on 2/6/01 2:51 PM, Bedford, Sibyl at sbedford@indiana.edu wrote:
> You may be able to find a funk class, but
> there's a good chance it'll be really hard.
A good chance it'll be really hard to find, or that the class itself would be hard?
> I took dance classes, workshops, performed etc. for at least 15 years [I
> started when I was 4], and what ends up on the dance floor in a club is
> usually unrelated to training [mostly ballet, some modern, jazz, Spanish,
> and character] but I think that in my case my dance background allows me
> greater balance [even while intoxicated], turning ability, ease of motion,
> improv, ability to pick up choreography or mimic other styles, etc.
I noticed that when a lot of people are dancing or battling one another, they pick up on
the moves of the other person and often try to one up them with something similar but
different. Or sometimes they'll compliment each other and break out what seems like
an improv routine. This sorta thing looks amazing when you can't tell whether they've
worked on it or if they're just freestyling with each other and feeding off of one another's
flow.
> Just remember that what you take in class is an established technique, or
> moves that have been around long enough to be given names. Once you're used
> to consciously controlling your body you'll find it a lot easier to
> translate what you see others do into movement, or find what your body wants
> to do all on its own.
I guess what I really need is to feel comfortable with my body.. I'm about 6 foot 4 and
kinda lanky, so I already stand out as it is, so I just need to feel confident enough to bust
out some moves.. I practice at home all the time, but it's not really the right
environment.. I need a larger area, and it would also be great to dance with other people
and see what they're doing, and get myself used to having other people watching me
without feeling self conscious. I guess learning textbook style moves is how you begin
until you're comfortable enough to try inventing your own, or at least elaborating on the
stuff you've learnt.
You mentioned watching videos.. I've got a pretty good ability to mimic other peoples
actions (I taught myself to juggle a while ago, having never really watched anyone else,
and when I finally borrowed a tape from the library, I was able to copy every trick
performed on the tape after viewing it just once - I did have to practice quite a bit, but I
only ever watched the tape once.. And these were not easy tricks, I'm talking like 5 ball
juggling and such.. I also developed my own style, which when I performed in the
presence of street jugglers, they'd never seen any of the patterns I was using, and they
were really interested in learning them. But I digress.. I've gone completely off topic..
What was the name of this list again? Acid jazz? ;) But I can see how dancing could be
similar, as far as teaching it yourself, since you've gotta make up all the moves without
the help of anyone else, so you develop a unique style.. The only thing is that it takes a
lot more confidence to dance in front of other people than it does to juggle in front of
others.
> You may be able to find people that do practice
> together on their own.
That's true, but I think I've gotta work on the basics first, cause most of the people I see
at the clubs are fantastic, and I'd never be able to keep up with them, or follow what
they're doing.
Thanks for the advice, I think you're right, the best thing to do would be to sit in during a
class at the different schools and see how they feel to me.
Jim Browski
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