Having a strong urge to dance like a pro, now that you have been good at it for a while already?
The lockdown phase must have helped you practise even more, as several artists worldwide. But when it comes to being a pro, is it possible to dance, in the comfort of your own home, without having to pay a single dime and yet pass it for a professional look?
Yes, we are living in the golden age of information and everything is possible if you have some time, determination, and a decent internet connection.
Before you begin, here are some tips you should know to have an efficient start.
Choose your dance style
There are innumerable dance forms out there: Hip-hop, freestyle, ballet, waltz, salsa, Bollywood, contemporary, etc. Before diving headfirst into some at-home dance learning, you need to find out which dance style really suits you. The best way to select is to choose the dance style that you’ve always admired and others have appreciated you. But remember, it is important to choose the form which you can really enjoy, even during the process of learning.
Warm-Up before
It is important to get a quick warm-up before starting any at-home dance lesson. Warming up allows blood circulation in the joints and hands and feet, after which you feel ready and energized to learn dancing. You can refer to online videos for light warm-up exercises ideal for dancing.
Jog on the spot for 1-5 minutes until you feel that your heart rate has increased. Stretch out your hamstrings by laying on your back and drawing each knee to your chest and then extending your leg. Repeat lunges 5-10 times to stretch out your thighs.”
This indeed would be a routine to follow even when you are no longer working from home but it is most needed now as there is a lack of company, the tribes are not together. Keeping the spirit and fitness level high by self-discipline is more important in a work from home situation.
Flexibility Exercises
It’s a false notion that dancers cannot be made out of adults. Though, It’s true that dancing from an early age fosters natural flexibility in the body and develops a shape ideal for dancing.
But if you really wish to be a dancer later in life, you can improve your posture and flexibility with some effective flexibility exercises and routines. Yoga is considered by many to be the best exercise for flexibility. Besides, you can also try lifting weights, pilates, tai chi, or simple stretching.
Choose Dance Videos
You will find thousands of dance tutorials for free on the internet if free is the way you wish to learn. If you wish to spend some money, after all, you can install paid dance learning apps like Salsa Rhythm or Steezy Studio. If you go for free online videos, remember to subscribe to a tutorial, where the instructor demonstrates each and every step.
Practise
Practise is the name of the game to become a skilled dancer without leaving home. Try to do each and every step as much as possible, especially the difficult ones, till you feel that you have mastered it. In the beginning, learning a complete dance routine might take some time, but over time, as you practise more and more, you will notice a difference in your form; you will also notice that over time, with increasing finesse and flexibility, it takes lesser and lesser time to learn any dance routine.
Dance in Front of a Mirror
Professional Dance instructors often have mirrors on walls of their classes so that students can see themselves and their own form in the mirror, or can perfectly mirror the moves of the instructor. Dancing in front of the mirror can help you look into your own form and make the improvements yourself.
In times of technological change, you should also consider recording your dance practises on your mobile phone. The idea is for you to watch you practise as a critic. As you watch the clips again and again, you would be able to self-analysis the areas for improvement.
Cool Down after
Just as important it is to warm up before dancing, so is cooling down after the same. Allow your body to cool down after a dance session, especially if it’s a rigorous one. Make sure that the dancing routine gets a little lighter towards the end. You can also stretch a little bit after cooling down for 10 minutes.
Give a little bit of time to other dance forms and moves
Yes, you should still be focused on a single dance form instead of trying to master different dance forms. But, there is no harm in indulging in different dance forms lightly, just for fun. Every dance form has its own unique speciality, and having those different perspectives expands your understanding of the main dance form.
As you continue to use the above tips and discover your own unique blends while working from home as a student of dance, try not to forget that as a professional dancer, you would dance on big stages one day but it is not the expanse of the physical space that brings out the dancer in you but it is actually the dancer in you that adopts the space as it is and makes the dance look bigger than what it is.
