Lyrical dance tricks professional#

Yet, while many competitions provide useful experience and feedback for the contestants, dancing is not just about winning solos.įurthermore, acro choreography of the sort seen on Youtube has very little to do with the professional dance world. They think that winning with their three minute solo is the sum total of success. Many of these injuries occur when students do their own stretching and experimenting at home.Īnother problem with Youtube culture is that it is creating a generation of students who believe that competitions are the endgame of dance. But the problem is that all those acrobatic moves are leading to a new rise in serious injuries, with children attempting difficult gymnastic poses and extreme forms of stretching and risking immediate and long term physical harm to their bodies.Īs reported by Michelle Dursun in the accompanying article, physiotherapists are reporting an alarming rise in injuries that are not normally associated with dance, such as back injuries from back bends and tumbles and dislocated hips from overstretching. Others accept it as just another style and have added lessons in acro or gymnastics to their school curriculums. Many teachers enjoy the variety and excitement it adds to routines. One could say that today’s trend to “acro” dance is just another stage in the development of the art form – dance has always absorbed popular forms. Physiotherapists are reporting an alarming rise in injuries that are not normally associated with dance They wouldn't be doing a forward flip if they were dancing from the heart.'Īs far as helping contestants win the competition: 'I actually would not give them a place,” she says. It is much harder to create real choreography to music than to chuck in a cartwheel. Coming from my background, where I've mixed with true creative geniuses, I see acro as an easy way out. In my day it was more about choreography. 'A lot of it comes from social media and Dance Moms,' she confirms. It's not surprising that we have an audience of young dancers who think this form of dance is the key to success.Ĭlaudia Dean, who was a dancer with the Royal Ballet in London and is now a coach and competition adjudicator, is not impressed with the trend, having just adjudicated huge eisteddfods in Brisbane and Melbourne. Young Australian kids see Youtube footage and Instagram pictures of children their own age doing all sorts of impressive acrobatic moves to aspirational songs and witness child acrobat-dancers like Maddie Ziegler and Kalani Hilliker becoming international celebrities.

Lyrical dance tricks tv#

US culture is conveyed through TV and social media, and such shows as Dance Moms. Its “success at all cost” culture and “you can win anything” mentality is very appealing to aspiring young dancers. America has a huge competition circuit with many rich prizes. A more precise answer is America, where “acro” has been around for a long time, originating from vaudeville. Where has this come from? Well, the land of Youtube is the main source. At this year’s Genee, run by that bastion of classical ballet, the Royal Academy of Dance, Dame Monica Mason was moved to complain that there had been far too much floor work, too much gymnastics and acrobatics and too many split legs. To the dismay of many, “acro” – in the form of leg mounts, back flips, somersaults and cartwheels, handstands with oversplit legs – is taking the place of the usual pirouettes and arabesques, all to the roars of appreciation from the audience. There gymnastics and dance seem to be merging. Not so any longer on the amateur competition stages – particularly among young, preteen contestants in the so-called “lyrical” or “free” variations. In fact, the word “acrobatic” or “gymnastic” when applied to choreography is often used as a pejorative. Dance is an artform and gymnastics is a sport. Two of the world’s greatest ballerinas, Darcey Bussell and Sylvie Guillem, did gymnastics as children, and undoubtedly benefited from the headstart it gave them in flexibility.īut until now the two were kept firmly in their own boxes. Over the years gymnastics and dance have given a lot to each other – from choreography for gymnastic floor routines to shared training techniques.

We love a “split” penchee or jete that goes beyond parallel, developpes past the ears, not to mention an incredible bendy back. The extreme suppleness is something common to both. Gymnastics has always had an affinity with dance.