Thread: I just don't feel myself improving

I think I am just so focused on making sure my students are happy and improving that I've put my own dancing on the side burner. I've been going to workshops, but I just feel like I've hit a road block on becoming better on technique. I still have a desire to dance and have enough creative energy to do things with but I think my problems is that I need to be challenged. Videos suck, I can't find one that keeps my attention and I am soooo sick of going to workshops that are just choreo. And yet I go and spend big moolah just to learn one or two new combinations. I've been working on my dynamics (height variations, speed variations, size, etc. etc.) and that keep me entertained for a while. But I just want more.I know my arms need work and I keep sticking to the same core moves that I do. I am hoping to post some videos soon so you ladies can tear into me. I need constructive criticism.

Any suggestions?

Take some private coaching from a really good master teacher whose style you like.

Sedonia

yes! I have been there what you describe. What I did was to try something completely different You say on your profile that you do it a bit, but try chi kung, tai chi, ballet, salsa, flamenco, bollywood. They bring up new ways to use your fingers, hands, arms- and you notice the chance when you take you normal training again, I feel sometimes that I am more free. Also I agree with ssipes, you may need a really challenging tutor to focus personally on you for not more than an hour. But as that may not be possible the first choice is easier. whatever you do, think it as a temperary stage because you are already so good and to get to the next level is really really hard. Oh, forgot, try this also: take a difficult step and concentrate to make it look as easy as possible. That seemed to challenge me when I had the feeling of not advancing any more.

I have also been there. I decided to take a cold hard look at my dance life, and channel all my energy into areas that would push me to improve. I realised that, though I love teaching, I did not enjoy the weekly commitment of teaching a class. It is a bit of a trap when you teach because your students think you are the best thing since dliced bread, and really 'get' you - which means that you don't have to push yourself out of your comfort zone. I spent all my money on going to all the workshops I could get to, and was really picky about the teachers. I stopped going to events that I am one of 'the best' dancers at (good for the ego, bad for improving yourself), I want to be the worst in the room, and if I am not, I find a new room. I try to stand where I can't see anyone else, as I am lazy and will just copy them rather than learn it myself. I prefer it when the teacher doesn't break down the move, as I like to just 'do-it' (it's another relaxing way to learn for me, 1-2-3 just do it !). I try to actually *do* what the teacher is doing, rather than do my nearest already known approximation (a lot of other people in class seem to do this). If I am really struggling in class, I try not to go for privates, instead I want to be rushed through it at a slightly faster than comfortable pace, my brain seems to respond to it in a less stressed manner than if each time I make an error we stop and work on it. If I am getting better in class, then I go for privates so that the nits can be picked. Also, remember that the odd crisis of confidence is what pushes us to become better, it is normal and everyone has it.

Private coaching is a good idea and it will give you good personal feedback. If there is nobody nearby you could also videotape yourself, sometimes watching it yourself can help you know what you want to work on, or you can send the video to somebody you respect for critique.

Also something I do is learn from performance videos, not teaching videos. Pick a dancer that you think totally kicks your backside and force yourself to learn their choreography and technique, pay attention particularly to the details like the arms the expression, and do this with several different great dancers. This will force you to step outside of yourself as a dancer and gives you an opportunity to learn from the all time greatest belly dancers recorded. It always challenges me.

Amity, just to let you know, posting a video here and asking for constructive comments can be a great way to see things that you can't see in your own dancing. However, we're a disparate group with widely varying styles and preferences, so you are likely to get alot of well-intended but contradictory advice, and you will have to sift through and decide whose advice you want to take.

I remember one dancer who did this not long ago; several people said they thought her arms moved too much and were out of control; I thought her arms were beautiful except maybe in one or two little spots (and don't we all have at least one or two little flups with our arms in any given dance?).

Sedonia

I know that there are dancers that do the long distance video critiquing with the people they most admire. That gives them specific critiques of those things they aspire toward, and sometimes pointing out weaknesses that they were unaware of (while still getting some strokes to the ego on strengths).

A thought in terms of more instant, specific feedback. Post the clip(s) of your dancing here on Bhuz, and if there are specific Bhuzers that you'd like detailed critiques from (dancers you respect/admire/and possibly wish to emulate), PM them to encourage them into providing the desired critique and pointers for improvement/insight.

Another thought that occurs to me is that you might hit one of the many "plateaus of non-learning/non-advancement" that we tend to experience as dancers. A period of time in which you feel no advancement or improvement in your dance, which leads to (sometimes massive) self-doubt in the dance. If you happen to be on a plateau, you have to work very hard not to give into the self-doubt (if bad enough, it can make a person leave the dance). It can be a very rough time indeed, but hold onto the dance even with the skin of your teeth as this is just a phase and your joy of and inspiration for the dance will return to you renewed and with a wonderful sense of improvement and growth in your dance. (I've been on many of those plateaus in my dance life, several times almost leaving the dance behind me, but I'm still here and shimmying.)

Can you use your focus on your students to improve specific bits that you need? For example, if you think you need to work on your arms, perhaps you can focus on that for a few weeks in class. Create some exercises that will challenge both yourself and your students (eg: get them to improvise and come up with 'new' arm positions or movements). Or decide that you're going to explore a particular style of dance or music or prop that you're interested in. Or aim to filter what you learnt in the workshops you attended to your students. That's a really good way to incorporate the workshop material into your own dance, as you'll have to practice and analyse it in order to pass it on.

I've found that my own dancing improves the most when my students start asking me to teach a particular skill and I have to rapidly improve my own ability so as not to look like a nong in front of them. For eg, I used to suck at zilling, and subsequently never taught it. After 3 of my classes demanded zilling lessons I had to work on it so that I could teach. Voila! Now I can zill! Left to my own devices I would still be as crappy as ever at it. For me, the fear of looking silly is a powerful motivating force :-)

Originally Posted by TediThomas

Another thought that occurs to me is that you might hit one of the many "plateaus of non-learning/non-advancement" that we tend to experience as dancers. A period of time in which you feel no advancement or improvement in your dance, which leads to (sometimes massive) self-doubt in the dance. If you happen to be on a plateau, you have to work very hard not to give into the self-doubt (if bad enough, it can make a person leave the dance). It can be a very rough time indeed, but hold onto the dance even with the skin of your teeth as this is just a phase and your joy of and inspiration for the dance will return to you renewed and with a wonderful sense of improvement and growth in your dance. (I've been on many of those plateaus in my dance life, several times almost leaving the dance behind me, but I'm still here and shimmying.)

I'm at one of these plataus myself right now, but am trying to work though it via private lessons with an amazing teacher. I did recently have small breakthrough with layering technique, but otherwise I've not had any "waterfall" moments in months. It's kinda discouraging becuase the year previous, I made some really big leap in in my technique and musical interpretation (not coincidentally, this is when I started studying with my current teacher).

amity, i sent you a PM

Thanks for all of the feedback ladies!

The problem is I am usually in Maine, Vermont, or New Hampshire=not much out there. I am also a college student= no moolah for lessons. I love youtube and have learned a great deal off of it. But by no means is videos or watching take over from a good hard teacher. I have a dance company I started here on campus that now offers every type of dance and I take non bd classes 8-10 hours a week and it has def helped. I have seen the remarks some have made on videos and I completely understand what your are saying. But I don't take it personal.

Its funny you mention about teaching stuff I want to learn in class-I've been doing that! In a way teaching has def improved my dancing.

I guess I'm not sure what I need. A swift kick in the butt?

don't worry. plateaus are a normal part of learning anything.

some budget friendly ideas:
watch some youtube videos of the singers who do music you like. watch how their bodies move to the music. hand gestures. facial expressions. this will give you insight into their interpretation of the music and perhaps help you think of the music in new ways.
understanding how someone else interprets a piece of music can be a good way to help you.

shems mentions a great tool: following others performance videos. a great way to see/hear things in a new light and expand your perspective. maybe you can find some good previously viewed videos on ebay?

this might sound weird, but try using your bd movement vocabulary to improve to classical orchestral music, music from other countries, etc. i find that sometimes a plateau can be broken by taking the pieces out of the box and examining them in a different light. you will have a fresh perspective and greater understanding when you put them back where they belong. i recommend western classical orchestral music b/c it has so many instrument voices working together, each musician interpreting a different part/layer. there are so many voices to follow. it is a brain work out. it will feel totally weird, but is worth a try.
kind of like when our water polo coach in high school used to make us tread water wearing panty hose. they get very heavy and it is super hard to swim in them. but when you take them off, everything seems so easy. same thing with your ears and brain and dance. challenge yourself in odd ways, then come back to the regular way.

hope this makes sense and helps. if you were closer, i would lend you my videos so you could play follow the leader with nagua and fifi :)

No suggestions at this time but how much are you practicing at home? I heard that for every hour you instruct at your highest level class you should be practicing at least three hours on your personal development. This does not mean taking other classes. Its practice and stylization, you know the artsy stuff that makes us unique.

Like with my favorite song. It was choreographed for a performance. Now I spend my time reinterpreting the dance and dancing to it different. When I'm done with that. I reinterpret it again and come up with another routine for it. This forces me to expand and come up with new combos, or use other moves I've not used before....

A good book I would recommend is the Psychology of Dance. Though it is written for instructors IMO. You can apply the principles to yourself....

This thread really hits home- I know exacly how you feel - I've hit several plateau - on one right now - what I've done about it is to try something entirely different for me - ATS - find that it is helping me feel I've got something to push against- it's very frustrating cos I cannot even start to get it right, but that;s helping me as a teacher and as a dancer.
Putting in the time to practise is something else I've NEVER done enough but doing something new is helping.
thanks Lucinia - i might get hold of "Psychology of Dance" cos at the moment I'll all for giving up if I don;t start to achieve something!

Dancing along with performance clips can be such an eye opener for me. As for $$ -- I've started downloading clips from youtube as mp4s (using zamzar.com) and burning them to a video CD with Toast so I can take them to the studio. The quality is murky/pixelated, but I can see what the dancer is doing.

I was just working with one today, in fact. On the very first runthrough I identified several things this dancer does that could take my dancing to a new level -- not steps or combos, but technique things like "has a repertoire of unique and elegant poses to move from," and "Does traveling steps in crescent shapes on the floor using the fourth count for an elaborate transition." None of these are things I would have realized just from watching the clip, I had to dance along to discover what was making her look so fabulous.

So I sat down and watched the clip again to make notes, getting up to try something here or there. Now I have a list of things to work on. All I have to do now is actually...work.