How Detail-Oriented Dancers Approach Learning Differently
You’ve probably heard that being detail-oriented is an essential skill for high-level dancers. But what exactly does that mean and how can you cultivate attention to detail in your dancing?
Simply put, a detail-oriented dancer pays close attention to all of the little things. Every step is meticulously planned out - there are no “throw-away” moments. This type of dancer understands that just as there are no small roles in a performance, there are no small steps in choreography - they are all equally important in their own way.
For some dancers, this type of precision comes naturally. But even if attention to detail isn’t an innate quality, it is one you can develop. Here’s some insight into how detail-oriented dancers approach the learning process and how you can incorporate it into your dancing:
They have a tenacious focus
To pick up on all the small details, you have to have an eagle-eye focus. While it may be impossible to pick up on every small nuance the first time around, each time a choreographer or instructor shows the combination you will notice something new.
Some dancers assume that once they have the basic steps, they don’t need to keep watching as closely. They go stretch in the corner or go back to drilling their pirouettes. This is like writing a paper and immediately turning it in without doing any proofreading. Sure, you may have a solid start but it’s just a rough draft. To get to the final manuscript, you need to double and triple-check your work to make sure there’s nothing you’re missing.
It’s the same with learning choreography. The first time you’re just getting the general body of the work, the bread and butter of the steps and timing. But with each subsequent viewing, you will pick up on more details. You’ll begin to notice the subtle turns of the head, the focus of the eyes, the specificity of the fingertips. All of these things add up to give you a deeper richness of movement that can only come when you stay sharp and dive deep into the steps.
They pay attention to transitions
When you’re learning choreography or a combination, it is common to fixate on the exciting parts. The pirouettes, the saut de chats, the grand battements - aka the big, crowd-pleasing moments. Good dancers execute these steps well - great dancers are made in the transitions. From the very moment you present your foot onto the stage from the wings, nothing can be taken for granted.
When I’m teaching or judging competitions, I find that the corrections I give more often than not have to do with the transitions. Are your legs straight in the air on your chassé? Are you stepping onto a turned-out supporting leg in your piqué? Are you rolling through your foot to come off of pointe? These are the moments that we tend to think of as pass-through moments - just a step on the way to something bigger and better.
But just as the beauty of life lies in the journey, the beauty of dancing lies in the transitions. As John Wooden, former NCAA basketball coach, said: "It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen." The next time you learn a combination, pay special attention to how each step connects and you’ll notice that not only are the transitions smoother, but the big moments are more spectacular as well.
They have an ear for music
In my experience, the Venn diagram of dancers who are detail-oriented and musical is pretty much a circle. To pick up on all the intricacies in choreography, you have to have a thorough understanding of the musical timing. Just as in transitions, it’s not always about what’s happening on the 5, 6, 7, and 8. What’s happening on the ‘and, uh’ leading up to the count is just as important.
Whether the choreography is jam-packed with a step on every in-between count or understated with one simple step taking 8-counts, the intention is the same. Something is happening on every count, even if you are standing still. By understanding exactly how long you have for the current step and where you need to be next, you can time your movement with precision & confidence. Musical dancers have a magnetizing quality that draws the audience in, and it comes from finding clarity in the counts and developing a true connection to the music.
They notice nuances in the port de bras
I often observe dancers hyper-focused on what their legs are doing, much to the dismay of their upper bodies. The port de bras is considered an afterthought as opposed to an essential part of the choreography. Detail-oriented dancers pay attention not only to the ending position of the arms but to the pathway as well. When an arm arrives in 5th, does it get there by coming up the side through second position or passing through the middle in first? Do the arms come in quickly on this piqué turn or linger slightly in allongé?
These are the small details that give your dancing clarity, especially when a member of the corps de ballet. Every dancer has to move as one from the tips of their toes through the top of their head. A Director simply does not have the time to clean up every single arm movement in a ballet - a dancer who is self-aware and notices how the arms move through space to achieve the final picture will become a valuable asset in any professional environment.
They pick up on patterns
It is no small feat to pick up on every detail in a piece of choreography or combination. If you try to break down every single step individually, it would take you ages - a luxury we typically do not have in the dance world. Dancers who have a keen eye for patterns (a repeated phrase or set of steps) can accurately pick up choreography much more quickly and accurately than their peers.
Instead of resetting their brain each time they learn something new, they can easily make associations with previous choreography and use it to their advantage. Sometimes patterns are obvious, but not always. The choreographer might take something they used earlier and translate it into floor work or reverse it. When you begin to notice how phrases are interconnected, your brain can translate what it already knows to a new place and time with less effort. This gives you the ability to focus your attention solely on any new information being given and process it with precision.
They ask specific questions
Detail-oriented dancers know they can’t perform choreography accurately unless they have complete clarity on the steps. Many times, this can be gained just by utilizing the eagle eye focus we talked about earlier. But if they are still not getting the answer needed, they understand that there is a right way to pose their question. They wait until the choreographer has finished showing the entire combination and gone through any specific notes. They listen to all the other questions being asked to be sure they’re not repeating any before raising their hand.
I always know when a dancer has been paying especially close attention because they ask a question about the combination I have not even thought about yet, and thus have probably not been showing very clearly. This shows that they have taken the time and focus to pick up on what has been given to them and are ready to take it a step further to truly command the choreography.
It is important to note that there is a fine line between being detail-oriented and perfectionistic. If you find yourself unable to enjoy performing, obsessing over every step, and beating yourself up over any mistake, you have crossed the line. You are expecting perfection of yourself and not only is it unrealistic, it is ultimately detrimental to your dancing.
A detail-oriented dancer strives to achieve a high quality of work by staying focused, noticing small details, and continually working to add another layer of mastery to the choreography. They understand, however, that a mistake doesn’t equate to failure. It is an opportunity to come back to the drawing board, reassess, and move forward. Being detail-oriented is a tool that should ultimately set you free. When you can understand the intricacies of choreography so well that they become a part of your body, you open yourself up to entering the stage with the confidence to enjoy every moment and just DANCE.
Meet the Author
Caitlin Sloan is a Dance Educator and Career Mentor based in Madison, WI.
Caitlin received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Grand Valley State University and Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Missouri.
She danced professionally for nine years with companies including Ballet Tucson and Missouri Contemporary Ballet (now Mareck Dance). Caitlin has taught at schools all over the Midwest, most notably serving as Director of The School of Missouri Contemporary Ballet and Youth Company Director for Central Indiana Dance Ensemble. She is currently on faculty at the School of Madison Ballet.
Caitlin founded The Brainy Ballerina® in 2019, a virtual resource providing support and guidance for aspiring ballet dancers. Follow @thebrainyballerina on Instagram for your daily dose of dance career guidance and inspiration.
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