Dancers work hard to make the toughest moves look easy. But they aren’t always successful, and that’s okay! Good dancers know when they are stretching themselves or pushing too hard (especially if it’s something new). The key is to stay positive, smile and have fun!
It may sound simple, but arriving to dance class before the start time can have a significant impact on your ability to learn. Having plenty of time to put away your belongings, warm up and chat with others will help you feel more prepared and ready to absorb your instructor’s demonstrations and instructions.
Keeping your eyes on the teacher and other dancers can be a distraction that inhibits the internal cueing you are developing. To break this “brain-suck” connection, try to wean yourself off of visual cues and rely more on internal ones – how it feels, what chunk comes next, etc.
Touch can be a powerful memory tool, too. Remember, your teachers use their hands to guide and direct you all the time, so help yourself in this same way by taping your own leg you keep forgetting to step with or tapping the shoulder you need to remember to turn toward.
Watching professional dancers can give you inspiration to create your own unique style and connect with the music. Take some time to watch dance-heavy musicals, competitive series like “World of Dance” and street performers if you can, to see how other dancers interpret the music they are dancing to and how it’s translated physically on the stage.
