Finding Your Dance Style

 There are many different styles of dance and it may take time to find your love for a specific style(s). It is important to try out most, if not all, styles of dance. There are going to be styles that one will be better at than others, and all dancers go through a journey to find where they belong. I personally found through my personal dance journey that I am a lyrical and hip-hop/jazz dancer. To find the style that fits you, you almost have to try it on like clothing. You should try out some classes in multiple dance genres, play around with them in your own home in your own time, and see what works for you. My number one tip is to not let one bad experience in a class change your thoughts on dance. Be prepared for any type of teacher, whether they are really tough, have harsh criticism, push through it if you really want to pursue dance, a professional dance instructor would never say those things because they deliberately want to hurt you, they want to think of the corrections and keep improving everyday to become the dancer that you can be. There are so many different types of classes one can take to learn dance, there are traditional dance studios which have classes for all levels of dancers, and even new dancers who just want to move around and get the feel of dance a few times a week. I personally used to be in a studio when I was younger, and now I am in a dance class at school, which if you can take dance at school as another class, take it, not many schools offer this (at least in high school) and it is such a fun and amazing experience. I may even go back to a studio to take a couple of classes for the fun of it with my older sister who is also a dancer. And I will continue to take dance classes in college. It is never to late to take a class, and if you can, I encourage you to take one!

Now, if you do not have the time and or money to take a class, here are some things you can do: You can learn basic steps and combos just from youtube, look up different style combos to see which one you like best, whether that be a hip-hop combo, a lyrical combo, jazz, etc...) there are even tutorials out there if you are having trouble picking up choreography from just watching a dance without instruction. And even play around with improv in your living room or wherever you can make space to dance. As I continue blogging, I will go into more detail on the best types of exercises, and possibly even show some of my own progress pictures to show that everyone goes through a journey, and even years later you can always work and improve on something that you are passionate about.

Dance Background and Journey: Intro

     My name is Anna Frenkel, and in this blog I will be sharing my dance journey and background, as well as tips for new dancers, and those who are interested in dance. This blog will be in a style of progression and how one can improve as a dancer. In the dance world one can feel pressured because maybe they are not as flexible or as strong as other dancers out there, but this blog is to remind all that everyone has different skills and levels and just because you cannot put your leg over your head does not mean you are a bad dancer. I have and currently am dancing and will continue dancing for as long as I can, so we can experience this journey together. Whether you are in a prestigious studio, or in your living room, you can learn and improve as a dancer. You can learn a movement or even a whole combo just by opening up your computer wherever you are in the world. So, welcome to this blog, and I hope you enjoy.