“Begin at the beginning and go on until you come to the end, then STOP”  
     ~ Alice in Wonderland

You feel the call.  Perhaps it was a performance, perhaps an impulsive inspiration from above, but whatever drew you to dance you now have a passion to create and be on that stage.

It can be a little overwhelming, where to begin.  It’s easy to buy the tools, buy the animations but to truly create magic, to weave a store within your performance – the music, the movement, the set it takes a focus on foundation, passion, and dedication to truly bring out your full potential.  Sound a bit difficult?  In a way it is, but in others it’s a most incredible journey where you will learn, you will feel, you will meet amazing people.  You will never listen to music in the same way again.  You will feel it, you will experience it, you will soar with it, and for some pieces of music, you will see it in your head unbidden, just there.

I can hear you now… “I want to create that…I want to be on the stage…what do I need…where do I go????”

Pause.  Breathe.  Slow.  

Before we dig into the details, go to shows.  All over the grid.  Experience the different styles, different choreographers, different feelings of each venue.

Every venue has its own feel, its own style, the way the show is run.  Experience it as an audience member, see what appeals to you.  What style of dance are you most drawn to?  What do you enjoy most about what you see?  What is your opinion on your experience at each show and venue?  Keep notes about not only what you did like, but also didn’t like, and any questions you have.  This will help you define what appeals to YOU and if it’s something you want to invest in.

Don’t ever compare yourself
Don’t ever doubt you could do “that”
Strive to create from within, and you will find your own style over time
Most of all, never be afraid to fail.  Never be afraid to try

See how the choreographers use animations to fit the music, how they use the animations, how smoothly they transition.  What music moves you?  Listen to music on youtube, make more notes, again what music moves you.  DON’T WATCH THE VIDEOS.  Don’t strive to re-create the video.  Dance is about your OWN expression of the music.  Don’t doubt, second guess, just free write and let creativity and ideas flow.  Start a dance journal – a notebook, a private blog, spreadsheet, document, whatever works for you.  A place to keep your ideas.

Spend at least a couple weeks going to shows, many different venues, with this new mindset.  Really immerse yourself.

Dance Queens is the ultimate resource for upcoming shows:  http://sldancequeens.blogspot.com/

Dance Queens calendar:
http://dancequeenscalendar.webs.com/apps/calendar/

I do suggest adding Club Image to your places to visit.  To me, they are a level unto themselves and a true experience in magic and inspiration.  Explore EVERYWHERE over the grid, poke in the corners.  There are so many venues, far more than are even listed on Dance Queens.  Use search to find them.

Most of all ~ Enjoy