✨ 10 ways to make your dance practice fun!
The secret to skills-building is to MAKE IT FUN...
If I could shout any advice from a mountain top about the secret to accomplishing your dreams and enjoying your life it would be:
"Make it fun!"
🎊 I believe enjoying the process is the secret to accomplishing any achievement. Having fun is truly the fastest and most effective way to master a skill!
I really enjoy watching and performing the kind of dance that requires high-level technical skill. I don't mean acrobatic feats of flexibility and strength! I mean dance that shows a deep meaningful connection with the body and the form itself (in my case, the forms of raqs sharqi and transcultural dance). Dancers can only perform in this high-level way when they are putting in consistent disciplined study and practice.
But that sounds boring, right?
I know! That's why I encourage the dancers I work with to make the "consistent disciplined study and practice" enjoyable! The process of skills-building itself works best when we are having a good time.
So here I am giving you my top ten tips for romanticizing your practice time!
I'm also sharing a BRAND NEW performance video with you that I am super proud of because this video:
Showcases my cued group improv format, Cued Cohesion
Features some AMAZING dancers from The Cohesion Collective
Captures the magic of the time we spent practicing together to be able to do this technically challenging and rewarding performance where we dance and play our own music!
When you watch the video you'll see what I mean!
✨ Here are my top ten tips for romanticizing your practice time!
Put your practice time on your calendar in a fun color ink.
Begin by listening to a song you love and jumping around like a little kid OR
Begin by listening to a song you love and rolling around on the floor like a pig in a puddle
Light candles
Burn frankincense or something else that smells good to you
Dedicate your practice to your ancestors, to your passed loved ones, to your former self, to your future self
Close the door so that you feel total creative privacy from the other members of your household
Decorate your practice space in ways that make you feel good (live plants, bright or soothing colors, rich textures etc)
Practice with a friend (even on zoom or just simultaneously with a text check-in at the beginning and end)
Drink a tea or your favorite beverage in your favorite cup
If you want to be inspired by more super-skilled dance performances that were created in the spirit of our desire to enjoy life through connection with the body, community, movement, and music, then please join us in May for our live theater show! Early-bird tickets go on sale next week! As an email subscriber, you'll be the first to hear about it! Early-bird tickets will only be on sale for about one week so make sure to keep an eye on your inbox. And remember: you can join us in-person here in Austin, Texas or you can watch the show online from anywhere in the world through our high-quality live stream!
In the Lap of the Garden
🌹 an offering of devotion to Mother Nature 🌹
through raqs sharqi, Persian and transcultural dance
featuring The Cohesion Collective and Nafas Dance Ensemble
May 27, 2023
in Austin, TX & streaming online
I want to know: HOW DO YOU MAKE YOUR PRACTICE TIME FUN? What little or big things do you do for yourself that help you romanticize and enjoy your practice? Send me a DM and share your insights!
Warmly,
April Rose 🌹
P.S.
💠 Apply to work with me inside The Cohesion Collective and get your invite to my advanced private training where I go over my 3-part Cohesion framework for becoming a brilliant bellydancer! The application only takes 2 minutes, there is no obligation to join, and my free training for accepted applicants is full of tips and inspiration!
🚨 You'll want to apply THIS WEEK to join us in time for my upcoming live workshop on 💰 Earning An Income With Bellydance! You don't want to miss it!
Read what my students are saying about The Cohesion Collective...
Lauren reignited her motivation to learn and practice:
“The mix of history, music and drill was presented in such a way that made me want to learn and practice more! I never thought of myself as someone who is musically inclined, but I really liked drumming.”
Become a Brilliant Bellydancer
Apply to join us inside The Cohesion Collective and get your free invite to watch my advanced private training on how to become a brilliant bellydancer using the 3-part Cohesion Framework: