Help for a Young and Inexperienced Dancer?

[tänzerin]

Hi everyone, I am attempting to “learn” how to dance without any real resources and would really appreciate any help you have to offer. J I’m kind of young, I guess—I’m a high school sophomore! I’m also unable to drive, currently, so therefore, my schedule depends on whatever the rest of my family has to do…we have something almost every day of the week. Well, anyways, I want to get myself into the shape I need to be in for being in show choir next year. I would love to take a class, but I’m afraid I won’t have time and transportation/don’t know what to look for. While singing is my love, the times where my friends currently in show choir have helped me along their dances are always exhilarating! The feeling I get from just those small increments of dance is amazing, and I really want to feel it more. J As far as physical conditions go, I’m skinny, but not as a result of being in shape. I weigh 115lbs and stand at about 5’5”. I can’t even touch my ankles right now, but I’ve added a three-times daily stretching routine and workout to try to remedy this. Both of these lifestyle changes have been recent, and so they’re still running their course. I don’t know much about the world of dance, but I’m interested in doing anything and everything. So, I guess I’m basically asking what options a high-schooler without any but basic transportation has to try and enter the world of dance. Again, any knowledge or classes (if someone asks, I can post a more detailed schedule+basic location) would be really helpful. J
Thanks!

[Apache]

Well the first question would be what type of dancing are you looking to do?

[tänzerin]

Again, I don't know. Salsa looks fun, but I can't watch videos on my home compter to see what sort I'd be in interested, really.

yay I'm useless

[Apache]

So, I guess I’m basically asking what options a high-schooler without any but basic transportation has to try and enter the world of dance.

Well, that largely depends on what is in your local area and what type of dance you want to do. If you are in a small town, it is going to be much more difficult then say a big city. Also instruction for certain dances is more available in areas then others.

My advice though is if you can't watch videos at home, listen to the music of different dances and see what you enjoy the most. If you love the music, there is a good chance you will like the dance that goes along with it.

[latingal]

Welcome to DF tanzerin!

Look for dance classes at your school, a community center, or look for opportunities to trade some hours of work at a dance school for classes. Investigate your public transit opportunities to travel to classes. Hopefully you'll be able to find something!

[old dog]

Another welcome to the Dance Forums, tanzerin!

... Salsa looks fun, but I can't watch videos on my home compter to see what sort I'd be interested in, ...

If you like the show-choir performances you may like Broadway-style or chorus-group dancing more than ballroom or club-style dancing, but it sounds like you want to explore a range of possibilities and this is good.

If you are reading/posting to this forum, you must have internet access. There are quite a few web sites that have text-based information about dances and dancing of all kinds. Just do a Google search for any type of dance and you will be flooded with possibilities.

The best place to find videos of a wide variety of dances is http://www.YouTube.com but it seems you may be unable to view something like this at home. If this is a parental restriction, maybe you could work out something to make it possible for this particular purpose. If not, you may be able to access YouTube from your school library or a public library computer.

Many public libraries have books, video tapes, DVDs and perhaps other resources related to dance and dancing of all kinds. You can use these at the library if you don't have a way to see them at home.

Another possibility is to look in the Yellow Pages of your phone directory under "dance." You may find there is a dance studio in or near your town. Your public library reference area may have telephone directories from nearby cities that would list dance studios of various kinds. Visit a dance studio or at least write to them with your questions about dance and dancing. Even if it is a ballet studio and you are not interested in ballet, someone at such a studio could surely connect you with other dance resources.

You can also use the Internet to find local and national dance organizations. There may even be a dance club of some kind near you. Most members would be happy to help an enthusiastic young person learn more about the type of dancing they are doing and perhaps connect you with dance teachers or other resources. Start with: http://usadance.org/

It is so nice to hear from young people like yourself who may want to get involved in some aspect of dancing -- any kind of dance. It can be a source of great joy and few dancers ever regret getting into it.

In any case, good luck with your quest and please keep us informed of your progress.

[opendoor]

..but I can't watch videos on my home compter..

Hi tänzerin,
..that really would be so helpful. So what is the reason? Network, missing apps, technical problems, money? I draw nearly everything from YouTube, its such a great resource for dancing vids. By the way: how did you come to a german user name?

cheers
OD

[tänzerin]

Wow, old dog, thank you so much for your thoughtful response! I'm checking out that website right now, I'm sure I'll find something useful. :) I'm also going to the library sometime soon for school (if we don't get snowed out), so I'm sure I can get Mom to let me stay just an extra bit longer. :D

Without ever having seen any other sort of dance (other than ballet--I used to do that when I was five!), "show choir" style dancing is the sort I immediately took to. I love seeing the group dynamic at play in movement, something I probably inherited from being a marching band member. I loved the solo and couple ballet dancers I'd see on TV (and ice skating--gosh, so pretty), but group dance is what I really enjoyed watching. :)

opendoor, my computer is older than I am! xD It's a miracle I can still turn it on most days, let alone surf the internet, let alone watch videos on Youtube (which I take advantage of probably more than I'm allowed at school). :) Thankfully--if it actually happens--my mom is planning on getting us a new one sometime this spring. And I'll immediately take over, more than likely. ;)

And as for my username, I'm in German II at school. German is my favourite class next to Jazz Band, so I try to speak it a lot. Ich liebe Deutsch. :)

[opendoor]

...so I try to speak it a lot. Ich liebe Deutsch..

:together:

Try some german forums later on ! F.i

tanzmitmir (http://www.tanzmitmir.net/tanzpartner-boerse/index.php?sid=48474f9665747b8fa8e69dad9d1a4774) or tanznetz (http://www.tanznetz.de/)

cheers

[Ray Sison]

Check out the ballroomdancers site on the Internet. There are clips of each dance, and you can see what dances appeal to you!

"If you cannot be a poet, be the poem."