Every student is in a different skill level so I wanted to list some extra areas that students can concentrate on in class should they find they are ahead of the group.
First of all, make sure that you really have mastered what is being taught. Many times I will ask who aced the move I just taught and receive lots of confident yeses but when I walk around I see that there are gaps. So make sure you ask your partner what you can do to improve the lead or follow of the move, the timing of the move and the styling of the move. The person dancing with you can best gauge what areas you can work on and if you develop an honest rapport with your partner or fellow students, you will find the honest feedback is very useful.
If you do have extra time in class focus on the following areas:
1) Timing – really take the time to listen to the songs being played in the class and ensure that you are dancing to the right timing and keeping the consistent “quick, quick, slow” tempo. Count the beats and take the time to slow yourself down on the 4 and 8 to ensure proper rhythm
2) Body movement – are you moving your body while executing the move or are you just stepping? Start with your knees bending in the proper direction. This takes weeks, even months of perfecting to ensure your lower body is moving properly. Once you have the knees working properly which affect hips then you can move on to the rib cage isolation exercises to ensure you upper body moves also. Lastly, add the figure 8 to your rib cage and shoulders to get the final full body movement of the basic.
3) Styling – what can you do to make the move look better? Now that you have the right timing and the right body movement, are there arm or leg movements and additional styling techniques that you can add to the move to take it to a higher level?
With these 3 areas in mind, there should be plenty of work to do in class and when going out. Remember to only concentrate on one area at a time so that you can really hone your skills!
