|
E-mail this to a friend | Printer-friendly version
Briana MacKay stands alone in the centre of her living room, curtains drawn, arms outstretched as if entreating the gods. Then her hips start to sway, her feet moving forward and back across the worn rug. Is she engaged in some private fantasy? Practising a new variety of religious intervention? No. She's learning to dance — the salsa, to be specific. And her computer is her teacher.
Online dance lessons are one of many seemingly paradoxical applications of cyber science. There's no teacher, no travel time, no partner and no (or little) cost and for fans of online dance sites, those are precisely the characteristics that make them great.
Practise at home — anytime
Wannabe-dancers are loving it. "We get up to 6.5 million hits each month," says Jonathan Atkinson, a ballroom dance instructor based in Los Angeles, who founded Ballroom Dancers.com about nine years ago. "I still think there's nothing as good as a private lesson, but this is ideal for people already taking lessons who want to practise at home and for anyone who wants to gain a little knowledge before committing to the cost and time of lessons."
Most online dance sites use computer animation, video clips or both. To view the online demonstrations, you'll need software such as Windows Media Player, realPlayer or QuickTime.
Dance the foxtrot or the samba
The amount of knowledge to be gained from online lessons is immense. Sites like Ballroom Dancers.com, Dancetv.com and bustamove walk novices through the basic choreography of, well, you name it: the waltz, foxtrot, swing, hip hop, as well as the exotic Latin moves of salsa, cha cha and even samba.
We put some online dance sites to the test by asking MacKay to bust a few moves online. Here are her, and Atkinson's, tips on how to best use these sites.
Begin with purpose
Because the possibilities are almost endless, it helps to have an idea of the sort of dance you'd like to learn. If you're going to a wedding, click on the waltz link at Ballroom Dancers.com or head to bustamove, which has a section devoted to wedding dances. Does your teen want to learn new steps for the prom? Let him or her learn with you in the privacy of your home.
Make sure you can hear the music
Some sites play music with the lessons, while others will recommend accompanying tracks. If your site doesn't offer music, have some cued up before you start. Windows Media Player can play in the background on your computer while you are viewing the dance lessons. Simply copy your favourite salsa songs into a playlist and have them at hand when you want to practise.
"One of the advantages of online instruction is you can play whatever music you like," says MacKay. "But staying on the beat is really important so have it ready. You don't want to have to be running back and forth to the stereo." That said, Atkinson notes that it can be very difficult to synchronize the music to the steps in the lesson so you may want to opt for a music-enhanced site.
Involve a friend
"Most dance forms are intended for couples, so I felt a little silly practising alone," admits MacKay. "It's helpful to have a dance buddy."
Make use of the extra features contained on the sites
Many dance sites offer message boards, dance dictionaries and even partner searches for when you're ready to stop going it alone.
Get on the dance floor
"Dance is essentially a social activity," says MacKay. "I think the privacy of your own home is a great place to start, particularly if you're shy or insecure about your abilities. But online lessons aren't ultimately successful if they don't get you out on the floor."
Updated October 2006
E-mail this to a friend | Printer-friendly version
Writer, Liza Finlay
Back to top
|
