Really it’s a matter of self-confidence in your ability to dance and as we teachers know you can all perform the moves correctly then I’m afraid it’s all up to you! No one will be watching and criticising – they will be too busy with their own dancing– they will however notice you if you just stand still! If it becomes a big issue for you, then you will never be able to really allow your unique dance personality show. However if you can relax and “go with the flow” of the music, certain moves should leap out at you as being what your mind and body feel most natural.

 

Remember though that each separate move should flow from one to the other – but don’t worry about finishing off one move before moving to the next – its all to do with how your body mechanics work with weight placement and not a technique performance. If this is starting to overload your brain then pick three or four moves and just use them with variations based on number of repeats, speed, size and dare I suggest arm positions. When you dance to the same music again change the moves you use – that way you don’t fall in to the trap of semi – choreography.

 

Eventually you will start to feel more at ease with how your body reacts to the music and you will learn to trust your dance instincts. And please realise that improvising is not something that you can learn overnight – it can take many months of dancing before suddenly you are doing it without thinking “I can’t remember any moves”.

© Emma Pyke