Thursday, June 23, 2011

We're Used To Hearing Words. Now We Have To Hear Beats Too?

There is no doubt in my mind that the students that come through Dancers Anonymous are amazing. They take every routine we give them, big or small, easy or intricate, and they do their best to stay above the game and make the routine their own. It's something that I have begun to take pride in when it comes to these students and these classes as a whole. By no means are they trying to be the best dancer on the floor. They just go out there to have fun, which in the end, if you ask me, makes them look like a ten times better dancer.

Tuesday's class was a lot of fun! Amber came back to teach the students a Laura Edwards routine that has movements that go more to the beats and clicks in the background more than the words of the song. This is something new for a lot of the students that are dancing with us this year because, for example, in one of the classes I taught, the words were "wear my hat low like you", and there were specific movements to each word. Now, for Amber's class, the students really had to rely on their ability to hear certain sounds behind the words in order to know where each of these movements should go. This is not unusual, especially with a choreographer like Laura Edwards. When I took classes from her in Dallas, she did a dance to one of my FAVORITE songs and there was a move that she was doing that I did not really understand where she was putting it in the song. So when I asked where it was, she turned on the song and did the move to a sound in the background that I've never even HEARD the whole time I've been listening to this song. It's what makes her a great choreographer, and it's what makes her a unique choreographer.

The students however did a great job! They mastered this dance in their own way and it ended up being a really great learning experience for them! As teachers that is our job right? To teach them something new and useful? Now, they can go out of this class with confidence that if another routine like this comes up where the moves are not to the words but to the beats, they will be able to handle it with ease! These kids are amazing and continue to amaze me!

Stay tuned for a recap of Thursday's class, where you'll be introduced to a new teacher! :)

Courtney

No comments:

Post a Comment