Essential Musicality

Musicality is one of the best aspects of Modern Jive - we can dance to a wide range of music from slow to fast, latest chart hits to retro, rock to acoustic, and even 6/8 (Waltz).

This workshop is the fun one of our Foundation Workshops! As we share with you many ways to incorporate aspects of musicality into your dancing.

The Music Made Me Do It

Music can be uplifting, soulful, cheesy, rockin', sad, angry, or just have an easy going vibe to it. It's great fun and rewarding to be able to capture the mood of a song and recreate it with our partner.

We'll cover tips and tricks to help you and your partner get the most out of every song so that whatever we do we can simply say "The music made me do it".

Leaders

Getting overwhelmed by moves? Not able to remember them all? Can't seem to fit them to the music?

Musicality is what the follows really want when they dance with you! When you learn how to add musicality into your dancing you don't need to learn any more moves! You can use the same moves you already know and give them life with every song for every dance partner.

This workshop has passed. Keep an eye out at class or in our newsletter for future workshops.

Let us know if you would like us to run this workshop again.

Date	Sunday, 10 September 2023
Time	3:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Where	Avonhead School (map below)
Duration	3 hours
Cost	Usually 2 - 3 Credits	Cash Pricing

Please aim to arrive in good time to warm up and get ready. Attendance at the Workshop gives you free entry to a Sunday Social if one is held afterwards.

Workshop Content

We'll cover the importance of physical connection with your partner along with connecting with aspects of music including:

Basic Timing
Genre, Mood, Melody, Lyrics
Phrasing, Breaks and highlights
Bridges / middle 8's

Who Is This For?

Everyone!
Anyone aiming to become a Taxi dancer or Teacher

Bear in mind:

We may limit the number of couples but don't worry this workshop is usually held twice a year
You do not need a partner to book a place on this workshop as we aim to match up leads and follows

More about musicality

A Small Difference Has a BIG Effect

Dancing is defined as moving to music, if you're not in time with the music you may as well turn the music off.

If you're out of time even by a small amount it can feel pretty bad and for some sensitive people it's like being sea sick because you ear hears one tempo but your body is being lead at a different tempo (sea sickness arises from the contradiction of the eyes telling the brain that the body is stationary but the inner ear is sensing movement).

Listen to the two recordings:

While the sound quality may not be perfect, hopefully you can tell there's a difference: the first sample is Moves Like Jagger played normally; the second one comprises two clips of Moves Like Jagger being played at the same time except that one of them has been speeded up by 5%. It sounds awful and dancing out of time is the dance equivalent of nails being dragged down a blackboard!

In this workshop we'll help you get in time with the music and save you and your partner from being sick.

Click below for specific information about timing and footwork.

Modern Jive Timing

Foundation Workshops:

We recommend that dancers attend these workshops at least once during their time with us. Dancers can repeat the same workshop with the same role again at a discounted rate.

Intermediate Foundations Essential Dips & Drops Essential Musicality