One of the most common problems dance students face is lack of practice between classes. Ironically, those who spend more hours in the classroom are actually more likely to practice at home than those who keep class to minimum (even with the good intentions of revising material in their own time). But whether you are an experienced dance or a beginner, it goes without saying that the more you practise the better improvement you’ll observe. The beauty of it is that you can get a lot with minimal input. Below are some tips for getting the most out of your revision.
First, go over the moves the night of your class. This is important because the information is still fresh in your mind on the same day, but will fade as soon as your head hits the pillow. When I was in New York, I attended classes with Frankie Martinez, and the sheer volume of information would have most certainly left my head, had I not written down 4 pages of notes as soon as I was near a pen and paper! This is because the external stimuli and other things on your to-do list will push this into low priority – simple because it’s already been done. SO – after class, go home, unwind and before you go to bed in 60 seconds just walk through whatever you were working on in class!
Set time and day to do your homework. Good teachers will give you homework to do – because they care about your learning. If you know you won’t remember it, write it down. If you forget, send your teacher a message. (Then they’ll know you’re trying!) But incorporate it into your weekly schedule and STICK TO IT. Again, no need for an hour practice: 5-10 minutes 3 times a week is better than cramming a longer session later. (Especially since you probably won’t do it then.) Dance is like language: if you visit the material regularly it will reward you down the track!
Use your time wisely. Did you know that about 90% of a person’s thoughts today will repeat tomorrow? That basically means that if you put something off today, you will most likely do the same again tomorrow. If you want to get better, use your time TODAY. Practice body alignment for turns while you’re waiting for the microwave; do a balance exercise when you get up from your desk; check if your posture is right for Salsa when you arrive to and leave work. These literally take seconds – yet they’ll give you the much needed exposure for improvement!
Set small goals and be patient. Improvement (physical or mental) takes time. But once you get past the hard stage, it improves exponentially. When learning a new language, every word is a struggle, but once you have 1000 words things start to fall into place. It would be a real shame if you gave up at 100, wouldn’t it? Setting small goals means they’re attainable and you’re more likely to stick to the schedule.
Happy practice! I’m sure you’ll notice the difference in your next class. 🙂