Arguing for Instagram: How Algorithmic Addiction Can Advance the Dancer
It starts with one harmless minute on your phone, right? Just a few minutes on Instagram, one more video on YouTube, and soon enough hours have passed and nothing you originally set out to accomplish has been done. Your checklist and its empty boxes staring back at you, reminding you of your unalterable inadequacy…WRONG! In the case of the dance video, this could not be further from the truth. In defense of my adolescent self, I hereby declare the practice of procrastination not only formative but necessary for artistic advancement.
I’m not saying I’m special due to my love affair with the algorithmic allure of the internet as terms like “bed rot” and “rot girl winter” have surfaced, globally engaging with the human tendency to revel in our supine proclivities. What I am saying is that in the time I have spent glued to my screen, I inadvertently began tailoring my dance media consumption to one that benefited my dancing. The sheer number of nights spent bleary-eyed, in some contorted stretch watching videos on my computer has provided me with a dance bag overflowing with tools to help me gain the most from my cinematic extracurricular.
In watching other dancers online it can be easy to disparage oneself; to fall vulnerable to the arches of Svetlana Zakharova or the prodigal virtuosity of a dancer half your age. However, watching those who incite envy or insecurity can be an unexpected pathway towards self-love. In learning to distance oneself from the dancer at hand, their movement can become the subject of study and eventually lead to a means of improved dance execution and their expression. The dance video transforms into a space for progress; a dedication to ocular refinery that benefits one’s studio time, artistic development, and character growth.
The act of watching others move is fundamental in an art form that hinges upon the phrase “watch and learn.” This process is imperative in terms of movement acquisition. The start of any artistic pursuit involves the act of observation and imitation. Of course, watching dancers move is inherently gratifying, but one can derive further pleasure and even benefit technically by actively watching others. Active listening, according to the United States Institute of Peace is, “a way of listening and responding to another person that improves mutual understanding.” If we are to apply the same principles to the way we watch dance videos, our newfound observations will aid our dance journeys.
The ways we learn are of course individual but in my experience these are the ways of actively watching that aided me in picking up choreography faster, enhancing my intuition regarding artistic decisions, and familiarizing myself with music and repertoire:
Pause, Rewind, Rewatch
Pay attention to the movement that pleases you. Instead of continuing with the video, try pausing and replaying that scene or sequence as many times as needed. Grappling with the why can lead to valuable exploration. Digging into the kinesthetic decisions that you enjoy can lead to the development of your taste/opinions. Consider how it might feel to move in the ways you’ve observed. Look at the inclinations of the head or a certain expression, the way the dancer has syncopated their steps with the music, or the choreography that inspires you. Whatever it might be that caught your attention, grasp it, rewind it, rewatch it.
Inspiration in Variation
When watching a variation, for example, take a look at multiple dancers' interpretations of the same steps. By observing what they choose to emphasize, you can follow suit, or apply their techniques elsewhere in your dancing. For example, one dancer might hold a position for longer in the music while another quickly moves through it to pave the way for a lengthier moment of resistance later on. By watching the same moves in different iterations, individuality will emerge. Consider how your aesthetic taste comes into play. Whose version do you like better and why? Perhaps this will lead to questions about what this dancer represents to you or reminds you of. Use this to your benefit in the studio and consider how your fellow dancers make their own decisions too and watch your on-screen experience translate to real life. Take notice of how your viewership changes from the screen to the studio.
Dismantling Dislike
Allow yourself to question what you don’t like and why. In watching videos of dancers there will be times when the way they move doesn’t quite satisfy you or makes you wish to click away, don’t! Sit with this discomfort and allow your own opinions to take form. Consider what could make things better; an alternate costume, a deeper sensitivity with the feet, a more expressive face…whatever it is, take note! What you don’t like is just as important as what you do.
Learn What You Like
I mean literally learning the dance you’ve clicked on. Just because the dancer in the video does the steps in a seemingly effortless way doesn’t mean it was always so. They too had to learn the choreography they execute. You can too by following in their footsteps! By holding your screen up to a mirror or using software to flip the video, take some time to learn the steps. Transferring what you’ve identified as moments you like, dislike, or wish to create on your own accord, you can begin to play with movement dynamics. Sometimes this process takes even less time than expected since watching what you wish to emulate over time familiarizes you with what comes next. For me, there were instances in which I was taught a variation and realized I already knew most of the choreography by virtue of repetitive observation. In learning what you like you can also practice moving in the ways you wish to emulate. For me, this was a huge confidence booster. I found the transition from observational static awe to movement execution empowering. My active watching had reaped rewards.
Take note: This principle is the hardest to put into practice, while the most gratifying, as there will be times when a step you hadn’t even thought of as difficult when watching turns out to be a bigger challenge to execute. In instances like these, practicing patience and observation is key. Investigate the why factor, question what makes a movement easier or more difficult to execute. Additionally, when copying a movement you like, you practice ownership over your body. This is indescribably rewarding.
Sharing is Caring
Of course, we all love to spam our loved ones with sensational dance clips we come across but taking the time to unpack our fascination can lead to rewarding conversations about personal taste. Consider what you and your friends discuss and where your observations and opinions differ. This instance of active watching links one’s individual growth as a dancer to the development of a deeper engagement with the dance. Translating the visually rewarding solo experience of dance viewership into a communal activity enables us to witness our point of view in a larger context. In learning to discuss dance, sometimes one’s articulation of the body improves since comprehension of movement takes on a different plane of consideration. Sometimes, discussing dance can resonate as a dance in itself. To me, this is what active watching is all about; achieving a level of artistic fluency that I can share with the world.
All in all, the practice of actively watching doesn’t only apply to dancers; it is a key facet to any means of artistic expression. Whether it be musicians, cinematographers, visual artists, etc., there is always benefit to be reaped from the surveillance, questioning, and active viewership of a fellow artist's work. To watch is to be inspired.