How Strictly is making dancing more accessible to people
Just a thought I was having, and then I stumbled across this really interesting article....
https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-24/edition-2/media
I don't know how other professional dancers feel about this but.... I LOVE Strictly Come Dancing. I prefer to stay in and watch it than go out because I can't bear to have to wait until the next day to watch it. I know a lot of people have very strong opinions either way on it but I find it really inspiring. The music, the live band, the costumes, the choreography - it all gets me thinking how I could put that move into my class or use that song. I like commenting on a dance then seeing if the judges agree with me. But also what I really enjoy is the idea that the show is making dancing more accessible to people.
I really believe you have to stay active and keep fit to be healthy and happy. Obviously there are many different ways to do that to suit different people's needs, but I just think dancing releases so much tension and can give you so much freedom - as it mentions in the article - not all dances relieve stress - but I think the classes I teach really do make you feel great after and I think its important people have access to my classes or similar classes that make them feel good. And feeling good can mean different things to different people and I think sometimes it is accessed at different points after a dance class. For some people it can be seeing the sweat dripping from them after class, others have lost themselves in the music, some feel good when they feel there sore muscles the next day, and others feel it a week later when they look in the mirror and feel good about themselves!
I think another great thing about the world of Strictly - it is so positive for body image. The judges may say something about someones dance ability, but they never comment on their weight or physical appearances, which means when ladies or men who are slightly bigger than average go on strictly, it makes other people believe its something they could achieve without feeling foolish. Interestingly when Lovatt went on Strictly's weekday show he noted he was only allowed to make positive comments about celebrities, which I think is really great. It is a bit of fun and nothing to take too seriously so there's no need to completely destroy someone for it.
(Check out this jive from last week's Strictly - so much fun!)
There is also another side to the argument here though. Looking on Peter Lovatt's website http://www.peterlovatt.com/dance-psychology he tells us about other research. Some scientific studies have found no evidence that dancing makes you feel better and also that it actually decreases self-esteem in people! He says that studies are being done right now into this matter which I find really interesting. I suppose I can say that when I was at college surrounded by girls much smaller than me and people who were better at Ballet than me - that decreased my self-esteem. So in effect dancing did decrease my self esteem - but as soon as I stopped auditioning and just starting dancing for myself again and teaching, it instantly increased my self esteem.
So perhaps I'm heading towards the idea that non-competitive dance is the stuff that makes people feel good and although Strictly is a competitive programme, because most people will probably never be on it if they aren't celebrities, they feel they can take it as entertainment rather than competition, and this leads them to think of dancing as something they can access and most likely (unless they are much younger) will want to attend a non-competitive class to have fun and enjoy the best bits of dancing.
What do you think to this? I'd love to hear some ideas about how dancing makes you feel and how different dance styles affect your mood. Thanks x
https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-24/edition-2/media
I don't know how other professional dancers feel about this but.... I LOVE Strictly Come Dancing. I prefer to stay in and watch it than go out because I can't bear to have to wait until the next day to watch it. I know a lot of people have very strong opinions either way on it but I find it really inspiring. The music, the live band, the costumes, the choreography - it all gets me thinking how I could put that move into my class or use that song. I like commenting on a dance then seeing if the judges agree with me. But also what I really enjoy is the idea that the show is making dancing more accessible to people.
I really believe you have to stay active and keep fit to be healthy and happy. Obviously there are many different ways to do that to suit different people's needs, but I just think dancing releases so much tension and can give you so much freedom - as it mentions in the article - not all dances relieve stress - but I think the classes I teach really do make you feel great after and I think its important people have access to my classes or similar classes that make them feel good. And feeling good can mean different things to different people and I think sometimes it is accessed at different points after a dance class. For some people it can be seeing the sweat dripping from them after class, others have lost themselves in the music, some feel good when they feel there sore muscles the next day, and others feel it a week later when they look in the mirror and feel good about themselves!
I think another great thing about the world of Strictly - it is so positive for body image. The judges may say something about someones dance ability, but they never comment on their weight or physical appearances, which means when ladies or men who are slightly bigger than average go on strictly, it makes other people believe its something they could achieve without feeling foolish. Interestingly when Lovatt went on Strictly's weekday show he noted he was only allowed to make positive comments about celebrities, which I think is really great. It is a bit of fun and nothing to take too seriously so there's no need to completely destroy someone for it.
(Check out this jive from last week's Strictly - so much fun!)
There is also another side to the argument here though. Looking on Peter Lovatt's website http://www.peterlovatt.com/dance-psychology he tells us about other research. Some scientific studies have found no evidence that dancing makes you feel better and also that it actually decreases self-esteem in people! He says that studies are being done right now into this matter which I find really interesting. I suppose I can say that when I was at college surrounded by girls much smaller than me and people who were better at Ballet than me - that decreased my self-esteem. So in effect dancing did decrease my self esteem - but as soon as I stopped auditioning and just starting dancing for myself again and teaching, it instantly increased my self esteem.
So perhaps I'm heading towards the idea that non-competitive dance is the stuff that makes people feel good and although Strictly is a competitive programme, because most people will probably never be on it if they aren't celebrities, they feel they can take it as entertainment rather than competition, and this leads them to think of dancing as something they can access and most likely (unless they are much younger) will want to attend a non-competitive class to have fun and enjoy the best bits of dancing.
What do you think to this? I'd love to hear some ideas about how dancing makes you feel and how different dance styles affect your mood. Thanks x
Totally agree with your blog, where I live there is actually a 'Strictly Inverness' where people with no dance experience are paired up and take part over 12 weeks of training. It is massively popular! If you can access dance in the right way it completely boosts your self esteem. It is sad to say it, but college definitely dampened my spirits for dance. As soon as I graduated and started to teach and take part in the classes I really wanted to I found that passion again. There's a quote I like that says 'Keep dance in perspective. Know that you can still be a smart, loving, fantastic person with a great life even if one day you can't buy a decent pirouette.' In college, we can be sucked into the bubble of performing arts and I don't think this is a positive thing.
ReplyDeleteHi Sophie yes I completely agree. And its hard when you are only with a small group of people.. its so easy to compare bodies, talent, looks with your friends and to become bitter from it. I love the sound of Strictly Inverness!!! Perhaps we should start one in London! Yes that's a great quote. I sometimes use that at my day job in the box office. If something goes wrong and everyone gets super stressed I always say its only theatre tickets!
DeleteThanks for this blog Chrissie - you have found some issues to debate here - many of these issues are complex ones - but popularising the arts and media representations of the arts do need to be evaluated and considered - Lovatt's research site sounds like that is what he is doing. Sometimes claims of the value of things are embedded in social and cultural 'norms' - the use of performance in competition? media related ratings and the meaning of entertainment? audience participation? the idea of self esteem? many of these issues relate to the context in which you find them - and those reflective assumptions about professional practice. It sounds like they are not always what you assume them to be as well - professionals see the realities behind the art form. 'Strictly' is a starting point - and good topics for discussion!
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