Choose the proper music for dancing the hustle. You can use retro disco music from artists such as the Bee Gees or Donna Summer as well as hip-hop or rap music. A good music tempo for beginners is 100 to 125 beats per minute.
Begin the hustle facing your partner and holding hands. Practice the basic partner steps that are a step to the side, touch together, step to the other side and ball-change. Familiarize yourself with a three-count pattern: 1, 2 and 3.
Move toward your partner on count 1. Both partners should move toward each other on count 2 and step forward again on 3. The three-count steps for four movements are ball-change, walk, walk ball-change.
Do the ball-change dance step by partially shifting your weight on the ball of your foot followed by a quick step with the other foot. When you do the ball change or weight-transfer step, you are splitting the end of a beat creating, four movements in three counts.
Add other hustle patterns once you master the basic dance step. The man turns outward instead of toward his partner and completes his steps to the side by shifting his weight from his right foot to his left on count 1. Then he steps with his right on count 3 while turning his partner to face him again. Next both roll out, and the final pattern includes an underarm turn to the right before performing the basic step.
Practice these for 32 beats. Try not to hop, bounce or overextend your arms when stepping away from your partner.