"Don't practice till you get it right. Practice till you can't get it wrong" -anonymous
With competition season on rise this time of year is particularly one of the busiest for adolescent dancers: extra rehearsals, people striving for perfection, and stressed out instructors come along with this. However, I can assure you this will all pay off once you are on the stage with the stage lights warming your skin, doing what you love. The gift of performance will always be more rewarding if you work hard before hand.
Another thing sometimes dealt with around this time of year at studios is restaging. Dancers get injured or may have a conflict with a competition and have to miss one. This creates and immense amount of stress for the other dancers in the group and tests their maturity and ability to adapt, which is important in becoming a great dancer. This is another reason that extra practices are scheduled. Restaging doesn't always mean just new spots but it also means learning new parts most of the time; occasionally dancers might basically learn a whole new dance.
These mandatory extra rehearsals will definitely be time consuming but they will be crucial in your groups success. This may mean giving up you Friday nights with friends or Saturday and Sunday mornings, or ever Tuesday and Thursday school basketball games for a couple weeks. Yes, that sucks and you are only in high school once but later in life you are not going to remember having to miss a basketball game that your friends are in; you are going to remember doing what you love and doing it well and succeeding.
Keep in mind through this strenuous part of being a competitive dancer that you must work now and be rewarded later. Before you know it competition season will come to an end and you want to make sure you give every last ounce of energy to your team like they will do for you. Unfortunately not everyone gets the opportunity to dance competitively so prove that you indeed do deserve it. You won't get to compete forever so make it great while it lasts so you can bathe in the memories later.
Monday, February 29, 2016
Pain is Beauty
"Pain is beauty." A famous quote that girls are told from childhood on. Well, being a dancer all my life, I know that this quote to most certainly be true. Everyone knows that dancers are supposed to look beautiful on stage, but the time and effort that goes into creating the look is vastly overlooked. However, it may be one of the most important aspects of the performance.
First, comes the hair, or the "pain" portion of that quote. Hair can either hurt or help you in a performance. If your hair is messy or in your face or in a crazy style, it could be a huge distraction. At a competition, the judges are trying to score you based on your dancing and if your hair is catching their eye rather than your leaps it could really cause damage to your score. That's why my dance studio requires tight, gelled, pulled back buns. Not only do they look clean and crisp, but they also are functional. Dance requires a lot of balance and focus and with your hair off center or in front of your eyes it can cause you to lose control.
Next, comes the "beauty" part of the quote, which is my favorite. I love makeup and the way it can transform anyone's look. To me, it's like an art form, much like dance! For dance, the makeup is really dramatic and incorporates bold colors and thick lines. For the face makeup, we wear foundation to make our skin all one tone. Then we use dark colors to define the bone structure of our face. Lastly, we use blush to make our faces have a natural glow. These steps help to unify the look of the group, along with adding definition to everyone's faces. We also put a lot of makeup on the eyes. We darken our eyebrows, add dark eyeliner, bright eye shadow, and fake eyelashes. The idea behind this is too extend every line on the eyes to make the change in facial expressions easier too see which will help us score better because the judges will be able to pick up on our emotions more easily. And lastly, who could forget that lipstick to show off that wonderful smile!
It's a lot of small details that add to the performance in a big way. It may take a lot of effort but in the end it's worth it to look good, feel good, and score well.
First, comes the hair, or the "pain" portion of that quote. Hair can either hurt or help you in a performance. If your hair is messy or in your face or in a crazy style, it could be a huge distraction. At a competition, the judges are trying to score you based on your dancing and if your hair is catching their eye rather than your leaps it could really cause damage to your score. That's why my dance studio requires tight, gelled, pulled back buns. Not only do they look clean and crisp, but they also are functional. Dance requires a lot of balance and focus and with your hair off center or in front of your eyes it can cause you to lose control.
Next, comes the "beauty" part of the quote, which is my favorite. I love makeup and the way it can transform anyone's look. To me, it's like an art form, much like dance! For dance, the makeup is really dramatic and incorporates bold colors and thick lines. For the face makeup, we wear foundation to make our skin all one tone. Then we use dark colors to define the bone structure of our face. Lastly, we use blush to make our faces have a natural glow. These steps help to unify the look of the group, along with adding definition to everyone's faces. We also put a lot of makeup on the eyes. We darken our eyebrows, add dark eyeliner, bright eye shadow, and fake eyelashes. The idea behind this is too extend every line on the eyes to make the change in facial expressions easier too see which will help us score better because the judges will be able to pick up on our emotions more easily. And lastly, who could forget that lipstick to show off that wonderful smile!
It's a lot of small details that add to the performance in a big way. It may take a lot of effort but in the end it's worth it to look good, feel good, and score well.
Friday, February 19, 2016
Start from Scratch
The basics.
Starting from square one.
Technique is on the rise and the pressure to get yours perfect is rising with it. The issue today is that it is much easier to "master" harder things than to rework your alignment and basic technique by starting from square one and working upwards. Good dancers practice the hard stuff while smart and great dancers revisit the basics that will strengthen their more difficult technical steps, and speed up the mastering process for them while working on new elements.
However even though I know this it is still very hard for me to follow through with it. I will be the first to admit that going over the basics isn't always fun. You see a flawless technical step and want to execute it the same way the quickest way possible, and that doesn't always mean the most effective. Its boring, yeah i get it! But i promise it will be well worth it. You will never get a consistent quad if you cant execute a clean double one hundred percent of the time.
However, without reviewing and polishing up the basics before attempting to learn a new element you will most likely create a plethora of other bad habits. Now that the element is in your muscle memory it will take twice as long to break those habits. This all can be reduced; it is easy. Review and master the basics before trying to perfect the more rigorous steps. maybe video tape yourself like i talked about in my last post.
Whatever way you approach this give it time. You will most likely find error in your alignment and when you have to fix that everything else will be thrown off as well. It WILL get worse before it gets better nine times out of ten. You have to push through and make sure to tell yourself it will be worth it and that it will eventually pay off because it will. Once you polish up and master the basics the rest comes easier. Make sure you go back and refresh your self often though because it is easy to resort back to old bad habits that you worked so hard to throw away.
Starting from square one.
Technique is on the rise and the pressure to get yours perfect is rising with it. The issue today is that it is much easier to "master" harder things than to rework your alignment and basic technique by starting from square one and working upwards. Good dancers practice the hard stuff while smart and great dancers revisit the basics that will strengthen their more difficult technical steps, and speed up the mastering process for them while working on new elements.
However even though I know this it is still very hard for me to follow through with it. I will be the first to admit that going over the basics isn't always fun. You see a flawless technical step and want to execute it the same way the quickest way possible, and that doesn't always mean the most effective. Its boring, yeah i get it! But i promise it will be well worth it. You will never get a consistent quad if you cant execute a clean double one hundred percent of the time.
However, without reviewing and polishing up the basics before attempting to learn a new element you will most likely create a plethora of other bad habits. Now that the element is in your muscle memory it will take twice as long to break those habits. This all can be reduced; it is easy. Review and master the basics before trying to perfect the more rigorous steps. maybe video tape yourself like i talked about in my last post.
Whatever way you approach this give it time. You will most likely find error in your alignment and when you have to fix that everything else will be thrown off as well. It WILL get worse before it gets better nine times out of ten. You have to push through and make sure to tell yourself it will be worth it and that it will eventually pay off because it will. Once you polish up and master the basics the rest comes easier. Make sure you go back and refresh your self often though because it is easy to resort back to old bad habits that you worked so hard to throw away.
Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself
"Check yourself before you wreck yourself" a common quote that many people use while reprimanding others that are making bad choices. Sometimes used by adolescents in high school to cause an even more immense conflict between the two. However this quote can also apply to dance.
It is a common thing for dancers to give one another constructive criticism or corrections. It is also unfortunately common for a dancer to create an excuse or block out that correction simply because they are unaware that they really were doing it wrong.
This is where technology comes in handy. Video tape. Seeing yourself doing it can bring a great amount of clarity to the cleaning process and speed things up. Often when I watch a video of myself dancing I realize it looks nothing like what I thought it did. This is were the progress happens.
Go through the video and write down corrections for yourself and things you want to change. Then take action and fix them. Throughout this process video tape again to pick up other details or to just track your improvement. Keep in mind that watching the video is not a one time thing. Sometimes I spend up to two hours starting and stopping my videos hunting for things to make perfect or improve on.
Another thing that is especially helpful while cleaning technical elements such as: leaps, turns, and jumps is slow motion it is really amazing how much it helps. Slow motion is very effective because it really shows you every last detail you can check alignment in great depth and those kinds of things with slow motion. However do not get down on yourself while watching your slow motion video, make sure you keep in mind you are doing these things to better your self as a dancer not to tear your self down.
Just remember that people are giving you corrections based on their observations that you might be unaware of. So keep an open mind and take the corrections and run with them it will only make you a better dancer.
It is a common thing for dancers to give one another constructive criticism or corrections. It is also unfortunately common for a dancer to create an excuse or block out that correction simply because they are unaware that they really were doing it wrong.
This is where technology comes in handy. Video tape. Seeing yourself doing it can bring a great amount of clarity to the cleaning process and speed things up. Often when I watch a video of myself dancing I realize it looks nothing like what I thought it did. This is were the progress happens.
Go through the video and write down corrections for yourself and things you want to change. Then take action and fix them. Throughout this process video tape again to pick up other details or to just track your improvement. Keep in mind that watching the video is not a one time thing. Sometimes I spend up to two hours starting and stopping my videos hunting for things to make perfect or improve on.
Another thing that is especially helpful while cleaning technical elements such as: leaps, turns, and jumps is slow motion it is really amazing how much it helps. Slow motion is very effective because it really shows you every last detail you can check alignment in great depth and those kinds of things with slow motion. However do not get down on yourself while watching your slow motion video, make sure you keep in mind you are doing these things to better your self as a dancer not to tear your self down.
Just remember that people are giving you corrections based on their observations that you might be unaware of. So keep an open mind and take the corrections and run with them it will only make you a better dancer.
Thursday, February 18, 2016
Goals
Prove them wrong.
As a young dancer it is very important to set goals. You should set big long term goals and set smaller short term goals as well. Goals are important for a lot of things, one of which is progress.
Having a goal and sticking to it with a "failure is not an option" attitude while create immense growth in whatever you are doing. This is huge because once most dancers get "good" then plateau and don't improve vastly but maybe slightly, even though they have the potential to make their talent sky rocket.
Another reason to have goals is to create an excitement or something to look towards. How exciting and rewarding is it when you achieve a goal that you have been reaching and working so hard to grasp? That may be one of the best feelings in the world. It shows you that you have made progress and that now its time to set a higher goal.
One thing that you really have to remember while working towards a goal is that you have to stay positive. Positivity is key and negativity will only draw you back even further from reaching your goal the is definitely obtainable. Reality is that people are going to tear you apart and tell you that you are never going to reach it and to be more realistic. That's when you look at them and decide in that moment that you are going to prove them wrong.
When people tell you that your goals are too high and to keep dreaming let it be motivation, let it fuel your fire. Of course it is going to sting like an open wound that comes in contact with hand sanitizer but you must get over that and push forward. Why would you ever let someone else ruin something for you that you are willing to work for and give everything to. You can do so much more than you actually know so set your goals big and work for them until you reach them. Prove the negative people who want to see you fail wrong. Never give up; achieving high set goals is a lengthy process but what more do you have to lose than regretting not taking a chance at an opportunity that is rightfully yours to better your self.
"You only fail when you stop trying." - anonymous
As a young dancer it is very important to set goals. You should set big long term goals and set smaller short term goals as well. Goals are important for a lot of things, one of which is progress.
Having a goal and sticking to it with a "failure is not an option" attitude while create immense growth in whatever you are doing. This is huge because once most dancers get "good" then plateau and don't improve vastly but maybe slightly, even though they have the potential to make their talent sky rocket.
Another reason to have goals is to create an excitement or something to look towards. How exciting and rewarding is it when you achieve a goal that you have been reaching and working so hard to grasp? That may be one of the best feelings in the world. It shows you that you have made progress and that now its time to set a higher goal.
One thing that you really have to remember while working towards a goal is that you have to stay positive. Positivity is key and negativity will only draw you back even further from reaching your goal the is definitely obtainable. Reality is that people are going to tear you apart and tell you that you are never going to reach it and to be more realistic. That's when you look at them and decide in that moment that you are going to prove them wrong.
When people tell you that your goals are too high and to keep dreaming let it be motivation, let it fuel your fire. Of course it is going to sting like an open wound that comes in contact with hand sanitizer but you must get over that and push forward. Why would you ever let someone else ruin something for you that you are willing to work for and give everything to. You can do so much more than you actually know so set your goals big and work for them until you reach them. Prove the negative people who want to see you fail wrong. Never give up; achieving high set goals is a lengthy process but what more do you have to lose than regretting not taking a chance at an opportunity that is rightfully yours to better your self.
"You only fail when you stop trying." - anonymous
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
First Performance
"Whatever you do, do it well. Do it so well that when people see you do it they will want you to come back and do it again and they will want to bring others and show them how well you do what you do." Walt Disney
I'm sure every performer has a funny first performance story. Whether they missed their stage time, tripped and fell, forgot the dance, or froze on stage. Mine however might be a little different than most.
I started dance at the age of 2 so basically right after I started walking. I sat at the studio through the first two years of my life watching my older sister McKenna in her dance classes. I couldn't stop dancing so my mom put me in classes early. I imagine that I was most likely a teachers pet and a little ball of energy, eager to learn that had an attention span of probably about 5 minutes.
My class was 30 minutes ballet and 30 minutes tap but our recital dance was going to be tap. Our recital dance was to Look At That Doggy in the Window. We wore full Dalmatian suits with ears and everything. Back then and even to this day I have been terrified of dogs so you have to imagine the terror on my face when I saw myself in that dog suit.
After getting over the fact that innocent "monsters" or dogs turned me into one of them I was ready to dance. We got on stage and the stage lights blinded me. I couldn't really see anyone and forgot the dance so I just thought it was the warm up. So two year old Macy stood on stage picking her nose shaking her butt. My finger was so far up my nose I was probably poking my brain. About halfway through the song I turned around and started wagging my tail to the audience that I just though was an empty black room.
Although I didn't do the right dance I was quite the entertainment and made the crowd laugh. So I guess my first recital wasn't a complete blow out, just slightly embarrassing looking back on it. Now 14 years later I am no longer picking my nose on stage I actually do the right dance.
I'm sure every performer has a funny first performance story. Whether they missed their stage time, tripped and fell, forgot the dance, or froze on stage. Mine however might be a little different than most.
I started dance at the age of 2 so basically right after I started walking. I sat at the studio through the first two years of my life watching my older sister McKenna in her dance classes. I couldn't stop dancing so my mom put me in classes early. I imagine that I was most likely a teachers pet and a little ball of energy, eager to learn that had an attention span of probably about 5 minutes.
My class was 30 minutes ballet and 30 minutes tap but our recital dance was going to be tap. Our recital dance was to Look At That Doggy in the Window. We wore full Dalmatian suits with ears and everything. Back then and even to this day I have been terrified of dogs so you have to imagine the terror on my face when I saw myself in that dog suit.
After getting over the fact that innocent "monsters" or dogs turned me into one of them I was ready to dance. We got on stage and the stage lights blinded me. I couldn't really see anyone and forgot the dance so I just thought it was the warm up. So two year old Macy stood on stage picking her nose shaking her butt. My finger was so far up my nose I was probably poking my brain. About halfway through the song I turned around and started wagging my tail to the audience that I just though was an empty black room.
Although I didn't do the right dance I was quite the entertainment and made the crowd laugh. So I guess my first recital wasn't a complete blow out, just slightly embarrassing looking back on it. Now 14 years later I am no longer picking my nose on stage I actually do the right dance.
Beauty in Simplicity
"To watch us dance is to hear our hearts speak" -anonymous
Many people in the audience don't realize that the simple details are what completes the story line in a dance. The little details draw you in to focus on certain things and make you feel a certain way without you even knowing.
The simplest details that make the biggest amount of difference is the texture of your hands. Once a dancer figures this out and realizes how to utilize it correctly they have the ability to control the audiences emotions to a certain extent.
The hands can portray strength, weakness, poor, excitement and pretty much anything else you could think of. To do this effectively you must do it sincerely, you have to believe the storyline and follow it to make it come across correctly to the audience.
My favorite hand texture is what my studio The Dancers Edge calls the Jaimie hand after Jaimie Goodwin who taught them this the first time she came to their studio. How to create the texture is to put your hand up to your cheek to achieve the desired shape and then leave it in that shape or somewhere close to that while you dance.
The other thing that creates all the difference is your eyes, your eyes have the ability to tell the story themselves. The biggest thing to avoid is shaky eyes, this means don't continue to shift your eyes. If you don't lock contact and find points to connect with the audience and stick to a focus during certain moments your story seems less believable.
Go through your piece and pick parts to link focuses too, almost like you see a person and you don't want to look away. This will create all the difference and make your story one hundred percent more believable and effective.
These are two of the most simplest details and if you can achieve and master these you have the power to move people. The simplest details make the biggest amount of difference.
Many people in the audience don't realize that the simple details are what completes the story line in a dance. The little details draw you in to focus on certain things and make you feel a certain way without you even knowing.
The simplest details that make the biggest amount of difference is the texture of your hands. Once a dancer figures this out and realizes how to utilize it correctly they have the ability to control the audiences emotions to a certain extent.
The hands can portray strength, weakness, poor, excitement and pretty much anything else you could think of. To do this effectively you must do it sincerely, you have to believe the storyline and follow it to make it come across correctly to the audience.
My favorite hand texture is what my studio The Dancers Edge calls the Jaimie hand after Jaimie Goodwin who taught them this the first time she came to their studio. How to create the texture is to put your hand up to your cheek to achieve the desired shape and then leave it in that shape or somewhere close to that while you dance.
The other thing that creates all the difference is your eyes, your eyes have the ability to tell the story themselves. The biggest thing to avoid is shaky eyes, this means don't continue to shift your eyes. If you don't lock contact and find points to connect with the audience and stick to a focus during certain moments your story seems less believable.
Go through your piece and pick parts to link focuses too, almost like you see a person and you don't want to look away. This will create all the difference and make your story one hundred percent more believable and effective.
These are two of the most simplest details and if you can achieve and master these you have the power to move people. The simplest details make the biggest amount of difference.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)