Recording Rehearsals
Recording your practice sessions is one of the best things you can do when working on a trick or routine. Being able to actually see yourself in motion allows you to identify both the good and the bad from start to finish – and not just one key moment (as with photos). Now don’t get me wrong, photos are a great way to document your ability to “HOLD” a new trick or pose, but photos are only one moment in time and they lack two key elements:
1) Your transition into the trick
2) Your transition out of the trick
Your transition into and out of tricks is what makes a routine fluid and seamless. I recommend recording every chance you get. Plus you can still take a photo at the same time or screen capture a photo from the video. And let’s be honest, there’s nothing like seeing yourself in action!
Recording Rehearsals for Events:
When it comes to prepping for a competition or a showcase performance I absolutely recommend that you record your rehearsals. You should always practice your routine on video before your actual performance. It’s not enough to write out combos, perform to the mirror or to visualize the routine. To ensure that you hit your moves and have a memorable performance that conveys the feeling/story/emotion that you image, you actually need to go through the actual dance with your music. Do a real dress rehearsal to see if your routine works from start to finish. You’ll feel more confident knowing how your performance looks from the audience’s point of view.
Why I record my rehearsals:
I’ve been recording my practice sessions for the last few years and I have seen a dramatic improvement in my pole ability and fluidity. I’ve found that I’m able to spot things that I miss when trying to watch myself in the mirror. Plus I am able to share that video footage with others and get valuable feedback.
One thing I’ve noticed is that many of my pole sisters are apprehensive about recording. You have no problem looking at yourself in the mirror when you get dressed, put on make up or just want to see how good you look! So why not record yourself when you’re doing a combo or a dance? Two things that I like to point out is that you don’t have to show the recording to anyone or if you really just don’t like it you can always delete it. While you might not like the video recording it will help you get better and (even if you do delete it) you’ll never regret recording it. It’s simply a learning tool. Regardless of what you might think it’s not all bad. There will be moments and moves that you are just downright proud of and impressed with. Most importantly you’ll always find room for improvement and you’ll be able to more easily identify and incorporate.
How about you? What’s the best performance or rehearsal advice you’ve ever gotten?
