“What happened to the LOVE of dance?” - Gigi Torres
“Something that has been bothering me for a while…it has been talked about…a little bit, but no one really addresses it…
What happened to the love of dance?
Sure we ALL love to dance…we ALL say it’s our passion. But where’s that true quality of it? Our community and industry needs to rekindle that love. It looks like it’s been lost.
Nowadays the community and industry is PACKED with shows, workshops, events, etc. There is an event going on EVERY single weekend whether it be someone holding workshops at a studio or a competition or a show. There are so many events going on that people are overwhelmed with options. TOO MANY options.
Workshops, Conventions, Master Classes: *What is a Workshop? A place to train and learn different styles of teaching, dancing, and a way to work on being a better student. *What is a Convention? The larger scale of a workshop, but also working on the performance value of class because most conventions don’t have mirrors. *What is a Master Class? A Class taught by someone with the knowledge of dance and how to move.
Today…there are so many workshops, conventions, and master classes. It seems that the true value of a “class” is going down. What happened to the excitement of training? Everyone wants to get to be the dancer/choreographer they dream to be SO FAST…that they forget that the process is the BEST part of it.
From the outside, I see people teaching classes for the wrong reasons. Maybe because they need the $ or maybe because the think they will gain respect for putting the dopest 1 e and a’s on that floor or maybe to make a name for themselves when they put themselves on youtube. What happened to the TEACH in TEACHING?Are “teachers” actually teaching you how to dance, how to move, how to live…or are they just teaching counts? Are they teaching and preaching experiences they have gone thru in the community and industry to better their students? Do students leave class saying…”Dang, that changed my life?”
On the other hand, I see students going to class for different reasons than the dancers that took class in my day (I’m not old i think…hah, in my day as of teenager years). There are students only going to class because they see the teachers with certain credits…credits don’t mean they are good teachers. There are students that want to have their face on youtube. There are students that just go because their friends are going. As students, training is MOST necessary when you first start. BASICS! Where are the basics? ELEMENTS? Where are the elements? TRAINING TRAINING TRAINING. Something that the community and industry lacks. We all need to keep training (shoot, i need to get my ass into class again too), but for ourselves…for the love of dance and being a better person.
Shows…what happened to the fun of going to a show and supporting every single aspect of it. So many shows are going on and the value has gone down too. We used to have shows that people prepare for that are just every few months. The hard work of being on a team or company was really brought out through these shows. Now there are so many that people don’t know which one to go to, which on to dance in, etc. Shows are suffering because of the lack of attendance…but it’s because people are overwhelmed with things going on. TV shows…there was been a great deal of dance shows on TV like SYTYCD, ABDC, Superstars of Dance, etc. Dance is something that the general public can see as true entertainment now…which is awesome! I just hope these contestants and the general audience do not forgot the passion in dance and where they come from.
On a more lighter and positive note…the places I travel and teach at. The people I meet along the way. Old friends and new friends. There are those STUDENTS and TEACHERS that inspire me to keep doing what I do. Those ones that are HUUNNGGRRYY to learn and those that YEARN to teach. I love seeing that. It keeps me sane and keeps me inspired. It’s ALL about the cycle of inspiration…gotta keep it going to the generations to come.
Why do we do this? Because we love it. Why do we love it? ……. hmmmm. For every artist out there…dancer, choreographer, director, entertainer, singer, producer, etc etc etc. We ALL need to wake up…and think…of the TRUE REASONS we love to dance. Think about it. Don’t just be a robot and do it. Be a person and LIVE IT.
My advice…you don’t have to follow it…I understand everyone is different and people may have their own way…but here, lemme lay it down:
Remember…QUALITY….find those people and the environment that gives you the best QUALITY of learning, training, teaching, entertaining. Search around for the TRUE VALUE of this community and industry…it will happen soon that we all will realize what’s best for our own self. Take your time…dance will always be here. ENJOY the process of becoming that dancer, choreographer, entertainer, artist. The UPS and the DOWNS…the STRUGGLE and the HIGH POINTS. Take in EVERY single moment.
NOTE TO EVERYONE: This is just my opinion…just wanted to bring up a point. If anyone out there wants to debate…I’m all for it! If you agree…thats cool too….let’s start making a difference :)
NOTE TO SELF: Time to start training again. Being a teacher for so long has stopped my training. AHHHH!! We can never stop training and learning our craft. If we stop…then why are we dancing…move on to a different career/hobby/passion. Who wants to take class? :)” - Gigi Torres
Let me start out by saying that Gigi has been one of the biggest inspirational dancer/choreographer ever since I started my journey in the dance world. Her essence especially as a woman has led me to open up in dance and my life itself. I very much admire her power in which she presents herself to those who she reaches out to. I do believe that most of us dancers just follow the latest “style” or cool tricks that people do now a days. I miss the feeling and the movement of dance. What ever DID happened to the love of dance? Every class that I take, I know my friends ask me why I look so mad? Well honestly, I’m really trying to focus and gain some learning, feeling out what the choreographer is trying to reach out to. That’s what I wanna be able to do some day. Not only just teach a class or piece, but as well as helping out the other to train. As a dancer I’m still growing and will always forever be a student. I will always have the mentaility to keep training but also have the love of my progessing.
Xoxo,
