Today, it’s all over the news…
“Another celebrity on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ has an injury.”
“’Dancing with the Stars’ has curse.”
No, it’s not a curse.
The multitude of injuries stem from the fact that the celebrities do not have a solid foundation of dance technique and are not used to the strenuous movements, grace and cardio necessary to be a dancer.
Maybe, you want to take some dance classes and just go in and have a good time. Go for it!
But if you want to be a good dancer, it’s necessary to learn the techniques behind the moves.
Why? You’ll:
• Avoid injury.
• Develop strength, stamina and grace.
• Have better balance.
• Know where your feet, arms, and legs are supposed to be when you dance.
• Learn about dance lines, placement and spacing so you don’t run into other dancers.
• Build a good foundation to do any kind of dance.
• Enjoy performing more advanced moves the right way!
I know it’s fun to do Hip Hop and Jazz, but if you want to be able to jump higher, do multiple turns, learn choreography faster, and enjoy all of the benefits above, ballet is key.
While ballet is much slower than other forms of dance, it gives you a foundation you need for other forms of dance.
If you’re not sure about this, watch an advanced jazz class. You’ll see dancers who have other forms of dance training, especially ballet.
Notice where they place their arms, legs and feet. You’ll note that they prepare for turns, leaps and various dance movements the same way, every time. This gives them the placement they need to do multiple turns and high leaps and kicks. They are in control from the beginning to the end of their movements.
Now, view a beginning jazz class. You’ll see dancers hopping around on their turns, falling over on leaps and kicks and basically losing control.
The difference is a foundation in ballet technique which is basically knowing the specific way to hold your arms, legs, feet and entire body when you dance.
With this in mind, please have fun at your dance classes. But also note that you will become a much better dancer if you learn dance technique first. And note that the best dancers are always perfecting their dance technique.
Yes, it takes extra time, work and sweat! But you’ll see your dance skills improve across all styles and end up having even more fun without as much frustration in class!
For more information, check out:
Don’t Think You Need Ballet? Think Again.
http://dancefullout.com/2010/07/ballet-dance/
What Kind of Dance Class is Right for You?
http://dancefullout.com/2011/03/dance-class-for-new-dancers/
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