Do you record videos of yourself dancing in class? (Or, realistically, ask your friends to record videos of yourself dancing in class?)

There are a many reasons why class videos are valuable to dancers.

‍They are valuable training tools, because you can watch and study yourself in a way that you couldn't while you were dancing.

‍Were there details you missed? How did your execution change the way the choreography looks? Did you perform?

What was that cool thing the person next to you did and how could you incorporate it into your own movement later?

‍Most importantly... Is it dope enough to post on Instagram (if and only if you asked the choreographer if they were cool with that)????

Videos provide a tangible, visible record of your class and your dancing, which is super important to any dancer’s training.

But...That’s also exactly why you should consider putting that iPhone away during your next class. Why?

Why you shouldn't record videos of yourself dancing in class

The way we dance is built off our understanding of our bodies.

Your training makes up the foundation, and every step you learn is a building block you add on top of that.

When you take class, you get to experience different ways of fitting these blocks together in a unique way, through the choreographer’s style.

These experiences are what shape you as a dancer. When you record videos yourself dancing in class, you have a way to examine your work.

‍But the videos won’t put in the work for you. To grow as a dancer, you need to try new things outside of your comfort zone.

Class provides a safe space to do that; there’s no pressure to perfect the choreography, and you have the freedom to experiment in a way you can’t when you’re rehearsing a set with your team.

Class is not a performance...

...until you add a camera.

When you start recording, you start performing like someone’s watching. Because someone will be watching: you.

This means your harshest critic will be watching, which can discourage you from trying something crazy and new, since dancers tend to revert back to what feels comfortable when they want to look good.

And let’s be real, who doesn’t want to look good in their class vids? But this holds you back, because...

‍You have to look a little wild before you look good.

‍If you don’t push your boundaries, then you won’t change, and your growth will stagnate.

‍When you record videos of yourself dancing in class you create a resource for the future, but experience can only be gained in the present.

While watching videos of yourself will tell you what you can improve on, you don’t actually gain anything from them until you dance again and actually utilize the notes you took.

Dance is all about living in the present.

You shape your future based on what you do in the "now." Even though videos are great training tools, they’re no replacements for actual dancing.

A screen can’t truly capture the energy of a performance or class, and more often than not, you’ll gain something equally valuable by simply paying attention to the people around you.

And it's not that you should never record videos of yourself dancing in class.

In fact, it’s important to take the time and watch yourself dance, and class videos are an awesome way to simultaneously see how much you’ve improved and what you need to do to improve more.

But that's only a snapshot of your training—and sometimes you need to ignore the picture to fully appreciate the view.

Sometimes you need to let go of looking good at the moment in order to increase your versatility for the future.

‍Sometimes you should record videos of yourself dancing in class.

Other times you have to just lose yourself in the class environment.

‍Share this article with a friend who insists on recording every class.

And go take a class with them where you just LIVE in the moment~

Happy training, STEEZY Nation!

‍Take classes on STEEZY Studio and don't record them! Sign up for free and try it out!