Checklist for Learning Combinations #6: Keeping Tempo
February 14, 2013
Some of you who are adult beginners (or former dancers returning to class) find it difficult to remember and execute center combinations and you’ve asked if I can help you. I’ve come up with a checklist for Learning Combinations which you will see in my first eight posts.
If you find you’re tripping over your feet, can’t keep up with the music, and lose your concentration and can’t remember the sequence of movement, it may not be because you can’t remember, but more because you may have some technical issues.
Today’s post is about Keeping Tempo.
Do you have trouble keeping tempo—keeping up with the music? As I always say in class, “the music is never too fast, you’re always too slow. And, the reason you’re too slow, is you’re too low.”
Meaning, you’re leaning forward (again!) You’ve dropped your ears, you’re hunched forward leaning over your feet. And you can’t move your feet because you’re leaning over them.
Because you’re off balance, you fall over, can’t hit the position, and can’t put your foot where you need it to be. And, when you can’t move your feet, how can you keep up with the music?
Always remember, when you feel that the music is too fast for you, when you already understand the steps but you feel you can’t seem to do the combination, you are probably off balance.
This is the main reason you can’t keep up with the music (although you have the combination steps clear in your mind). Whether you are moving sideways, or forward, in order to maintain your balance and move in tempo you need to use opposition, you need to keep your posture, you need to observe all the points we have previously discussed.
And when you do, then you should be OK—and up to speed.
The next post will provide Tips for Remembering Combinations.
To dance is to live — Finis
We also recommended:
This is what sometimes happens to me. And I must confess, you’re right: up until now I always was thinking the music was too fast
. I suppose, that’s a mistake many beginners make.
Next time I’ll make use of your advices.
Thank you!
Greetings from Germany!
I just wanted to let you know that as well as the exercises on your DVDs,
the regular blogs are so helpful. It is easy to get lost in the crowd of
what I want to achieve in dancing. The blogs have become check points for
me. A few minutes to reset for more dancing. Thank you.
And greetings from Australia!