MUSICALITY

Musicality in dance has two main components. Receptivity and Creativity.

Musical receptivity is ones ability to receive, comprehend, be sensitive to, and have a working knowledge of musical concepts like rhythm, tempo, phrasing, and even mood.

Musical creativity (or musical artistry) is the ability to connect with accompanying music, interpret it, or phrase and add movement dynamics that relate to music even in the absence of accompaniment, in a way that is unique or interesting.

Musicality in dance then might be considered a measure or degree to which a dancer is receptive and creative in his translation or rendering of music through movement. It is a key ingredient in a dancer’s display of artistry.

SPIRITUALITY IN DANCE

Afro Cuban Dance!

As the owner of Metamorphosis Dance Theatre; dance and spirituality has always been an interwoven presence in my life - professionally and personally.

Dance and spirituality has always been an interwoven presence in my life – professionally and personally. The shape and tone of how this weaving is expressed shifts over time, with the changes that life experiences bring. I’d like to open with some words that came to me spontaneously when I first thought about this theme for today. When I look at the body as movement, I think… the earth body is movement, the space, the universe is movement. So then I ask, what does it mean to dance?

FUNDAMENTALS IN DANCING

5 STEPS TO THE FUNDAMENTALS IN DANCING:-

1.  Learn the basic rhythm of your dance style and learn to move to it. Getting your feet and arms used to the movements with the rhythm is actually the most basic aspect of any dance.

2. Get used to moving your arms. If you watch yourself in the mirror, you might notice that an absolute lack of arm movement looks unnatural. So once your feet have the beat, get your arms working!

3. Watch your kicks. Practicing this in front of a mirror can help you reduce your movements and to learn to kick in time with the music. 

4. Ground yourself for turns.Nearly all dance styles include turning and spinning. You need to make sure you find your balance and pick a point of reference for the turn. 

5. Be confident.You will make mistakes, and yes, you probably will look silly when you start, but you have to learn to commit to your movements. Confidence is everything, even when you’re not sure of the steps! 

PERCUSSIVE MOVEMENTS

Math in you feet!!

Percussive dance is a highly rhythmic and musical dance form that relies on precise execution of foot-based dance patterns.

Percussive Movements Explained:-
If you execute a series of slow and connected movements in a fast way, leaving a pause between them, you might achieve a percussive quality... With accents at the end of percussive movement.

At Mimi-Metamorphosis Dance Theatre we teach an intense programme which is taught by the school's Director; Michelle Lewis (Mimi) who is a certified UK percussive dancer. The name of the programme is 'MATH IN YOUR FEET': this dance requires immense concentration in understanding and responding to each beat of the instruments of the music

CAPOEIRA

Capoeira is a Brazilian Martial Art that combines elements of dance, music and acrobatics and is sometimes referred to as a game. It was developed in Brazil mainly by West African descendants with native Brazilian influences.
It is known for quick and complex moves, using mainly power and speed. There is a wide variety of spins, kicks involved in this dance.

**See our capoeiristas/dance instructor at the end of this video!

The in-house dance lecturers at Mimi-Metamorphosis Dance Theatre do not teach this type of dance. However, a highly qualified Brazilian Capoeira guest instructor teaches this dance at the Dance Theatre. These classes are held on a Friday from 7pm to 10pm.

All interested persons are asked to contact Mimi-Metamorphosis Dance Theatre for more details.

BODY CONDITIONING

Body conditioning is the practice of physical exercise to promote better health conditions in a human being. This conditioning can be performed to obtain better fitness goals. Body conditioning may also be used for rehabilitation purposes after an injury.

At Metamorphosis Dance Theatre we offer multiple training programs to promote body conditioning. Each program is designed to support specific fitness aspirations. These include running, biking, swimming, contact sports, weight training, aerobic activities etc. 

Interested persons please contact for more info!

PACHANGA

Pachanga is a genre of music which is described as a mixture of son montuno and merengue. This type of music has a festive, lively style and is marked by jocular, mischievous lyrics. The name came about to describe the genre in Cuba in 1959. Pachanga is also a Cuban dance style. It is danced to the downbeat of four-four time to the usual mambo offbeat music characterized by the charanga instrumentation of flutes, violins and drums.

At Mimi-Metamorphosis Dance Theatre we incorporate Pachanga into our list of dances taught at workshops only. Our next workshop will be held in January 2016. We are presently enrolling interested persons.

After seeing the dance videos, how many of you all are willing to attempt this dance?