[caption id=”attachment_652" align=”alignleft” width=”680"]
Observing other dancers is a great way to improve your dance, or master a difficult routine.[/caption]
As a dancer, there are a number of ways that you can improve your art. But aside from practice, one of the best things that you can do –is to watch other dancers.
Watching and studying other dancers can be extremely beneficial for beginners and accomplished dancers alike, and is a great way to gain inspiration as well as learn specific dance moves faster. It’s also a great idea way to improve your routine. Observing and studying other dancers can be done in person –or even through video. In fact, renowned choreographer Wade Robson learned to dance primarily through watching music videos!
If you want to improve your routine –here are a few ways that watching other dancers can help.
Remember a Dance Routine Better
“We might begin to learn a dance step when someone describes it to us, but we learn it better when we physically perform the steps as we observe and imitate an instructor doing them,” says Scott T. Grafton, M.D. Observational learning is a great first step when learning a routine, and when combined with practice, will help you to cement a routine in your mind.
Master a Difficult Move
There’s a good reason that many online instructors use videos to show how to perform specific moves. Research has shown that teaching with a physical model showing one how to perform, improves one’s learning ability better than simply being told how to perform the move. It also shows that we tend to acquire a motor skill quicker and more precisely if the model is a real person placed alongside the learner. “A real dance instructor, for instance, can adapt a lesson to individual strengths and weaknesses,” says Dr. Grafton. Watching someone perform a dance move can help you see how it is done and pick it up much faster.
Become Inspired
Watching others perform dance is a great way to be inspired. Attending a live dance show, watching YouTube videos, or even joining a dance class are all excellent ways to gain inspiration in your own dance career. Watching professional dancers perform will open your mind to what is possible in dance, and will spur you on to become even better. Wade Robson was inspired by videos that he’d seen of some of the greats, including Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Donald O’Conner, Bob Fosse, and Michael Jackson. Videos of some of the great performers of the past can be remarkably inspirational. Of course, it’s also beneficial to see performances in person whenever you have the opportunity to do so. A live dance performance, quite literally, will sweep you off your feet. Watching others will inspire you to be the best dancer that you can be.
Most of us learn best by combing observation with practice. We can master something more rapidly by watching it being done rather than by simply being told how it’s done and then attempting to do it with little guidance. Watching others perform a particular dance is one of the best ways to master a routine –especially one that’s challenging. If you have been struggling with a specific move or are ready to take your dance to the next level, then watching other dancers perform is an excellent way to advance your career, and will inspire you on towards success.
Serious about dance? Looking to improve your dance skills? Visit Dance Hub to see dance classes and instructors in your area.
Image: NFGphoto
