Learn Classical Dance with Free Lessons & Tips

Age is just a number. It shouldn't come in the way of learning anything. Learning a beautiful and graceful dance-like Odissi at the age of 30 will have its downsides. It would help if you were in good shape and flexible. So, if you're passionate about learning, then you can go ahead and learn it. 

The time taken to learn depends on one's interest and zeal to learn. Odissi is a graceful dance form that demands the dancer to be in good shape. This will make the viewers believe that it is effortless. The mudras play a very crucial role in any classical dance form. If you're diligent enough, then it will take around 2-3 months to get the hang of all the mudras. 

After this, the tutor should take you to the various kinds of body bends like neck movement, eyes movement, head movement, etc. Next, you need to concentrate on facial expressions. Once you are comfortable with all the crucial things required to learn Odissi, you can start learning the terminologies like Manglacharan, Abhinaya, Pallavi, Mokhsya, etc. Then you will be taught about various Taals, and it's a different speed. 

Considering all the facts, it should take around 1.5 - 2 years to learn the dance altogether. Patience is the key to learning such technically sound dance forms. 

Dance is a form of art, that can be one's passion or interest. If you're a person who loves to dance or express yourself, then you can do it the way you want to. But, if you're going to be a professional dancer, then you'll have to take up dance lessons or classes. You get to learn a lot about the theory of difference dance forms, the steps and the type of music that is used for different dance forms. You’ll also get the chance to connect with other people from the industry, which you won’t if you learn by yourself at home. Hence, it is essential for one to take up dance classes, especially if they're looking forward to building a career in it.

There are a lot of ways by which you can promote your newly inaugurated dance class:

- Use social media the right way by targeting the right audience and giving out valid and useful information. This can spike up your business. Use the right platform for th right audience like Facebook, Instagram, Youtube etc. You can also record your videos and post them on youtube for people to watch.

- Emails: Emails and campaigns are a great way to advertise your brand. This not only increases your business but also helps you keep in touch with your old students/clients.

- Connect with your current students and get recommendations from them. Announce for freebies or trial classes. In this way, you know what the seekers are looking for.

Dance is a very tricky form of art. It is difficult for someone to learn it without having an instructor. But, if you still want to learn, then you can learn the basic moves and the theory of how the dance was started. But if you want to take it up as a profession, then it is advisable to choose an instructor. 

If not, there are high possibilities of getting the form and technique wrong. There are a lot of youtube channels, that post their videos regularly, you can watch them and learn. But in my opinion, it is better to hire an instructor and take professional classes from them.

Folk dance is a type of dance form that is based performed for various reasons like the harvest of food, etc, often to the local music. It reflects the lifestyle of a group of people in a certain region or country. Folk dances are not trained dancers and the steps and posture are usually not professional. They’re mainly performed in groups to symbolize and celebrate joy. 

Classical is a professional dance form that traces its origin to Natya Shastra which symbolizes ancient drama and theatre. Some of the most famous classical dances are Bharatnatyam, Kathak etc.

The best way to learn dancing is to love what you are doing. Feel the music and enjoy every step you take. Practice whenever you get time. It will improve your skills and enlighten your mind. If you keep yourself busy with the things, you love you always learn quickly. 

Make friends who have the same passion. This will make you keep motivated even in your bad times. Have the confidence and enthusiasm in every single thing you want to learn. As a beginner, you can learn to dance under a teacher, or you can refer to youtube and online classes. Your action, mind, space, time and energy can make you a good dancer.

Ohhh and ignore those who don’t encourage you.

Teaching yourself about something that you don't know is kind of confusing but it is not impossible too. For this, you have to gather some knowledge about the dance form you like to learn either from youtube or online tutorials that happen. You can also ask your friends who know about dance. You will need to put a lot of effort and practice to learn any dance form without proper training. But with patience and sheer perseverance, you can learn it.

But if you are serious about dancing and want to become a professional, it would be better to find a good teacher.

If you have the confidence and strength, you can learn dance without going to any dance classes. Nowadays, when we are blessed with technologies, there are a lot of options to learn something you love. If you search youtube, you can find a lot of dance tutorials from beginners to advanced. Some of the tutorials are really cool. If not, you can attend online dance classes conducted by famous teachers at your home. Your options are never limited, but the thing is you have to make the right choice to learn.

To start with, try watching different videos to understand the basics of different styles of dance. You might not like all the forms but select your favourite style and start practising and then try to capture the signature moves on camera. Do it weekly and the improvement will be seen on camera and you can become a good dancer in time. For example, you would never need to go for any classes but practise this process daily, and there is a lot of scope. If you try then online dance classes can also help.

Hope this helps