Ever watched a show like ‘So You Think You Can Dance?’ or ‘Dancing With the Stars’, and wondered how they were able to pick up so many dances at once? Yes, they’ve had some prior training in both cases, but still, could you dance lyrical, samba, and Bollywood after a few weeks of practice?
Actually, you could. It’s not rocket science - it’s just your body’s way of connecting what it doesn’t know to what it does know. And the more you know, the faster you learn. Here’s 5 dance styles that can take your ballroom dance technique to the next level.
1. Ballet
Ballet is the grandfather of the first ballroom dances, and virtually all ballroom dance technique today is derived from it. Working on your core strength? That’s ballet. Improving the shape and position of your arms? Ballet. Strengthening your turnout muscles for rhythm or Latin dance, working on balanced turns, upright posture, etc., etc… All of it has it’s origins in ballet.
The precision of ballet requires more discipline and patience than most dance styles. And you’ll need ample amounts of both to conquer the ballroom.
2. Jazz
Modern day jazz dancing is fun, versatile, and full of energy. Rhythm or Latin dancers can improve their musicality by exploring jazz’s musical syncopations and body isolations. And don’t let the name fool you - jazz dancing is done to a variety of music, not just Ella Fitzgerald and John Coltrane.
3. Hip Hop
If you want to try a style that’s got a bit of everything, look no further. Hip hop consists for 3 main elements: locking (abruptly freezing in place and moving again), breaking (acrobatic moves requiring considerable strength), and popping (smoother, gliding movements). No matter which style you adapt to your ballroom, expect a good workout at the very least.
4. Lyrical
Full of motion and emotion, lyrical dancing lends a softer, flowing quality to your movement - great for waltzes and foxtrots. It often involves some tricky lifts and tricks, and encourages increased flexibility, while not requiring you to be pencil thin. Lyrical is a very emotional dance, so come prepared to be a little vulnerable, and you’ll be rewarded with more powerful and animated dancing later.
5. Tap
An excellent choice for dancers trying to nail down the timing of their footwork. If you can keep up with the fast percussion of tap dance, your only timing challenge dancing a salsa or cha cha might be slowing your feet down!
Tap also teaches you to keep your upper body relaxed while the feet work their magic, an important quality in any ballroom dance.
I especially enjoyed this posting and only wish I had the stamina to add other forms of dance to improve my overall dancing. This was encouraging, Ian, and very interesting.
Looking forward to the next post. Thanks.
Glad to hear Leslie!