Staying in Time With the Music--Is it really worth the effort?
"You will find it is necessary to let things go, simply for the reason that they are too heavy." —Corrie ten Boom
We do this all the time as dancers. Something offers a challenge that doesn't inspire us or matter to us. Timing, rhythm, phrasing to and with the music is sometimes just too difficult to handle for people who are not necessarily musical. Some people can disregard the timing all the time or some of the time because it is secondary to the activity of moving through space with the partner. For some people, who are not very physical, keeping a frame is just too difficult, so they do the best they can with a soft frame. Sometimes one partner can make up for what is lacking in the other partner. That's part of why student dancers sometimes prefer to dance with a professional dancer. The pro can usually make up for some of the deficiencies.
A couple used to come for lessons. They loved the elegance of the outfits, the complexity of the open routines, the excitement of traveling to events. What they were not good at doing was staying in time with the music. So they made a decision, conscious or not, to disregard its importance. So they had fun, got dressed up and spruced up, remembered the moves and went places to compete. Sometimes, they were in time with the music. I felt they needed to work on their timing, but I realize now, that it can be secondary when it's just too heavy a burden and when the reward doesn't seem that important.
I have seen some couples do just fine and actually WIN events in which they disregarded the music. You can get away with that when you baffle the judges with gorgeous choreography and expensive costumes and professional ballroom dancing grooming and there are five or six other couples filling the floor.. BUT you will not hide a timing deficiency if you are being judged virtually. It's too easy for the judges to see exactly what you are doing and when you are doing it. Plus, if they are like me, they will probably go back and re-watch your video a couple more times.
We do this all the time as dancers. Something offers a challenge that doesn't inspire us or matter to us. Timing, rhythm, phrasing to and with the music is sometimes just too difficult to handle for people who are not necessarily musical. Some people can disregard the timing all the time or some of the time because it is secondary to the activity of moving through space with the partner. For some people, who are not very physical, keeping a frame is just too difficult, so they do the best they can with a soft frame. Sometimes one partner can make up for what is lacking in the other partner. That's part of why student dancers sometimes prefer to dance with a professional dancer. The pro can usually make up for some of the deficiencies.
A couple used to come for lessons. They loved the elegance of the outfits, the complexity of the open routines, the excitement of traveling to events. What they were not good at doing was staying in time with the music. So they made a decision, conscious or not, to disregard its importance. So they had fun, got dressed up and spruced up, remembered the moves and went places to compete. Sometimes, they were in time with the music. I felt they needed to work on their timing, but I realize now, that it can be secondary when it's just too heavy a burden and when the reward doesn't seem that important.
I have seen some couples do just fine and actually WIN events in which they disregarded the music. You can get away with that when you baffle the judges with gorgeous choreography and expensive costumes and professional ballroom dancing grooming and there are five or six other couples filling the floor.. BUT you will not hide a timing deficiency if you are being judged virtually. It's too easy for the judges to see exactly what you are doing and when you are doing it. Plus, if they are like me, they will probably go back and re-watch your video a couple more times.