What is lyrical dance? This is a question asked quite often at Omaha School of Music and Dance! Here are ten things you should know about this relatively new style of dance that we offer at our 144th and Dodge location!
- Lyrical is a mixture of ballet, jazz, and contemporary dance techniques. It is the coming together of ballet with rock, folk, pop, and alternative music. It is a variety of jazz and modern dance styles. Lyrical is usually smoother and a little bit faster than ballet, but not as fast as jazz.
- Lyrical dancing is performed to music that has lyrics that are inspirational to the dancer or choreographer and focuses on the expression of the emotion that song conveys. Because expressiveness is important in this style, it concentrates more on individual approach and expressiveness and not the precision of the move, like ballet and jazz do. The music used is usually emotionally charged and expressive. Lyrical gained its name because the dancers are expressing the lyrics of the song with their movements. It is a very passionate dance style.
- Movements in lyrical are characterized by fluidity and grace. The dancer moves seamlessly from one move to another. There is a constant continuation of movement. Leaps in this style are high and soaring. Turns are fluid and continuous. The moves are intricate and highly technical. Proper placement and bodily alignment are important. However it is not as rigorously demanding as other styles because of the concentration on the individual style. Lyrical covers a large amount of space during one dance.
- Lyrical dance can be traced back to roots in Russia during the first half of the 20th At that time, the Russian method of dancing focused on back strength and fluid arm motions.
- Lyrical started to become closer to the style we know now in the 1970’s. It was known as a style of dance that told a story.
- Lyrical started to reach the height of it’s popularity in the 1990’s, although dance teachers struggled with the idea of teaching this style that was so much like the ones they already were teaching.
- Shows such as Cirque Du Soleil and TV’s So You Think You Can Dance have featured lyrical dancing and have helped to make it more popular with it’s impressive leaps, turns, and acrobatics. This style is also seen in live shows of contemporary music artists, such as Celine Dion.
- A solid beginning in ballet classes will be a huge help when it comes to lyrical dance. These two styles share a lot of the same techniques.
- This style of dance is usually very pleasing to the audience because it a way for the dancer to communicate with them. The audience is able to connect easily with the dancer because of the emotions being expressed.
- Some names to know in the world of lyrical dancing are: Suzi Taylor (the early mother of lyrical dance), Tracie Stanfield (choreographer known around the world), Brian Freidman (has choreographed for many pop stars), Mia Michaels (Cirque Du Soleil and So You Think You Can Dance), Blake McGrath (So You Think You Can Dance), and Dan Karaty (has choreographed for many pop stars).
If lyrical dance sound like something you might be interested in, check out our website and sign up for classes today! https://omahaschoolofmusicanddance.com/lyrical-dance-classes-age-9-omaha-ne/
