First Dance Lesson
What Exactly Is a Highlight?
A highlight is a series of movement that was use when we want to draw attention to a specific moment. This movement should be used only once, maybe twice, to emphasize a particular point in the song. Just like creating a “highlight reel” or using a highlighter in a textbook, this is a standout moment that the audience should remember as one of the most exciting parts!
Our Arms Keep Getting Tangled…
Remember to be gentle with each other when you’re learning this move! Because the follower’s arms have to do a bit of bending behind the back, make sure to keep everyone’s arms flexible. Also, be sure you’re not gripping each other’s hands too tightly. It’s impossible to facilitate any kind of turning if it feels like you’re going to break each other’s wrists when you rotate. Ultimately, go slow, have patience, and don’t give up! If you’re having trouble, take a break, and come back to it at a later moment.
What part of the song should we highlight?
It’s ultimately up to you where you want to add the highlight, but we generally suggest somewhere around 2/3 of the way through the music. Because it’s the most exciting part of the dance, we don’t want to give it away too early in the song! Start the dance, do some fun spins, get the audience interested, and then add the highlight as the climactic moment towards the middle/end!
If that doesn’t feel like quite the right spot, here are some other places to consider:
Does your song have a big moment where the energy gets bigger? (where there’s louder sounds, faster beats, or generally more instruments playing?)
What about a point where the energy diminishes? (quieter, absence of beats, more sensed timing/lyrical?)
Any other special moment that feels important to you?