Presentation is an essential, if not the most important, element of a dancer’s overall performance. It is the first thing the audience notices. Many dancers do not realise this, but when participating in a latin and ballroom dance competition, the adjudicators judge couples from the moment they are seen, They watch as they walk in and take their starting positions.
In one of my recent dance lessons, at Ritmo La Vida, my dance instructor expressed the importance of presentation and how it affects your actual dance performance. It was so eye-opening, I had never thought of presentation in that way before. Ali also shared a few pointers on how to present. After spending the entire lesson working on presenting properly and finding my own presentation style, I understood what he meant when he said that it actually improves your dancing. (I am working on a blog piece with tips to help dancers with presentation and will insert the link here when I have posted it). Later that night, I browsed YouTube for hours, studying competition videos, and I paid attention to how competitors took the floor and how they walked off. I was amazed at how different their performances were from those who presented themselves and those who did not.
There are many ways of how good presentation will affect your dancing in a positive way. and I want to share a few with you.
YOUR CONFIDENCE IS INCREASED
This may be a daunting aspect for many dancers, who are not big performers, but once you have learned to present yourself in the correct way, you will automatically feel good about yourself and your confidence will increase drastically. The more confidence you have, the better your performance will be.
PRESENTATION COMPLETES YOUR LOOK
Dancers spend so much time and money on their look. From the makeup to the dresses, we really go all out to ensure that we look flawless. All this effort is wasted when we don’t show ourselves off. Presenting adds that special touch needed to complete your look. This is your opportunity to shine, you look stunning, so flaunt it!
FORMS A HABIT OF GOOD POSTURE
Posture is one of the main elements of presentation. It extends your body and accentuates all the muscles in your legs and creates a beautiful neckline. The more frequently you begin with good posture, the quicker it will turn into a habit. It will reflect in your presentation and will come through in your dancing.
YOU WILL CONNECT WITH THE AUDIENCE
In order to be a great performer, the dancers need to grab the attention of the crowd. A crowd will more likely be intrigued by a couple that acknowledges them. Introduce yourself to your audience. Make eye contact. By doing so, the audience will feel important and will be drawn in as if they are a part of your performance.
IT CREATES INTIMIDATION
Presentation is the number one key for intimidation. A dancer does not need to be mean to be intimidating to others. When I see a dancer beaming with confidence and is comfortable on the dance floor, I immediately see her as competition and I have not even seen her dance yet.
YOU WILL STAND OUT ON THE FLOOR
You share the floor, with other couples, during sections. It is imperitive that you stand out, and the easiest way to do this, is to present yourself. Walk onto the dance floor with confidence and express your own unique style. When you do this, you will stand apart from the rest.
IMPROVES YOUR PERFORMANCE
The way a dancer presents herself on the dance floor directly affects their performance. If you show class from the moment you walk onto the competition floor, you will radiate elegance throughout your routine.
PRESENTATION GRABS THE JUDGES’ ATTENTION
Adjudicators are on their feet all day at a competition and watch performance after performance. It becomes tiring after a while. Having your own unique presentation style will leave a lasting impression on the judges.
IT SHOWS CHARACTER
There is nothing more cherished by an audience, than a dancer that shows appreciation. Thank your supporters, adjudicators, and partner just before leaving the floor. Just smile and bow your head slightly. It is subtle, yet humble. This is a stunning way to end a performance.
I am sure these small pearls of wisdom have brought to light, how important presenting is and I hope it has inspired you to work on your own presentation style. I’d love to hear about how presentation has improved your dancing and what your unique style is. Leave a comment below.
Keep dancing,
Resources: Ali Anderson at Ritmo La Vida
Photo credit: gwilmore via Visualhunt.com / CC BY-NC-SA
Brilliant! Yes I had the same lesson. Excellent reminders in your article. Thank you. Ren
That lesson opened my eyes to a whole new understanding of how you should carry yourself on the dance floor. I had to share what I learned.