DANCE KNOWLEDGE

Answers below are provided by Yahoo! users.

1. What style of dance would be useful for theatre?

Answer: Not too many broadway shows have jazz or hip hop but it depends. Ballet is the fundamentals of dance, so start with that. FInd out what shows you would like to me in, and that will help you decide. Once you find that show, im sure the choreographer will help you.

2. For a ballet career, which other types of dance would be useful?

Answer: If you are going to dance for a Ballet company, you don’t need to learn any other type of dance. There are a lot of Ballet style – Checetti, British, Bolshoi, etc… You could study different styles of ballet. Ballet is completely a separate dance than Modern or Jazz. You can study Lyrical or Contemporary to help you as a dancer. But if you are going to dance for such company like ABC or ABT, then you just have to work hard on your ballet to be a really good ballerina.

3. What is the best way to learn how to dance?

Answer:  If you want to learn free then just watch videos as much as you can; otherwise you should join dance classes, because if you’ll pay for it then you definitely will try to learn it.

4. What are some exercises to prepare for the splits?

Answer: At our dance practices we lay on our backs and pull up our legs towards our faces. Then we go into second (extension). After that we pull our leg opposite second. Also, knee to the floor and knee to chest help too. We then roll into splits and hold for 20-30 seconds. *Note this is after doing the regular lunges and warming up centers, etc.

5. What is a Sadie Hawkins dance?

Answer: In the United States, the Sadie Hawkins dance (also known as a snow ball, Morp, snowball, vice-versa, turnabout, TWIRP, or a Tolo)[citation needed] is a school dance, usually occurring in high schools, in which female students invite male students. This is in opposition of normal school dance traditions, such as prom, where male students invite female students. Traditionally, the Sadie Hawkins dance occurs during the autumn in November, or in some places January or February. The Sadie Hawkins dance is one of three dances that many high schools hold, the other two dances being prom and homecoming. Some schools simply hold regular dances in which certain songs are “snowball” or “Sadie Hawkins” songs in which girls choose whom to dance with.

The Sadie Hawkins dance is named after the Li’l Abner comic strip character Sadie Hawkins. November 15 was Sadie Hawkins day, when the unmarried women of Dogpatch got to chase the bachelors and marry the ones they caught. In America this caught on quickly and evolved into a dance where the women got to invite a man of their choice.

Usually, female and male partners choose to wear the same or extremely similar clothes in order to match. At a Sadie Hawkins dance, couples are easily distinguishable because of their matching clothes.

6. Which ethnic group popularized salsa dancing in New York in the 1980s?

Answer: I wouldn’t put it on any ethnic group. New York had gone through at least three mambo crazes picked up from its Cuban and Puerto Rican population over the previous three decades. Repackaging it as “salsa” was the idea of Fania Records. The change in advertising helped bring on a new wave of popularity, but the people of Cuban and Puerto Rican heritage had been dancing it all along. It was the rest of the population who were more influenced by the new advertising hook.

7. What happens if you dont warm up your muscles before you stretch?  Also, what can i do to warm them up first, be specific.
Answer: Great question! Stretching cold can definitely cause injury. You don’t need a lot of warm up before stretching, but some is advisable.
As a ballet dancer real running or jogging isn’t a good option to warming up before stretching. Pointing your feet and “prancing” is a better option. You just need to get your heart rate up for about 3 minutes before you stretch. Anything more than that and you start taking energy away from your class. I usually walk to class. I live in NYC so that makes it easy. You could just dance around gently for a few minutes. Check out the first minute of this Finis Jhung video.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbOOgKbj4… You can do something like that for about 3 minutes and you will be all set to stretch. That is just an excerpt of his center floor warm up.
Source(s):
Academy trained ballet dancer

8. Any tips for a toe touch?
Answer: Start by stretching and making sure your flexible enough. i sit with me feet on the wall all the way to the side separate for about

one song so three minutes and it helps so your hips do not hurt. don’t “wind UP” your prep or other words swings your forearm past your

elbow. really sit into your jump so that your hips are not in the same place as an X jump. reach your finger tips toward your toes but be

careful not to hunch your back to much. it should look like your sitting on the floor with your feet apart and your fingers touching your toes.

9. What are the different methods of ballet?
Answer:
There are many different kinds of ballet methods, each distinct and very different. First of all, you have Russian ballet, which, as you mentioned, includes the Vaganova method, among other more obscure and very similar methods. Next, there is the Italian Cecchetti method, founded by Enrico Cecchetti. There is the École Française, a French method. There is the Royal method, which is an English method. A very obscure method of Danish ballet is called the Bournonville school, which is very closely tied to the École Française. Lastly, there is the very famous Balanchine method, which is American. Each is different and varying, which is what makes watching different companies so entertaining and interesting.

VAGANOVA METHOD
Agrippina Vaganova, the founder of the Vaganova school and method, studied at the Imperial School of Russia (now the Soviet Ballet), and went on to meld her Russian studies with French and Italian influence. The method focuses on the strength and placement of the back and arms, as well as flexibility and endurance. The Vaganova method is often seen as the parent of the modern pas de deux, because Agrippina Vaganova very much stressed the pas de deux in her teachings.

CECCHETTI METHOD
The Cecchetti Method, founded by Enrico Cecchetti in the mid 19th century, uses a strict and classical training method for its students for core muscle strength and ability. It is widely used in Italy, Europe, and Australia. It is very rigid in training method and has very particular plans for the dancers’ education. Cecchetti’s breakthrough philosophy of having the dancer imagine the entire body as a cohesive unit rather than the arms, the legs, the torso, the head, etc. as different pieces, changed the face of modern ballet.

ÉCOLE FRANCAISE
The French Ballet School is unique in that in places less emphasis on strict technique and more on fluidity and elegance. The École Française is very old, but was really defined by Rudolf Nureyev. The name soon changed to the Nureyev School of Ballet. This method has a great emphasis on elegance and fluidity, but also very quick steps and petite allegro, so fast, in fact, that it appears one large, flowing movement, similar to a bourré accross the floor: many miniscule and fast steps flowing together to make an illusion of gliding across the stage.

THE ROYAL BALLET
The Royal Ballet is the foundation for all Ballet Methods, as it is the first known method ever to be founded. Therefore, over the many years of its existance, it has taken on the influence of the many other methods that have succeeded it. The Royal Ballet is unique, however, in that it is a perfect balance between rigorous technique and training and fluidity and elegance. Also, it stresses balance and symmetry in its choreography.

THE BOURNONVILLE SCHOOL
Founded bye August Bournonville, this is essentially the French ballet with Russian-Vaganova influence. Before the 20th century, it was considered the purest form of the French Ballet. However, as more and more Russian influence was brought into the method, it formed a unique style of dance that is beautiful to watch. The training focuses on the very basic preparatoire arms. A distinct feature of the choreography is the many beats, which occur in almost every step, especially for men. More specifically, pirouettes are taken from developpé, much like a Vaganova foutte en tournant traditionally starts. It is also famous for its “Spanish Fourth”, with a bit of untraditional epaulment.

THE BALANCHINE METHOD
George Balanchine, the founder of this method, is commonly seen as the father of modern classical ballet. The method was originally used for the New York City Ballet, and has many strange and unconventional arm positions, and much brava and drama throughout the choreography. For example, in pique arabesque, the arm sometimes goes up past the nose to almost touch the side of the cheek, so that the arm is straight up in the air. This method urges its dancers to be flexible and extremely physically able, as the choreography is almost always very physically trying.

10. What is the best way to learn breakdancing?
Answer: Are there any breakdancing groups in your area? Or do you have any friends that breakdance? I know in my area (Michigan) a few of my friends are in breakdancing groups and they welcome newbies who are interested in learning and they do it for free, you just need to go to one of their practice sessions. If these aren’t options in you’re area, there are instructional videos you can buy or find some on youtube but it might be better to find someone with experience especially when you’re ready to try some of the harder tricks.

11. What is an 8 count to a dance team?
Answer: Most music is in counts of 8, so if you listen to the beat you can count to it. An 8 count for a dance team would be 8 steps or moves to the music. One set of 8. Or you could also do steps/moves on the ‘ands’. So insted of just, 1, 2, 3, 4 etc, you could go 1 and 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, and 7, 8 etc or any combo! x

12. Who taught Michael Jackson how to moonwalk?
Answer: I read about this in my book, ‘Magic and the Madness’ , It says that some guy that was either a singer or in a band or something. Michael pulled him over and said “Hey will you teach me how to do that thing where it looks like your going backwards and forewards at the same time please?”
The young man was in misbelief that Michael Jackson wanted to learn his dancemove. Michael was to meet up with him twice a week for lessons. After 4 weeks, Michael still couldnt do it. He said ‘I was hopeless at moonwalking”. Then 2 weeks later was Mowtown 25: Yesterday, today , forever. No one was expecting it, but Michael popped out the move when performing Billie Jean. The crowd went wild.
The guy wo taught him said that Michael was wrong in calling in the moonwalk, what Michael does is actually called the backslide, the Moonwalk is when you backslide in a complete circle.
The gy who invented also got a litle upset when Michael started claiming the Moonawalk as his own.

13. How do you deal with your nerves when you dance on stage?
Answer: if you are a christian, pray. pray for peace. i do and it helps.

also, when you get on stage, and you cant really see the audience because of the stage lights, and you are concentrating on your dance, your nerves fly away. im always nervous when i get on stage but once the music starts and i dance, it all goes away. nothing matters but me and the stage.

and also…

HAVE FUN! just enjoy it! dont concentrate solely on the moves, if you mess up, so what? no one will know! it could be a part of the dance for all they know. so dont worry about it. just have fun.

14. What exactly is musical theater dance?
Answer: “Musical theater” dance, at least in competitions, is a lot like jazz. However, the music often comes from a Broadway show or has a definitive character or story in it that you have to portray in your dancing and expression. You usually don’t have to sing, that’s more of a “song and dance” thing. You’ll have to act, though, through your movements.

15. How does Shakira shake her hips like that?
Answer: I don’t know about the Latin part, but Shakira’s belly dance teacher is the American bellydance superstar Bozenka and she helped choreograph Hips Don’t Lie.

While Shakira is a very talented dancer, a lot of people dance even better than her after one year of bellydance classes.

Anyone can learn to shake their hips. It makes no difference what shape or nationality you are. You can shimmy any muscle in your body if you can move it, your stomach, your calf muscle, shoulders, your butt…

Stand with your feet a little less than hip width apart and your feet flat on the floor.

Alternate slowly moving the left hip upwards and then the right hip. You can do this either with your knees driving the movement or with your oblique muscles.

Once this becomes comfortable, do it in time to music. Make the movement smaller and faster until you can do a good vibration. Always stay in control, don’t just shake otherwise it just looks spastic.

16. What is lyrical dance
Answer: Lyrical looks like a mix between the styles of jazz and ballet. The big difference is that technique can completely be thrown out the window. That’s not saying you don’t still want good solid turns, etc, but in lyrical you’ll find yourself extending your arms farther than you would in ballet or jazz, and doing less technique, and just dancing. Lyrical usually has emotion attached to it.

This is a really good example of a lyrical dance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVPKnNXWr9s

17. How can I improve my stamina?
Answer:
1. Every athlete should have a baseline medical screen from which to work. Overtraining, illness, and stress can all affect performance. Fatigue sets in, and injuries may result. If you are over 40 and beginning an exercise program, make sure you get that physical.

2. Frequency, intensity, and time/duration are the components of a safe, effective exercise program. Mess up any of these, and you risk injury. Experts agree on a few basics: three or more workouts a week, at a heart rate not exceeding 60 to 80 percent of your maximum heart rate, for 20 minutes or longer. Even moderate exercise works to increase stamina.

3. Don’t accelerate your training level too rapidly. You need time to build confidence and accustom your muscles to any new activity. A beginner might benefit initially from working with a trainer to find the optimum level of activity. If you run, follow the 10 percent rule: do not increase mileage by more than 10 percent per week.

4. Know your limitations. If you are overweight and out of shape, you will need to lose weight as you shape up. Over age 40? Don’t try to run the marathon in two hours. Asthmatic? Don’t try to run through an attack. Whatever your health problem, work with it, not against it. Stay in touch with your doctor and/or trainer.

5. If you select activities you enjoy, you will increase your chances of sticking with them long enough to get in shape and feel good. Don’t take up running if you hate it; there are other ways to get in shape.

6. For the long haul, select at least one activity you can do anywhere with a minimum of fuss. Walking is great, possible in most climates, easy on the body, adaptable, and a great way to burn off extra calories you might take in at dinner, on vacation, or when on a business trip.

7. Many people benefit by joining an organization built around their sport or reading relevant material. Maintaining this contact helps the athlete take themselves and their sport seriously. Not only does this make the sport more fun, but it helps prevent staleness and encourages maximum effort.

8. Some athletes find that keeping a performance log or other type of progress chart aids them in sticking to their training regimen. Record each workout, and keep track in case you get injured. Looking back over your training and competition log may show you where you went off track.

9. Whatever sport you choose, make sure you don’t skimp on equipment. The right running shoe can make the difference between success and failure. Choose a cross-country ski machine that slides evenly, or you may end up with muscle pulls. Don’t take up bicycle racing and forget the helmet!

10. Successful athletes plan long-term. Think safety, as in adequate fluid intake, correct clothing for your sport and climate. Acclimate yourself gradually to extreme heat. During your first hot-weather workout, cut intensity by 65 to 75 percent; over the next several days slowly build back to your previous level. Wear reflective gear if you are outdoors after dark.

11. When working out, use the principles of overload, specificity, and progression. Overload is necessary to improve stamina, but don’t overdo. Irritability and depression are often the first signs of fatigue. Specificity means you train for what you want to achieve. Progression means that you keep on improving.

12. Work from a prevention perspective. If you have an injury that does not improve, see a specialist promptly. Untreated injuries may otherwise lay you up for long periods, during which stamina and endurance slide.

13. Remember the cardinal rules for every sport: warm up, stretch, and cool down. This is especially important if you are forced to be a weekend athlete. Don’t wait until the morning of your mountain climb to begin calf-stretching exercises, or you may find all your enthusiasm for the sport going up in smoke while you cool your heels for the next month.

14. If you are into heavy training for your sport, alternate hard and easy days. Weight training, for example, should not work the same muscles on consecutive days or you will be breaking down tissue instead of building. Long runs should alternate with short. Don’t perform an arduous rock climb two days in a row. On the night before that big white-water trip, don’t max out on the rowing machine. Moderation is the word!

15. Cross-training is one of the most effective and safe ways to improve stamina and performance level, as well as a great way to avoid injury. Choose two or more activities that complement each other, such as weight training and trail running, or biking and swimming.

16. Rest, as in REST! Rest is as important for improving stamina as any workout. The results of overtraining are almost always bad, and they set you back.

18. Does over stretching damage my flexibility? I made the stupid mistake of stretching before doing any warm ups and now my legs are so sore. I’m about to take ballet classes and wanted to work on my flexibility in the mean time. So does this damage my flexibility at all? (if I hypothetically tore a tissue I mean). If yes then have I permanently damaged my full flexibility potential?

Answer: No you wouldnt have damaged your muscles in anyway you just have case of soreness.

Just be sure to warm up before you stretch jump around a bit just to get your muscles warm and ready to stretch and while stretching its absolutely ok to over stretch just dont do it to much where your in pain just to where you feel the stretch, and after you feel your done stretching jump around again for like a minute to relax those muscles. Also drink lots of water before and after you stretch that will help you increase fleibility as well as stretching atleast 1-2times a day goodluck:)
Source(s):
10 years dance experiance.

19. Tips for great turns?
Answer: You need to practice going from plie to releve a la secondes at the barre. Once you feel comfortable with that piece of the turn go to center and try them with the turn. The key to mastering fouettes is being on balance and finding your spot in plie and staying on balance as you pull up and engage through the releve.

20. Basics of dance.
Answer: Are you a recreational, serious novice or returning student to dance? Have you avoided the Basics of dance, which is Ballet.  This could be a costly mistake bodywise and moneywise.   There is no substitute for learning the abc’s.  Are you aware of your body positions as you dance, move, walk?  Do you know the correct alignment for the knees, do they hyperextend,  do the arches roll in or out, is the posture correct,  is the coccyx bone correctly placed, the shoulders, hips etc.  These are standard body requirement techniques basic to ALL forms of dance. The fundamentals are taught in Ballet, and in particular in *BALLET BASICS “DESIGNED for the Adult Beginner”

Former years Ballet was required before students were permitted to take jazz.  Unforturnately the current trend to taking shortcuts has taken precedence.  The recent Best Doctor issue of NY Magazine listing shows the greatest number of Physicians… is— ORTHOPEDIC doctors , more than plastic surgeons.  Dance people take heed, there are no shortcuts the body understands.

*Taught by:Rita Colby
BALLET BASICS”DESIGNED for the Adult Beginner”
212-245-3605

21. Good workout(s) for a beginning dancer?
Answer: Instead of watching youtube or listening to any exercises anyone here tells you, you should take some classes. Without corrections you can instill bad habits that are hard to break and worse than that, you could injure yourself. As a guy, you might not like this, but what you really need to do is start some beginner ballet classes. I am guessing you may be a teen so teen or teen/adult classes would do the trick. Almost every style of dance comes from ballet and without ballet training you will be weak. If you have a problem with this, remember that you don’t have to tell anyone and that you will be in class with fit girls in leotards and eventually you get to touch them when and if you do partnering. Ballet is the way to gain strength and flexibility. Form there you can branch off into modern or contemporary dance or jazz perhaps. Having ballet makes any type of dance much more possible for you. Check this guy out. Rasta Thomas trained at the Kirov in ballet dancing to MJ’s man in the mirror. He couldn’t do that without ballet. hhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIwE1mEtNOs
Source(s):
Academy trained ballet dancer NYC. Concert contemporary dancer. Grad of LaGuardia Arts H .S.( the Fame school.)

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