Dance Tip - The Importance of Musicality and How to Master It

ColdSalsero

ColdSalsero

Son
A friend of mine shared this article on musicality, and I thought I might pass it along, as food for thought:

Dance Tip - The Importance of Musicality and How to Master It
http://dancenerds.blogspot.com/2010/02/dance-tip-importance-of-musicality-and.html

The article talks about musicality in the context of ballet, but I think the ideas are general enough to be applicable to all genres of dance, including salsa. Here is an excerpt:
A well-developed sense of musicality separates the pros from the amateurs. It also makes you enjoyable to watch—and it’s a more rewarding way to dance!

...Put a musical dancer and a nonmusical dancer side by side and you’ll see why it’s so important to be attuned to the rhythm, melody and mood of a song. Dancers without a keen connection to the music might seem stiff or disconnected—often, they’re hard to watch. “They’re unable to transmit the emotion the musical notes are giving,” Feijóo says. “A strong but nonmusical dancer is like a painting without any colors. I’d rather watch a musical dancer with less extension and not-as-pretty feet.”

Musical dancers, on the other hand, never disregard the music to fit in more tricks. “You can see the effort in a nonmusical dancer—they are often step-driven,” says NYC ballet teacher Deborah Wingert. “Musical dancers don’t just turn until they stop. They turn until they have to move on to the next point in the music. Musical dancers never get so caught up in steps that they ignore the music.”​
One of the big ideas that I took away from this is that, if what you do is musical, and expresses and interprets the music, then what you do will be fun to watch, no matter how simple or complex it may be.
 
ColdSalsero said:
One of the big ideas that I took away from this is that, if what you do is musical, and expresses and interprets the music, then what you do will be fun to watch, no matter how simple or complex it may be.
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I believe that sometimes if the people who are watching, are musical themselves, then they will SEE and appreciate more than onlookers who are not musical themselves, especially when the dancers who are being observed are not doing anything complex.

I have seen non musical people watch great dancers who were just grooving - not performing, and finding it "boring" or "monotonous". So, in general, a given dancers musicality will be more appreciated by others who are musical, then those who are "musically challenged".

Incidentally. It is my opinion that possessing musicality, does not automatically correlate with interpretation of music when dancing. I know many musical people that don't really dance that much.

I also know, other musical people whose musicality has been "hijacked" by the people who teach them dancing. That is, the instructors, instead of helping bring out the person's natural musicality in relevance to the context of the dance they are being taught, have instead "muffled" and drowned it by over emphasizing the technical and performance aspects, as well as using mediocre salsa music for the classes.

Of course, people blessed with natural musicality have a better chance than others, of snapping out of this limited view of dancing, and hence going on to find better ways of salsa study,that will help them express themselves better to the music.
 
Being musical is hard work, and I hope to get better at it. It is amusing to slow down with the music, then get the chance to see another lead pushing through spins and patterns that in no way match the romantic section of music that's being played.
 
SnowDancer said:
Being musical is hard work, and I hope to get better at it. It is amusing to slow down with the music, then get the chance to see another lead pushing through spins and patterns that in no way match the romantic section of music that's being played.
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And if I were dancing with you I'd be silently thanking you for that.

Example: Intro to Yo No Se Manana. Hug & sway please? Until it kicks in and then we can start dancing. But everyone around us will be dancing to an imaginary salsa beat lol :buttkick:
 
sonrisa said:
And if I were dancing with you I'd be silently thanking you for that.

Example: Intro to Yo No Se Manana. Hug & sway please? Until it kicks in and then we can start dancing. But everyone around us will be dancing to an imaginary salsa beat lol :buttkick:
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that happens all the time..a friend of mine went dancing with adolfo last congress and she didnt like..she is a very very very good dancer and she didnt aprecciate the dance as much as she wanted just because, and now I am paraphrasing her words, "he didnt do anything different"..ok, adolfo is known for his crazy patterns but the song was "esto es amor" by latin vibe ( Thats a VERY GOOD romantic song and the type that I like, not the craps ones I listen in zurich). He didnt do anything crazy cause the song doesnt ask for that..

I could dance just the basic this whole song cause I LOVE IT and the feeling that comes from this song is amazing..ok, you dont have to know the lyrics BUT just listen to the song please!!!!
 
and if this song is playing anywhere please ask me to dance!!!!!

"desde que te conoci ando en las nuvens
gracias a tu amor tengo felicidad
mi palomita blanca duena de mi vida
cuando estoy contigo no me importa nada


yo te quierooooooooooooooooooooo..."
 
sonrisa said:
And if I were dancing with you I'd be silently thanking you for that.

Example: Intro to Yo No Se Manana. Hug & sway please? Until it kicks in and then we can start dancing. But everyone around us will be dancing to an imaginary salsa beat lol :buttkick:
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Ahh.... someone else after my own heart.

I love that song and the intro... it's extremely long compared to most (24 bars until the complete band is in gear.)

I'm with you... at first it confuses some partners when I sway and/or dance half time until it completely kicks in... but once they figure out I have something in mind, we're in sync with the feel of the music, they just go with it and we have a blast. (If they don't know the song, a few aren't even sure it's salsa, but they sense that I know the tune, and let me lead.)

The time is there in the intro if someone wants it, but dancing regular basic makes no sense to me (I see it all around me though, or people just standing around because they aren't sure what to make of it...). It's going completely against the grain from a musical perspective.

It's one of those songs where I often grab specific follows, who are more dynamic, appreciate subtly (when appropriate) and can handle the range.

For those who don't remember the tune, here's a link:
youtube.com/watch?v=FadzTIxXZfY

If we're ever in the same room, and this song starts please find me. I understand exactly what you are saying...
 
ColdSalsero said:
kbitten is a girl? I always assumed a boy...I don't know why. So confused...on the internet, no one knows you're a dog (a cat?)...
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I've beaten this drum a few times but yes can we please have a lead or follow identifier next to our names cos drives me crazy too.

I forget who but the other day I read a post and realised I'd assumed wrongly for a long time. Gives you a different perspective on the post.
 
I honestly haven't danced with that many people that would start down right monkey patterns to a song with a slow/er intro! Again, I believe it majorly depends on where you dance. I am not saying that I haven't had dances where a rollercoaster ride would've been smoother and slower, but those who do that are marked in my book as "practice dance".

If you are not happy with the leader spinning you senseless, hijack and make it whatever you want, after all, I am sure there is no man who'd not appreciate a close hold and a sway movement. If he doesn't appreciate it, find another leader
 
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