So You Think You Can Dance


Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Learn How to Dance

Learn How to Dance

If there is one thing in life that is sure it is this. No one is born knowing how to dance. We all have an inner sense of rhythm and quite frankly some have it and some simply do not. It is true that not everyone is meant to dance competitively and some will never refine their skills enough to make their way out of the mosh pit. However, there are those who have that inner sense of balance and rhythm. With proper instruction and the right inspiration these people have the potential to become phenomenal dancers.

Learning how to dance is a process that works differently for different people. Some learn best by one on one instruction. Others manage to learn simply by watching others dance. Some require a little bit of competition in order to properly motivate themselves to push their limits and really give dancing their all. The good news is that there are dance lessons and classes that are appropriate for all different learning needs when it comes to dance.

That being said, in order to dance on a competitive level it is quite likely that you will need to incorporate a little bit of all different methods of teaching and learning for the best possible results. There is nothing wrong with watching others dance and learning and deriving inspiration from the moves they make. You can also discover flaws, weaknesses, and mistakes by watching others dance and learn from those as well.

That being said, you will never learn as much from merely watching other dancers or instructions on a video tape as you will in a classroom or one on one environment. Dance is fluid and there are certain technicalities to the steps but there are other things involved that mark the difference between a dancer with some degree of technical skills and a truly great dancer. Some things have to be pushed and prodded from within you and only a qualified instructor can really accomplish that.

The thing is most, who want to be dancers, should not settle for simply learning how to dance. They need to learn how to feel the music and use the music and their bodies to tell a story. That is what dance is about. Not the execution of even complicated movements. Dance should be an emotional outlet more than anything else. This is the way dance has been throughout history. It is only in the last century or so that we have turned dance into a sport rather than an art form and it has lost some of its potency as a result. Those who truly understand that real dance is delivering a message rather than delivering movements however are the successes that simply can't be matched.

If you wish to learn to dance, you need to carefully consider your reasons for doing so before deciding on your method of learning. I strongly recommend a little of all the different methods. One thing to keep in mind however, is that if you learn from more than one instructor you will be chided for needing to unlearn bad habits. It's an ego thing I believe. Most instructors prefer rank novices so that they do not have to 'unteach' any bad habits. Otherwise, you should choose the instructor that you feel will not only teach you how to dance but also encourage you to dance to the fullest of your potential. Those are a little more difficult to come by.

I Hope You Dance

I Hope You Dance
There are many things in life we can do to show emotions and let others know how we feel. Some people sing, some people write poetry and prose, some retreat within themselves and hold it all inside. Others dance. Dance has for centuries been a way to express a wide range of emotions. It is an excellent outlet for the emotions that at times our minds simply cannot process. Dancing is a method in which you can work through those emotions and to some degree move on with your life in spite of emotional upheaval.

Believe it or not, many people believe that belly dancing (or Oriental Dance) brings not only emotional healing but also physical healing for some conditions. Dance is well known as a form of exercise but belly dancing is a type of dancing that is body friendly. This means that you do not need to be in the best of physical shape to enter into this sort of dancing. You will not have to worry about stress on your joints due to high impact moves that other forms of dance require. You should also note that the movements in oriental dance these moves are smooth and natural.

Among the health benefits you can experience through Oriental Dance are improved circulation, lower blood pressure, improved joint health, and the burning of calories. Some believe that in addition to the health benefits mentioned above that Oriental Dance can also help improve whiplash symptoms and back problems. If you are considering belly dancing to address these sorts of symptoms you really should consult with your doctor before doing so and make sure that you have a highly qualified instructor.

When it comes to Oriental Dance, physical healing isn't the only sort of healing that is often experienced. Many dancers also find themselves letting go of the stress and tension in their lives as well as some quite traumatic issues that have been in their past that may continue haunting them long after. For this reason, Oriental Dance is sometimes recommended for treatments of emotional issues as well as physical ailments.

There are vides such as Healing Dance that will allow you to learn some of the basic moves at home. However, if you have the resources within your community there is really nothing that can replace taking dance lessons with a group of women. You will find that these women come in all shapes and sizes and from all sorts of financial, physical, and spiritual backgrounds. It's a solidifying experience to join with other women for the sake of physical and/or emotional healing such as an Oriental Dance class will provide.

In addition to the Oriental healing dance there is also the African healing dance. This is a little more high impact in nature and focuses on healing through expressions of joy. This is a very uplifting form of dance and one well worth considering if you would like to focus on feeling happy and energetic and renewing your joy for living but prefer something that offers a little more impact than the Oriental style of Dance for healing.

There are also healing water dances or hydrotherapy that are often used in helping people with specific injuries. These sessions are low impact though there is some degree of resistance offered through the water for great results. You should make certain however that if you are considering this sort of dance you have a qualified instructor and if possible one on one attention.

For many common ailments, there is a good chance that some form of dance exists that could aid you in recovering from your ailment. Additionally, there are often classes offered for groups in your area. If you are considering learning to dance in order to improve your quality of life or just your enjoyment of life in general, I for one hope you dance.

Dance Dance Revolution- DDR Freak - About DDR

Dance Dance Revolution- DDR Freak - About DDR

Those who aren't big fans of gaming systems may not realize that Dance Revolution is actually a video game for the Playstation 2 gaming system that actually has taken the industry by storm. It was one of, if not the very first attempts of the gaming industry to combat the idea that playing games robbed children of the physical activity that is so important to their overall health and well being.

The solution was to introduce a game in which the players were scored based on their ability to dance according to the directions of the game. If you haven't tried this game, let me be the first to tell you that it requires some fancy footwork and more than some degree of tunnel vision. The really cool thing about this game is that you can adjust the level of difficulty and combine games with friends who have the same game for a competition. Competition with yourself is all well and good but the idea of crushing your friends with your dance talents is even better.

This is a game that happens to be crossing generational barriers however and making quite a splash in doing so. Mothers and fathers are competing against sons and daughters and the wagers are quite fantastic. I know I've been known to win a week or two off from washing dishes as the result of a rousing round of friendly competition. The irony is that I'm not really that good at the game. It is a great deal of fun though and I feel less guilty about letting the kids play this game for an hour than I do about allowing them to play some "all your base are belong to us" sort of game for an hour.

The wide popularity of the game should be completely obvious in all the 'knock off' versions of this game that have already flooded the market. I do expect to see more games along this line in the near future particularly with the new Nintendo Wii system making waves for the physical nature of many of their games. The hope is definitely that the Playstation Dance Dance Revolution. We have already seen follow up with Dance Dance Revolution 2, Dance Dance Revolution Extreme, and Dance Dance Revolution SuperNova. I can only predict that Playstation will attempt to bring this successful line to the ailing Playstation 3 in the near future.

As far as the workout reality of this game goes you will find that it offers an excellent aerobic workout and great exercises for your legs. The arms are really up to you to a large degree. If you chose to approach in a river dance sort of method your arms are likely to receive quite the excellent degree of a workout that your legs will receive. However if you put everything into your dance moves then the revolution will be all the calories you burn as well as the strengthening and toning you manage as a side benefit.

While very few of us consider video games to be a great source of health or fitness, this game may be the one exception to the rule. Who would have ever thought you could get all of these things and so much more from playing a video game. Next thing you know they'll come out with Mountain Dew that is a health drink.