Drilling

eden eyes

eden eyes

New member
Can someone explain to me EXACTLY what drilling is? It's basically going through a move over and over again until the students dream about it, right?

Also, what would you suggest would be good moves to drill for beginner students that would make them sweat but not chase them away ;) ?

And also, any other tips on drilling would be great!

(even some for me to drill myself:dance::dance: )
 
Kashmir

Kashmir

New member
The physio I sometimes work with says you need to practice a new skill 10,000 to embed it. That's the theory behind drilling. Not just doing it - but being able to do it well - even when tired, even when bored, even when in pain (thank you , Dr Mo).

Many students can do a move well for a minute or so - but lose it after 2 minutes - or 5. Also you need to be able to do variations on a move. Take a basic 4-step (step forward, in place, together, together). Anyone with half a brain gets it in 30 seconds. Can you imagine a group of dancers with an average of 15 years experience doing a basic 4-step for 30 minutes? Can you imagine that many of them would seriously mess it up? I saw both happen (at the same time). Do it - add a quarter turn, now doing it around the circumference of a circle, add arms, remove arm but add a hip shimmy, add a twisting hip shimmy, a shoulder shimmy, a level change, a timing change, cane, an undulation, .... my favourite variation was "basic with bounce, shimmy, shoulder shrug, hip pop on back; cane horizontal circles over head; sitting on head for pop with ¼ turn in 4 directions".

For normal classes I drill hip rocks, slides, twists with emphasis on being tehnically correct and using abs (not leg muscles) to drive them. We start with only a few minutes and extend out. Ditto shiimies - start with 3 minutes work out to 5-6 minutes with weight shifts and layering.

Most important point? Ensure the technique is 100% - otherwise you'll have to unlearn all those neutral path connections.
 
K

Kharis

New member
I use drilling a lot in my workshops. Judging how many to drill at a time, from all the class to singles, is up to the teacher. I only drill people in singles when the class is advanced. Reasons for this is to give them command of the room and for the others to observe and learn. I don't drill beginners in singles for obvious reasons. I find drilling is THE only way to hammer a move home in a relatively short space of time. It enables the repetition of movement necessary for muscle memory to kick in. When the basic move is mastered, I add variations and transitions but only very gradually so as not to over-face the students.
 
eden eyes

eden eyes

New member
wow :shok:

that was a lot of info to take in at one time! but thank you to both of you!! this is excellent. i will admit my students can shimmy for about 15-20 sec before screwing up or getting tired. how often should i drill, every class? (i only teach once a week).

also, what is a good drill combo for beginners, so i can have a goal for them by the end of the semester? i think i will have to drill myself on that horrific drill by Kashmir ;)
 
Kashmir

Kashmir

New member
eden eyes said:
what is a good drill combo for beginners, so i can have a goal for them by the end of the semester? i think i will have to drill myself on that horrific drill by Kashmir ;)
Click to expand...
I sometimes do one which switches from hips rocks, to slides to twists - ie simple two dimensional movements - the goal is to keep them clean and correct for the whole length. To make it a little more interesting they do it 1,2, 3 & 4 on one side then the other then switch to the next move eg hip left, right, left, right left in 1-4 then right, left, right, left, right in 5-6; twist forward , right, left, right left etc.

For a measureable goal, pick a track with an even shimmy - not a drum solo - goal is to shimmy without stop for the whole track. Let people know how far they get before they lose it (and in my class tensing up and doing a vibration is also considered "losing it") - that way they can see if they are improving.

If that is too easy try a layered shimmy eg shimmy over a figure eight for the whole track. Or - change the shimmy - you can do a hip rock shimmy cleanly? - now try a folk (twist) shimmy or an Egyptian ("straight leg" that isn't). Or a shoulder shimmy.
 
da Sage

da Sage

New member
OT, Eden Eyes, could you please explain your location UWF? Are you perhaps into professional wrestling? Curious minds want to know!
 
eden eyes

eden eyes

New member
UWF is Univerisity of West Florida in Pensacola, FL

haha and no i'm not into pro wrestling really lol
 
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