Thread: Improv moods

I'm not very comfortable with improv. Most of the time I find it difficult and I feel like a fish out of water. I do have Nadira Jamal's Improv Toolkit, which I think will help. Anyway, back to the point. It seems like there are certain times when it comes much more easily than others and I don't know why. Anyone else know what I'm talking about?

If I know the music well, it helps. Otherwise, I get freaked out and can't move.

I've found that I'm more comfortable with improv. At first, I would just freeze on stage and end up doing shimmies or hip bumps. But I do a couple of things that really help. I listen to my songs constantly. In the car, playing on the internet, cleaning, even reading sometimes. If it's a complex song, I may not know every single note, but it comes close. And then I dance to it. I don't think about what I want to do, just what the music feels like doing. And you have to not concentrate on moves. Just let whatever come out. Don't look at a mirror cause you may look like a total fool the first couple of times, waving your arms around or doing dramatic gestures. After you get comfortable dancing to the music, listen to the music some more and see if you can hear parts and visualize moves that would go great. I do this sitting down as sometimes I'll still freak out while practicing cause I'm trying to think so hard on what moves I should do. Then get up and dance with it again inserting those moves you know will fit perfectly with the music. You don't have to do the whole song cause then you might as well be choreographing. Repeat as needed.

As for dancing improv to a song you don't know...well...I have no advice on that other than you get better by practicing. You could practice to new music you've just gotten and never heard before. That helps.

This is how I do it...so it may not work this way for you. But if it does, AWESOME! ..g.:

I can improv more easily to orchestral oriental pieces, because there's so much going on I feel that I can usually find something to inspire me at any point in the song. It's harder for me with pop or other repetitive music, because I feel like I've already done what I'm inspired to do halfway through the song.

All of my dancing has some degree of improv in it now, but the more complex the music, the less pre-planned structure I walk onstage with.

The right music is like an invisible yet very competent dance partner. "He" determines the direction and tempo as well as the mood. You just gotta relax and trust "him".

The other thing to remember is that there are certain rules to ME music. The rule of 4 is a great one to remember. The first time a pattern is played is for the dancer to hear it, then she gets to perform it 3 more times. And most songs repeat the entire pattern several times.

the other thing, which I repeat ad nausium is to key into the drum. Unless you have an obnoxious drummer - which I have seen - the lead drummer is your friend and will 'tell' you what is happening next.

Anala - love the analogy!

{{{HUGS}}}

Originally Posted by laura 2

I can improv more easily to orchestral oriental pieces, because there's so much going on I feel that I can usually find something to inspire me at any point in the song. It's harder for me with pop or other repetitive music, because I feel like I've already done what I'm inspired to do halfway through the song.

All of my dancing has some degree of improv in it now, but the more complex the music, the less pre-planned structure I walk onstage with.

That sounds very helpful because I do feel like I'm just repeating myself a lot. I'll do the same move in different directions, with different sylings, level changes but still it feels odd. I probably am thinking too much, like someone mentioned.

Originally Posted by wayauwohali

I do have Nadira Jamal's Improv Toolkit, which I think will help.

The Toolkit is on my Christmas list. Do you like it?

I do, and I got the preorder special

Are you familiar with the jazz term scat?
It is verbal improv. The singer just makes nonsense noises that melt like butter over the popcorn of the music. She cant think about it, it is totally in the moment, but for her to be confident enough to allow this sort of verbal improv riff to happen, she must have an intimate knowledge of musical structure. It need not be formal, but it does have to be so internalized that it as natural as breathing.

I love what Zana used as her tag line for a long time...master technique and then be natural. Surrender to the music, it is all about that surrender.

My work is now is to divorce myself from my mirror. As long as I can control that image like a puppet master, I am a very good dancer, but while I am busy manipulating that shadow with my eyes, I am not fully present in my body.

Anala, what kinds of tips do you have on "divorcing" oneself from the mirror? I am in that same place. I feel my dancing is so much better when I'm practicing in front of the mirror, of course, because I can see and correct immediately. When off the mirror, when I watch the video later, I appear sloppy. I only do improv, but also want to be a good technician.

Stay off the mirror...thats the only thing that will help, short of a one on one with an instructor that wont let you look. Keep using the video. I have yet to do that and I know is the only way for me...I have no local teacher for consistant feed back. Its a self potrait at this point, so you gotta know every nook and cranny of your face, but you cant paint it while you are looking in the mirror.

For me, it is a little bit mood and a little bit music. I listen to music A LOT. I am always envisioning what moves would look good, essentially dancing in my head. Now, when the physical me starts, those images may be more than my skill can handle. There are times tho, when it just isn't working for me no matter what.

Originally Posted by JennivereMarjeta

The Toolkit is on my Christmas list. Do you like it?

I like mine. Well worth the money.

Originally Posted by wayauwohali

I'm not very comfortable with improv. Most of the time I find it difficult and I feel like a fish out of water. I do have Nadira Jamal's Improv Toolkit, which I think will help. Anyway, back to the point. It seems like there are certain times when it comes much more easily than others and I don't know why. Anyone else know what I'm talking about?

Yes, I know what you mean about improv being harder some times than others! Perhaps it's because you need to really relax and be in the moment to improvise successfully...or feel good enough that you think you've improvised successfully. So how your day has been or how many distractions you've had, whether you love the music or not, would all impact on how well you improvise. (Dare I write this...reminds me of *ahem* sex...sometimes you're totally in the moment, other times you're reciting the shopping list in your mind)

Back to topic (!!)...here's an article with my tips on improvising: Jewel Bellydance - Belly dance classes melbourne Australia ::: Articles. Scroll down to 'The Art of Improvising'.

Originally Posted by Linnyg

I like mine. Well worth the money.

I hope Santa is reading this.

Followed everyone's advice and it was great. I definitely have to avoid the mirrors. Chose a couple of more complex songs that I've never listened to (youtube.) Also, there's nobody here but me and the baby and we both enjoyed it. When I posted originally, hubby was in the room and upset because he was on the computer and wanted to watch tv and my bellydance music interfered. That's why my affectionate name for him is turkey, lol. Thanks, guys.

Jewel, that's a great article you wrote on improv! It highlights the problems (lack of creativity under the bright lights? Yes!) and gives solutions. (increase your number of "default" moves!)Thank you.