So many times you must have heard people say, “dance like nobody’s watching” and chances are that you must have already tried this technique yourself. But I’ve also noticed that people who propagate and practise this mantra are the ones who are already good dancers.
It’s easy to dance like nobody’s watching when people actually enjoy watching you dance. It’s like those calendar girls who say, “the human body is a work of an art and showing it off is fine”. Again, it doesn’t take much to be comfortable in a swimsuit or even less, if you are on the cover of Vogue. But what happens to those who are not blessed with great shapes?
Speaking about dancing, in most clubs, there is always a set of people dancing and a set of people watching the dancers do their thing, which effectively means ignoring the stares and focussing on their respective steps and partners. The majority tend to focus more on themselves, trying to compare their dancing styles to others around them and looking to copy some new moves. And all this while they are solely concerned about their image in the minds of the onlookers.
As a dancer, I learnt right from the start that while I am performing, there is someone in the audience telling himself, “I could do that better”. But one must also remember that as against that one guy, there are a hundred others who are saying, “I wish I could do that”.
The more energy you spend in worrying about others’ opinions, the less focussed you will be on your performance. I soon learned to ignore the negative comments and tell myself, “So he thinks he can do this better, but then he is sitting in the audience. I have been asked to perform, not him. So I must be doing something great”.
Also, aspiring dancers must toughen themselves by forcing themselves to come out of their comfort zones. Over time, you’ll realise that other people don’t think as much about you as your paranoid self fears they do. One needs to go through all kinds of experiences to hone their skills. A few embarrassing situations over different phases of learning is important for the betterment of your dancing skills. A work in progress effectively means that some days will be better than others.
But nothing beats the experience of being in the arena, rather than just being a member of the audience. So try to worry less about what others think of you, especially those who don’t know the real “you”. Just practise like nobody’s watching and give yourself the mental freedom to occasionally look like an idiot.
You can also try practicing steps while standing in a queue or try a travelling step while walking on the road with friends. The idea is not to practice but to make yourself bolder than before by forcing yourself to ignore the critical glances around you and just concentrate on improving your technique. Always remember that 99 per cent of these people can’t do what you can. And if you are in a class, then shift positions to a place closer to the instructor where most people can watch you. And if you fail once, practise until you get it right. The experience will toughen you and make you a better dancer.
I know that ignoring other’s glances is not always easy, especially when you are in the process of learning a step that is not fully refined. But try to do it anyway, because that’s the only way you will be able to “dance like nobody’s watching”.
At the end of the day, you just need to completely immerse in the thought of dancing and not be subjected to the consciousness within your mind. Just lose yourself and soak in that spirit of dance. It’s a beautiful feeling to be in that world.