New Year, New Ideas…
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Photo credit: Tony bellissimo, ried Martin
From: Tremaine Dance Conventions
Thoughts about dance from Kansas City…
So…. I decided to try something new this year. People are always asking me “how did the weekend go?” or “what did you think of the dancers this weekend?”. Honestly, each weekend I teach for Tremaine is completely different! Some weekends are smooth as silk, and some are more challenging to get through. I believe this is because of the unique dynamic of each ballroom, and my ability to feel effective in getting my message across and trying to create an environment where the dancers feel supported and challenged at the same time.
Writing about my observations and opinions from every weekend actually scares the living hell out of me… and that is why I am doing it! I am most comfortable expressing myself through movement, and using my voice as a writer feels extremely risky. I often speak in my classes about taking risks and stepping into the fear in order to work through who you want to be as a dancer and a person. Well, I decided to take my own advice for once!
Theses are my views and observations from our first convention of the year in Kansas City…
I found myself in an interesting conundrum this weekend. Often, I feel like we as convention teachers judge the success of the class by how loud the dancers cheer and clap for us and for each other. When this doesn’t naturally exist in the room, we tend to feel like maybe the choreography wasn’t inspiring enough or maybe we weren’t exciting enough of a teacher. Though this may be true in a few instances, I have found that there is also another possibility for the lack of energy being sent out to the room. Sometimes, the dancers are so focused on getting the material and truly working through the challenge being given to them in the class, that they are completely self involved in their own development and struggles, and therefore forget to step outside and support the others in the room. I don’t necessarily think there is anything wrong with this. Every class at a convention is different and offers a unique path to mastery. Some are based on how much energy you are putting into the room, and some are based on how much energy you are putting into yourself.
In the senior room this weekend. I felt myself falling into the trap of insecurity as I watched the dancers struggle through the material I gave them. Then, I looked a little closer and noticed that the room was so quiet because the dancers really, truly were putting their best effort into achieving the goals I had given them, which caused them to have to dig deep down in their souls, and work past their comfort zones. This is honestly all I could ever ask from a room of emerging artists.
So which is better? I really don’t know… I think there is space for both types of classes. And idealistically, there is a way to find a balance of both energies in the SAME class. I think that part is up to the dancers. I encourage dancers to be “selfishly generous” in their classes. To remember that they have to be accountable for their own development as well as be aware of what is happening around them. Working on yourself and supporting other souls in the room who are doing the same thing is absolutely possible, it’s just a matter of your level of commitment and awareness.
In love and dance,
Keri