Travel across the room getting down to and up from the floor as fast as possible. “This helps them not think about others watching, and puts them in a place where they feel safe and there’s no judgment,” Hoke says.ĭon’t know where to begin with improv? Try a few prompts to play with different qualities and feelings. (An assisted one-handed handstand that finishes sliding to the floor? Why not?) Meghan Hoke, a lyrical instructor at Bonnie Williams Dance Studio in Cherry Grove, OH, adds her own twist by turning off the lights when her dancers freestyle across the floor. You might even find a move you didn’t know you could do. When you hit on something you think might be cool, stop and see if you can recreate it. Put on the song you’ll be working with and experiment. “The best floor work comes out of mistakes and improv,” she explains. Sandoval-Eccher and her dancers use improvisation to develop original floor work. So what happens when your choreographer asks you to help out, or you’re ready to try creating your own work? You need to stand out from the rest of the pack, which means avoiding using the same moves-such as shoulder rolls and spirals to the floor-over and over. Use the lyrics of the song-and the tone or impetus of the singer’s voice-to help you get from one step to the next. Imagery will also help you smooth out transitions you don’t want to get so caught up in the steps that the movement looks robotic. “I told them I want the fall to be shocking, a jolt to their systems just like the feeling you get when your heart’s just been broken,” she says. Are you sliding across the floor like water? Should a push-up actually look like you’re having a hard time getting up? In her piece, Nalette used the idea of a heart shattering-like glass-to describe how she wants a certain jump and fall to the floor to look and feel. Imagery from your choreographer can help you figure out the quality of your movement.
(Studying other dance styles will improve your lyrical performance overall-not just with floor work!) The ability to move into and out of the floor smoothly has become essential in just about every dance genre, and it takes practice.
#Lyrical dance tricks how to
Nalette recommends that ballet-trained dancers try other classes, such as modern, African and even improv, to learn how to let go and become more confident using level changes. You don’t want your hesitation to show onstage! “A lot of dancers, especially those with a strong ballet background, aren’t comfortable with the floor,” Sandoval-Eccher says. What does the floor work represent in the dance? Sadness? Longing? A memory? Don’t lose that just because the steps are difficult.ĭon’t be afraid to ask questions if you need something explained in more detail! Better to smooth out any rough edges in the studio than onstage.Įven if you’re new to floor work, you need to find a way to approach the choreography with confidence. “We’re currently working on a piece about heartbreak, and I told them about a personal experience to give them an idea of the emotions I want them to evoke,” she says. Jen Nalette, a lyrical instructor at Studio 82 in North Royalton, OH, always sits down with her dancers beforehand and tells them the story behind the piece and the emotions she wants them to get in touch with. (Actors call this “motivation.”) Talk with your choreographer to understand your role within the dance. Above all, you need a reason for what you’re doing.
“It’s easy for choreographers to get hung up on tricks and difficult floor movement and lose the meaning of the piece,” says Jennifer Sandoval-Eccher, founder of Chicago’s Marquez Dance Project. We’ve got tips on mastering this tricky technique, and on finding your own moves when you’re the choreographer. But if the moves aren’t creative, or if you’re uncomfortable going into and out of the floor, the piece can look sloppy or disjointed. When done well, it makes a dance more dynamic and exciting changing levels can deliver an emotional punch to the story you’re telling. What went wrong? (Besides our fictional lyrical dancer’s choice of the most overused song ever…)įloor work can make or break a lyrical routine. A dancer runs across the stage and slides dramatically to the floor to Jeff Buckley’s “Hallelujah.” She rolls, pikes, starts to stand and-oops-can’t quite get up! She makes it to her feet on the second try, but she’s now off the music, and has lost her momentum.
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