I got to take from one of my favorite teachers of all time the past couple of weeks. The guy has a dream career from being on Broadway to being in movies to being in a hugely popular Christmas commercial that when I saw it a couple years ago, I almost died knowing who it was. He is an inspiration, a motivation, and just taking his class is an honor for me. I also got the chance to observe a class. I had planned on staying for the class that day anyway, but had unfortunately popped my hip in a way that was causing me some concern, so I asked him if he would mind me observing the students. He was very kind and let me.
The class went over a lyrical combination that they had worked on the day before. It was a beautiful combo, with beautiful free-flowing movement combined with technique. When the students started doing it in groups, it prompted the teacher to talk about dancing honestly and it got me really thinking about what dancing honestly really means.
In the competition world, it's difficult for kids to dance honestly. Often times they are given songs about partying or being in love, and at the age of twelve, how many of them really know what that feels like? It's very difficult at times to have to pull the emotion and movement style out of kids in that manner. The teacher put it in a way that resonated with me- "if you're twelve, dance like you're twelve. If you're 17, dance like you're 17."
When you are twelve, you are dealing with just starting to explore the world of coming into your own. You're in middle school dealing with the idea what the opposite sex really means to you, or doing a lot of school work because you know high school is starting soon where all that scariness will begin, or you're trying to figure out if dance really is what you want to do because if it isn't, what other options do you have?
When you are 17, you have had a boyfriend or two at this point. You're thinking about college, which means you're half excited to get out of high school, but also half sad to leave it. You're finding out what it truly means to have friends, and school work is stressful thinking about how all your grades will be looked at by colleges.
The two ages have two very different experiences. At the age of twelve, you might dance a little happier. You won't understand a lot of complications that come with maturity, so you will dance in a slightly more innocent manner. At the age of 17, you might dance happy as well, but with just a touch of angst. Maybe you see a couple moments of underlying turmoil.
It was fascinating being able to watch these kids embody these feelings. The younger kids definitely had a feeling of innocence to them. They're at an age when "love" is still an idea of all rainbows and sunshine. The older dancers had a more evident embodiment that showed that sometimes, with love comes heartache.
The facial expressions of these dancers matched their styles. Sometimes you get kids onstage and their expressions are off the wall. Recently, on the show So You Think You Can Dance, one of Jessica's comments has consistently been "don't pull your face. Your dancing speaks for itself." I know personally I find it tough to be in a jazz number and NOT pull my face to make it more exciting because that's what I'm feeling. In certain areas of dance, they want you to feel it but not make it so incredibly evident on your face.
It's easy to see onstage when dancers don't feel what they are doing. Sometimes you just don't see the spark of feeling. Instead, you're thinking about the movement and I can see your eyes rolling a little back to get into that brain of yours. This is when the dancer stops being a dancer. Sometimes teachers try to help by choreographing facial expressions. What good does that do? To me, that's not learning what dance means. Yes, dance has the technique of the pointed toes and the turned out legs or the clear taps and placed arms, but essentially when we dance we tell a story. Even if the dancer is merely becoming the music and telling the audience "I am the notes on the scale" you are telling that in your dancing. So why would someone give you their interpretation when you can make it your own? Feel the beats and listen to the story and what it tells you, and let your facial expressions go from there.
Dancing honestly is just so important. When you don't, it's almost a betrayal of who you are as a dancer, and a betrayal of the dance itself. Perhaps my words seem harsh, but would you enjoy seeing a dancer at the age of 17 trying to dance a piece about love in a juvenile, innocent manner? I would rather see maturity on an older dancer.
Next time you or your dancer enter into the studio to work on a dance, think of who you are. Think of your age and your experiences in relation to what the song is saying. Show it in your movements and your style and your facial expressions. Be true to yourself and your dancing.
Dance honestly.
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