Or chat about music using the NEW Music Find Someone Who!
More ways to Mix it up with Music – Music Brackets
Some Favorite Spanish Just Dance Songs
- Bailando
- Macarena
- Limbo
- The Ketchup Song
- Soy Yo
- Boom
- Que tire pa lante
- Bailar
- Titi me pregunto
- Despacito
- Mi Gente
Read More >> The Ultimate List of Spanish Just Dance songs
Music Weekly Routines – How to do música miércoles & baile viernes
Try baile viernes out and let me know how it goes! Get free sample music slides, including baile viernes below.
