Dance Practice

Structured Practice Plan

To make progress, one has to have good practice on the technique taught in their lessons. The idea of practice is to get the repetitions into muscle memory.

Everyone is different, here are some practice ideas, but it's important to make a plan that works you.

• 1. Decide on how much time each week will be for practice. e.g. whether it's 4-5 days a week, 1-2 hours per day, or 1-2 times a week, have a plan.

  2. Decide on the 2 to 3 dances to practice on each day. It may take more than a week to rotate through all dances, which is ok.

  3. Decide on the 2 to 3 elements/technique to improve on each dance for the next few weeks or months.

At Practice Time

• 1. Warm up: do exercises to get body warmed up. Play a couple of songs, e.g. Samba music for rib cage exercise. Songs are time keeper too.

  2. Practice the basic actions for the dances to practice that day. See Latin exercises and Standard exercises.

  3. For each of the targeted element/technique: practice ONE at a time for 15-30 min, then switch

  4. When it's near performance or competition time, run through routines.

  5. Cool down by doing stretches at the end.

Notes for practice:

• • When practicing alone, pretend there is a partner, hold your frame.

  • Practice slowly first, then with music.