Dance ~ Lesson #5 ~ Free Expression Dances
Posted: 16 Nov 2011, 01:58Free expression dances are fairly self explanatory, but not necessarily simple.
It is a form of dance that need not have any particular set of complex stages or tell any sort of story.
You might think that this would make it the easiest type of dance, but this is not so.
It can be far more challenging to have a clear beginning, middle and end of a dance when there is no set "formula", but all dances should have all three.
Otherwise, you end up with what seems to be a snippet of dance or disconnected movement that simply halts abruptly or trails off with the end of the music.
While there is nothing wrong with dancing on the spur of the moment for a few moments, perhaps a bit of swaying and a few twirls when the mood strikes or a piece of music moves you, but this cannot be considered to be a dance. It is just dance... standing alone like a small sample.
Some things to keep in mind when composing (beforehand or on the fly) free expression dances.
• The beginning is not as important to clearly delineate as the end. You can start out absently swaying to the music or start in a clear position that signals the start of a dance, but either way, it should become quickly clear that you are performing, rather than just idly sashaying about.
• Make sure that your moves flow from one to the next. Doing sudden, perhaps unexpected things is fine, but make it at least "fit" within the overall dance, rather than having a collection of moves cobbled together.
• Beware of becoming trite. Don't do all the same old moves that everyone does, but, by the same token, don't overlook tried and true moves just for the sake of being different.
• Make sure that the end of your dance is clearly an ending point, rather than just the spot where you stop dancing. It should be like a finale, not just something that fizzles out.
• Remember to make use of your own unique features and abilities!
It is a form of dance that need not have any particular set of complex stages or tell any sort of story.
You might think that this would make it the easiest type of dance, but this is not so.
It can be far more challenging to have a clear beginning, middle and end of a dance when there is no set "formula", but all dances should have all three.
Otherwise, you end up with what seems to be a snippet of dance or disconnected movement that simply halts abruptly or trails off with the end of the music.
While there is nothing wrong with dancing on the spur of the moment for a few moments, perhaps a bit of swaying and a few twirls when the mood strikes or a piece of music moves you, but this cannot be considered to be a dance. It is just dance... standing alone like a small sample.
Some things to keep in mind when composing (beforehand or on the fly) free expression dances.
• The beginning is not as important to clearly delineate as the end. You can start out absently swaying to the music or start in a clear position that signals the start of a dance, but either way, it should become quickly clear that you are performing, rather than just idly sashaying about.
• Make sure that your moves flow from one to the next. Doing sudden, perhaps unexpected things is fine, but make it at least "fit" within the overall dance, rather than having a collection of moves cobbled together.
• Beware of becoming trite. Don't do all the same old moves that everyone does, but, by the same token, don't overlook tried and true moves just for the sake of being different.
• Make sure that the end of your dance is clearly an ending point, rather than just the spot where you stop dancing. It should be like a finale, not just something that fizzles out.
• Remember to make use of your own unique features and abilities!