Symmetry in dancing, yes or no?

[Amulya]

I mean in a choreography (but it counts for improvisation as well), do you prefer to see more symmetry or less symmetry? For example if a dancer does 3 hip drops on the left, does a few steps, music repeats, do you expect 3 more hip drops at the right next? Or would you prefer to see no symmetry at all?

Sometimes I see choreographies where there is no symmetry at all and it really annoys me. It is nice to see surprises, so too much symmetry would make things boring because you know what to expect. But no symmetry at all seems really weird to me.

 

[Amanda (was Aziyade)]

If the music has obvious symmetry, then I expect a KIND of symmetry (like round movements or something), but certainly not an equal amount of this or that on each side.

For class choreographies that aren't meant to be performed, but only used for practice, symmetry is needed to balance out the practice, but I hate the "4 of this now 4 of that" stuff you see in some choreographies.

 

[jenc]

I notice too much symmetry. Have never noticed too little - and am finding that thought -provoking. will have to look out for it. it is possible that I have thought too flashy, or too busy though for the same thing

 

[RayaDancer]

i'm OCD with symmetry... in everything! the way i hang my pictures, the way i put my throw pillows on the couch... its ridiculous!
The problem with it in dance is it gets sooooo boring! and i do it, entirely too much! in improv especially, i bore myself with the symmetry factor. i use it to buy time to think of what to do next but it makes the dance too predictable.
not that im against it all the time, but sometimes its good to mix it up and maintain that element of surprise.

 

[Greek Bonfire]

I like symmetry but nothing too predictable. It's fun to see surprises too.

 

[AndreaSTL]

I don't like it when it becomes predictable as Aziyade mentioned. I don't want to be able to know what's coming because everything is done by fours. I don't mind symmetry as much when it comes to combinations. If a series of, say, seven moves is all done on the right then go ahead and do that same series on the left.

 

[teela]

I think most of us tend to like doing the symmetrical dance because it fits in better with what we raised with. Most western music is symmetrical. I know I fall into that pattern naturally due to my musical training. I have to work to not be so symmetrical. I like watching dancing that does not look symmetrical but really is. The symmetry is based around 24 or 32 counts not 4 or 8.

 

[Yame]

Symmetry is very important in class and practice, but when it comes to performance I am only okay with obviously symmetrical pieces if they are coming from beginners.

Symmetry in performance makes the dance too predictable and boring. But I also don't want to see a performance that is SO assymetrical the dancer only moves in one direction and only uses one side of their hip the entire time and it's so obvious which is their stronger side (unless the dancer is injured).

 

[Imeera]

I agree with Yame, though some symmetry is okay too much is boring. I recently learnt a choreography in a workshop and moves were repeated over and over, to watch it wasn't very innovative, however to dance it was better for me (and the other ladies in the class) as a beginner as it was simple and easy to follow, so it made it fun which is great. However, if I was creating a performance for the public or contest, I wouldn't use much symmetry, I would probably use part symmetry most like a hip drop then hip drop and kick on the other side if I was to use any.

 

[Kashmir]

I mean in a choreography (but it counts for improvisation as well), do you prefer to see more symmetry or less symmetry? For example if a dancer does 3 hip drops on the left, does a few steps, music repeats, do you expect 3 more hip drops at the right next? Or would you prefer to see no symmetry at all?

I really hate 3 hip drops on the left, blah blah, 3 hip drops on the right. It makes it look mechanical. I'd rather do something like 3 pushes on the repeat or 3 drops with different arms or direction.

The raw symmetry is pretty uncommon in choreography or dance by any pro Egyptian dancer or teacher and I certainly never saw this symmetry in any pre-belly dance dance I did (modern jazz and contemporary).

 

[Amulya]

I agree that it is needed in practice: I easily tend to start using my left side more than my right and I need to balance that. Also when I perform I have to make sure I use the right side equally, as said before it would look like I have an injury or am lopsided. I hate having a dominant side in dancing, I wish I could fix that, but after all those years was never able to

 

[Yame]

I hate having a dominant side in dancing, I wish I could fix that, but after all those years was never able to

Amulya, I think everyone has a dominant side in dancing. At least, every dancer I know does. In some people it's more subtle than others but it's always there. No human being is perfectly symmetrical.

As dancers, we should always aim for the unachievable goal of being equal on both sides while at the same time acknowledging that's never going to happen and not beating ourselves up for it.

It's just that if we don't even try to practice both sides equally, then our dominant side will be SO much more dominant that it'll be obvious even to the casual observer. You'd be surprised at how much lopsidedness can go unnoticed, but if we don't even attempt to even things out then they will only become more uneven.

 

[jenc]

Try learning stuff on your non-dominant side first. I am very left-hand dominant in life. But having learnt in a class of righties and learnt everything right (including cane) I don't have the problem of feeling that my moves are less perfecty on either side.

 

[Shanazel]

I prefer asymmetry in art, whether we're talking interior design or belly dance. I practice on both sides, but thoroughly dislike mirror-image choreography. It seems a bit obsessive-compulsive to me.

 

[Kashmir]

Try learning stuff on your non-dominant side first. I am very left-hand dominant in life. But having learnt in a class of righties and learnt everything right (including cane) I don't have the problem of feeling that my moves are less perfecty on either side.

I try and teach both sides - but that doesn't usually translate into symmetrical choreography - within any one dance.

Wrt learning the non-dominant side first, I'm not sure. A rehab Pilates instructor said that there is evidence that training the dominant side (as defined in Pilates - not necessarily your dominant hand side) can improve the non-dominant side better than training the non-dominant side. I've always meant to look up the actual research but life has got in the way.

 

[Amulya]

Amulya, I think everyone has a dominant side in dancing. At least, every dancer I know does. In some people it's more subtle than others but it's always there. No human being is perfectly symmetrical.

As dancers, we should always aim for the unachievable goal of being equal on both sides while at the same time acknowledging that's never going to happen and not beating ourselves up for it.

It's just that if we don't even try to practice both sides equally, then our dominant side will be SO much more dominant that it'll be obvious even to the casual observer. You'd be surprised at how much lopsidedness can go unnoticed, but if we don't even attempt to even things out then they will only become more uneven.

Yes I believe that too and it would be very unhealthy for the body and I wonder if it wears one side out too much in the long term, like the hip of the leg you stand on most. Not sure if that would happen, but it can't be good for it. I think you can also grow lopsided from it.

I try to use the right side as much as possible. I am right handed and left sided in dance. When I started drawing at the age of 2 I started out left handed, but later changed to the right hand, so maybe I am left handed?

One thing that is a positive of being left sided is that my dancing/choreographies start on the left instead of the right as most dancers do, so it's a good challenge for right sided students