thoughts on movement quality
*before i start these thoughts i have, i want to draw attention to the fact that i’m not saying movement quality should be valued above technique. technique matters and it’s important. BUT i am saying we should put the same training into our movement quality that we do with our technique. i think it’s almost NEARLY as important, especially in this day and age!*
i’m a bit of a yapper (hence why i started a blog) and i have a lot of thoughts on a lot of topics in the dance world. one, that i’ve been talking with my studio owner and fellow teachers about a LOT lately, is movement quality and it’s importance in the dance world. i’ve always integrated movement quality into part of my cleaning regimen but i’ve learned lately that it’s not always normal for teachers to do so. i want to talk about the importance, and then following that i want to talk about what you can do at home to work on your movement quality even when you’re not in the classroom!
first: what even is movement quality?
in short, i always say ‘it’s the way you move’. if we are getting more specific, we’d say something like: “it’s the way a dancer releases energy over time to create a specific feeling or quality”. so to break that down - it’s how you pull an audience into your performance and get them feeling whatever you are attempting to convey.
why do i think movement quality is so important in today’s world?
well, it’s no secret the dance world is changing. we have all been seeing it right before our eyes! the technique level, the tricks, the absolute beast mode that these dancers are on at SUCH a young age is significantly growing year after year. when i was dancing (i graduated high school in 2015) an aerial was impressive. now, it’s almost mandatory! every one who dances almost can do the same technique that you or your dancer can do. when the technique level is growing and we are all just trying to keep up … how does anyone stand out? enter: movement quality.
seriously though, that’s the reason! think about it. when everyone has cool tricks, everyone can point their toes and straighten their legs - there has to be SOMETHING that really separates the good dancers from the great dancers. at that point, the audience is looking below the surface, underneath the technique, to the actual performance and movement of it all!
not to mention: if you plan on dancing professionally, it’s probably not the thousand of pirouettes you can do that will get you hired. it’s most likely your movement and performance quality that is going to book you that job. *see note at top of page. this is not permission to skip your technique class.*
so….. how do i teach movement quality?
it’s kind of hard to explain and i feel like takes a seasoned teacher to understand - but every dancer moves differently. it’s simply a matter of noticing HOW dancers move and then playing into their strengths. i do this as i’m cleaning routines. my routines have a lot of variety so i get a chance to work with kids one on one too! i also make sure not to clean the style out of it, but rather clean the style INTO each routine. i’m not going for perfection. i’m looking to create strong dancers.
take this performance & even just this picture of morgan - she and i have been talking a lot about movement quality this year. everything in this, from the placement of her legs, to the fact that her shoulders are tense, to the way she is grabbing her hair has been constructed to fit HER movement quality and the story of her piece. we are taking what is already there and leveling it up so that everything is clear in the grand scheme of the performance.
this is avery. she’s my resident movement quality queen. she wasn’t natural at it though! we have worked hard. she focused mainly on musicality - and i don’t think i even hear music how she does sometimes! she’s very skilled at that and it makes her performances a lot more effective.
BUT, let’s get into some things i think all dancers can think about to improve their quality of movement:
start with your isolations: make sure you know how to move each part of your body piece by piece. dancers should know every part of their body - it’s our instrument after all! you can’t play an instrument unless you understand every part. take as much time as you can exploring the movement of every part of your body.
for goodness sake, use your head: i was lucky enough to have heard this enough growing up that it was second nature (thank you to my incredible dance teachers i love you so much) and am able to pass that down to the students i teach (and yes, i literally say ‘for goodness sake, use your head’ hahaha). it looks AWKWARD when you are living your best life and dancing full out and it stops at your shoulders. continue through your whole spine! your spine goes from your neck to tailbone so spend some time learning in each movement how to connect your neck to tailbone!
contractions are key: your midsection is important! don’t get your shoulders involved *seriously, go to technique class* but learn how to contract correctly! using your midsection and engaging your core will help you look like a more mature dancer.
BREATHE: this is in fact my second post in a row mentioning the importance of breathing and i don’t see it being my last either. real talk: learning to breathe while you dance is so hard. you don’t want it to be fake - there’s not a big point to taking giant breaths when that’s not reflected in your movement. but you do want to take a second and maybe do some improv and follow your breaths. the more you practice - the more natural it gets! allow your breathing to help guide your movement.
stretch your fingers: your energy will STOP, like CUT OFF if you don’t stretch your fingers! you want to look larger than life, tell a story, whatever you are out to accomplish - you have to stretch through your fingers.
know your music inside and out: i’m going to do a whole other post on musicality and developing it but take some time and just sit down and learn your music. musicality and movement quality go hand in hand. as the dancer, you are the one either dancing in conjunction with or opposing the music. you need to know it in order to be able to perform it and make that look intentional!
find your vibe: my whole thing was i was always the most full out in the room. that was literally my whole vibe as a dancer. you might not vibe with that! you might prefer moving slinky, or soft, or gooey. watch some videos, decide what you lean towards and then work with your own movement to emulate that. even better: take a video of yourself improving and then pinpoint how you naturally already move. from there, work to apply it to all of your combos, and routines (while listening to your teachers and making sure you are clean the way they want it!)
ok, done yapping. but seriously, focus on your movement! it really is important to helping you stand out. for more tips or questions you may have, shoot me a message at adriennebaumer@gmail.com.
oh, and go to technique class!
