DANCERS: How long?

[hyperchet]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 11:39am

Hey for all of my fellow dancers out there, how long have you been taking dance? When did you start? What did you take? Where did you take?

I have been dancing for a year, I started when I was 12, I took tap, ballet, and lyrical. Yeah just curious on what stuff you others guys do to keep up your dancing skillz!

[dry2olives]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 12:19pm

What is lyrical dance? Something to do with interpreting the lyric of a song?

[peach]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 12:22pm

Good for you! I have been dancing for 30 years (I'm aging myself, but hey...I've been doing this a while, so maybe I can help with some of your questions).

I started out with strict, classical ballet, picked up jazz, modern and lyrical when I was a teenager. I learned tap for an audition in my teens, and then started studying that as well.

My biggest advice for any new dancer - take ballet. Always take ballet. At least one (preferably more) ballet class a week. It's the root of other modern styles and helps tremendously with your balance, fluidity and stamina. Plus, you'll find most dance steps and positions from other styles are rooted in ballet.

Having solid dance training is so great for auditions as well. You'll find there's a lot more ensemble work to be had when you can dance!

Did I mention take ballet? : )

[peach]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 12:26pm

I'd describe "lyrical" or "lyrical jazz" as sort of a hybrid of ballet, modern and jazz. Think Movin' Out. Semi-interpretive dance (as in ballet) but with more modern and creative movements (as in jazz/modern).

Different schools will call it different things. I think when "jazz" started becoming more associated with pop music, some instructors started using the term "lyrical" to describe this style.

[DancerGirl16]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 12:42pm

I have been dancing for 10 years.

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 12:47pm

I have been dancing for twenty years now... started dancing when I was 17, once I could take care of it on my own. (back home boys don't dance)

I second and third and fourth what Peach said... always take ballet. If you're starting, start with ballet, even if you're not going to be a ballet dancer, it will give you the foundation and strength you're not going to get from jazz.

Another piece of advice: listen to your body. I neglected to so, thought I was invincible, and now I have terrible issues with my knees and hips. I'm sure it's a combo of carelessness, bad technique, and working too hard when I should've rested. Be kind to your body and you'll be a'dancin' for a long time.

[Di2]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 12:57pm

Daydreamer..AMEN..I am in Beauty and the Beast 8 shows a week and my left knee and ankle are killing me nightly. I am a taped up mess. I
had an injury years ago that I "danced through" because I wanted to be a "trooper" and now I am falling apart. F*ck being a trouper; we have understudies and swings for a reason.

Fellow dancers, listen to your body and treat it well or you will lose many years dancing because you didn't take good care of yourself.

[ally_kay_on_broadway]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 12:59pm

what if you're chubby? How are you supposed to take ballet??? EVERYONE says 'take ballet' but what about people with big boobs or a big butt or large hips or people that are just big boned???!?!

Im just bitter because im curvy and don't have the 'dancers body' y'know?

[Jwei123]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:06pm

I have been taking dance for 14 years (Im 17)

[Di2]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:09pm

Ally,

Anyone can take ballet. It's fantastic excercise. Lots of non dancers have taken drop in classes with me and love it. It's great cardio and it works on every area of your body! I say go for it!!! Don't try to "out do" yourself as so many dancers do in class and that's how people get injured. By that I mean; don't try to lift your leg higher than you can by pushing out your hip and cheating. If your leg only raises to knee level, that's great!! Work at your own level. There will be people in class that are better than you, people that are worse than you and those on your level; all kinds of types. Class is not a conmpetition, even though many dancers think it is. If it is a competition, it should only be with yourself, to push yourself a little bit harder than the last class. Just follow your body, feel those strecthes and allow yourself to enjoy the class. You take from it what you want.

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:13pm

Ally...

Stocky boy over here. HELLO! Take ballet EVEN if you are not going to be a ballet dancer. I don't have a typical dancers body. At all. It's one of the hardest things to convince people when they see me, that I can dance, that I can turn, and that I'm flexible as flexible can be (ok, not as flexible as I was in my 20's, but more flexible than most almost-40 year olds). Don't let the weight thing keep you out of taking class. And anymore, especially in drop-in studios, you don't have to wear tights if you're uncomfortable in them. But believe me, most people in dance class won't care what you look like, and the ones who might, are not worth you worrying over.

[peach]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:23pm

Ditto Ditto Ditto! All shapes and sizes can take ballet. Anyone who wants to dance professionally (in any genre) *should* take ballet. I know some fabulous dancers who are not "dancer-thin." In the Saturday class I teach, we have people of all shapes and sizes. And we all have a great time and get a good workout on top of it.

And speaking of injuries, agree with all. I "danced through" too many injuries when I was younger, and now my old bones feel it still. Plus, I walk like a duck....too many years of turnout! So, listen to your body and respect the healing process if/when you are injured.

One thing I do that helps my dancing (stamina and flexiblity) is yoga. It also helps me better listen to my body so I don't work injuries too hard.

[jaded_october]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:24pm

i started dancing about 2 months. lol. i took dance when i was 7 but i dont remember any of it.

but now my teachers back home in china and lessons are cancelled for the summer... i have to find another place to dance, but my teacher is the most amazing dancer ever. i looooove him.

[hyperchet]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:29pm

Yeah, I take ballet and I need to do more. I would describe lyrical as a mix between ballet and hip hop. Lyrical has a lot of slow hard-to-hit positions that are challenging but look REALLY cool. It SOMEWHAT describes lyrics of the song, but not neccesarily. I love dance. I'm a two-threat. I can sing and dance. I CAN act, but I need to bring that up some. Hhahaha.

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:30pm

I started taking pilates to help me with my body. So many things we do wrong in dance class... gotta find that balance.

[hyperchet]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:49pm

I was taking pilates at my studio. They hurt. But I gave up pilates to take up Tap, which is a GREAT trade off!

Want to hear a funny story! Yesterday, I woke up and my upper thigh hurt SO bad when I walked on it. My mom is a doctor so I asked her about it. After she looked at it she said I probably pulled a muscle dancing! AAAAH! So I can't turn out my feet or anything for a few days to make sure it heals!

My goal by the end of this year as a dancer was to be able to do the splits, and I'm almost there (like 3 inches from ground). Want to know my secret? Lester Horton Dance Technique video from adadance.com!!!

[sidwich]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 2:53pm

I've been dancing... gosh... thirteen years now, and yes, I am (very) curvy and I take ballet and I love it. Yes, there are the times that I feel like I'm doing my own personal homage to the hippos in "Fantasia," but I love it. I will say it took a couple of years before I could see and feel the difference in my dancing, but it has made a big difference.

In addition to what other people have said, my advice is to try all kinds of dance in addition to ballet. On some level, good dancing is good dancing, and it's good to keep an open mind. Different forms of dance will bring out different aspects of your movement, and I think that's beneficial for everyone.

[rKrispyt]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 3:35pm

Ally,

I'm also a bigger girl and had to take Ballet in college. It was rough because in everything else and shows people were always saying what a great dancer I was...and then ballet class came and it frustrated the hell out of me and made me uncomfortable about my appearance and...I dunno, just made me feel horrible because I excelled in everything else and I had to deal with not being the best at that.

I still don't love ballet (I effin' hate it, to be honest) but it's important for the technique that you learn.

It's still nice (even though I'm still a bigger girl and still effin' hate ballet with a passion) to be at an audition or a class and have to do ballet and have people compliment my technique - that's something you need (even if you don't see pursuing Ballet persay) to progress to other forms of dancing, and like Peach and everyone has said, because everything else is basically an extension of Ballet in a sense - gotta start with the roots and learn to crawl before you can walk, know what I'm sayin'?

Plus it taught me a lot of discipline and helped me a lot to learn how to leave my problems and personal issues at the door and focus on the dancing - something I've been able to pertain to many aspects of life.

And my teacher was always noticing when I was losing weight from dancing and it definitely keeps you in shape and makes you feel good when it comes down to it. :)

[FosseBoi]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 3:39pm

I've been taking for 7 years. Started when I was...7 or 8. I started with Tap(which I am SOOOO BAD at) and then added Ballet. I now do a lot of Ballet and Modern(which I'm in LOVE with!). I now ake at Elite Dance Acd.

[bwayballerina]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 3:42pm

I've been dancing for about 11 years. I've taken ballet, jazz, tap, modern, lyrical and character.

A few years ago, I wanted to work with one of my teachers on a ballet solo. Not for a show or anything, just for fun and so I could improve my technique. She told me I wasn't right for ballet and was very discouraging. Since then, I have proved her wrong by taking pointe lessons, getting a small pointe solo in this year's recital, and successfully choreographing modern ballet numbers for both myself and my high school's dance company. Just because someone says you aren't right for dance or shouldn't dance is no reason to not try it. It doesn't matter if you never make it to a high level class (heck, I've been in Beginning/Intermediate pointe far longer than the other dancers who started pointe when I did) If you like to dance, you should dance. And it is very helpful at musical theatre auditions. :)

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 4:40pm

I don't remember NOT dancing. I haven't been in classes for the whole time, bu tI took classes for 8 years and wa sout for 4, now I'm back in again. I started with ballet, and later took tap, jazz, and lyrical.

[Jimmyojimmy]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 4:53pm

I started dance when I was 3 and I'm 16 now so I've been dancing for a good 13 years. I started with jazz, tap, and ballet. I now mostly do ballet and jazz and a little tap. I should start tapping more I wanna do Millie some day or 42nd street thatd be awesome!

[kim1061]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 5:53pm

Yay Dancers.
I have been dancing for 8yrs. I took it up until 5 but stopped and started again at 9, so it wouldve been around 13-14 years. damn.
I take Ballet, Jazz, Hip hop. I take tap sometimes at Broadway Dance..just starting out. I have taken lyrical.

I hope to attempt to dance still in the next 4yrs, it will be hard because I'll be in college and not majoring in it.
I go to a studio in NY

[LiTtLeDaNcEr729]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 6:07pm

I have been dancing for 12 years (I'm 16). I started with just Tap, Ballet, and Jazz. Now I take classes in Jazz, Hip Hop, Tap, Lyrical, Modern, Ballet (I hate ballet, heh. I'm only taking it for the reasons stated in this thread)..., and a class in Choreography. I also took Irish Dancing for 3 years, but the teacher left my studio, so I don't take the class anymore.

[Mini_Mimi17]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 7:10pm

Humm...Let's see, well this is my 12th year dancing i did tap, ballet, and jaz for 7 years, then i moved on to musical theater for 5 years. Dancing is so much fun! I stopped for about 2 yr's now and hopefully in the summer i will do tap, jazz, and musical theater again. I took dance in NYC for 2 yrs and the rest in NJ a small dance theater by me.