The Dance Routine Corner
Learning to dance? This site will help you with advice on learning dance routines and new choreographies.
With you on your journey to becoming a great dancer.
Help!
Common problems and topics covered when it comes to learning a dance routine, new steps and performing.
Now this page may seem to go against what was said in the previous page but bear with me. In order to be a successful dancer you'll need to have your own personal style.
What? How can you look the same as the choreographer and other dancers yet have your own personal style? Good question.
Yes you are aiming to look the same as the choreographer...but you need to bring something of your own to the table as well.
A good example to see how this is possible is to look at a standard dance audition. In many auditions there will be a choreography section and also most likely sections where you will be asked to freestyle.
Sometimes there will be a section in the audition reserved for just freestyle, other times it might be 1 or 2 eights at the beginning or end of a routine. At other times it may be just 2 or 3 counts within the choreography.
It is important in these sections to show your own personality and your own style. The last thing a choreographer wants in a freestlye section is 10 dancers that look all the same. But when it comes to choreography they DO want the dancers to look the same. Got it?
Now this is the most obvious example of how you can adapt to look like the choreographer AND have your own personal style too. But there are other ways.
Often with a routine a choreographer will teach you it and expect you to copy just as they do. But there will often be certain points within the routine where they will say that they want you to style a move or two in your own way.
When they ask you to style it your own way, make sure you do! Don't just copy the other dancers, this is your opportunity to show what you've got to offer!
Another reason why developing your own personal style is important is because there are dance castings and auditions where there is NO choreography to learn. That's right there exists pure freestyle auditions.
And usually for this they want skilled, talented dancers that are UNIQUE. So straight out of the box choreography is not going to cut it at this stage.
But doing something which does not look like others (but still showcases your skill) will give you every chance of succeeding.
Now back to the topic of this entire website - errrm that's dance routines.
One simple way you may begin developing your own style is by practising your own freestyle at home and letting your own ideas come out. Another way is by devising dance routines of your own, this can also give you a better insight into the choreography process.
Your aim should never to be just another copy cat act, but to come up with your own stuff with your own flavour and personality in it.
When you know what your personal style is, it becomes a very natural process. You don't go into a clothing store and pick out random items for purchase, you pick them in line with what your personal style is.
In a similar way when you know what your own personal style is in dancing it will just come out naturally without having to think too much about it...you'll just need to know when to let that style and personality come out for others to see.