feeling the music

[Guest Medora]

My Russian teacher told us that we have to feel the music. Huh? I listen to the music very carefully, I hear it, but I don't feel it. Sometimes it arouses certain emotions in me, and makes me feel certain ways, but could that be what she means? How do you "feel" the music?

[Victoria Leigh]

Medora, when you listen to music doesn't it make you feel like moving in a certain way? It's like the music is inside of you and your body has to express it. It's definitely more than just hearing it, but it's kinda hard to describe. Different kinds of music will make you want to move in different ways. A classical dancer needs to feel the music through her body, feel the phrases, the movement of the music itself. I'm sure there are a lot of other ways to express this, and I'm finding it difficult to put into words. But when I see a very musical dancer it is obvious right away. It's more than being on the right beat. It's like the music is coming out through her movement. Hope that makes sense, but maybe Mr. Johnson or someone else can express it better.

[Mel Johnson]

Nope, there's no better description than that. "Feeling" the music is an ineffable. It can be developed, and the fact that certain music brings on certain emotions in you is a sign that you're developing it.

[Guest Medora]

Thank you everyone, its really strange, but somehow it does make a lot of sense to me. I read the post right before I went to my rehearsal and felt like I did pretty well tonight. I am Spanish so I've got to have the Don Quixote attitude, with the teasing smile and all. Its funny though, we I try to really get in to it and act that way, I always manage to see my teacher watching me and then I feel sort of foolish, but in a good way. Feeling the music is something I really want to work on this year, because when I watch the Russian dancer do the dance, everything is so perfect, her expression, her arms, everything. She is fun to watch, she characterizes every role so well, it is almost like she is gives the music form, she is shaping it, not just dancing to it. I want to learn to do that, because in my opinion that is one of the biggest things that sets her apart from us. It is so much more than just her perfect technique.

[Guest Makayla]

Wow Medora You kind of remind me of myself!

I also decided even before I read this post that I wanted to learn to use expression and feeling the music more this year. This post really helped me, thanks for asking it! I didn't bother asking it because I didn't understand how it could be answered.

I'm very glad you asked, now I have my answers too!

(I also have students in my class who are expressional but somehow I can't come out of my shell well enough to do the same. I'm working on it though ;))