My instructor has told me I ned to get into the "persona" of each dance. I need help! She and I are doing a student/teacher piece. American style walts. what is the persona of it? It almost seems "snooty"

help!! Billman

Waltz is "schmaltzy" on a level: gooey to music that is in 3-4 time. It is very ballet like in that it is round and elegant. "Snooty" is sort of a hard word... regal and sophisticated... and sometimes much harder than it looks like it should be, I can tell you that! How do you behave when you are dressed in formal wear? You hold yourself a little taller, you are clean and pressed. A showpiece but a suave version of the everyday you. That's waltz. It's the transformation from jeans and a t-shirt to a ballgown or a tux.

Does that help you at all????

That really does help! The transformation from everyday "ho-hum" to the elegant really does make a connection in my mind. Playing "dress-up" and getting into the character of the dance does help me with everthing from posture to facial expressions.

thanks, Billman

The character of waltz is romance. I've been told that you should dance it like you were so in love, you were "dancing on clouds."