View Poll Results: What is musicality to you?

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  • Hitting the breaks?

    33 70.21%
  • Changing style of moves to fit the style of music?

    35 74.47%
  • Emphasising crescendos or vice versa?

    26 55.32%
  • Marking multiple accents with simple movements?

    20 42.55%
  • Dancing stoccato if the music's stoccato & vice versa?

    21 44.68%
  • Adopting a body posture to suit the musical style?

    23 48.94%
  • Emphasis on individual notes or instruments, eg with footwork?

    23 48.94%
  • Acting out the lyrics?

    21 44.68%
  • Getting sexy when the sax plays?

    13 27.66%
  • Just letting the music take over your body?

    32 68.09%
  • None of the above?

    1 2.13%
  • Something completely different? (Silly walks?!) Please explain

    5 10.64%
Multiple Choice Poll.
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Thread: Musicality: What is it to you?

  1. #41
    Registered User jockey's Avatar
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    Re: Musicality: What is it to you?

    [QUOTE=LyI find that I instinctively danced with some musicality for years when just dancing 'solo' at parties etc (otherwise you just shuffle from foot to foot, and dance every track the same, can't see the point in that myself!) but that I haven't transferred much of this to MJ. Anyone else find this? I suspect its because I am still learning and concentrating on following. Will I be able to merge my musical interpretation with following over time? I hope so![/QUOTE]On the firstpoint you make, Lynn, something similar: I use to go clubbing a lot and had a Michael Jackson style; if the musiic is quick or no one is to hand I sometimes 'go solo' on the side in a jive - a friend said "why dont you wiggle like that when you jive?" (implying it looked good, or better).

    I merge it by separating occasionally and 'disco'ing with my partner (good ruse on the difficult fast sections, guys..); you will see competitors starting apart and gradually coming together having felt the beat sometimes and my partner and I do likewise in comps (its different to what most do and gets you noticed by the judges).

    On musicality and leading: I reckon its onus on the guys here as they lead the dance and must therefore take a lion's share of the responsibility for the musicality; they can offer the lady a chance to do something by leading a break and then letting the lady gradually pick it up as she sees fit until he joins in (the Nina bodyrolling..e.g.,?). In conversation with the aforementioned dancer and judge (N) she once said to me after a comp "you did well on musicality - you hit every beat (meaning I hit the highlights in the music)". In social dancing its little things girls appreciate (that a judge will not see) and I play a little game sometimes where I'm 'the tease' (shooting glances, a little touch etc); I try to put something in there where music allows and play a game - the smile tells the girl its not sleaze...

  2. #42
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    Re: Musicality: What is it to you?

    Quote Originally Posted by Simon r
    I was looking forward to your report ....
    Sorreee hopefully there will be another opportunity for my research before Robert heads home ...

    Greg

  3. #43
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    Re: Musicality: What is it to you?

    There is a saying about abstract nouns, something about ..if you can't put it in a wheelbarrow, then it doesn't have an exact definition.
    If you don't know what musicality is, then I suggest a study of Boney M.
    Last edited by mick; 1st-February-2005 at 12:51 PM.

  4. #44
    Registered User Baruch's Avatar
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    Question Re: Musicality: What is it to you?

    Musicality is an issue I'm trying to get to grips with. I've been doing MJ for just over a year now, and before that I'd never done any kind of dancing before, so it was all new territory for me.

    I'm a musician (rhythm/lead guitar), and as such I have a good sense of rhythm, timing etc. When I'm playing, whether in a band or just for fun, I can tell when there needs to be a break in the music, or a variation in tempo, or a completely different style of playing, or a spot of improvisation.... whatever the song calls for. I have pretty good musicality when I'm playing the music, but not so great when I'm dancing to it. I can just about recognise a break when I'm dancing, and I try to mark them in some way, but I feel like I've hit a brick wall as far as musical progression goes.

    As I dance in Cardiff, I'm fortunate to be able to watch Mark & Jackie dancing every week among others, and I try to analyse how they do things, but there's a world of difference between watching others do it and doing it myself.

    I know this has been covered before, but does anyone have any tips that I could take on board to improve my musicality when dancing?

  5. #45
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    Re: Musicality: What is it to you?

    Quote Originally Posted by Baruch
    Musicality is an issue I'm trying to get to grips with. I've been doing MJ for just over a year now, and before that I'd never done any kind of dancing before, so it was all new territory for me.

    I'm a musician (rhythm/lead guitar), and as such I have a good sense of rhythm, timing etc. When I'm playing, whether in a band or just for fun, I can tell when there needs to be a break in the music, or a variation in tempo, or a completely different style of playing, or a spot of improvisation.... whatever the song calls for. I have pretty good musicality when I'm playing the music, but not so great when I'm dancing to it. I can just about recognise a break when I'm dancing, and I try to mark them in some way, but I feel like I've hit a brick wall as far as musical progression goes.
    I disagree with you Baruch, but hope my disagreeing helps.

    I, too, am a musician. You have described your playing, and it seems pretty clear to me you have musicality.

    How to translate that musicality into practical dancing is the problem. (And I'm not the one 2 ask cos it took me years!!!!!!) The biggest single factor is confidence. You hear music, and you know something is required, but your dance experience doesn't (instinctively, YET) tell you what.

    What did you do as a guitarist? U tried stuff. Maybe got it wrong every now and again, but you experimented. Is all you have to do here. Look around, see what you like and steal it. Try it. It may or may not work.

    Read some of the threads on breaks, playing with tempo, etc... You have these skills already, its just a case of transfering these skills into your dancing.

  6. #46
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    Re: Musicality: What is it to you?

    Quote Originally Posted by Baruch
    but does anyone have any tips that I could take on board to improve my musicality when dancing?
    I would say the first thing is to lose all inhibitions about thinking you look stupid! This is the one I think I've nearly conquered, and what if you do really look stupid? At the very least it should make your partner laugh!!
    If you're trying to lead moves that are interpreting the music, then your leading technique is going to need to be precise. I'm thinking in particular of an exercise that Amir did to James Brown's "I Feel Good." There is the repeated bit where the horns are going "ba-da da-da da-da da." The exercise (and I can't now stop myself from doing it whenever I hear that track) is getting your partner to do a slow and jerky turn corresponding to the music. It needs the right combination of a light touch, but with the correct use of tension and compression to lead this. Most partners wouldn't have a clue when I try this, but after I've done a similar jerky turn myself, then they can register that it makes sense.

    Similarly, if you hear something that is repeated through the track, that you can do something to, don't worry too much that it may not be leadable, e.g. some footwork, or just a shoulder roll, if your partner has any sort of inkling what you're up to, then she will catch on for the 2nd or 3rd time that "bit" in the music comes up. She may just do her own thing, mirror what you're doing, or look on in disgust. Be prepared for all 3!

    I think the best advice has to be loads of repetition, and to go to workshops on the topic, sadly they are few and far between. You have a big advantage in being able to watch Mark and Jackie, but don't necessarily think "how could I do that move" rather think, "what could I do at that point in the music.

    Oh yes, another thing that is pretty important IMO, (unless you are a music and dance genius), if something is coming up in the music, and you know you're going to want to accent it, don't try to do it with some long complicated move, chances are you'll miss it altogether. The closer you get to the accent, the simpler your moves need to be so that you can time when you're going to strike that pose/give your partner space to do her thing/play with yourself /etc.

    Greg

  7. #47
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    Re: Musicality: What is it to you?

    (IMO) There are three parts to musical jiving. The first is being able to dance to music. For this, I practice solo dancing (on and off the MJ floor), and learn and practice strolls. The second is being able to dance to music while doing MJ. This, I think, is largely a question of guts and practice. The third part is being able to lead some crazy music-inspired stuff and have it work more than one time in ten. That means lead/follow workshops, musicality workshops, and a bunch more practice.

  8. #48

    Re: Musicality: What is it to you?

    Speaking as a musician, watching from the stage, I am always impresssed by dancers that understand the structure of a tune, the phrase lengths, changes of mood etc. and make their routines fit well.

  9. #49
    Registered User Baruch's Avatar
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    Re: Musicality: What is it to you?

    Quote Originally Posted by Ceroc Jock
    I disagree with you Baruch, but hope my disagreeing helps.
    You're free to disagree, and yes, it helps.

    Quote Originally Posted by Ceroc Jock
    What did you do as a guitarist? U tried stuff. Maybe got it wrong every now and again, but you experimented. Is all you have to do here. Look around, see what you like and steal it. Try it. It may or may not work.
    I shudder to think of some of the mistakes I made with the guitar! You're right though. I tried a few "new" (nicked) ideas last night after reading your post and they seemed to work OK, so I'll keep on experimenting.

    Cheers!

  10. #50
    Registered User Baruch's Avatar
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    Re: Musicality: What is it to you?

    Quote Originally Posted by Sheepman
    I would say the first thing is to lose all inhibitions about thinking you look stupid! This is the one I think I've nearly conquered, and what if you do really look stupid? At the very least it should make your partner laugh!!
    I can relate to this one! Getting over that psychological hurdle is an issue for me, I think. Thankfully there are a few partners that I feel comfortable experimenting with, which helps.

    Cheers for all the other advice too. I read your post and Ceroc Jock's before going dancing last night, and tried to put it into practice. It's going to take a while, I think, but then again I expected that. Rome wasn't built in a day.

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