Amanda (was Aziyade)
Well-known member
I think the ability to be a strong self taught dancer largely depends on how critical ones eye is and how they can spot their own mistakes and figure out how to correct them. I also think thanks to things like Youtube we are at an advantage since we can see professional level performance whenever we want if you know what to look for. Inspiration is incredibly important.
Man you hit the nail on the head with that one.
It is VERY rare for a -- let's call them "not formally trained" student to have the ability to self-critique and actually view her own ability with the eye of an instructor or professional.
In my experience, it breaks down to about 90% who think they are infinitely better than they really are, 5% who think they are WORSE than they really are, 3% who simply can't tell, and less than 2% who are actually have the full or partial ability of judging their own skills accurately.
A good teacher will help the student learn to self-correct and self-critique. A good teacher will help the student analyze performance and practice video and see her performance as the AUDIENCE sees it, instead of how she sees it in her own head.
There are a lot of us who are "self-taught" after a point. I teach the only "advanced" classes in my area. So who do I take class with? I take private lessons and attend regular workshops, but who do I "study with?" Well, basically I "study" all the material I've learned in the last decade -- from workshops, regular and private instructors, DVDs, performance videos, etc.
But the years of regular weekly classes and monthly private lessons ALLOW me to be self-taught this way. In those classes I learned how to analyze my own abilities, and critique myself. I learned how to make the most of my workshop notes and dvds. I learned how to really listen to the music and let it guide me. I learned where my education had gaps, and I'm working to fill in those gaps now.
The problem with too many solely self-taught dancers is this:
They don't know what it is they don't know.
Which is why we end up with people dancing completely against the music, or doing completely inappropriate things, or creating WTFusion pieces, or having no clue what this dance really is.
It's certainly one thing to bop around your house or the night club without any formal training. That kind of thing is fine -- it's what I do with guitar. (I have no interest in learning to play guitar any better than simply being able to play some CCR songs.) But I would NEVER ask a true guitar player to sit through one of my "performances" and I would NEVER attempt to teach it. I am not a serious musician, and I would never describe myself as such (at least for guitar.)
If you love something and want to go beyond the stage of "sitting in your living room playing Bad Moon Rising," then there is no excuse for not taking classes with an instructor who can actually make you a better "self-learner" down the road.