popn' cherries

If you can hear the beats of “Smooth Criminal” by Michael Jackson in this song “The Way I Am” by Charlie Puth, then you get an idea of how I hear and dance to music.

Unlike most, I hear the drop of a beat FAR before I ever hear the lyrics. I can say I love a song, listen to it a thousand times, and never even hear the actual words! Nuts, right? Ask me to recite a song and sing along with you and, yes, better believe I will belt out like an idiot. But, more than likely, the words will be ALL wrong.

Although, listen to music with me and I’ll get you to raise your eyebrow and blow your mind with how I pinpoint various levels of tempo, pulse, rhythm, and beats deeply rooted within a song. You’ll find that I ask, “did you hear that transition”, “can you hear the next song the DJ is mixing in”, “doesn’t the melody sound like it was inspired by the 50’s”. If you hang around me enough, you’ll probably experience my A.D.D. in mid-conversation, distracted by music. Often, lost in a trance, deciphering tone, type of instrument, upbeat, downbeat, flow, the use of computerized mixes, live bands, etc. It’s these intricacies and hidden subtleties of music that define how my body interprets dance. Truth is, I fall deep and have mad respect for the under appreciated beat maker, modern day composer, and mastery of a talented music producer. Often, we give praise to the singer alone and fail to acknowledge the others involved in the entire production of the song.

Have you heard of the saying “She marches to the beat of her own drums”? Literally me. I hear the “drums” during moments of complete silence. Especially in dance, when the song intentionally breaks into a sudden muteness for seconds before the next verse starts. You’re left on the dance floor challenged to keep going, to keep dancing. To me, there is such gratification in working through that silent rhythm. Relying on memory, improvisation, timing, and concentration to get you through the next set of 8-counts without music. And let’s be real. When you hit it just right, make it to the other side – on beat and on point, that kind of high can take me higher than any kush ever could do.

Out of all the challenges I’ve overcome through this forever learning dance journey, one still remains progressively turtle-y slow. It’s the challenge of instructors who teach by lyrics instead of counts. Shoot, I even prefer sound effects “boom-kack”, “ka-ka-ka”, “uh-tish”, “uh uh uh uh” than words. At least with those, I feel the rhythm. The struggle is real though. When I hear a good beat, I especially tune out the words. I’ll be vibin’ so hard to the beat but then later realize it doesn’t make any sense because my moves don’t match up to the words of the song. So far, that’s my Achilles heel.

The journey.

As an addict of growth, I’ve been contemplating where I should next invest my time and energy in dance. Sure, I can continue trying different styles like ballet, jazz, contemporary, afro, dancehall, ballroom, etc. Actually this really excites me and it’s easily a no-brainer yes decision. But instead, I’ve decided to work on what I tend to shy away from, my weakness. The goal is to strengthen it. My new venture is about becoming comfortable with the uncomfortable. Focusing not necessarily on different styles of dance but pushing the limits of my own learning behaviors. I want my body to be able to speak using the gift of music and the power of dance. During times when writing or speaking are not enough, I want to use dance as a medium to express everything raw that I am feeling inside and let it all out. A release. I want to learn how to digest various forms of instruction and interpret dance and choreography through the entire range of music – lyrics, beats, love, and all.

What inspires you to dance? When you hear music, does your body automatically move based on beats, lyrics, or both? What uphill battles are you working through, related or unrelated to dance? Share your tips on how you are overcoming your own challenges.

Excited to share this next journey with you, dance friends. ❤

“The Body Says What Words Cannot.” – Martha Graham

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