Do you want to dance with more confidence? You should!
No matter how clean your pictures or how ~textured~ your moves are, you will not “slay,” “kill,” or “murder” anything unless you dance with more confidence.
The most captivating dancers are those who look comfortable in their own bodies and really commit to their performance.
So, how do you develop that confidence, then use it in your dancing? Check out these 6 tips to help you dance with more confidence!
Wanna Dance With More Confidence? Then...
1. Put in the work!
The more you work on yourself as a dancer, the more your confidence will naturally grow with your skills.
When you watch yourself get doper, feel how classes are easier, and become able to understand music more effortlessly – you're going to become more self-assured.
You can't be making all that progress and not feel good about it! Your results from your hard work will give you confidence and more motivation.
But even without the results, the hard work alone is something to be proud of.
“Know yourself and you will win all battles.”
– Sun Tzu
Winning first place or getting select group doesn't matter as much as how well you know yourself. Train. Learn. Trust yourself.
It’ll leave very little room for external factors to shake your confidence. Speaking of, what is your view of yourself?
2. Be “different, not better”
One of the most liberating things you'll realize about dance (or any art!) is that there is no “right” or “wrong.”
Yes, there's the technical parts of dance, but when it comes to personal style... You do you!
One way to dance with more confidence (especially when it comes to freestyling or making choreography) – is by embracing your right to be different.
If anything, feel encouraged to be original.
Get more inspiration to: Overcome Your Dance Fears And Live A Creative Life
So many dancers emulate their dance idols because they’re scared to develop their own. Or, they are unaware that they can develop their own style.
This doesn't just make their performance feel like a watered-down dance cover. It also comes at the price of their true style that was meant to shine.
"Always be yourself and have faith in yourself. Do not go out and look for a successful personality and try to duplicate it."
–Bruce Lee
When you find your own true voice, you’ll wear it so comfortably that it’ll be impossible for it not to look good.
If you struggle with feeling insecure about your dancing, this video will help.
"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment."
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
3. Remember your posture
Want a simple trick to executing your own or anyone else’s choreography with confidence?
Here it is: The right body posture.
Now, it’s not just about having your chest puffed and chin up. It’s about deciding what kind of character that the piece is meant to portray.
Confidence looks different in different contexts. Some pieces or styles (for example, waacking) call on you to stand tall with your shoulders back and focus up.
Mmph, powerful and sexy. But other pieces (for example, a smooth r&b piece) may look awkward with such an upright stance.
Setting your focus at eye level or lower would look more inviting and conversational than projecting up would.
Finding the posture that fits the piece well is going to help you embody the mood of the piece, making your performance look more natural and confident.
Wanna get even more specific than posture?
4. Play a part
This might come as a surprise...
But…
You don’t have to actually be a confident person to dance confidently. All of us have insecurities, in and outside of dance.
The great part of performing is that you can forget about those things for a second and be someone else. Literally. You can play a different person.
When you perform a piece, listen to the song and let your mind design the entire story.
Ask yourself, “What is this person feeling? Thinking? What do they want? What situation are they in??"
Specifying the role will make it easier to perform with the posture, facials, and mannerisms that this character has.
“When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionable.”
– Walt Disney
5. Get immune to messing up
Mistakes are blessings in disguise. They are “pause buttons” in life where you have to stop and ask, “Okay, what just happened? And how do I not do that again??”
If you approach challenges with this growth-mindset, then you will have very little to fear.
In fact, being open to learning and growing is the ultimate recipe for success. So the next time you brain fart during groups, don’t stress about it.
Use it as a catalyst to become better instead.
“Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit.”
– E.E. Cummings
Being confident doesn’t mean that you’re invincible. It just means that you’re not going to let your fear of messing up hold you back.
6. Commit.
Dancing BIG and “full out” is a surefire way to catch eyeballs...
But not all "full-outs" are created equal. Looking confident isn't about HOW HARD YOU CAN HIT EVERYTHING; it's about how fully you are committing to it.
Instead of going HAM for every single move, take note of exactly how much you need to give and give that. All of that.
Tips for using your strength: How To Dance Bigger, Stronger, And More "Full Out"
If a move calls for a straight arm, then extend it fully. Gotta get low? You better GRAND plié that sucker. Tryna jump? Get some air! When the music slows down, make your movements slow down. Commit to that slow down.
Simple things like a walk, a look, a freestyle – commit to those as much as you commit to the full-out power moves.
Clay gets into the topic of dance commitment in this "Dear STEEZY"!
Dancing with confidence is mostly about believing yourself. Use these 6 tips to help you get there!And even if you don’t yet, know that we believe in you!
And we want to see you killin’ it out there! So keep these things in mind while you do yo thang~
How do you dance with more confidence? Let us know in the comments below!
