Remembering Choreography
Your teacher quickly demonstrates a combination while rattling off a bunch of instructions, sprinkled with quite a few French terms. Then says, "Ok, let's begin! And preparation..."
And you think, "Yikes! Wait! What? How'm I supposed to remember all that?"
Trust me, you're definitely not alone! Everyone struggles to remember their class combinations and choreography -- even professional dancers. Julie, at Ballet for Grownups, has a nice video with tips for remembering choreography and combinations:
And here some of my favorite tricks for learning and remembering choreography:
- Figure Out How You Learn Best: Some people learn by watching. Some learn by doing. Some learn by a mixture of both. If only watching the teacher doesn't work for you, try doing the movements, or "marking" them (see the next tip), as they are explained. This is perfectly acceptable in ballet class.
- Mark It: Moving your body to the instructions, as the teacher explains them, (a.k.a. "marking") is a great learning tool, because it activates the muscles and neural pathways entailed in those movements. When marking a combination, you're mimicking the movements with minimal effort, not doing them "full out." Your focus is just on learning the movement series, not on doing them perfectly.
You can mark with your legs, but you can also just use your arms and hands to mimic what your legs and feet will do. You may see your teacher do this when demonstrating combinations; it is a strategy for saving energy and also not over-working one side of the body. - Find Patterns: Ballet class combinations are usually not totally random. There is almost always a repeating pattern that you'll be able to recognize.
For example, if the teacher shows a series of movements and says to do it "en croix" (i.e. in the shape of a cross), that means you will do the movements 4 times -- once to the front, then to the side, then to the back, then to the side again. Sometimes, the combinations to the front and back may differ slightly from the combination the side; that is a pattern too! A combination may also begin with the working leg in front, then end with the working leg in back, then repeat in its entirety but starting from the back; there is another pattern!
Once you find the patterns, you can think of each pattern as one thing that you do multiple times, rather than thinking of the whole combination as lot of things that you do only once. - Compartmentalize: Often, a particular combination can be broken down into different parts. For example, a combination may begin with some leg movements (e.g. tendus, degages or rond de jambs); then there might be something in the middle that works the upper body (e.g. cambre/port de bras); then the combination might return to the original series of leg movements, but possibly with a slight variation.
Thinking of each of these parts as separate from each other may make them easier to remember. Once you finish with the first part, you can put it behind you, mentally, and move on to the next part. - Connect the Movements: In ballet, certain movements frequently go together and are almost always connected in a series. For example, a rond de jamb begins with a tendu, then the leg circles, then it either closes in back or sweeps through first position returning to the original tendu position. Another example is pas de bourre: these often begin with a tendu or degage to the side, followed by a coupe (the working foot points behind the standing ankle), followed by three alternating steps to the side, and finishing with a demi-plie in 5th position.
As you progress in ballet, your body will learn these connected movements and they will start to come naturally, without you having to think of each individual element. While you're still beginning, however, look for these connected movements and rehearse them over and over, until they start to feel like a single movement. - Break It Down: Ballet movements never involve just one part of your body. Your legs, arms, and even your head, are all coordinating together in each movement. But trying to manage all those body parts at once, can be daunting. So don't!
When the teacher is showing you a new combination, and it seems like too much to manage, start by focusing on just the legs and feet. Get that part down first. It's perfectly acceptable to keep your arm in 2nd position, or to rest your hand on your hip, while you're mastering the leg movements. Later, when you're ready for more, add in the arm movements. Lastly, once you've got the legs and arms down, add in any appropriate head movements.
This "break it down" tip can also be used with movement patterns. If you're having difficulty remembering a particular part of a combination, do just that part over and over several times, in succession. Then combine it with the larger combination. - Look for The "Rules:" Ballet has many elements that can be considered "rules" -- things that are done the same way most of the time. Once you become familiar with these rules, they will come naturally. One example is the way arm positions coordinate with leg movements at the barre; leg movements to the front often coordinate with arms in 1st or 5th position; leg movements to the side often coordinate with arms in 2nd position; leg movements to the back often coordinate with arms in arabesque or 5th position. Another example is where your feet close (front or back) when doing a series of leg movements to the side; if the leg movements are odd in number, your closure position changes every time; if the leg movements are even in number, you don't change your closure position the first time, but you change every time thereafter.
Your teacher may point out these rules during class, or you may just come to notice them on your own. Try to commit these to memory, but keep in mind that there can always be exceptions. If you're curious about whether there is a particular "rule" you can follow, ask your teacher. - Think Ahead: While you're doing a combination, it's easy to get engrossed in an individual movement and forget what comes next. To avoid this, try to stay mentally ahead of what your body is doing. It's definitely a learned skill that is challenging at first, but it gets easier with practice.
As you're working through each combination, try to keep your focus on what your next step or movement will be. Not only does this help you remember the movements in succession, it facilitates the flow of your movements into one another and helps your overall balance, because it primes your body for any upcoming weight changes. - Cheat of Someone Else: It might not be OK in academic studies, but "cheating" or following the example of another student is "standard operating procedure" in ballet class. While you should always strive to be self-reliant in remembering choreography and combinations, it is perfectly OK to look around the room and find another student to follow, if you're uncertain about a combination, or if you've suddenly forgotten where you are.
- Use Visualization: Visualization or mental rehearsal is a technique used by both dancers and athletes to improve their performance and skill. Studies have shown that when you mentally rehearse body movements, it activates the same neural pathways in your brain and body, as would be activated while you're actually doing the movement.
While you're away from ballet class and have some down time, take a few minutes to close your eyes and visualize some of the individual movements you did in class. Even if you can't remember the exact combinations, visualize yourself doing those that you can remember. This will help the movements become more familiar, which can free up some of your attention-energy for the next time you're in class. - Ask for Clarification: If you just don't understand part of a combination, ask your teacher to clarify. If you're having trouble mastering a particular aspect of a movement, ask your teacher for tips. Chances are, you're not the only one in class with the question or issue. Your teacher should be happy to help you better understand.
- Give It Time: Ballet never gets easier; you just get better at it. But it takes time. As particular steps and movements become more familiar, they will become more automatic and just "flow" out of you. That's where the magic happens!