Dance Better Now

A technique for better dance movement: what is the Alexander technique?

For the past couple of months I have been seeing an Alexander to help improve my mobility for general benefit and to improve my dance. This post is about the benefits I had on doing this so that you can decide if it is something for you.

The Alexander Technique

The Alexander technique is a system that helps you move more efficiently so that you can perform your tasks (whatever they be) more efficiently. It was developed by Frederick Matthias Alexander who was a stage actor who had troubles keeping his voice throughout a play despite all doctors at the time telling him he was in sound health. After watching himself in the mirror as he practiced acting he noticed oddities in his posture. By focusing on his posture he found his issues was resolved. He later saw others with the same issue and noticed that by focusing upon posture and self awareness that anyone could improve their efficiency and their overall well-being.

He developed a system that could be used by what he called 'teachers' to impart better habits of movement upon his 'students'. I am unsure why he did not call them patients, but it might be because it is about teaching people better habits.

The typical session involves you taking various positions, standing or sitting or laying down, while the teacher will place hands on you to encourage the relaxation of certain muscle groups. They will also ask you to conduct certain movement as they guide your body. There will also be some imaging techniques, which are very familiar to most dancers. Finally, in my case at least, you get some exercises to do at home.

The best thing about the technique for most is that the method is very easy on you. You spend much or your time laying down so you get the benefits with little effort. 

Benefits

As a dancer I like to think I am fairly aware of my body and movement. I have been working on that to improve my dance for some time now. However, I still found more awareness from these sessions. Especially with parts of my body my teachers of the past have mentioned. Especially letting my shoulders drop. Since doing these sessions I have:

• Felt less pain when in general - we all have aches and pains at times
• Been able to adjusts what I do to limit the onset of fatigue and strain - most notably when walking while on holiday in  Tasmania, which is where Frederick Matthias Alexander was born, so that was poetic
• Felt more grounded in my feet - I have some pronation, which now feels reduced
• Felt less aches when dancing
• Felt more control over my posture when dancing

Recommendations

I would recommend this to anyone - it worked for me so it should work for you. Even if you do not get benefit from it, you at least know you have worked out that you're in good shape. However, you will probably have some issues that can be resolved. For dance I would especially recommend it if you have any of the following issues:

• Contracted shoulders
• Hunched posture
• Poor hip movement
• You fall into steps at times
• You ever feel pain from dancing for longer periods
• Stiffness in your back
• Poor head position

Where to find a practitioner

In these days of the internet it is very easy to type Alexander technique and you local area into a search engine and find someone near you. I found one a block away. 

More information

This is a pretty good article on how to be a better dancer from the perspective of an Alexander teacher - The Biggest Mistake Dancers Make. It shows both what Alexander teachers know and gives advice on how to dance better.

Mistakes about learning dance

At a recent dance studio social/comp night, I was talking to a group of fellow dancers about the way people learn (and sometimes do not learn) dance. This resulted in a number of the common mistakes that people can make when learning dance being identified. Let’s go over these now to see if you might be making some of these mistakes and what can be done about it if you are.

Thinking it’s all about the figures

Much teaching of dance focuses upon teaching a figure. Thus, is it no surprise if you think to be a better dance, you must know more figures and harder figures. If you have trouble dancing and you decide to get a DVD of dance figures (or go to a dance workshop to learn more figures or something like that), then first check that the issue you have is indeed no knowing enough figures. Sometimes that is an issue – especially for leads. However, it is only sometimes!

Forgetting attributes

Often the issue is not what we know about dance, but the way we dance. We know what we are meant to do, but it just doesn’t happen. You might be told to dance on the beat, but that does not mean you will. You might be told to move smoothly, but that does not mean you can. You might be told to relax, but being told to relax can be stressful for many.

In cases like this, you need to think about not the dance, but about YOU.

• Do you need more flexibility?
• Do you need to work on understanding music?
• Do you need to work on confidence?

These are just examples, but they are the type of questions you can ask yourself. Try to work out what it is about you that stops you from dancing as well as you could. Think about coming up with a list of things you think might hold you back. Then think about what you can do for each of these listed items.

Not trying a different mind set

One thing that often holds people back is the way they approach learning. If you are used to learning a certain way, one that might have worked well in other contexts, then it might not be ideal for learning some aspects of dance (yet you keep using it). Some examples:

• You might be good at remembering lots of facts for exams, but that will not help you learn to lead and follow different people.
• You might have focused on understanding basic principles and then applying them in different cases, but that will not help you respond quickly when dancing socially on a crowded floor and you need to be intuitive.
• You might have used methods of remembering a series of events, but you can’t go through your mnemonic technique at your owns pace when dancing a routine to music.

If you are having troubles learning some aspect of dance, then take the time to consider your learning approach. It might be that using a different approach will yield improved results.

Thinking it stops

Dance is not like riding a bike. Things can fall out of your head (and your body memory). Do not make the mistake of thinking that once you have learned a step or passed a certain level, that you will always have those skills and figures in your head. Instead, if you notice you lose something, then work on getting it back.

Don’t get annoyed by this. The fact that dance needs this effort is what makes it so good for your brain. Each time you are relearning, think about how you will not be mentally slow as you age.

Thinking you should learn from good dancers as opposed to good teachers

Just because someone dances well does not mean they know how to teach. In fact, if someone dances really well, then they probably do not understand what you are going through, and they are not able to help you. Don’t look only for a good dancer; try to find a good teacher.

Note also, that there is no such thing as a good teacher. There is only such thing as a good student teacher relationship. You might need to change teachers simply to get the match. And sometimes what you needed at an earlier stage of learning is not what you need now. Do not be afraid to change teachers if you need it or to even engage another for special needs at the same time.

Not really knowing what you are learning for

Do you know why you are learning to dance? Sometimes people are just there and do not really know why they are dancing. Without that focus/motivation, it’s hard to learn to dance well.

On top of that, if you know what you are dancing (for social dancing, sport, exhibition, to meet people of the opposite sex, to take on a challenge etc.), then you can better tailor your learning strategy to you needs.

Think about why you are learning dance, then use that for motivation and aligning your learning efforts with what you need to learn.

Overcoming self-doubt in dance

 

Many of us have worries that we do not dance well. This is despite the fact that logically we know we can dance. We have gone to dance classes, we have practiced and we have received feedback on our progression. But still, we have this self-doubt.

This makes it hard to enjoy dance. If we always doubt our abilities no matter how well we can actually dance, then we will never enjoy dance as much we could or should. And this is what makes self-doubt so insidious. When we should be dancing and enjoying ourselves, we are actually worried that we’re not dancing well, and upsetting the person we are dancing with or that others think less of us. Not only that, but it can also make us think about giving up or not putting as much effort in as we would really like.

Clearly, none of this is ideal. Therefore, overcoming self-doubt will let us enjoy dance more and put more effort into improving our ability.

There are two methods that you can use to overcome self-doubt in dance. One is a bit strange and the other will seem a little familiar. I have found the first one to be easier, but it needs and open mind. The second takes time, but it makes a little more sense.

Tapping

Tapping is based on acupressure points. Point that cause us to take on a more positive attitude toward anything we choose. From experience this works incredibly well.

You can learn more here.

However, let’s cover the basics now.

First, remember these points:

• The side of your hand –the karate chop part
• Just above the eye brows
• The cheekbone just below the eyes
• The upper lip
• The chin
• The collar bone
• The middle ribs on the side – just above where the elbow touches you sides when your arms are down
• The top of your head

Now take one of your greatest concerns about dance. Say not looking good, losing time or forgetting a step. Imagine it happening and notice how you feel.

Now in your head repeat this concern. Say something like ‘I will dance terribly because I will lose timing’ or ‘I just know I’ll do something wrong when dancing tonight’.

While repeating this statement spend around 5 – 10 seconds tapping each of the parts of your body listed above.

Once you have gone through the list, stop and think about your dancing again. You should notice that you feel better about it now.

Next, come up with a more positive statement. Say something like ‘I have been getting better at dancing and my timing since I have started. As long as I work at it I know I will get better’ or ‘Given my level, I am dancing well and everyone will know that’

Now repeat this statement while tapping each of your body parts on the above list for 5-10 seconds at a time.

Once that is done stop again and see how you feel. You will be feeling much better now.

Anytime you’re feeling stressed or in self-doubt about dance, go through the tapping procedure again.

If you want to find out more about tapping, then check out the link to the right and sign up to the email list. Margaret is excellent and really wants to help you.

Removing the fear of choking

Self-doubt can get right into our heads and make us choke when we need to perform at our best. There has been a lot of research into why we choke. The book shown to the right summarises a lot of this research. The author Sian Beilock has done a good job of explaining what we can do to reduce choking and in the process remove a lot of self-doubt.

If you take a look at it, then you will likely find something that you can use.

However, there are two techniques that are simple, make sense and have been tested to see that they work.

Get used to it.

The more you do something the less doubt you have about it. How many tive have you have had a doubt about your ability to walk?

If you think you can push through it, then this is a method worth trying. It will be difficult, but it will work. The other advantage is that it makes your practice as well so you get a double benefit. Before you take this path you need to be clear of one thing – you are going to intentionally put yourself in uncomfortable situations so that you can become stronger and no longer worry about them. Being clear about this in your head will help you apply yourself more and take the edge off the fear.

Once you have committed to this approach all you need do is find as many situations where you will need to dance. Ideally, situations that trigger your self-doubt. This could simply be group classes somewhere else, small comp’s within your dance school or social events. If you feel too stressed then just remember, that the purpose is to get over the stress.

Exorcise the concerns and enhance the positives

Have you ever noticed that when you talk about something that is troubling you that it no longer seems like such a big deal?

Often when we start to worry about something is gets locked up in our brain and we just keep focusing on it. It hangs around and ties us up in knots inside, and then fills us with self-doubt. However, if we get it out, then we feel a lot better.

Once of the easiest ways to get it out is to write it down. Writing it down sends a signal to the brain that the information has been stored, and no longer needs to be worried about. This then means it will no longer be the focus of our brain.

Side note – telling people about plans to exercise, lose weight, start a business etc. can be detrimental. By talking about it, the brain thinks the job is done and focus is lost. If you do talk about it, then make a promise or a prediction that compels you to follow through.

Once you have exorcised the doubt, it’s a good time to build confidence. Start to think about the things you can do. You have been practicing for a while so you have improved in numerous ways. We need to be reminded of this at times. With some conscious effort we can make our brain focus on the positives, and really reduce that self-doubt.

Combat and dance – get some fight in yourself for better dance

For some time now I have been noticing the similarities between martial arts and dance. If you have read my free e-book, then you will have heard me talk about this. However, I have not until now shared my observations on how these similarities can be used to help you dance better. In this blog I am going to highlight a few similarities that I have noticed so that you can see what I mean. Then I will talk about how being aware of the similarities can help make you dance better.

The similarities

The first time I noticed a similarity between dance and martial arts was when I was learning the waltz spin turn. It is a bit like a spin back elbow in Muay Thai. Take a look at the video below.

Notice how you step to the side and then turn. When I was thought that move, there was an extra step with the turn to get extra force. Also notice ion the video how much of the instruction juts feels like that in a dance lesson.

Now notice how in the video below of a waltz spin turn that the 2^nd and 3^rd steps of the turn (at around the 6 second point) have a similarity to the foot work of the spin back below.

The next time I noticed that similarity was when learning the cross body lead in salsa. Take a look at the video below.

It is a lot like the side step used when you need to evade a charging opponent and get at an angle where it is easier to attach them. See the video below and notice the similarity with the foot work. The guy in the red uses a similar side step to evade his opponent. It is effective, but I think the salsa dancer does it more gracefully.

However, it is not all about foot work. Simply leading has a lot of similarities with much of grappling. Take a look at the Krav Maga video below at 4:04. Notice how the person on the receiving end is given such a clear lead that they have no choice, but to move in the desired direction.

 

This is a very clear lead.

Another similarity was a little less obvious. However, it almost seems that the Latin hips used in the related dances is designed to help with the isolation that a good fighter needs to be able to deliver a powerful blow. Take a look at the video below and notice the way each part of the body moves differently to manage the flow of force.

I notice the similarity most when doing samba and the isolated hip movement that is needed. See the video below and notice the need for this ability to move the hip separately from the body, but still in conjunction.

View How to Dance the Samba on Howcast

Perhaps the best example of similarity between dancing and combat is Capoeira a combat style from Brazil that includes dance moves and partner dance like interaction with others. See the video below for an example.

What does this mean?

Mostly, the parallels between dance and combat are interesting. Despite the similarities, I know few who regularly engage in both. It could be because we live in a time poor society, and we can only have so many pass times. However, I suspect that people interested in one are likely to have an aversion to the other. Therefore, few of us will really get a chance to experience the similarities first hand.

It might also be of interest to consider if this contributes to the sexist nature of dance that some argue about. Typically, men lead in partner dance and many of the similarities with combat are congruent with the lead subduing the follow. I don’t contend that this means that dance is sexist, but this comparison does show that if one exaggerates the lead follow relationship, then there would be misogyny within one’s dance. This is something to be aware of.

However, the real advantage of considering this similarity is that it can provide you with a new perspective on dance that can help with learning. If you think of your partner has a combat opponent, then:

• You will be more likely to lead so that their direction of movement is only as desired. If you have the mindset that the follow is an opponent, then you might think more about leading them to where you would need them to be.
• You will understand the need to be out of you dance partner’s way when needed. If you think of your dance partner as an opponent, then you will ensure that you make space for them to move into (so that can’t attack you) – this can help with both leads and follows.
• You will better appreciate the need to be aware of where your “opponent” is, what they are doing and how you should respond. The heightened sense of awareness that can come from pretending you’re in combat could help either a lead or a follow.
• You can express greater character in your dance if it is one that needs extra aggression in its performance. Some dances are about conflict, and expressing that can help. This is especially so if you are exhibiting.

Certainly do not expect fisticuffs next time you dance, but taking this perspective might help at times.

Do you see similarities or differences in dancing?

People sometimes see similarities and sometimes they see differences. We all have our tendencies and each has its advantages and disadvantages.

By understanding what your tendencies are you can better work out if they are helping you or working against you. Then you can put effort into how you think about dance figures so that you can dance better.

People who see similarities

Are you a person who always sees patterns and how things are related to each other?

If you are, then you will find that once you learn one dance learning another is easier. This can make progress faster. However, you will also sometimes find that when you’re trying to do a figure you might do another similar one. You might even find that you will do figures from another style. For example you might find that you start doing a salsa when you do samba. You might also start doing waltz when you should be doing the foxtrot.

People who see differences

Are you a person who finds that every time you are given a new piece of information it requires a new place for it to ‘put’ in your memory?

If that is the case, then you sometimes feel that dance can be overwhelming. You might have chosen to learn only one style, and other styles seem like a whole new world. And while it might take a while to learn all the figures, you know them all perfectly. You do not mix them up. If you decide a figure to do, then you know that is the one that you will do.

People who see similarities, but note the differences

Does everything in the world seem basically the same only different?

If it does then others reading this will assume that you have the best of both worlds. You can use the similarities to learn figures faster, but you note the differences so that you don’t mix them up. This is true at times. However, you will sometimes see too many similarities so that you do mix them and still feel overwhelmed at how much there is to learn.

What to do

Fortunately, no matter your tendency the solution is the same.

Understand the figure that you are doing. Break it down into element. Note the elements that you already know and the elements that are unique. This is a bit like have a tendency to see the similarities and noticing the differences, but you are putting an effort into making sure you know what is similar and what is not.

That’s the basics.

If you are person who sees the similarities, then put a little more effort into noting what is unique to each figure and style.

If you see differences, then try to find the similarities so that you can leverage them for faster learning and understanding of dance.

If you’re in the middle then make sure that you do actually know what is similar and what is different.

Working with your teacher

An experienced dance teacher will know what is similar and what is different so they can help you. Say something like:

•  ‘I am mixing these two up: what should I know that is different between the two?’
• ‘Is this completely new or is it like something else I have done?’
• ‘This seems like the other figure it different in this way: is that right?’

This will get your teacher thinking more like the way you do, and they can then help you more.

Of course they have their own tendencies too. If they are the same, then it would make sense for them to know where you have been and they can help you find another way to digest what you need to learn. If they are different, then ask questions like those above will help them work out what you need so that you can move forward.

Letting your teacher know your tendency can by explicitly stating it can help too.

An experienced teacher will have probably developed an intuition for the different ways people see the world and can accommodate. However, there’s nothing wrong with having the conversation to make it clear.