The Importance Of Dance

Choosing to take dance classes can be a daunting decision for many people because it is both a form of exercise and an art form. For some, it means there are gatekeeper stereotypes that keep people from trying out any style of dance. Maybe, they believe themselves incapable of moving to a rhythm or others believe they merely want a hobby and not commitment to a whole art form. That is not what dance is at its heart. It is for people to move and exist in their body in that moment. It is mindfulness in movement. Jenna had stopped dancing after she left for college, finding herself drowning too often in schoolwork to take time out of her day to dance. She missed the camaraderie she found in the studio, but she had danced at her previous studio,

Ballet is best suited for those looking for formal technique on proper body alignment, flexibility, and foundational balance that starts with creating a strong core and posture. Contemporary, also called modern dance, mixes several genres, and is most often focused on expression and storytelling through movement. In contemporary, it is typical to find lots of floor segments, un-pointed toes, and a wide variety of songs typical ballet or jazz classes would not use. Jazz is noted for its more upbeat and theatrical style, including broad gestures and fast footwork. Hip hop is also seen as a more recognizable style based heavily on rhythm and cultural movements that include popping, locking, and breakdancing depending on the ability level for the course. Many introductory or beginners’ courses start students off with a working knowledge of the techniques of the style and expect students to have little or no experience with dancing. For those who are more athletic or rhythmically inclined, there is no reason you cannot start off at an intermediate level of classes and work up toward advanced levels. Having loved the expressiveness of contemporary, Jenna sat in on a contemporary course that was working with choreography to “Vicarious” by Tool. As she pulled on her leather half-sole shoes, several of the regulars had come over to talk. Most of the other adults in the class had been dancers when they were younger or were just wanting to get into dancing as a