Dance for Dummies

For my final blog post I have decided to create a list of tips that I have found in my IRP book and that I have picked up over the years that I wish beginner me would have known.
I got inspiration for this post from seeing my little sister Miley practice for her first ballet exam. I saw her making the same little mistakes that I have corrected from practice so I thought I would share them with you.

 To all those who enjoy dancing but need a bit of advice here is 25 basic things I wish I knew as a beginner dancer:


1.This first one is very corny but "Dance like no one is watching" no matter how silly or awkward you feel dancing don't let the thoughts of others stop you from doing what you love


2. Don't take your teachers corrections personal, they are actually complements because that means the teacher sees potential in you. In Conditioning for Dance Franklin shares, "Whenever I would teach a class and give criticism the dancers would look at me like I had just insulted them. We teachers give corrections to better our students, not to drag them down" (Franklin vi)


3.For those beginning ballet do not get too self conscious in your leotard, we all have to wear one and no one can see that pen stain you accidently got on your butt


4.Pick a style of dance you are actually interested in, or you will just waste your time


5. Eating McDonalds before or after class is not the smartest choice


6.Smile when you dance, you'll be surprised how much better it instantly makes you look


7. Don't be afraid to ask questions, chances are the person next to you has the same one


8. Boys dance too, don't let their presence effect your dancing


9. Have fun at practice, but remember you're there for a reason


10. Don't wash your hands with just your leotard on, it will create a pee like mark.


11. DO NOT walk outside with any dance shoes on, they will ruin the material on the bottom


12. Just because you are in the back row doesn't mean no one is watching you


13. Exercise outside of dance class, "I never knew how impactful the daily stretch and push ups outside of practice could be" (Franklin 55-58)


14. Consider dance teams at your school, you'll make new friends and get so many opportunities


15. Those bruises on your knees will fade, so don't be afraid to fall


16. Dance is an art and a sport, don't let some boy confuse you


17. If your sick don't come to dance, you're just going to get the rest of the class sick. Trust me.


18. Lipstick and blush will  transform your face in the best way, even if you feel like a clown


19. Do not yawn in class, your teacher will find in disrespectful and you will have to do 10 push ups


20. Just because you get praise doesn't mean you're the best, and it defiantly doesn't mean you don't have room for improvement. There is no perfect dancer .


21. You will have a few memory mistakes during performances, or in my case 1 billion


22. Don't be the dancer who milks an injury, no one likes them


23. Yes changing in front of other girls is a bit awkward, especially when that one mom walks in and says "Stop being shy! We're all girls here!!"


24. Not everyone was born to be an intense hip hop dancer, and that's okay


25. finally remember that you should dance because it makes you happy, not because your friends do it or you have a dance crazed mom. Dance comes easy to those who want it.


I hope you guys have gotten something out of this list and my four other blog posts. I suggest the book Conditioning for Dance by Eric Franklin for dancers of any level. It focuses on so many diverse topics that you will never find a page where you don't learn something new.


My question for you is: what have you learned from any of my blogs? Or what can you teach others from your own blog?


Here is another adorable picture of Miley just to brighten your day:

Citation:



              Franklin, Eric N. Conditioning for Dance. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2004. Print.