Fusion Dance (2)- The Uniqueness of Fusion Dance

Cultural Significance of Fusion Dance 

Fusion dance holds substantial cultural significance in contemporary performance art. 

It acts as a platform for artistic expression that resonates with diverse audiences, celebrating the mixing of cultures and traditions. 

By merging different styles, fusion dance not only showcases individual creativity but also helps to challenge cultural boundaries and foster inclusivity.

Improvisation and Individuality

Improvisation plays a crucial role in fusion dance, allowing performers to express their personality and spontaneity. Each dancer brings their unique perspective to the movement, resulting in performances that are often unpredictable and fresh. This emphasis on individuality encourages a sense of empowerment among dancers, making it an integral component of the fusion dance experience.

Community Building Through Dance

Fusion dance serves as a powerful tool for community building and cross-cultural exchange. It brings together individuals from different backgrounds and fosters collaboration, understanding, and creativity. By participating in fusion dance, communities can celebrate their diversity while finding common ground through shared artistic experiences.

Fusion Dance (1)- Understanding Fusion Dance

Fusion Dance (2)- Uniqueness of Fusion Dance

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Fusion Dance (1)- Understanding Fusion Dance

Fusion dance is a captivating and innovative form of dance that combines elements from various dance styles and genres. Tracking back to the late 20th century when It was originated, cultural exchanges brought the blending of traditions and consequently gave birth to a brand new dance form. 

This newly born art form emphasizes creativity and the reinterpretation of existing styles, paving the way for new and exciting movements across the dance landscape.

Features 

Fusion dance is characterized by its eclectic mix, allowing for free expression and the merging of techniques from different dance styles. 

This genre often includes a variety of elements such as rhythm, posture, and gestures sourced from genres like ballet, hip hop, jazz, and traditional folk dances. This blending creates a dynamic performance style that captivates audiences and keeps the art form evolving.

Popular Fusion Dance Forms

There are several notable fusion dance forms that have gained popularity over the years. For instance, Bollywood dance often incorporates classical Indian dance with contemporary styles, creating a vibrant fusion. Additionally, Salsa cross-trained with hip hop has led to a new rendition of street dance, highlighting the cultural nuances that influence these forms.

Fusion Dance (1)- Understanding Fusion Dance

Fusion Dance (2)- Uniqueness of Fusion Dance

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How Digital Technology is Revolutionizing Dance

There are various digital tools which are enhancing the way we create, perform, and share dance performances. It has become a game-changer, making dance more accessible and innovative than ever before.

Benefits of Digital Technology in Dance

One of the biggest perks is the ability to push the boundaries of creativity. Dancers and choreographers can now experiment with digital backdrops, virtual environments, and even holograms! Moreover, digital tools make it easy to share performances worldwide, reaching audiences that wouldn't have been possible before. Let's not forget how technology aids in perfecting technique through detailed analysis.

Challenges and Drawbacks

However, it's not all sunshine and rainbows. Integrating digital technology into dance presents challenges, such as the need for technical skills, the potential cost of equipment, and maintaining the human essence of dance amidst technological advancement. These factors can create hurdles for traditional dance practitioners to adapt.

Future Trends in Digital Dance Technology

Looking ahead, we can expect even more exciting developments. Imagine AI choreographers, greater integration of VR in live performances, and even more advanced motion capture that could transform anyone into a virtual dancer. The possibilities are endless, and they promise to continue reshaping the dance landscape in ways we can barely imagine.

So, there you have it—a quick dive into how digital technology is not just changing dance but setting the stage for an exhilarating future. It's an exciting time to be part of the dance community, whether you're a dancer, choreographer, or simply an enthusiast of this beautiful art form. 

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Do we have Digital Tools for Dance?

Technology is amazing!

Digital Technology has been advanced to an amazing level, that it is transforming every corner of our lives, including the vibrant world of dance. 

Here are some examples of Types of Digital Tools for Dance

1) Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) platforms- allowing dancers to immerse themselves and their audience in a completely new dimension.

2) Motion capture technology- tracks the movement of dancers and translates it into digital animations.

3) Dance software- professional ones can help choreography, provide tools to visualize and design routines with intricate detail.

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Dance Without Music

Dance that goes without Music

By definition, dance is to move rhythmically to music. Thus we know music plays a crucial role in dancing. 

And then we also know that a dance without music is not complete- that would just be a series of moves. A dance without music would be lack of spirit. 

Why? 

Music can effectively enhance emotional depth available through dance, bridging up the physical performance and the soul. 

Music acts as an amplifier. 

The rhythm, melody, and harmony of music work in tandem with dance, guiding the dancer's emotional expression. Whether it’s the exhilarating beats of a drum or the somber tones of a piano, music complements dance to convey a wider range of emotions more profoundly.

When all you have around is silence, merely drum beats, clapping hands or even humming can help.  

Ummm, I think dancing without music is not a dance, it could be a series of movement patterns for practicing techniques, just not a dance. 

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Competitive Nature of Dance

Usually we define dance as a sport because it is a form of physical activity; however, there is another aspect to see dance as a sport- dance is an activity that uses, maintains or improves physical ability and skills and it is often competitive and organized.

The competitive landscape of dance, marked by contests and championships at various levels, from amateur to professional, highlights its status as a sport. Dancers compete to showcase their skills, similar to athletes in competitive sports settings.

Professional Dance Organizations and Events

There are numerous professional dance organizations and events worldwide that cement dance's position within the sports domain. These bodies regulate competitions, uphold standards, and foster a community akin to those found in recognized sports.

Athleticism Required in Various Dance Styles

Ballet demands exacting precision and tremendous foot strength.

Tap dancing requires rhythmical agility and cardiovascular endurance.

Hip-hop involves dynamic movements that test a dancer's physical limits.

Each dance style presents unique challenges that necessitate athletic ability, underscoring why dance deserves recognition as a sport.

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The Essence of Dance Techniques

Dance, an art form rich in tradition and innovation, has evolved through centuries, giving birth to varied techniques that characterize its essence. 

Among all, there are three popular dance genres that build a relatively board foundation for essential techniques that are shared across the world of dance. They are ballet, contemporary and hip-hop. 

It doesn't mean that National dances, folk dances, ritual dances and others are not important, it is just because Ballet, Contemporary and hip-hop have absorbed almost all elements from a variety of dance to evolve into the form we see today- we can't deny that ritual dance or national dance usually focus on one single technique. 

Anyway, ballet, contemporary, and hip-hop stand out as fundamental, each contributing uniquely to the dance mosaic. 

Ballet, with its disciplined foundation, has been pivotal in shaping the structural integrity of dancers, enabling precise and graceful movements. 

Contemporary dance, on the other hand, champions creativity and versatility, allowing dancers to express a wider range of emotions and stories through fluid motions. 

Hip-hop injects a vibrant energy and cultural depth into dance, reflecting societal themes and personal experiences. 

Together, these techniques not only underscore the comparison and contrast in dance forms but also significantly influence modern dance styles, enriching the diversity and dynamism of this art form.

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Dance is a Sport

Dance should definitely recognized as a Sport!

It is a discipline that requires exceptional strength, stamina, and flexibility, no wonder Dance is named DanceSports.

First of all, dance is physically demanding. A dancer cannot be a professional dancer unless s/he undergoes rigorous trainings include extensive rehearsals, flexibility training, and strength conditioning... The toughness of these trainings are comparable to those of elite athletes in other sport areas like gymnastics or track and field. 

The comprehensiveness reminds us the sportive aspect of dance; the intensiveness of each training course emphasizes how sporty it is.  

Similar to any sport, dancers dedicate countless hours to perfect their craft. They engage in disciplined practice sessions to master complex routines, demonstrating a level of commitment comparable to professional athletes.

Because of the intensive, comprehensive practices the participants have done, dancers enjoy profound health benefits. Dancing enhances cardiovascular health, muscle tone, coordination, and balance. Not only it is beneficial to our physical health, but also is advantageous to our mental health like reducing stress and enhancing cognitive function.

In short, dance offers whatever sport can offer.

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Emotions through Dance

Dance channels emotions, from joy to sorrow, allowing people to share deep feelings. It is indeed an artistic way to express emotions, through which the dancers experience psychological benefits.

Dancers explore and express their feelings in a physical form, thus it is a unique and powerful outlet for emotional release; this fosters a sense of joy, releases stress, and can even help in combating depression and anxiety.

There are a variety of techniques to convey specific emotions. 

Facial expression is one of those. Facial expressions are a direct window to the dancer’s feelings, which amplify the sentiment being portrayed. 

Body movements, on the other hand, tell a story with light and fluid motions, or sharp and angular movements. The former conveys joy and freedom, or sharp, while the latter express tension and conflict. 

Through these techniques, dancers can communicate complex emotions without uttering a single word. 

Techniques ensure dancers to express. What to express and how to express is significantly shaped by cultural influences. 

Different cultures have unique dance forms. The cultural dance that is developed upon traditions and history reflects collective emotions and experiences of a community. This is a valuable treasure that can provide an understanding of how different societies perceive and convey emotions through the universal language of dance.

In conclusion, dance serves as a powerful medium for expressing and experiencing emotions, enhanced by music, defined by techniques, and influenced by cultural heritage. 

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Overcoming Stage Fright

Normal couples usually feel anxious when facing the crowd. Absolutely understandable, just imagine when you need to perform a dance which you learn in a relatively short time, guess not too many people can stay calm. 

But surely we need to overcome it in order to perform well. The first step to overcome it is to understand it's nature. It is an intense nervousness one feels before or during a public appearance or performance. 

We feel anxious because of the fear of judgment or failure in front of the audience, leading to symptoms such as increased heart rate, trembling, dry mouth, and excessive sweating. Together with it could be psychological symptoms such as memory lapses, intense fear, and avoidance behavior. 

Once we are alerted about these symptoms, we can address and manage this anxiety effectively. 

Mental Strategies:

1) Focus on the positive aspects of your performance rather than thinking about your potential errors;

2) Practice mindfulness and meditation to keep calm;

3) Visualize a super successful performance in order to build confidence, and at the same time reduce negative anticipations.

Physical Techniques

1) Do your warm-up before a performance, it is not only warming up your body but also releasing tension.

2) Take deep breaths to control your heart rate and relax your body.

3) Ensure adequate rest and nutrition to maintain your energy and concentration levels.

Be Prepared

It doesn't matter what mental strategies and physical techniques you do to overcome performance anxiety, the best, the most powerful, the most effective what is to be prepared. 

Practice makes perfect, so practice is a key. And over-practice makes muscle memory building easier. But preparation is not limited to this. 

Another preparation can be a dress rehearsal practice on the stage. This familiarises yourself with the venue can significantly ease anxiety. 

Or you can imagine yourself succeeding in your performance. Thinking about the audience reacting positively, receiving applause, and feeling proud of your achievement. This positive visualization technique can enhance self-esteem by reinforcing the belief in one's abilities. 

But all these are based on your dance foundation. A solid dance background gives you the biggest self-confidence. 

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Learning Dancing Online

Since COVID-19, the two concepts, work from home and flexi-work hour, have become a fashion. Whoever can resist such an enticing benefit?

Yes, I also love working from home. Mostly I need to go to different studios to teach, it is a torture walking from here to there under the hot sun. Therefore, if I could just stay at home and still keep the teaching quality that would be wonderful. 

For me, it is absolutely possible to teach online. Teaching is an offering process, all I need to do is to output. It's more like giving a lecture about what to do and how to do. Whether it is in class or online, it is pretty much indifferent.

But for a learning course, the emphasize should be put on the word 'learning'. Thus, whether learning is effective or not is the key.

A class attendant listens, watches and follows the teacher, doesn't matter if you are in class or online, this is what a class attendant does.

No one can deny that it will be definitely be much more convenient to observe learners' posture in class and by just looking at the screen.

If the teacher finds your wrongs, s/he Can rescue in person by moving your body parts. Direct bodily contact is one powerful teaching agent. 

Compare these two, giving a speech on how you should move your body and demonstrating how to move with your own body, the latter must be effective.

As a teacher, I myself can honestly say that I can't really observe learners body movements role on the mobile screen. 

In short, both teaching and learning through the internet are less effective. Therefore, I really look forward to the highly advanced futuristic technology of holography. 

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Too stiff to dance is an Excuse

Body separation is essential- a consensus that everybody knows.

We know It is important. 

We want to achieve it. 

Even complete beginners wants to perfect it. 

However, in class. When we practice separating our bodies, it's frustrating. 

'Relax the whole body.'

'Just put a specific part of your body while keeping the rest of your body still.'

This is how we were taught, and this is also how we teach. 

Most of the time, the feedback is usually 'We tried' and 'We did'; but from the professionals' eyes they didn't separate bodies at all.

It is understandable that for it is more difficult for adults to do this as they are not as flexible as kids, but great number of children's are also very stiff.

Flexibility is a quality that is built up by strategies the bodies to the extremes day by day continuously. It definitely is a long term investment. 

Most give up after hundreds of times of practising. Very few keep practicing after tons of times of practising. 

The former stay stiff while the latter start to soften their bodies gradually. 

Ummm... Those who stay stiff get a reason to quit dancing. 

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To Make a Good Dance

To make the dance look good, what matters more is how you do instead of what you do. 

Simply joining all basic figures together can make a lovely routine. Then we can come to a conclusion, to make a nice routine, less is more. 

However there is a condition, the dancer's technique, flexibility, muscle strength and endurance. Weaknesses in muscle strength and endurance can be hidden with a partner's help. 

But of course if both lead and follow are experienced and skilled, the final dance would look better. However even if both are complete beginners, as long as they can follow every tiny bit stated on the syllabus, the dance will still be watchable. 

Surely the instructed actions is just black and white, they are absolutely B&W unless they become natural instinct. If one tries to intentionally perform the actions that are stared on the syllabus, the final product will be very stiff. 

And to make them not too stiff, practise is the key.

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A Mighty Routine?

As said before, the very resourceful internet is powerful. Many of our potential clients usually have already browsed through a number of video clips before they approached us. 

Some attentive clients then surprisingly found that many of those shared quite a lot of common moves, though they were arranged in different sequences.

They found the routines looked nice, even in different arrangements- those simple moves seemed easy but looked nice. So maybe it would be better to learn a routine and made the song choice later. 

Then we faced a question- could we have such a mighty routine that can fit all songs?

Can we?

Possible. 

But not plausible. 

One simple fact is that it is impossible to fit a four beat pattern to a three beat song? And fit Waltz dance pattern to a swing song? Yes, we can change the counting from 1-2-3 to SQQ, however would this alteration suit the music?

Let's alter the question to downscale the scope, can we have a multi-purpose routine that fit all four beat music?

Surely possible. Open our syllabus book, pick a dance, maybe Rumba or Cha-cha-Cha, dance all the Pre-Bronze figures one by one. See? As easy as ABC. The thing we need to consider is if this is musical when we dance this routine to our chosen song. 

And the answer is probably not. 

Now all we can do is wait for clients' decision of whether or not to learn such a mighty routine before making the song choice. 

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To Dance a Partner

Being a lead is a proud thing. I love to be the lead in a partner dance 

But there is presumption- there is connection between the two. As we all know, Two to Tango is wonderful but it could easily turn out to be Two to Tangle, which is really not nice.  

Experienced dancers already develop their won habit. They may also have their own preferred dance partners. When they get used to particular lead, it could be hard for them to adapt to another lead. This is especially true for competition dancers. Same applies to performance dancers. 

Before they are led, they are already moving themselves. It is too hard for their leads to lead them. In fact, in most cases, they and their leads are dancing their own part individually- it makes them like they are dancing as partners. 

This is good for competition dancers / performance dancers. In fact, it is necessary. Whatever happens, the shiw must go on.

However it is not good for social dancing 😅. 

Even I write choreos and I teach routines, I still feel nice to be a lead (It doesn't mean I don't like to be a follow 😄).

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Simple dance is graceful.

Growing up in the Internet era, we ourselves are actually growing together with the widely spread vlogs. Not surprisingly, many potential clients come with a lovely video and request to have a replicate of it on their Big Day. 

For us, this is very convenient since we don't need to write a choreo anymore. 

Even some of these reference videos are out of our profession, the ultimate Internet can always support us with various 'tutorials', thus we have no problems towards new areas of dance. And luckily complete beginners usually would not choose those very spectacular videos, and this actually makes our work much easier. 

Every professional dancer knows that the basics is the most important and fundamental part of a dance genre. Those unfamiliar movements and dance patterns not only surprise our potential clients, but also inspire us- after completing the requested replicate, the newly learned moves can be incorporated into our next choreo. 

All go well. 

Everyone seems pleased. 

Except one thing. 

Those dance pieces from the reference videos look easy. But no, it's just easier said than done. 

Dance patterns look simple, but when you want to present it elegantly, its not that easy. 

And then this proves one simple truth- Less is more. 

Simple is graceful. Even a simple dance is a graceful art. 

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The Resourceful Internet

Browsing through Internet has become a daily habit for modern people, watching YouTube video is even a must for some people. Undoubtedly YouTube is indeed a very powerful tool when you want to check the latest trend of things. 

Thus when couples are getting ready for their wedding dance, they will naturally turn to this resourceful app; and this makes our teaching full of interesting ideas, plus manageable challenges. 

We can create choreo with a wider variety of elements, since the internet offer such a wide variety of references. We may get requests about teaching the dances we don't know, because potential clients feel like they can learn whatever they have watched online. 

We are still the lucky ones. We can learn the dance styles we are not familiar with. It really helps stimulate our creativity.

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After remembering the moves, still you can't dance

There are a number of such requests-

 

We are complete beginners;

We want to learn an easy 2-minute dance.

We have three weeks' time.

Not really demanding, as three weeks' time is in fact quite enough for a 2-minute routine. And i do think that 4 to 5 sessions would be enough to learn a routine slightly harder than the simplest one. 

But starting from the second session, problems emerge-  

We have been busy. 

We only practice once.

Um... Since I am quite experienced with the too-busy-to-practice problem, I usually won't write too complicated choreography.

For me I am okay to have a 20-minute's revision before teaching new moves. Most learners also do not mind doing this. 

A structured choreography is usually not hard to remember, I sometimes see learners recite every move and step, undoubtedly this helps remember the sequence. However, the memory in the brain is needed but what matters most is to let the body remembers- once your body knows how to move, you don't need to know remember anything.

Muscle memory is important. Everyone knows, even learners themselves knows and keeps saying this in class. But so what? 

The reality is, they seldom practice between classes, simply because they are too busy to practice. 

And the whole thing becomes a dead knot. 

 

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To Dance and To Teach

I can dance doesn't mean that I can teach. 

To be a great dance teacher, you need to be a good dancer yourself, plus many more include anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, psychology, methodology...

With all these above, one can develop a self-subsistent system that leads to a grand presenter in terms of dancing on a long run. 

However, without great eloquence one can't express and explain his/her dancing skills. Teaching skills is not a thing that you talk and then the other can just thoroughly understand. You need to first be a living example first, and with wonderful communication skills and motivational mindset, so that the learners can be encouraged both physically and mentally. 

Besides, individual difference is also a challenge since not everyone has the same talent; individual approach is essential when teaching in class. A technique could be tough to someone, but just easy as pie to others. 

Same can be applied to competition dancers. 

A champion is of course a good dancer, and a good learner, undoubtedly a very intelligent dancer with comprehensive knowledge about dancing. But it doesn't mean that a good competitor can explain the movements and motions. Same logic, a good competitor may not be able to find an individual approach to every student. 

In short, 'To Dance' and 'To Teach' are two related but not positively correlated concepts. 

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Oh it looks like I have learned these moves before...

There are many different dance genres. Each dance genre has its own syllabus and standard of qualification system. 

However, when a person enters a dance area from another dance area, usually s/he finds the dance moves look very familiar, and they all seem to be something they have learned before. 

The truth is, it's not 'looking like something have been learned', it's exactly the thing they have learned before. 

Why? 

Long time ago I blogged about the evolution history of dance. Taka a glance at the evolutionary history then one can tell the reason why dances share some common figures. 

However similar the patterns look even in different dances, they are not presented the same.

Take Change of Places as an example, when it is performed in Tango, the timing is QQS QQS with a sharp twist. While in Foxtrot, timing keeps QQS QQS but with a small bounce action in between. And compared to the one incorporated canter hesitation timing in Viennese Waltz and become 123 123 123 123. 

Basically, this is one same figure, but applying the characteristic of a particular dance, one can obviously tell which dance genre it is grouped into.  

Take a closer look at the other dances, then we can find another Change of Places in Jive. This jivy figure looks similar to those in the above three dances, but not too similar- the jivy one gets a rock step and chasse. 

Common figures is more common than one can imagine. Because of this, when one takes a few sessions in Swing, then shifts to a Salsa floor, plus some experience in Cha Cha Cha afterwards, then this dancer may feel like s/he every moves in the dance world!

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