Which dance should I learn?

[Elwen]

Which dance should I learn?#1

Posted: 4/16/08 at 12:23pm

Everytime I tell teachers that I'm aiming for broadway/musical theatre, they tell me that I need to know how to dance. I even read somewhere that unless you can get past the dance part of the audition, you won't even get to the singing audition.

I want to learn to dance, but there are so many different kinds. Which one(s) should I learn if I wanted to get into musical theatre?

[dancingthrulife04]

re: Which dance should I learn?#2

Posted: 4/16/08 at 12:57pm

Start with ballet. Ballet is your foundation for everything else.

http://www.beintheheights.com/katnicole1 (Please click and help me win!) I chose, and my world was shaken- So what?
The choice may have been mistaken, The choosing was not... "Every day has the potential to be the greatest day of your life." - Lin-Manuel Miranda "And when Idina Menzel is singing, I'm always slightly worried that her teeth are going to jump out of her mouth and chase me." - Schmerg_the_Impaler

[WOSQ]

re: Which dance should I learn?#2

Posted: 4/16/08 at 1:36pm

As I have stressed many times before, ballet, ballet and, oh yes, ballet.

Every other dance style passes through ballet, and that is the basic technical background you need. It all comes from ballet.

Ballet also teaches body awareness and discipline.

Barre work can be boring as all get out and at the beginning, can leave you with muscle spasms at inconvenient times like the middle of the night when you are sound asleep, but you learn so much that has nothing to do directly with dance like body carriage/posture and concentration. It is also a great workout.

Ballet.

Some dance-heavy shows will put you through paces first. Some shows are not that dance-heavy and you sing first. South Pacific to name one, A Little Night Music for another.

"If my life weren't funny, it would just be true. And that would be unacceptable." --Carrie Fisher

[dramatothemax]

re: Which dance should I learn?#3

Posted: 4/16/08 at 5:21pm

I would take ballet and jazz if you can take 2.

[TheatreFreak05]

re: Which dance should I learn?#4

Posted: 4/16/08 at 5:30pm

Definitely ballet

If you can take more than one, take jazz. Also, if it is musical theatre you are aiming for, you might benefit from taking a tap class too.

But definitely take Ballet.

[StarStruckGB]

re: Which dance should I learn?#5

Posted: 4/16/08 at 8:16pm

Well ballet is always good for helping with your coordination, flexibilty, and general stage movements.

And a little tap dancing never hurt anybody.
Well, no it probably has, but you get my point.

Goshen doesn't do High-School-shows.

[PUGILIST]

re: Which dance should I learn?#6

Posted: 4/16/08 at 8:37pm

Agreed. Ballet has helped my so much.. I'm in Jazz 2 at my school right now, but need to get back to basics. I'm so excited, they're offering a ballet class over summer that will meet M-Thursday as opposed to just M and W or M and F (as it is during the regular school year).. woooo

Don't you wanna be the life of the party?

[ILoveMyDictionary]

re: Which dance should I learn?#7

Posted: 4/16/08 at 8:43pm

Ballet. If you can take two take ballet and Jazz. If you can take three take ballet, jazz, and tap.

[WOSQ]

re: Which dance should I learn?#8

Posted: 4/17/08 at 10:36am

On a lighter note, tap dancing is one of those skills that you can pull out at class reunions, family gatherings and anywhere that civilians gather, such as country club dances, proms, formal business dinner dances, etc.

Like playing the piano and being able to hold a conversation, tap dancing is always an asset and any social event.

"If my life weren't funny, it would just be true. And that would be unacceptable." --Carrie Fisher

[Elwen]

re: Which dance should I learn?#9

Posted: 4/21/08 at 2:37pm

Thanks. Seems that the majority of the folks here recommend ballet, so now I'm looking for a ballet school

Who knows, maybe I'll take jazz and tap too, but not until I got some training in ballet first.

Updated On: 4/21/08 at 02:37 PM

[sleepyguy1717]

re: Which dance should I learn?#10

Posted: 4/21/08 at 2:48pm

Maybe I just got lucky, but my dance teacher went to school for MT. So if you can find a teacher who has done the same, that would be ideal.

I want to apologize for some offensive messages posted on this board under my name. The night 0f 12-15-08 I did not have internet access, and someone had used my name to post something offensive. My avatar was also changed. I dont' know what else was posted, or if anyone recieved bad PMs, but I want to apologize for that. I've changed my password, and even though I was not the one posting these messages it still needed to be corrected.

[wizard2joe]

re: Which dance should I learn?#11

Posted: 11/26/08 at 8:05pm

Take ballet and jazz if you can take two classes.
or just ballet if you can't.

[oohshizz146]

re: Which dance should I learn?#12

Posted: 11/26/08 at 8:11pm

Ballet. It will make every other type easier

"I told you, NO Rodgers and Hammerstein!"- Bart Simpson

[oohshizz146]

re: Which dance should I learn?#12

Posted: 11/26/08 at 8:11pm

sorry double!

"I told you, NO Rodgers and Hammerstein!"- Bart Simpson

Updated On: 11/27/08 at 08:11 PM

[Paul W. Thompson]

re: Which dance should I learn?#14

Posted: 11/27/08 at 12:50am

I agree that ballet should come first. And then jazz.

But, unless you are going to be a DANCER, you should take social dance at some point.

Then hip-hop, and then tap. IMHO

[I*heart*Manhattan]

re: Which dance should I learn?#15

Posted: 11/27/08 at 1:58pm

Ballet does make everything easier but when it comes to theatre you will need to also have a very strong jazz background

[dg22894]

re: Which dance should I learn?#16

Posted: 12/7/08 at 9:38am

Ballet then Jazz then tap

...if you are first starting

[bwaylvsong]

re: Which dance should I learn?#17

Posted: 12/8/08 at 12:37pm

If only it were still like the good old days when the dancing and singing choruses were separate...

[tis_be_sarah]

re: Which dance should I learn?#18

Posted: 1/2/09 at 3:24pm

Ballet, 100% ballet.

Also maybe theatre jazz.

A million hearts beat quicker there, a million lights they flicker there. No clouds of grey on that great white way, thats the Broadway Melody!