So you’re thinking about joining the Women’s Dance Team?

First off congratulations!  It’s going to be a SUPER fun time in your life.  It will push your comfort zone – in the best way – and make you shine!

Before I get ahead of myself, I can imagine between the bouts of nerves and excitement, you’ve got some questions before you take that next step.

I hear you, and I’ve got answers!

Below, I’ve tackled the questions that I get asked the most, to help you decide if this is the right time for you to join the team.

  Let’s jump in!

1) I’m newer to dancing. Will I be able to keep up with the team?

Great question! Most of the Women on the team are taking ballroom dance lessons as well as participating in the formation. It is a HUGE help because it dives deeper into the fundamentals of movement, (if you are interested in this, you can contact us for a complimentary lesson!).

In addition, here are a few suggestions that will help you grow quicker!

•  Essentials: Every second month we do a movement or performance-based series called Essentials, that helps get you in the right shape for the routine. It moves at a slower, and deeper pace.
• Private Lessons: Many of the Women like to get the most out of the choreography and take private lessons for the routine on the side. This is a big help when you want to learn individually how to move and look better.
• Make friends: The Ladies of the team are AWESOME, and they’ll often practice together which is a big, big help!

2) Stage fright, my struggle is real! Any tips?

Yes, the Women’s Dance Team does perform, but by the time we get to that stage, you will have had the routine drilled in, and drilled in, annnnnd drilled in (just ask them!).

Plus, you will also have opportunities to take performance workshops, and dance in front of one another many times; which may make you giggle in the beginning, but will help you kick those nerves to the curb.

3) I’ve got a bad memory, I’m worried I’ll forget the choreography?

Back to point #2 – it will be drilled in!

I want your mind to remember, but more importantly, I want your body to remember!

Listen, people forget sometimes, but the skills we teach will help you to jump right back in if that were to happen.

4) What can I expect over the next 6 months?

Good one! The first 6-8 classes you’re going to learning a LOT of choreography.  We dive into this right away, so your memory starts happening quickly. You may feel a tiny bit overwhelmed, but the feeling will pass. As well, you’ll get weekly video recaps to practice at home too.

After that, we take the next few months to work on movement, styling, and performance… my absolute faves!

Then at the end, we get all dolled up, and it’s lights, camera, action!

What you can also expect, is a workout, lots of laughs, and incredible women that you’re going to make friends with.  Plus, an ultra fun wind up brunch of mimosas and girl time!

5) Should I do it?

That last time I asked our team what they would say to someone thinking about joining the formation they said:

“Just do it, don’t think about it! Go for it!”

I would say come to our next information session or reach out to me personally, and we can discuss wheter it’s a good fit for you at this point in your dancing.

Likely, the answer will be YES!

Hope to see you on the dance floor!

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Choosing the right dance instructor can be tricky, especially when you’re starting out. However, if you do some leg-work in the beginning, it can set the tone for how much you enjoy your lessons, and how successful you can become in your dancing. I’ve compiled a list of 5 questions you should think about when you’re starting or re-evaluating your dance journey.

1) Do they have experience?

Depending on your goals the amount of experience necessary for your instructor may vary, but big picture your instructor should be qualified to teach your dance needs. When you’re working with an experienced instructor, they have the ability to see the big picture for your dancing, and because of this, the journey will be more fun and successful.

2) Are they a good dancer?

This is an essential ingredient for a dance instructor. They don’t have to be an undefeated world champion in dancing, but having proper dance skills serves as the foundation for their teaching, and their understanding of dancing. Also, dancing with an instructor who has strong dance skills will make your lessons more fun and inspiring.

3) Are they a good instructor?

This one is a no brainer; we all understand how important this is for a dance instructor to teach well. One thing to note, its one thing to be a good dancer, but being able to teach somebody to dance well is an entirely different matter. Good instruction includes things like planning for your lessons, clarity of explanations, following through on what they’ve taught you (you shouldn’t be learning random things all the time) – this type of instruction will make your lessons flow nicely and achieve results.

4) How do their students look?

This is an important one – the quality of the student the instructor produces is like their resume. You should like the style that their current students dance at their appropriate level. The other thing you should look for is that their students aren’t stagnant – they should be getting better over time. This correlates with question 2 & 3; every instructor can bring you to a certain point that matches their level of experience. For example, someone can teach you a few basic things and get you comfortable with that – and somebody can actually teach you to become a world class dancer, either socially or competitively for years to come.

5) How do you feel when you take a lesson with them?

A part of making you a good dancer should include you feel successful about the progress you are making. The actual progress should come before the feeling of being successful; you do not want an instructor who is blowing smoke about how well you are doing when you’re not actually progressing.
If you are in a constant state of overwhelm, and can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel it’s probably not the best fit. You want to be challenged, but a qualified instructor knows that you need to focus your energy on achieving “one thing at a time”, versus “all the things, all the time”.

When you are looking for an instructor feel free to test it out! You are investing your money and time, and you should get results while enjoying the process. Take a few lessons with them, and analyze it throughout. On the opposite end, if you’ve been with an instructor for a long period of time and are just treading water, you may need to analyze your situation and see if it’s time to move on.

As always, the best conversations happen in the comment section.  I want to know:

What is the most important factor to you when choosing a dance instructor? 

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Have you ever had that thought, “I should have this by now?”

Whether it’s remembering a pattern, identifying the music, or maybe keeping our darn head up; it’s easy to become impatient.  We usually identify patience as good, impatience as bad, but I propose it’s all about timing!

Come to think of it, I’m actually feeling a song coming on:

“To everything, turn, turn, turn…

There is a season, turn, turn, turn…” 

So, like the Byrds said, there is a season to be patient, and a season to be impatient.  What it comes down to is where in the stages of learning you are.  Let’s break it down, and diagnose when to apply patience and impatience, so it works for you, and not against!

The Initial Stage

Diagnosis: Patience

The Initial stage is when you’re first learning something new: a new step, a new technique, or body position for example. Think of it as the time when you’re gathering data.  You have to be meticulous, and patient not to rush through and miss important details.

Mantra for Initial Stage:  Keep calm and carry on.

The Awkward Stage

Diagnosis: Patience

Okay, so now you’ve made it to the awkward phase: Congratulations, and come on in!

This is not our most favorite stage to be in, but the silver lining is, now that you’ve gathered the data you can get to work. This diagnosis for this stage is big time patience! Give yourself grace, and put in the time.

Mantra for Awkward Stage:  This too shall pass.

The Conscious Stage –

Diagnosis Patience

Okay, so you no longer feel like Bambi when she first started to discover her legs, and you’ve got all the tools under your belt, worked through the kinks, and now you can do the skill, but it still requires concentration. It also requires… you guessed it, patience! This is the tipping point.  After this stage, you’re going to be a natural, honey!

Mantra:  I think I can, I think I can.

The Natural Stage –

Diagnosis: Impatience

You probably thought this diagnosis was never coming! Why here… Why?!?!

This is the stage where people tend to mellow out and slip into old habits. They’ve done all the legwork to be successful, been in the trenches, and now they’ve achieved that one perfect action – and then they want to relax?

No!

This is where you need to drill that new action and make yourself a pro at it! You’ve been patient now for three stages, time to kick it up a gear and make this natural stage last.

Mantra:  Started from the bottom, now we’re here.

So there you have it.  Next time you start to feel patient, or impatient identify what stage you’re at; are you on course, or do you need to adjust your sails?

As always, the best conversation happens in the comment section.  I want to know:  Are the stages of learning new to you?  Where do you find yourself becoming the most impatient?

Warmly,

Freebie: Grab our Guide to Effective Practices

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Many times I’ve encountered the situation when I’m dancing with someone, and then all of a sudden say:

“Oh, I’m just a social dancer. I’m not serious or anything”

And I’m left confused…

What are they meaning when they tell me that? Is it that they’re not serious about bringing home a trophy, or looking like a star on the floor?

That I get, not everyone wants to compete.

But, when they say they are are a social dancer, I scratch my head, because I know the measurement of success for a social dancer is how good you feel to dance with, and if people are enjoying their time dancing with you.

That sounds like something we should be serious about!

So let me start here: Whether you are a social dancer or a competitive dancer, in essence, you are a dancer; and as a dancer, there are general truths across the board.

So in hopes of getting on the same page, and clearing up any confusion, myself included, I want to tackle the statements that have left me the most puzzled and offer some friendly solutions.

Ready?

1) “Technique is for the Pros”

Hold the phone, before thing’s get heated let’s draw on our friends at Merriam Webster to clear things up on what technique actually is.

Technique: The manner in which basic physical movements are used.

Now I understand the definition of technique has morphed from the above to a stuffy, boring, mechanical movement that brings to mind images of writing your name on a chalkboard 1000 times, booooring!  But what it actually is, is freedom!

The technique is the fundamentals of dancing, it is, in essence, the skills of movement. When you have good technique it could also translate to you having balance, coordination, understanding, and confidence.

Who doesn’t want some of that?

Think of technique like this:  If you were playing tennis with a friend, learning technique would be what keeps you from swinging the ball out of the court, and being able to have a good rally.

I’ll be honest, there are usually 2 types of people who tell me technique is for the pros:

1) The “they don’t feel they can be that good” dancer. This person feels self-conscious when they dance, and they think they are undeserving of technique. By saying that they are not focused on the technique they hope it will lower their partner’s expectations.

2) This one is going to be controversial so brace yourselves… they’re selfish dancers.  That’s right I said it! They usually come overconfident and think they can twist, turn and dip their partners with no second thought.  By the same token, the women who say “Oh I just need a good lead then I can follow”, with no regard to how that following feels to their partner. They don’t value that technique is what makes you feel good to your partner, and when you only care about how the dance feels to you, you’re dancing at the expense of your partner’s effort.

So let me wrap this one up, good dancing requires good movement at every level and stage, from a beginner social dancer to a world champion. The movement (technique) is the prerequisite to good dancing.

So, if you fall into scenario 1, look at this as your boost of encouragement. You ARE good enough to learn technique! Trust me, it will only empower you, and fill up your dance card.

If you are in scenario 2 and don’t want to adjust course, then dancing solo would always guarantee you the spotlight!

2) More Patterns are the Key…

There is a study that says people remember only 7% of the content they are exposed to.

Shocking right?

But the more I think about it the more it rings true. When I dance with a lead this is my experience; I notice is he on time, does he move nicely, how aware is he of my comfort.  When I speak with my male students, or Vlad it’s pretty much the same list men use to evaluate their partners.

If you noticed, what didn’t make the list was “how many patterns do they know”.

Now I know that flashy patterns are sexy and exciting (and they have their place, definitely!), but a flashy pattern danced poorly is like an overcooked soufflé. Spend the time on the execution and thing’s like musicality, movement, and awareness, and your partner will thank you for it!

3) I Prefer to Dance with Experienced Dancers

Social dancing… SOCIAL dancing…

What’s so social about eliminating half the dancers on the floor?  

Let’s talk… dancing with all levels of dancers not only grows a healthy and fun dancing community, but it also makes us better dancers ourselves!

As a dancer, can you imagine the growth you would experience if you were so in tune with leading or following ANY level of partner?  You would have greater clarity, and become more sensitive and responsive.

Finally, and what I would argue is the most important part, social dancing should be social, the more social we are, the more fun we have! This is the main point of it all! So enjoy different experiences, and enjoy building one another up.

Food for thought:  Remember every great dancer was once a beginner!

So there you have it! This one may have rocked the boat a little, but I hope it brought a new perspective to some common thinking.

As always, the best conversations happen in the comment section, and I can’t wait to hear from you!

Find out what all the fuss is about! Try our free “Dancing in the Kitchen” Tutorial here!

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Often people, who would love to dance, put the brakes on for a variety of reasons. This article is all about serving up some truth towards the top 5 beliefs we hear that keep people off the dance floor.

So read on, and let’s get those toes a tapping!

1) Feeling Self-Conscious:

No one likes feeling clumsy or awkward. We often worry if people may be watching or judging us and if we are even good enough to be out there. If you ask any dancer how they felt when they first started, they likely will have shared that sentiment.

Dancing is about fun and expression. A good instructor will meet you where you are, and guide your learning process. Learning how to dance will also improve your confidence and coordination with every lesson you take.

As in any physical activity, like skiing or skating, the tangible improvements come before the feeling.  For example, a skater may find “I can skate around a rink falling only 3 times, instead of 7”.  In dancing this would translate to, “Now I know a move I didn’t know before” or “I can do this dance to the music” or “I just learned a new body action’.

2) Bad Past Experience:

Many people stay away from dancing because of a previous negative experience. It can range from attending a class where the instructor went way to fast and you felt left behind, or a negative comment someone said about how you dance or even have memories of dancing with an ex.

Whatever the reason, it just left a bad taste.

Doing some homework before you start taking lessons can help make the next experience more positive. Start by looking for a Club that can provide you with a plan for your dancing. You should not have to self-diagnose.

If you ever looked at Mayo clinic when you’ve been sick, you know self-diagnosis can leave you in a panic! Find an instructor you can trust, “test drive” them, and then share the past experiences you want to avoid. A good instructor will take the lead, develop a plan, and make the next experience successful.

3) Have No Rhythm/Two Left Feet:

Maybe you’ve had a teacher who told you that you have no rhythm or a partner who’s expressed, you’ve got two left feet, or perhaps you came to the conclusion all by yourself.

First let me assure you, these statements may be true right now, but they are not final.

Now that that’s out of the way, let me paint a parallel scenario for comparison. Now picture this; I want to learn to speak Italian. Now I haven’t grown up with Italian being spoken around me or had yet to take a lesson.

Would anyone assume that I could already speak it?

The obvious answer would be no, but somehow with dancing and music, people believe they either have it or they don’t, even before they step foot on the dance floor. As dance instructors, it’s our job to teach your feet what to do, and educate your ears on what to hear.

So if you think you have no rhythm or your feet are in a tangle, you’re welcome here, and this is exactly what dance lessons are for!

4) Think they Need a Partner:

You’re right if you think you need a dance partner to dance, but you don’t need a dance partner to learn.  You need an instructor to learn.

  Often people are under the assumption that they need a partner to get started dancing, or in order to take it to a higher level. At first glance, the reasoning seems to make sense as an observer, but there are a few holes in the theory I’d love to shed some light on.

1) The majority of people who take private dance lessons, dance with an instructor. This is called pro-am dancing. The benefits of taking private lessons with an instructor are that they are zeroed in on your dancing needs, and you improve at a much quicker rate!

2) Most people, who initially take lessons as a couple, start to recognize the need for taking solo dance lessons as well. Often they start taking lessons together, and end up taking additional lessons on the side, so they can strengthen their individual needs (leading and following), explore desires or dances they may not both be interested in, and then come back being stronger and happier dancing together.

Even if you do have the goal of finding a dance partner, the best way you can get started on that is working on your own dancing. The better you are as a dancer, the more people are attracted to dancing with you, and the higher chances you have of finding a partner.

Lastly, find a Club that cares about the social aspect of dance. When checking out where you’d like to take lessons, ask them questions. What is your community like? Do you encourage people to switch partners in groups? Do you host events where you can meet people and dance socially?

5) Feel A bit shy:

Learning any new activity takes courage. If you are shy, one encouraging thought is that dance in itself is a method of communication and one where you don’t necessarily have to speak a lot to enjoy.  Dancing in itself is the entertainment that removes awkwardness.

Many of the best dancers in the world are shy, and they find dancing to be an incredible outlet for expression.

I would love to hear if any of these reasons were what kept you from dancing and if you are feeling encouraged and ready to give it a shot!

If you’ve enjoyed this article please share of comment in the comment section below!

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Dancing with your significant other is amazing; you always have a practice buddy, and each week you have designated time spent in one another’s arms.

On the flip side, it can also be a bit of a challenge.

As the honeymoon phase wears off, it’s easy to become frustrated and impatient with one another. Maybe it’s because thing’s don’t feel as great as they did on the lesson, or perhaps you both recall different versions of your Coach’s instructions.

Whatever the case is, in order to get back (or keep) that initial joy you shared, it’s essential to learn how to resolve conflicts within practices peacefully.

So, are you ready to get back the lovin’ feeling?

Thought so… Let’s go!

Picture this all too familiar scenario for couples (Guilty over here!):

You’re dancing your choreography and all of a sudden your partner comes to an abrupt stop. By the look on her face you know all too well it can’t be good, “You’re not leading me!” she says. Taken back he retorts, “While you’re not waiting for me TO lead you.”

Now, at this rate you can imagine the practice is going downhill fast, so before this gets uncomfortable, give this strategy a shot:

Step 1: Set a timer for 5 minutes. During those 5 minutes practice the way the Lead is suggesting (without complaint). At the end of the 5 minutes keep your conclusion to yourself.

Step 2: Repeat step 1, but this time for the 5 minutes practice the way the Follow is suggesting. Again, at the end of the 5 minutes keep your conclusion to yourself.

Step 3: Set a timer once more for 5 minutes. This time only give thought to your own dancing, and concentrate on what you need to improve.

Once you finish all three steps, evaluate the excercise. If you agree on what step felt best to you as a couple, fantastic! However, if you did not find a conclusion, then you are missing the information needed to make it work. Put what you are doing on hold, and get your Coach’s input on the next lesson.  This will save you frustration and prevent you from creating habits that hurt your dancing.

It’s very easy to take our dance partners for granted, but if as couple you adopt the mentality of “how can I improve myself?” you will preserve your dance relationships for years to come. Often, our expectations are unrealistic of our partner (more on this in future blogs), and the weight of those expectations can be crushing.

Think, how do you treat the men or women you dance with socially? Most likely, you show patience, encouragement, and positivity. Use that model as the standard for how you treat your significant other, and the changes and growth you will experience in your dancing will blow your mind.

As always I LOVE to hear what you think,  please share in the comments below how it goes when you try it out!

Ready for more practice tips? Grab our guide to effective practices here!

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An underrated, yet very important opportunity for a dancer happens in the days that follow a big event.  It’s during these moments where you have a clear recollection of your mindset, abilities, and habits.  If you use this time to evaluate your performance strategies you’ll likely gain valuable insights into how you can up your performance game in BIG ways.

The first time I came across an evaluation like this was in Dance to Your Maximum…Maximilliaan  Winkelhuis,   This evaluation is based on some of his questions, with a blend of things I’ve found helpful throughout the years.

Mindset:

1) On the day of the event, were you able to focus solely on the dancing? If no, write down any factors that pulled you away.

2) During the week of the event, how many private lessons did you take? During those lessons, did your Instructor make you feel secure and prepared?

3) When setting up each dance, were you able to concentrate? If not, write down any distractions that came up.

4) At the event, did you have people coming out to support you? Identify if this is important to you?

Physical:

1) Did you feel healthy and energetic on the day of the event? If no, describe how you felt.

2) How did you sleep in the night, week, and month leading up to the event?

3) Had you done a simulation of the number of dances you would be performing prior to the event? If so, how early did you start the simulations (1 week before, 2 weeks, 1 month?)

4) Did you have a good warm-up before you danced? If no, do you have a warm-up plan at the event?

5) How were your food and beverage choices at the event? Did they nourish you? Keep you hydrated? Make you crash?

Planning:

1) Did you leave yourself enough time to arrive at the venue without stress? To familiarize yourself with space, change room, park, etc…

Dancing:

1) How would you describe your stamina?

2) While dancing: Did you feel in control of your body? Did you have a connection with your mind? Did you have a connection with your partner?

3) For your choreography: Did the choreography fit your abilities? Was it well-rehearsed? Did any part feel too-old? Too-new?

4) Was your technique up to the standard of your level?

Look:

1) Did your look have a clear concept? (Costume/hair/makeup/shoes?)

2) Did your look accentuate your strengths and conceal your weakness?

External Factors:

1) Did the judges have any effect on your performance? How aware were you of them?

2) Were you comfortable in the venue?

3) Did you have a positive/negative/neutral feeling about the size, shape, or quality of the floor?

4) Did you have a positive/negative/neutral feeling about the music played?

5) Did you have a positive/negative/neutral feeling about the audience?

6) Did you have a positive/negative/neutral feeling towards the other competitors?

Try to fill out the questionnaire with as much detail as possible. By getting into a consistent habit of doing this exercise after each event, you will start to identify patterns and be better equipped to make choices that elevate your dance game.

I love to hear what insights and takeaways are the most relevant to your life and dancing right now. Please leave a comment at the bottom of the blog, and let’s carry on this conversation!

Handle your next event like a pro! Click here for our event preparation checklist here!

The post How to Evaluate a Performance/Competition – A Questionnaire appeared first on VS Dance Club.

To toast the end of an incredible formation season, the Woman’s Dance Team comes together to enjoy a celebratory brunch. This took place on November 19 at Yew restaurant. Over giggles and mimosas, we reminisced about the recent Flamenco formation, relived our routines of the past, and discussed the challenges and successes we’ve faced thus far.

During our brunch, I asked the Ladies if I could interview and record them to hear in their own words what being on the team is like. So, today you’re getting a rare glimpse into what goes into being a part of the Woman’s Dance Team, who these fabulous women are, and whether joining the team would be a good fit for you!

Here is what they had to share:

1. Sarah: To get started – How many routines have you been in?

(This question took a few minutes, and multiple hands to count.  These have been going on for years, so  we first had to calculate how many formations have been created– We agreed on 15)

G: 11

S: 7 or 8

V: 15

H: 15

K: 13

2. Sarah: What appealed to you about the Flamenco  Woman’s character? What drew you to her, or drew you to Flamenco?

H: The strength and confidence

K: It shared the same fierceness as Be Italian (Past routine from the musical Nine). The same type of quality.

V: It’s a very strong woman who only gets better with age!

All the Ladies – Oh I like that!

V: You’ve all seen the flamenco dancers, and as they get older it’s appreciated. It’s appreciated!

G: The flirtatiousness in it.

3.   Sarah:  What were your favorite characters of all the woman you’ve played in the formation routines?

V: I loved Be Italian. It was so out there I tell you!

K: You know what was so much fun? The mop one (A 1950’s routine)! I was watching it the other day because I had a friend over and was showing her all the formations. It was fun you know – something about that one…

H: Oh, I like them all Sarah! It’s hard, it’s hard! Every time you captivate a certain part of you that you already are, or who you want to be. The flamenco is a dance I’m always attracted to, and the character I’m able to connect to the most, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best character for me or the best dance for me. Be Italian was different, and even the Shakira one brought something out of me that I didn’t know was there – and I wanted to work on more. I think even the Pink Panther; the mischievous part of it.

Sarah: You knew that mischievous part was already there, right? (Women laughed)

H:  I knew that that was there. So, I think it’s hard for me to pick one, and say that’s my favorite.  And then the Marilyn Monroe was the last character I thought I’d be able to connect to, but I really enjoyed playing that character.  A blond bimbo –  I thought, “yes I can do that!”  Well, that’s what she was labeled as anyways.

G: All different. But my favorite is Be Italian. I think it involves being synchronized with the tambourine. And then as a group, I think it was a very, very hard routine, but at the end, we pulled it off! (Followed by group giggles) I liked it!

S: I think flamenco. I felt strong and proud.

4.   Sarah:  What is the most challenging thing about Women’s Dance Teams? About being part of the team, or the routines?

V: The challenging part for me – I mean a lot of it is challenging – but the lines. I have to watch my spacing, watch where I am.

G: For me, it’s getting into the character of the dance. Especially when it’s something out of the comfort zone– like being sexy. That’s really challenging.

H: There is a lot of things – precision, consistency… The reason I started dancing was for social dancing, and I’d just do whatever I want, and even dancing with my teacher there is a lot of inconsistency in me that he tolerates, but it’s not tolerable in a formation.

K: Yeah, not tolerable in a formation.

H: So that’s something that is quite unique for me in dancing with a group versus any other dancing. And precision, it’s not up to me to choose what I think feels good for my body. It’s very obvious when I watch the video if my arm is a little off.  It doesn’t matter how good I feel, it ruins the entire formation. So, those are my challenges. And it provides discipline which I  personally want to work on more in all areas of my life.

K: It’s adjusting to the team. So, I naturally take bigger steps and I just can’t. Then I think I get it, then I’m like, “darn I missed it again.” And for the team piece, trying to be the same as much as possible. And that character stuff – the sexy character stuff…

V: Yah, the sexy character is tough.

K: I hate it when you say “get into your sexy“, I’m like ohhhh… (Giggles)

Sarah: The next one is going to be all about that!

G: It helps when you get into the character of the dance. Your body may tell you differently, even if you feel stiff or something, somehow, if you get into the emotion of it, they kind of influence each other.

K: It’s like learning to act!

5. Sarah: What is the best part? 

K: It’s the teamwork. It’s the most difficult and the best.

(All Ladies agreed)

G: Well the best part of this whole formation team for me, is I get my exercise. The best exercise ever. Exercise for the brain, exercise for the body. It really trains you well. Plus you get a good group of people that you get to socialize with as well.

6.  Sarah:  What advice would you give someone who is thinking about joining?

All: Join!

K: Just do it! Don’t think about it – go for it! (Echoed by all the Ladies)

H: Now we have done this so much together, not only do we know how we feel about ourselves, but we know how we feel about each other. I think that’s a big part of it – we know how you work with us now, and you have certain expectations from all of us, in every way. So that makes us a much stronger team. For anyone who joins us, they will right away just take on the culture we already built. Not that we’re going to force it on anyone, but whoever comes in, they will just become a part of it.

K: Yeah, we created that culture. We also have a trust in you, like; we totally trust what you do with your choreography and how you train us, very much so.

Sarah: Thank you! 

V: I think one thing if someone felt intimidated about joining, would be that they understand the process of learning. For me, it’s been stretching my emotional and physical capability, these things are very important. Even if we were to never perform this at the end, I would find it a beautiful exercise in the broadest sense because that makes the difference. The performance is the terrifying and wonderful thing if well executed, but the process is so totally enjoyable, and even though at the time it’s challenging, and some days I really feel like “ARR” but other days I say “Okay, got it!”

G: And that is it right?  If somebody was thinking to join, I remember the first time, I had been dancing already for so long. But the first time I joined the formation I was sore the night that I came home. I was so sore, I was like “darn it, Sarah, darn it, Sarah!”. Then I was like “wow this is really good exercise”. But it’s really not to be intimidated – don’t give up. I mean you will obviously feel the pain – but you’ll train your body.

V: It’s like a muscle right.

G: Yeah, muscle memory!

I hope you enjoyed this peek into the world of our Woman’s Dance Team. We are always looking for new wonderful woman to join our team.  If you are interested or have some questions, please feel free to contact us for more details.

Till next time,

The post An Insider Look at the Woman’s Dance Team appeared first on VS Dance Club.

Has this ever happened to you? You’ve done the training, you’re in the costume, and it’s go-time but all of a sudden you feel like Bambi when she first learned to walk. This body you’re in is unrecognizable – it’s not moving the way you’re used to at all!

This is a scary feeling (I’ve been there), but it can be changed. So much of axing performance anxiety is training and focusing your mind on what you do want to think of, versus what you don’t.

Today you’ll walk away knowing 3 tactics that will kick those event jitters to the curb!

1) “You can’t build a long-term future on short-term thinking.” ~ Billy Cox

Becoming a great dancer and enjoying the process while you’re at it requires long-term thinking. If you are able to view performances and competitions as a part of the road to get to where you going, rather than the “be all, end all” your experience will be more pleasurable, and your anxiety levels will decrease, resulting in greater performances. If your success is determined by the “perfect” dress, performance, or result, the pressure you’ve placed on yourself can be crushing. So, settle in to get the win!

2) Have a Plan for the Event

Having a clear plan minimizes your stress by guiding your thoughts rather than leaving them up to chance. Now, I understand that everything can’t be planned out, but you can plan your food, warmup, outfits, event strategy, and even plan for after the event. If the last one came as a surprise, I want you to think of the expression:

“Plan for a marriage, not just a wedding.”

If you only plan for the wedding you wake up the next morning and then what? But, if you plan beyond the day you have so much more to look forward to! As well, it goes back to relaxing the mind by eliminating the “I only get one shot” thinking.

3) A Great Warm Up Does Wonders

Gently warming your body up is one of the best ways to turn the mind away from stinking thinking. Your muscles are going to be going through a period of stress, and if you start a performance cold your autonomous nervous system will be angry. What makes a productive warm-up can vary.  I would recommend designing with your teacher what will work best for you.

So there you have it, the 3 tools I’ve found over the years most successful for tackling nerves! If, while reading this article you found some old doubts or thoughts creeping in whether this could work for you or not, I encourage you to give it a shot! We understand that learning to dance takes practice, planning, and patience, and if you can give the same understanding to learning to perform, you will regain control of your event.

Which tactic are you most excited to try?  I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

Til next time,

Keep calm before performances using our free event preparation checklist.

The post Breaking through Performance Anxiety appeared first on VS Dance Club.