How To Dance Like A Professional At Any Age

We all love to watch them: flamenco dancers, salsa dancers, tango dancers, ballroom dancers, ballerinas, and Beyonce and all the rest of the stylish hip hop dancers. You may think that you have two left feet and you’ll never learn how to dance like a professional. While there isn’t a magic trick that can instantly take you from Elaine from "Seinfeld" into the dancer that you’ve always wanted to be, there are a few important points that can transform the way you dance and turn you into a master. By keeping in mind these important steps, you can learn how to dance beautifully at any age!



Point 1: Pay careful attention to the music.



Many of my students are nervous when they first try to dance in front of me. They are working incredibly hard to overcome their nerves, display grace and poise, and be technically accurate that they often look stiff. However, the overall problem with trying to dance this way is that you forget to pay any attention to the music. This makes it obvious to spectators that you aren’t comfortable with what you’re doing.



Keep in mind that the most popular forms of dance are all choreographed for music and created to maximize the emotional content of music. Music is what drives most of the movements. Remember that music is one of the most important aspects of your routine. Listen carefully for the beat, the melody, and any other sounds that you may be following with your dance movements - they will essentially inform you when and how to dance. When you pay careful attention to the music, your performance will change tremendously.



Point 2: Loosen up!



I mentioned in point one is that many of my students often look stiff when they perform for me. Usually with a little bit of calming reassurance, these students evolve into gorgeous dance performers. What I have learned is that most of their inability to perform the way that they want is, in a way, self-inflicted. It is all due to their nerves.



There are two ways to train youself to loosen up. The first way is physical. Make sure that you have stretched your body before you dance. Most dancers are fully stretched before performing. Ensure that you are breathing while you dance. Many people tend to take short breaths and hold the breath in while they dance. This isn’t very healthy, nor is it productive. Taking deep breaths and letting them out very slowly will help you to relax.



The second way to train yourself to loosen up is mental. Keep yourself consciously aware that you might appear rigid. Sometimes the best way to do this (so that you don’t overburden your brain with things to think about) is to repeat "Relax" in your head slowly over and over again, essentially like a mantra. This will begin to calm you down and help you get the most out of your performance.



Point 3: Use all of your space.



This point I cannot emphasize enough. Dancers use a lot of space. They perform on large stages, in large classrooms, in huge gymnasiums, in giant dance halls, etc. Dancers need all of this space to be able to completely implement their bodies. They stretch them, reach them, lengthen them, and jump with them. Have you ever seen someone dancing in place using little movements? This typically does not compare to the wonder of watching a professional dancer perform. Even movements like swaying your hips will look more powerful and interesting if the movement is extended completely in both directions. Don’t hold anything back. Use all of your body and all of the space around you.





You may be skeptical at first. You may wonder how three points can improve your form dramatically. Believe me, these three simple points will entirely change the way that you appear when you are dancing. They will help you learn how to dance like a pro!