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A great musical isn't just focused on hitting all the right notes. There are many different moving parts that all come together to make it a hit, including how well dancing is incorporated by the performers. As you consider dance lessons in Erie, PA, for you or your child, here are some dance styles utilized in musical theater. Ballet You probably cannot think of a time when you've seen ballet being performed on stage or on screen, whether for a musical number or a teen television flick. Or at least, you didn't think that's what you saw. Ballet is really the foundation of Broadway dance, and learning even the basics of this dancing style will allow the performer to learn the controlled grace associated with this style. All the terms used in ballet are French, and these terms will carry over into other styles when working in theater performance dancing, making this experience useful for auditions and future theater training as well. Tap Although tap is used less often in newer musical theater, it is essentially mandatory for performing more classic shows like Singin' in the Rain. Tap dancing utilizes faster movements, but still possesses that sense of poised control seen in ballet. Your feet become a kind of soundboard or rhythm set, and how the metallic-bottomed tap shoes hit the show floor allows that rhythm to be heard. Jazz If you're unsure of the importance of jazz dancing in musical theater, watch one of the numbers from Chicago and you'll immediately see how jazz and theatrical dancing have been blended together to enhance the storytelling of theater. The precision and control that come from experience in dancing ballet and tap can add a great deal to an otherwise merely enthusiastic jazz performance. Ballroom Every now and then, when the mood is right and the on-stage couple is having a moment, ballroom dancing is utilized to emphasize the elegance or romance of a scene. Shows often use partnered ballroom dancing specifically for this purpose. Hip-Hop The use of hip-hop dancing is incredibly common for musical films, while not as much for musical theater. Hamilton has broken that stereotype, certainly, but it's still more likely that a fancy teen television movie will incorporate hip-hop dancing into their choreographed, synchronized group routines for camera. Combat This type of dancing may throw you for a loop, but it's true! Combat-styled dancing was used all the way back in the time of Shakespeare, and it's still incorporated into modern shows. Combat dancing is often based in martial arts training today, but that used to be true instead of fencing and swordplay. This type of specialized training is invaluable—and although shows that incorporate fencing styles often recruit a professional to choreograph and train actors on these scenes, having previous experience makes you far more appealing for such a role. Although all of these dancing styles are used in musical theater, and theater in general, the recommendation for preparing yourself or your child for the theater through dance is pretty simple. Choose to dance at least one style in your dance lessons in Erie, PA. Even if all the training you receive is a touch of tap, it will make all the difference.
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