When we develop our dancing, we work on steps and patterns, we work on transitions in our combinations. We sometimes forget however, that we need to work on developing the character of every dance as well.
Each dance has it’s own particular character, and as a dancer, we want to express this character to the best of our ability. The character of each dance is determined of course by the music, and while every song may have an individual feel or flavor, we can list some of the more general attributes of each dance.
Rumba for example, is often considered romantic. So when we dance a Rumba we want to remember that the character and interaction we are trying to play is that of romance. This doesn’t mean you can only dance a Rumba with that special someone. We can create the character of a dance with the interaction with the partner, the musical expression through our own bodies, by holding the slow in Rumba and dancing a full body action, Rumba is slow enough that this will create a feeling in the dance.
With every dance there are general key words to help us create a feeling in the dance, remember dancing can be a little bit of playacting. The Tango is thought of as aggressive, the Waltz elegant, the Cha Cha playful, the Swing energetic and the list goes on.
You can come up with some key words yourself, when you think of a dance, what is the first word to come to your mind? There is no right or wrong with this game, but simply giving some thought and energy to characterization can really change your dancing. It will be more engaging and fun for both you and your partner. Your dancing will appear more musical because the character is of course related to the feelings expressed by the music.
If you are a social dancer, this is an important skill because it will give your partner more feedback which is helpful in lead and follow. For performance dancing characterization is a must, you don’t want all your dances to look and feel the same.
Next time you dance, just before you begin, ask yourself what the character of the dance you are about to execute is. You might be surprised the results.
Jeff Nelson is a teacher at Dance Station. If you would like to take lessons with Jeff, or any of our teachers, call 505-989-9788.
