Yes

by Annika Morgan

Created on: April 13, 2010

Dancing is about being comfortable in your body, the confidence to express yourself, and then, after that point, training in formal steps. Of course a 'klutz' can learn to dance! In dance training, before any complicated move is taught, the fundamentals are learned - small steps, positions, and then building upon that knowledge. In a far more casual sense, out there on the dance floor, it begins with you being at ease with yourself.

On a technical level, dance is series of movements performed to complement music. It is also very much a form of expression, of storytelling. The art of dance, and the perception of what is considered to be 'correct', shouldn't belie the fact that it is an art made up of human movements and physical expression. The term 'klutz' already begins to imply a lack of coordination, but there is a level of self-esteem that comes into play as well - how familiar the individual is with the movements and capabilities of their own body.

You can bop along to the music in the privacy of your own room, sensing the rhythm - the beginnings of dance. What is more commonly known as 'dance' is considered a communal, shared movement; which is probably where notions of clumsiness and klutziness begin. Self-consciousness, the cautiousness arising from not wanting to look foolish in front of a partner or group, can feel paralysing to the point where one stumbles - but the physical form is wonderfully interconnected, and through awarenessown movements and the music, one can start to sense time and move accordingly. Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire? They too, like all dance students, began their tap and dance classes through focusing their movements according to the beat.

Out on the dance floor casual dancing is about letting go and having fun, and increased confidence in your own movements helps hone your abilities. Qualified dance instructors can guide that physical self-knowledge and hone it into the proper steps that fit into various forms of 'dance' that we all know so well. The main elements from turning from a 'klutz' to a 'dancer' is self-confidence, and the willingness to learn and refine your skills.

Whilst the term dancing might bring to mind images of couples and tango or ballet or the challenges of 'So You Think You Can Dance' - the key step is to be comfortable in your own skin, and the commitment to take that first step - preferably to the rhythm.

Learn more about this author, Annika Morgan.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.