Of course, warming up properly is the first step in injury prevention while dancing. Jog in place, do jumping-jacks, stretch, do crunches, and roll your neck and shoulders. This should take no less than five minutes. It might be very helpful to do a modified barre routine. Do plies, tondus, rond-de-jombs, frappes and grand battements to thoroughly warm up your lower body.
One of the first things with which you can experiment on your own is music. Try dancing to different genres from classical to alternative to soundtracks from movies. This is sometimes the most challenging if you are self-conscious, but don't be afraid to just move. Find the various rhythms, beats and melodies. Try facing away from the mirror (if you are in a studio) while dancing to keep from distracting yourself. Another alternative is dancing in silence. Simply stand in the middle of the room and wait until you feel inspired to start moving.
Nzqa.govt.nz suggests writing action words on note cards such as "pounce," "float," "slither," "dive," "watch" and "freeze." Pull these randomly from the pile and start moving based on the action word. You can also do this for emotions such as "depressed," "flustered," "joyous," "curious" and "love-struck," as well as for scenarios like "groping in a dark cave," "walking on clouds" and "rock climbing." The key to these exercises is to not think; just start moving right when you read the word or scenario.
With a partner or small group (preferably no more than 10 people) create formations such as "swarm," "weave," "drag," and "rotate." You can also start out with words like these and then try to improv other formations without any hints or talking.
A fun exercise is to keep contact with your partner(s) with at least one body part at all times while moving. Start out slowly by taking turns and posing in different positions or making small movements. You can move at a quicker pace once you get comfortable and can even dance at the same time while maintaining contact.