By Charlie Mill
Being a Highland Dancer takes a lot of dedication. Highland Dancers have to practice in order to be fit and to improve the way they dance. Sometimes finding the time to practice is hard but trust us, it is worth it.
Here are some handy tips to help make practicing easier and more fun.
1) Have a regular time when you practice so that it becomes habit. Some dancers like to practice straight after school, while others get up early in the morning. Find out what works best for you and try to stick to it.
2) If practice is fun then it is easier to do. Some dancers like to practice to “pop” music songs, instead of bagpipes. Maybe you could start a practice club in your dancing school. Get together with other dancing friends and practice together.
3) Some dancers like to focus on just a couple of dances when they practice. Dance some all the way through for fitness and break some down to improve the way you are dancing them.
4) “Practice makes perfect” but only if you are concentrating on correcting things. Practicing something wrong means that it will only stay wrong. Having a notebook where you can write down the things your teacher wants you to correct is a good idea. Try practicing in front of a mirror so that you can see how you are dancing - and don’t kid yourself on.
5) Practice your dances in your head. Imagining yourself dancing your best will actually help you dance your best.
GOOD LUCK!