10 Tips to Fred Astairedom
Can't act. Can't sing. Slightly bald. Can dance a little.
- Goldwyn talent scout's assessment of Fred Astaire
So you want to take on the sky, and jump right into dancing. Maybe you have watched "Dancing with the Stars" or "So You Think you can Dance!" way too many times. Or maybe your just looking for a little adventure. Unfortunately, there is no magical dance fairy to wave its wand – and “POOF!”make you the next rising star! It’s a process and, as in the pursuit of any sport or art, it’s best to focus on the activity and not on the destination.
Tip Number One
Understand the music. For new students its always a good idea to bring some of your own taste of music to your lessons. Find specific songs that you love. Then ask your instrutor to identify what social dances fits your music. Always try to dance to music you love, it makes dancing so much easier. Dance is a three-way partnership with you, your partner and the music. Know the music well.
Tip Number Two
Take lessons. Yeah, bet you didn't see that one coming! Could you learn to land a plane without lessons? Same goes for dance. You need quality instruction, preferably both group classes and private lessons (take avantage of the Fred Astaire System). Not only is it good to have a teacher demonstrate elements of music and dance, you'll also need them to tell you when you're doing something right or wrong -no book, video or DVD alone can do that. Our teaching method will help improve your dancing, but the key to learning anything is to be "Relaxed". Make sure that your personality works alone side with your instructors, if you can't feel relaxed with them - then you will not learn. You may run for the hills and forget about dancing altogether!
Tip Number Three
Focus on rhythm. Many new students find themselfs traped between the "Tin-Man" and "Scare Crow" faze, their bodies are stiff and over thinking the most simple of things. Stop thinking! Stop thinking! Why are you still thinking? If your going to think about anything it should be, "What beat am I stepping on?" for the beginner, I believe understanding when to step (rhythm) is far more important than where to step (direction).
Tip Number Four
Master your basics, they are your closet friend. There is alot to be learned, in mastering a dance. People seem to think its better to know more pattrens, then to focus on a single step. Pattrens are made from the basics. You can't have butter without first getting the milk. Every student wants to improve, yet every student belives more is better - I would rather see a well-executed, simple step, than a poorly executed, eye-catching pattern. Become the master of your basics!
Tip Number Five
Get out and dance. You must get out and dance, even occasionally, becuase any time on the dance floor will make you better. Thankfully, with great music and enjoyable partners, the work is easy. We give you a chance to use your dancing every Friday night - weather its a open floor pratice or a themed party.
Tip Number Six
Dance with a variety of partners. While having a regular dance partner is wonderful and will accelerate your progress,over time dancing with one person will lead to bad habits. Being able to adjust to a new partner is a nessiaty in learning a social dance. To become more social, you will need to able to adapted to different people. A good place to pratice this tip, would be during our group classes. Partners are rotated every few minutes.
Tip Number Seven
Dance-Up! Dancing-up means asking better dancers than you to dance. If you're a beginner and only dance with partners of equal ability, than its easy to assume when things go wrong its your fault. When you dance-up, miraculously, things begin to work and you're able to move to the next level. The goal is to make you a better dancer, we want to see you make this goal. Grab a teacher and go!
Tip Number Eight
Recover seamlessly from mistakes. As you learn you will find many obsitcals, don't let yourself be one. When a mistake accures, just bring your feet together and start the basic over. Move through your step and remember this is for FUN!!! Your not competing for an Olympic gold medal here, we are just two people out on the floor having a good time.
Tip Number Nine
Watch great dancers. By watching great dancers you develop a sense of the possibilities, you begin to understand the princeables of your lessons. See what the road has in store for you. Everyone is on a path, some get there early, some come late, but the truth remains - you get there. Go to a dance competition and you will see how much you really know about your dancing.
Tip Number Ten
Finally, always dance for fun.Find fulfillment in the journey and do not fixate on the goal. "With one eye so firmly planted on your goal, you'll only have one eye left to lead the way.".
System of Instruction