Quote:
Originally Posted by Jane
Help help help!
I have a wonderful and sweet lady who has been my student for two years now. I'm having terrible trouble getting her to make a connection to the music. Any connection. She can't find the beat. I encourage her to listen to music when she's not in class. I turn the bass all the way up and we clap together, I count with and for her, but she can't find the beat by herself. She does okay when she dances with someone else, but can't dance alone and rushes thorough the music like its not there. At first I thought she might just be nervous, but it's been two years. She's had her hearing checked out already, so it's not that either. I'm at my wits end! Any ideas or possible explinations would be greatly appriciated! I feel really bad.  |
Jane,
I will use myself as an example since I am a lot like your student. I am still dancing after 15 years and my teacher says I am doing much better.
You are doing everything right, just have patience. I couldn't dance by myself for 10 years. I have a wonderful friend I dance with in duets and she helped keep me on the beat. If you have student performances planned just put your student where she can see the other dancers and have the other dancers help her.
Rhythms I could hear easily were 9/8 like Tamzara or American style Karshilamas. Odd meters seemed easier to "hear" than regular 4/4. I also use cues in the melody like a certain instrument or passage of music that can tell me if I am ahead of the beat or behind.
I prefer to use the melody to help me interpret the music, hearing the beat is only critical if you are using a choreography, have you asked her to try improvising?
I also started folkdancing which helped a lot. Being surrounded by lots of people all doing the same movements allowed me to absorb the rhythm unconsciously.
It can be frustrating for the student too, especially if she feels deficient and other students criticize.
Some teachers have given up on me and others have been helpful. I had one teacher tell me she thought most people had trouble hearing the beat and that was why she spent a lot of time with clapping and explanations of the meter. Hearing the beat easily is a talent, but those who can hear it easily don't understand how someone might not hear it.
I think some people can fake it because they can count at a measured pace but they aren't necessarily "hearing" the beat
Try not to give your student the impression she is disabled or deaf.
After many years (15) of listening to music, dancing, dancing and dancing, I can actually hear the beat most of the time. I still do better with odd metered music.
Just let her have fun, have patience and don't focus on what she can't do.
Marya