Having a teacher to constantly tell you directions during practice is truly a blessing. I didn’t realize that until years after I started learning dance. In the moment, it’s frustrating because all you’re trying to do is remember the next step. But looking back, it was only essential to make you a better dancer.
After I left home for college, I found it difficult to even consider practicing given the college workload and lack of space in my tiny dorm room. When I actually made the time and
found space to practice, I often felt unsure of myself if I was practicing properly. Did I do that pose correctly? Am I bending my knees enough? Where am I supposed to look again?
My practice was basically becoming a waste of time because I was neither improving nor getting worse. I was just stuck somewhere in the middle. Only when I started teaching, I took note of the key elements of what I was having the kids focus on. It wasn't easy for the kids to remember and it reminded me of when I'm in class, getting overwhelmed with all the instructions. I needed some sort of framework to make our sessions more efficient, both for myself and for my dance kids.
So, we came up with the 5 S's - the 5 components that were easy to remember and made practice more efficient.
1. Sit
My dance kids like to mess with me and sit down on the floor in criss-cross-applesauce when I tell them to sit more. But no. Don’t do that. Sit, in this case, refers to bending your knees halfway in aramandi, or half sitting in a perfect diamond shape with your knees facing the walls. Feet should also be turned out and facing the walls. This position should be maintained where it is required and when your thighs are burning to the point of no return, you’re doing it right.
2. Stance
Soushtavam has been defined in the Natyashastra as having back straight, elbow and shoulder aligned, waist and ears aligned, chest out with feet turned out or pointed forward. Stance, in this case, refers to maintaining soushtavam throughout, whether you are sitting in aramandi or standing straight. In short, keep the body tight and aligned.
3. Speed
Never start out practice by trying to go fast. Start slow in first speed and really define all the movements. Pay attention to the step, bends, and eye movements. Once you get a grasp of the first speed and you've perfected each movement, take it to second speed and make sure to address everything you did in first speed. Then third speed and so on. Far too often, I see people trying (and failing) to nail the faster speed without having a solid grasp in the slower speeds. It’s boring and way harder to do it in the slow speed, I know. But if you can’t do first and second speed with precision, then don’t even bother with third.
4. Skill
Skill ties in with speed. But here we want to focus more on the execution of the step. Each step is special in that it has its own defining characteristics. Are you paying attention to the eye movements? Was there an expression that you had to convey? What is your character? Did you watch your hand as it was going back? Yatho hasta thatho drishti?
5. Smize
This is totally from Tyra Banks and I do not take any credit for the term. But the woman is right. You need to 'smile with your eyes' AKA smize. Smiling with your teeth won’t really do anything. Allowing your smile into your eyes is more emphatic and powerful than the toothy smile with lifeless eyes. Next time you’re in front of the mirror, put one hand over your mouth and try enacting the song only with your eyes. Let your eyes do the talking.
These concepts are not only for classical dance but also for any dance form you train in. All styles have some elements of bending the knees, aligned posture, speed, execution and lots of smizing. The key to mastering all the 5 components is taking it step by step and repetition, repetition, repetition. The first repetition focus on sitting, the next round focus on your stance, and so on. Then combine 2 components at a time. Maybe 3? How about all 5? You'll soon find out that, with practice, all of these elements will become a natural part of your dance.
So be honest, are you following the 5 S’s in your practice?
S I T . S T A N C E . S P E E D . S K I L L . S M I Z E
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