It's artistry always!

Dispense with the stage vs class mindset, says Lucy Christodolou.

Something I hear repeatedly from dancers is that they often feel more comfortable expressing their emotions on the stage rather than in class, practice and rehearsal. Do you feel the same?

It can be extremely tricky to find a balance between hard, diligent work and joyful expression when you’re training. However, I find that when dancers sometimes feel a bit dull, or are struggling to enjoy dancing like they did when they were younger, it often comes down to this: when the pressure is on, and the hard work gets harder, and competitions and auditions are around the corner, it can feel more like pressure than joy.

A simple and effective way of increasing feelings of joy and freedom in one’s dancing is to reconnect with the music. We mustn’t forget that music is typically what sparks a dancer's passion at the start. So why limit it to the stage?

Do not fear that your technique will not improve if you begin to focus on these elements. If anything it will improve because you will feel less stressed and more connected to yourself and what you’re doing.

Let’s firstly talk about why this is important for you to focus on.

A dancer that stands out and makes an impression and impact on an audience or a judging panel is one who is the whole package. They dance with the music, they express emotion and can make the audience feel emotion. That is in addition to their strong technique, athleticism and flexibility. Having artistry and an ability to emote and connect will set you apart!

Dancers are storytellers. It doesn’t matter what style of dance you do, you’re always expressing an emotion, moving with music and making the audience feel something. To do this, we must practise it before we hit the stage.

Practice makes better. The more you practise connection with the music and your emotions, the more comfortable and confident you will become with displaying your feelings in the classroom. It can be scary at first, but what you must remember that it is just a new skill. One day a pirouette was new for you too, and it was scary, but also exciting! See the development of your artistry in the same way.

We can all agree that being an artistic, expressive and emotive dancer is important, but let’s now talk about where to start when you’re feeling nervous!

Stop worrying that other people are judging you. You are there to dance, and part of dancing is the artistic, expressive element. Stop waiting for permission from your peers and start being the dancer that you know you can be!

Listen to the music. Often dancers find it difficult to start “using their face” in the classroom setting when the environment is so different to the stage. What’s the same? The music! This is what you can connect to, emote to and express through.

Ask yourself, “why not?” You’re scared of looking or feeling silly? Worried that you’re going to do it wrong? Maybe it’s better to make mistakes and learn from them in the classroom where your teachers are eager to help you, rather than on the stage where it likely matters a touch more!

Consider which type of dancer you want to be. Do you want to be a well rounded, versatile, fabulous dancer? Then stop focusing fully on your technique and extensions or how your body looks and start creating the artist you want to be.

Think of your inspirations and learn from them. Watch their performance quality, learn how they use their eyes, head, neck, face. Watch their style, their presentation. You’ll learn a lot more than if you are just watching their feet.

Don’t be afraid to perform in class. As a dancer, you are an artist! Make yourself the best dancer you can be, and be fearless about it.