need tips on how to count the beats in dance

[cutiesk8r43]

hey everyone!!!
does anyone have any tips on how to start off counting in a dance? I know how to count it in the dance, but i usually need my coach to start me off,but she wants me to test so i cant really have her on the ice with me :) just wondering if there is some way to help me get started off

Thanx in advanced
~Cutie ;)

[phoenix]

You need to learn how to hear the beats of the music. My suggestion would be to work on it off ice, where you're focusing only on being able to count, without having to think about skating at the same time. If you're not hearing it at all, you probably should work with someone who can guide you. Once you start being able to just sit & count out loud on time with the music, start marching or stepping in time with it (still off ice). Then gradually move it back onto the ice, but just doing very simple stroking on the beats. If you take it in small steps like that, it may help you learn to hear it, and then be able to move in time with the music.

I've wondered about this before; it seems like this is something people are just born with, or not, when it comes to counting music. I definitely think people w/ some music background have a huge advantage, if they took piano or band, or choir as kids. I don't know if it can ever become easy for someone who doesn't naturally have an ear for it. I have seen people improve dramatically though, so if you work at it you can succeed.

[JulieN]

Ask your test chair if you are allowed to provide music for your test. Our test chair allows this. If so, you can have the coach help you pick a piece with a good beat. I find that it is easiest to count if the melody of the music starts on the 1 beat. She can listen to it with you and help you hear something distinct in the music that can be your cue to start counting. Then just listen and count that piece over and over...

Or you can stand still until the melody starts and count from there. Just be careful that you start on the strong beat and not the weak beat.

[Mrs Redboots]

Who puts the music on for your test? Here, often, it will be one of the coaches, so you can practice to one of the six set tunes, and know where to start on that one, and be pretty confident that that is the tune that will be used for your test. Your coach can probably ask whoever is doing the music to use a particular tune.... it's not like in competition, where it's pretty random.

It does get easier - my husband is not at all confident of his ability to hear the beat, but he actually is doing better and better.

[skaternum]

Okay, I'm not being flippant about this: you start counting when the first regular beat begins. Can you hear the beat at all? In my experience, the ability to hear the beat in music isn't something you can really learn. Either you have a sense of rhythm or you don't. I think there are some pieces of music whose beat is harder to "hear" than others, so finding another piece may help, but if you can't hear the beat, I'm not sure changing music will help.

My opinions only. Some of my friends believe you can teach someone to count music. I disagree. Nothing pains me more than a coach forcing a kid to take dance to teach them to hear/count music. Ain't gonna happen, and it just frustrates the student and the coach.

[Mrs Redboots]

I agree that some people simply don't have a natural sense of rhythm, but it can be improved! My husband has very little sense, but he is far better at it than he was a couple of years ago. At that, so am I - I don't have problems hearing the beat, "but your feet don't always do what your mouth is saying!" to quote my coach. And I am not always aware that this is what is happening, or failing to happen - but again, these past three or four months, that has improved!

And there are other very good reasons for beginning skaters to learn at least the basics of dance, no matter how poor their sense of rhythm might be!

[crayonskater]

Do you like pop music? That usually has a beat of four and strong drum taps on two and four. Getting used to hearing and thinking that can help you.

Other than that, if you just need to keep a steady rhythm, you can practice counting to the music; once you know how fast it goes (which you will since you're testing), you can just count that and go.

Ask your coach maybe if she'll let you 'count-in' with her, until you get used to just hearing it.

[doubletoe]

Okay, I'm not being flippant about this: you start counting when the first regular beat begins. Can you hear the beat at all? In my experience, the ability to hear the beat in music isn't something you can really learn. Either you have a sense of rhythm or you don't. I think there are some pieces of music whose beat is harder to "hear" than others, so finding another piece may help, but if you can't hear the beat, I'm not sure changing music will help.

My opinions only. Some of my friends believe you can teach someone to count music. I disagree. Nothing pains me more than a coach forcing a kid to take dance to teach them to hear/count music. Ain't gonna happen, and it just frustrates the student and the coach.

Last month I taught my husband to count time for the first time in his life. He is 50 and has ZERO musical ability. I taught him to listen for the "up" beat, pointing it out to him each time until he was able to hear it on his own. His disbelieving brother asked him to prove it, and when the band played the next song, he did it. So yes, it can be done. :)

[CanAmSk8ter]

How many versions of the music does your club or your coach have for you to use? Sometimes one will be easier or harder to count than some of the others. I played piano, clarinet, and violin before I started skating, and counting music was never a problem for me at the low levels, but for some reason on the American Waltz I had trouble. My coach and I went through all the ISU versions and found two that I have less trouble with, so we use those. Same thing with the Quickstep. It's hard when you go into competition and just have to cross your fingers that you end up with one of your "good" versions, but I've actually found that once you're really solid with one, sometimes the others become more clear.

Edited to add, I second whoever said listening to the music away from the ice. When I was getting ready to compete in dance for the first time, I would listen to the Dutch Waltz on my Walkman every morning on the school bus. One day, you'll probably find yourself counting correctly without realizing it.

[cutiesk8r43]

thx everyone!!
i had a dance lesson today and finally got the beat. it turned out that i was listening to the wrong beat :roll: ,once i figured out which beat it was, i got it!! :D so now with a bit more practice im hoping i will pass the test!
~Cutie ;)

[Mrs Redboots]

thx everyone!!
i had a dance lesson today and finally got the beat. it turned out that i was listening to the wrong beat :roll: ,once i figured out which beat it was, i got it!! :D so now with a bit more practice im hoping i will pass the test!
~Cutie ;)I'm sure you will. And which beat you are listening to is a very vexed question - I am still disagreeing with the judge who marked us down on Sunday for being on the wrong beat..... not that there's anything I can do about it, nor would I, if I could. It just goes to show that judges are only human!

But in test, rather than in competition, they'll give you the benefit of the doubt, and I'm sure you'll do really well on your test.

[singerskates]

hey everyone!!!
does anyone have any tips on how to start off counting in a dance? I know how to count it in the dance, but i usually need my coach to start me off,but she wants me to test so i cant really have her on the ice with me :) just wondering if there is some way to help me get started off

Thanx in advanced
~Cutie ;)

Which dances are you getting ready to test? The Canasta Tango beat feels like and sounds like a heart beat. Listen for it. Not many of the dances use drums to keep time. Edited to add, that each ice dance tune seems to have it's own way of keeping time.

Brigitte

[phoenix]

But in test, rather than in competition, they'll give you the benefit of the doubt, and I'm sure you'll do really well on your test.

Actually there is a mandatory deduction for skating on the weak beat in a test.