written by balletboy  on 21.12. at 19:37:51

I have always found that when I'm relaxed and "feeling" the dance, I do my best.  At times when I'm over-thinking and running the verbal steps in my mind, my mind and body don't match.  When I concentrate on how the movement should "feel" with the music, I dance much better.

As for turns, I always have trouble spotting...and I think that's because I always try to spot.  It's hard for me to feel the spotting as a natural movement.  Most of my friends who can do multiple turns say they never think about spotting, but just do it naturally.  I guess I don't have a "spotting nature!"  You'll probably be able, like my friends, to find this nature over time.

Also, lots of my ballet friends tell me they don't count the turns.  They say this distracts them.  Ask a friend in class to count them for you.  I believe that after a while, just like I have done with some combinations, the set of three turns will feel "right," and you won't have to worry about the counting any more.

The other thing I've learned with turns is to feel the "up" movement. I used to release the knee in anticipation of coming down, and often wobbled out of a turn.  I learned to releve on the standing leg with the proper body placement/balance to sustain a turn, without actually turning.  Then I started to add the turning.  Rather than worrying about coming down, I try to stay up, and only when I feel my body is in the right orientation (i.e. facing en face or to the corner), do I come down.

If you relax and feel rather than force the movement, you'll be a better dancer.

Good luck!  balletboy