| If you're new to learning choreography, don't put too | | | | and one more as an instrumental interlude between |
| many demands on yourself. | | | | the chorus and the beginning of the next verse. |
| If you attend a 4-hour seminar taught by an | | | | Give each musical segment a name: "Verse 1st half," |
| internationally-famous instructor, remember that many | | | | "Verse 2nd half," "Chorus", "Interlude". Or, "Melody 1," |
| of the other dancers there will be seasoned | | | | "Melody 2," "Melody 3," "Melody 4," and so on. As you |
| professional dancers who are looking for new | | | | listen to the song, write down which musical segment |
| challenges. Don't expect to learn as quickly as them, | | | | you're hearing at that moment. When done, study |
| and don't expect to look as graceful as them. Most of | | | | what you have written. Listen to the song, and review |
| all, don't expect to retain the full choreography that | | | | its structure. The better you know the music, the |
| was taught over the course of 4 hours. Just expect to | | | | better you'll be able to associate the dance moves of |
| come away knowing something you didn't know | | | | the choreography with it. |
| before: maybe one or two great new step | | | | Finally, go over the music and identify which dance |
| combinations, or a few tidbits about the dance's history | | | | move from the choreography goes with which melody |
| or ethnic context. | | | | segment. Some choreographers follow patterns, |
| Be kind to yourself. Pick a goal that matches your level | | | | always using the same move (or a variation of it) each |
| of dance experience. | | | | time a certain melody line appears. Others don't do |
| Even though I've been dancing for over 20 years, my | | | | that. Study the structure to see if you can spot a |
| own personal goal for those 4-hour workshops is to | | | | pattern in the choreography for this particular song. For |
| emerge with one or two great new moves to | | | | example, in one dance I choreographed, I used |
| incorporate into my personal style. I don't seek to | | | | variations of basic Egyptian for Instrumental 1, |
| come out with a full choreography to perform, just | | | | variations of point-point-point step for Instrumental 2, |
| selected moves that inspire me for use in my own | | | | some sort of side-to-side move for Vocals 1, and |
| solo dances. With this attitude, I can relax and enjoy | | | | some sort of "in your own circle" moves for Vocals 2 |
| seminars. | | | | & 3. |
| Even if you're learning new choreography in your local | | | | Bellydancing Bellydance Bellydancers Rehearse in |
| weekly class, don't put too much pressure on yourself. | | | | Your Head This tip won't help you much in making it |
| Let's say you've been dancing for 5 years, but always | | | | through a 4-hour workshop where the choreography |
| your own personal improvisation. | | | | is all taught at once, but it will help you learn |
| Then you start classes with a new teacher, and you | | | | choreography that is taught over the course of |
| discover that other students who have been dancing | | | | several weekly classes. |
| only a year are learning faster than you. That could be | | | | Now that you've absorbed the music and you know it |
| discouraging. | | | | so well that you know what's coming next, you're |
| But remember, if they started with that teacher in the | | | | ready to begin mental rehearsal. The great thing about |
| first place, and if she taught them at the beginning how | | | | mental rehearsal is that you can do it in the car, while |
| to learn choreography, they have more experience | | | | doing yard work, etc. |
| with that particular skill than you do. | | | | Write down everything you've learned so far in the |
| They have also previously been exposed to that | | | | choreography, if you haven't already done so. Consult |
| teacher's favorite step combinations, which you may | | | | your notes and memorize the first two moves, in |
| be seeing for the first time. Don't place yourself into | | | | order. |
| the trap of thinking that you should learn faster than | | | | Just the first two. You can come back for the rest |
| they do just because you've been dancing longer. | | | | later. |
| As you adjust your goals & expectations to match | | | | Start the music and envision yourself dancing those |
| what's realistic for you, you'll put less stress on | | | | first two steps. Then go back to the beginning and |
| yourself. It's hard to learn something new when you're | | | | repeat. As you do this mental rehearsal: Envision |
| feeling stress. So plan your goals according to what | | | | yourself easily making the transition from the first step |
| makes you comfortable. | | | | into the second. |
| Take that corner of your brain that was fretting about | | | | Picture what your hands and feet are doing to make |
| your fear of failure, and redirect it to enjoying the class. | | | | the transition. |
| You'll learn more! Bellydancing Bellydance Bellydancers | | | | Pay attention to what the music is doing. Analyze how |
| Absorb the Music Good choreography is chosen to | | | | the movement fits with that particular part of the |
| match the music. Of course, it seems obvious, doesn't | | | | music. Try to link the music in your head with the |
| it? It's hard to become familiar with a brand-new piece | | | | movement that goes with it. |
| of music at the same time you're learning brand-new | | | | When you feel totally confident that you know how to |
| ways to move your body AND trying to do them in a | | | | move from the first step into the second, add the third |
| particular memorized order. So if you can become | | | | move to your mental rehearsal. Again, keeping |
| very, very familiar with the music outside of class, then | | | | rewinding and mentally repeat the three moves |
| in class you'll already know what to expect next in the | | | | together in order many times, thinking about how to |
| music and you can concentrate just on the | | | | transition from one to the next. |
| movements. | | | | Continue adding one move at a time to your mental |
| If possible, get a copy of the music before the | | | | rehearsal. Take the time to absorb each move and |
| workshop. Or, if you're learning choreography over the | | | | truly understand the transition into it before you add |
| course of a weekly class, find out the first night of | | | | another. |
| class how you can get a copy of the music and go | | | | If you find that you don't know which move comes |
| get it immediately. | | | | next, press "pause" on your tape/CD player and stop |
| Now, listen to it. A lot. Get a portable tape or CD | | | | to think. Don't go any further until you remember. Try |
| player with an earphone. Play it in your car or listen to | | | | first to remember without consulting the notes, but if |
| it on the train when commuting to and from work | | | | that doesn't work, go ahead and consult the written |
| every day. Listen to it while you're eating supper, | | | | notes. Then go back to the beginning and try again. |
| bathing the baby, doing yard work, or while you're | | | | Do this over and over and over in your car, on the |
| sitting in your doctor's waiting room. | | | | commuter train, while doing yard work, while bathing |
| Jot down notes about how the song is structured. | | | | the baby, and any other time you can carry your |
| Most songs can be divided into 4 or 5 distinct melody | | | | portable tape/CD player with you. |
| segments. If a song is in the verse/chorus format, | | | | Repetition is the key to memorizing. |
| there will frequently be a couple of different melody | | | | You'll be surprised at how effective mental rehearsal |
| segments in the verse, another used for the chorus, | | | | can be! |