Coordination problems?

Crono9987 · **Coordination problems? -** 08-05-2009, 04:59 PM

Hey guys~ Here's a problem I've got...

I dunno how many others have gone through this - but how do you fix...bad coordination? I'm talking about just being uncoordinated while dancing in general. I started learning popping straight from youtube or w/e and before that I COULD NOT DANCE, so when I do dance now, everything just looks awkward. You know how certain body positions just look aesthetically pleasing, and others...do not?

I find myself falling into these awkward positions more frequently than not. Now my question is - how do you go about practicing/fixing this? I mean I guess to some people, awkward is like a style or w/e...I'm thinking like Salah or someone like that. But for those of us who don't have the technical skills to make awkward look cool, how do you just...control your limbs in a more coordinated way? lol.

Also, sort of related - when you guys dance, let's say your concentrating on legwork or something, what do you do with your arms? Do you keep them slightly tensed? or completely loose? I've seen a lot of dancers almost flail their arms when they're dancing, and make it look good. Others, like me..just look like we're flailing... =(

And what about your hands? Open? Closed? Coordinated with legs?

k1ng · 08-05-2009, 10:11 PM

no offense, but it doesn't sound like you know how to dance even now. in 3 paragraphs, you didn't mention music once and yet you're asking questions about what makes the movements "aesthetically pleasing" and coordinated.

1. use the Search function. study the discussions the mods & regulars have had
2. learn to listen.
3. don't ask copycat questions.

Crono9987 · 08-05-2009, 11:00 PM

hey~ thanks for the response but I think you may have misunderstood what I was asking.

Agree about #1. I did not use the search function before posting, out of complete laziness...so I'm sorry about that. But I have read many many many of the posts on here prior to posting...and in my memory I just didn't recall seeing an answer to my question.

But my question was specifically about just...my movements being awkward. In other words, I couldn't dance before, and now...I still can't. I'm well aware of the importance of music in this dance, but that wasn't what I was getting at with my question - my question was how do you practice in a way that helps you get over awkward movements? Coordination and aesthetics apply very much to the movements even without music. Having musicality but applying it with sloppy ugly movements doesn't always get you the desired effect. I definitely hear the music, but my body doesn't move in a way that works with it. That's what I was asking.

I understand you were probably trying to help, but your answer was kind of confusing to me. Had I asked a question about technique, like...how do I improve my hits...surely listening to the music is not the answer?

Anyway I know you were just trying to help, and I think you may have just misunderstood what I was asking - so thanks anyway. Just wanted to clear that up. If you wanna give my question another shot feel free, I'm still open to suggestions.

Chippa · 08-06-2009, 01:22 AM

arthur, hit me up online, and we'll talk.

Dotdotdo · 10-02-2009, 09:32 AM

practice in the mirror

Fr3estyle · 10-02-2009, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by Crono9987

I dunno how many others have gone through this - but how do you fix...bad coordination? I'm talking about just being uncoordinated while dancing in general. I started learning popping straight from youtube or w/e and before that I COULD NOT DANCE, so when I do dance now, everything just looks awkward. You know how certain body positions just look aesthetically pleasing, and others...do not?

Originally Posted by Crono9987

hey~ thanks for the response but I think you may have misunderstood what I was asking.

But my question was specifically about just...my movements being awkward. I'm well aware of the importance of music in this dance, but that wasn't what I was getting at with my question - my question was how do you practice in a way that helps you get over awkward movements?

You wrote these two posts from two different perspectives. It's pretty clear if you read between the lines.

Learn to move to the music. Learn musicality, which relates to being on beat, expecting beat and tempo changes and knowing when to catch them, being able to sense and appreciate the different layers within music... Feel the music. When you're able to feel the music flowing through you, you will be able to understand what sort of move fits in that spot, even if you can't visualise or execute it.

(Invent has a post somehwere on musicality. I think it's in one of the stickies)

Aside from that, practice. Choose aspects that you want to improve on and practice over and over until your technique is clean. These two concepts combined will give you what you're looking for.

Chippa · 10-03-2009, 12:49 PM

Originally Posted by Fr3estyle

You wrote these two posts from two different perspectives. It's pretty clear if you read between the lines.

Learn to move to the music. Learn musicality, which relates to being on beat, expecting beat and tempo changes and knowing when to catch them, being able to sense and appreciate the different layers within music... Feel the music. When you're able to feel the music flowing through you, you will be able to understand what sort of move fits in that spot, even if you can't visualise or execute it.

(Invent has a post somehwere on musicality. I think it's in one of the stickies)

Aside from that, practice. Choose aspects that you want to improve on and practice over and over until your technique is clean. These two concepts combined will give you what you're looking for.

I agree that everyone should step up their musicality tip, but musicality itself will not necessarily generate the movement desired. If that was true, every great drummer in the world would be able to throw down some nasty dance sets. You are correct in stating that knowing the music will help you understand what movement fits, but it will not instantly make you able to do it.

Basically it just comes down to practice. Repetitive movements and drills is the best way to get where you wanna be with your movements. Dont just 'get down' in your sessions. Have a purpose with everything you do. Do drills. Work on specific areas of movement with your body. Doing that will get you closer to where you want to be.

Fr3estyle · 10-03-2009, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by Chippa

Basically it just comes down to practice. Repetitive movements and drills is the best way to get where you wanna be with your movements. Dont just 'get down' in your sessions. Have a purpose with everything you do. Do drills. Work on specific areas of movement with your body. Doing that will get you closer to where you want to be.

I should probably practice a lot more before I ask this, but this thread will probably die out by then

:

After I read this thread today: Put on blast: What I DON'T like about today's popping scene..., on what dancing really is, I've freed up my dancing. Popping et. al. don't define my dancing anymore, they complement and shape it. I'm able to express the music a lot better, I move around a lot more, I'm more tired at the end of the whole thing,.. but,.. my dancing is a lot more general. I have no background in hip-hop and I'm pulling off crazy, vague stuff that I don't expect from myself at all. But it's unclean. And I don't know how to clean it up.

So my question is this: Now that I've freed myself of 'popper' and entered 'dancer', how do I keep my movements structured and clean while still maintaining my new-found freedom?

Chippa · 10-03-2009, 07:40 PM

Originally Posted by Fr3estyle

So my question is this: Now that I've freed myself of 'popper' and entered 'dancer', how do I keep my movements structured and clean while still maintaining my new-found freedom?

Basic answer...practice foundations. Understand the concepts. Then take those concepts and bend them until they break.

Fr3estyle · 10-03-2009, 08:04 PM

Originally Posted by Chippa

Basic answer...practice foundations. Understand the concepts. Then take those concepts and bend them until they break.

Yezzir. Will do.

Chuckles228 · 10-03-2009, 08:16 PM

bite [copy wat other people do] with upper body to get a understandin then w/e u wanna do add on see if it look good.

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Crono9987 Member Respect: 1 Posts: 15 Join Date: Nov 2005	Coordination problems? - 08-05-2009, 04:59 PM Hey guys~ Here's a problem I've got... I dunno how many others have gone through this - but how do you fix...bad coordination? I'm talking about just being uncoordinated while dancing in general. I started learning popping straight from youtube or w/e and before that I COULD NOT DANCE, so when I do dance now, everything just looks awkward. You know how certain body positions just look aesthetically pleasing, and others...do not? I find myself falling into these awkward positions more frequently than not. Now my question is - how do you go about practicing/fixing this? I mean I guess to some people, awkward is like a style or w/e...I'm thinking like Salah or someone like that. But for those of us who don't have the technical skills to make awkward look cool, how do you just...control your limbs in a more coordinated way? lol. Also, sort of related - when you guys dance, let's say your concentrating on legwork or something, what do you do with your arms? Do you keep them slightly tensed? or completely loose? I've seen a lot of dancers almost flail their arms when they're dancing, and make it look good. Others, like me..just look like we're flailing... =( And what about your hands? Open? Closed? Coordinated with legs?


k1ng Dallas, Texas Respect: 12.5 Posts: 1,009 Join Date: May 2006	08-05-2009, 10:11 PM no offense, but it doesn't sound like you know how to dance even now. in 3 paragraphs, you didn't mention music once and yet you're asking questions about what makes the movements "aesthetically pleasing" and coordinated. 1. use the Search function. study the discussions the mods & regulars have had 2. learn to listen. 3. don't ask copycat questions.


Crono9987 Member Respect: 1 Posts: 15 Join Date: Nov 2005	08-05-2009, 11:00 PM hey~ thanks for the response but I think you may have misunderstood what I was asking. Agree about #1. I did not use the search function before posting, out of complete laziness...so I'm sorry about that. But I have read many many many of the posts on here prior to posting...and in my memory I just didn't recall seeing an answer to my question. But my question was specifically about just...my movements being awkward. In other words, I couldn't dance before, and now...I still can't. I'm well aware of the importance of music in this dance, but that wasn't what I was getting at with my question - my question was how do you practice in a way that helps you get over awkward movements? Coordination and aesthetics apply very much to the movements even without music. Having musicality but applying it with sloppy ugly movements doesn't always get you the desired effect. I definitely hear the music, but my body doesn't move in a way that works with it. That's what I was asking. I understand you were probably trying to help, but your answer was kind of confusing to me. Had I asked a question about technique, like...how do I improve my hits...surely listening to the music is not the answer? Anyway I know you were just trying to help, and I think you may have just misunderstood what I was asking - so thanks anyway. Just wanted to clear that up. If you wanna give my question another shot feel free, I'm still open to suggestions.


Chippa Movin' to NYC soon... Respect: 6.5 Posts: 2,640 Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: New York City	08-06-2009, 01:22 AM arthur, hit me up online, and we'll talk.
	I am a Waver. This is my manifesto.


Dotdotdo Member Respect: 1 Posts: 2 Join Date: Oct 2007	10-02-2009, 09:32 AM practice in the mirror
Dotdotdo Member Respect: 1 Posts: 2 Join Date: Oct 2007


Chuckles228 Dee one and only Respect: 1 Posts: 256 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Belleville	10-03-2009, 08:16 PM bite [copy wat other people do] with upper body to get a understandin then w/e u wanna do add on see if it look good.
	You say my name you make me chuckle.