and instrumentation ? If you ’ ve ever asked yourself these types of questions , you are not alone .
Evaluating Feedback and Response If you ask members of your audience , or ask for judges ’ feedback from competitive performances , or ask your dance teacher for feedback – they may try to give you constructive feedback about what elements and qualities may be missing from your performance . Everyone has an opinion , but the most common theme among the answers you will receive may have nothing to do with the structure of your dance performance , but rather on the effectiveness of your show .
How many times have we watched a performer who danced “ correctly ” – on the beat of the percussion , moved from one recognizable dance movement to another – but seemed on auto-pilot and almost like a wind-up doll . Or , you get feedback you love for some performances because “ the way you danced ” had unique characteristics that made your dancing special to watch and correspond with how great the performance felt as you danced . Performances vary in complexity and are impacted by the venue – but in all cases should showcase your uniqueness .
7 Key Elements for Great Performances After considering performances I ’ ve viewed as a judge , as a coach , as a teacher , and friend – on video recordings , and in our dance photography – and from the sidelines , enjoying great performances by professionals and amateurs alike , I ’ ve compiled a list of 7 key performance elements that in my opinion , all performances should include : Originality , Scale , Fearlessness , Thoughtful Design , History , Personality , and Harmony .
Originality We may be so often dazzled by what we see on Youtube or a great choreography we learned at a workshop or from an instructional DVD – that we literally try to re-create someone else ’ s performance as our own work . This never works for so many reasons . First get to know your own body , your own personal movement style and quality . Work on defining your dance style , note how you use space and how your dance flows . Then , refer to social media for inspiration of unique performance styling and dynamics , not just a source for choreography .
Some performances don ’ t truly reflect the personality of the person dancing . We may see a performance that was stunning on a dancer with a different body type or level of expertise – that just doesn ’ t work on the dancer using their choreography . To me , I love to watch dancers who use dance movements with their own interpretation , styling , and personality – rather than just simply following trends in dance choreography . Not every dancer looks great dancing other dancers ’ style : Dina , Tahia Carioca , Randa Kamal , or whoever is the currently trending popular dancer .
What to try for ORIGINALITY : Color and brightness , textures and layering , patterns of dance movement , and flow and energy . Don ’ t be limited by trends . I love to see dancers who have many layers of beautiful , meaningful movement . When they move they have a chemistry that combines personal history and experience , which , when combined with special and unique dance elements and styling , will always result in an exciting and original performance .
Scale Many dancers , especially those performing the choreography of others , miss scaling the performance to fit the staging , the reality of the performance venue , the lighting , and the interaction with the audience . Scale easily becomes a problem when a dancer has rehearsed at home in a small area , then performs the piece on a theater stage . Another issue is when the intense stage lighting blinds them and they can ’ t see the audience – this creates a barrier of not being able to see the audience and often impacts the performer from the lack of audience feedback and connection .
What to try for SCALE : If you are not sure what you need to scale in your performance , you can start by asking other dancers performing before you , about the stage – quality of the dance floor ( slippery or raked stages can impact spins ). Walk the stage before a performance when the curtains are closed – or in the time before the venue opens for audience seating – to note the patterns and intensity of the stage lighting . Consider how much better your dramatic finale will be when viewed under the best lighting on the stage . And if the stage lighting is quite bright and you know you won ’ t be able to see the audience … that ’ s when you “ scale up ” your performance to be sure you project your energy and personality beyond the stage – by smiling as though you can see the audience .
22 The Belly Dance Chronicles � July 2017