Shanazel

Sigh. I don't mean to be a kitty, but sometimes I see a performance that just sets me off, and that one did.

I will now revert to my usual sweet self (if I can find her in all this fur).

Salome

One quality that makes a performer stand out to me is… magnetism. A performer can have a lot going on but if one is lacking in the IT department there is a certain lack luster. Another is definitely precise technique and its application to music. A performer that knows the ‘language’ impeccably, and can use it will definitely catch my eye. Also strong performance skills and emotive ability.

Yasmine Bint Al Nubia

Hi Sisters, What catches my eye in a dancer depends on if she/he is a student or a professional. It's not fair to judge students performing in a student hafla against a seasoned performer.
For Student dancers, I appreciate watching someone express the dance with sincerity to the music and technique. If the student only knows 5 or 6 steps, then those movements should be crisp and clear and flowing with the melody or hitting the accents.
For Professional dancer, I appreciate good stage dynamics(Salome called it magetism) and good use of space. A seasoned performer should know the music thoroughly and he/she allows the music to carry them and (me the audience) to a different place.
In any case I guess the first thing that "hits" me is the music, and the dancer's interpretation of the music. Along with the interpretation is the sense of personality and soul that every artist should create.

Yasmine

Sara

I don't understand this. Are you talking about computers? :o

But yea- I like lots of fizziness like Fizzy Rasberry juice (delicious). Right now I really like watching very acented movements, like this clip, and her drops are perfect. I love timing with the music too. It makes it look like your hips are making duck sounds.

__________________
With a little bit of this and a little bit of that, now shake your bum.... :P

Yshka

That dancer in the clip... :eek: ... Just... no words for it... kind of upsets me..
This I didn't see, but was it just me or were her nipples really staring at us when she did the backbend-convulsion floor thing?

did she even know what she was doing besides making the bed with her veil? (love that expression):p

I agree totally with Yasmine. A student should be judged different than a professional performer, I think what she said about the student performer is very true.

For what catches my eye in a professional dancer and her performance, is definitely emotive skills and ofcourse feeling for the music, like this sort of soul connection. I love seeing a dancer who actually seems to be completely into the music, into the meaning of the song and, like Salome described, actually knows the 'language' and is able to use it in the right way.
Ofcourse technique, stage presence and application of the moves in accordance with the music also are very important IMO.

I agree that sometimes when I see a performance it just has to really 'touch' me in someway. Sometimes I don't even know why it did.

Selkie

In any kind of performance-type dance, I like to see a good skill and body mastery. As Yasmine said, if the performer is a student with a small repetoire, then the student should perform these as crisply as they can, making allowances for their degree of body mastery -- some people don't master their bodies as easily as others, it doesn't come to them so naturally. For student performance, I recall always the words of one of my jazz teachers: Don't concentrate so hard on remembering the choreography. Concentrate more on the music, get into the music and *dance.* Concentrate more on executing as best you can. It shows too obviously when someone is concentrating on what's the next step; its very obvious when someone is relaxing into the music and letting their body do the remembering. My jazz teacher always told me, don't worry so much, if you miss a step or flub up, its not the end of the world, just pick up, smile and dance. Everyone screws up, even professional expert dancers, its Murphy's Law. A good sense of humour towards the inevitable flub is very valuable. Smile, shrug, everybody has a laugh, carry on dancing.

With Middle Eastern dance and Am-Cab dance, what impresses me is crisp body control. When the dancer moves so cleanly that the music seems to be coming from their body, that impresses me, when they're that on the mark. I'm very impressed when the dancer can carry several instruments on their body, say following a backbeat with their feet or hips, and a flute with their ribs and shoulders. Grace is important. Stomping around and trying to shimmy with legs two feet apart only makes me laugh and not in a good way.

With ATS dance, precision on the mark and unity are what impress me. When the dancers aren't noticeably watching one another and don't appear to be concentrating on what is the leader going to do next. I'm most impressed when it really does look like it'd been choreographed and practiced for weeks, the dancers are so relaxed. When they're in such unity, and all precise on the mark, that impresses me greatly.

Oh yeah, and good taste in costumes too I'm not impressed by 8" fringe dangling off the nipples, or sheer skirt with no dance trunks... or no skirt at all, just bedleh! And yeah, its just me, but I don't like the "Lawrence of Arabia" table runner on the lads' heads. I find it distracting, it doesn't move like a veil or frame his movements, it just looks like its going to catch on something. But I won't subtract points from him for it. If he wears tassels on his butt cheeks, then I'll subtract points *LOL*

Zahiraah

Ooh! Can't believe I forgot this! The posture of course; a poor posture really reduces a great perfomance.

Yshka

Zahiraah, very true, posture is also very important.
And Costuming ofcourse lol!! Selkie, great for bringing it up, I totally forgot to mention that very important concept of a good performer. Costume must be appropriate for the occasion and flattering to a dancer's body, and very important: NOT TACKY!! As Selkie said, no see through skirts or no "no-skirts at all"... wear something underneath, NO weirdly placed tassels..

Michelle

Gee, I guess that means I better retire my dancing pasties and my hot pants? Just kiddin'.

No, seriously, when you see a dancer with a lovely, APPROPRIATE costume that suits her dance and her body, it is very noticeable. The costume becomes part of her dance, and enhances it.

Mair

Oh dear. Did anyone else feel like watching her on the floor in the beginning was like watching "Showgirls" in slow-motion?

Sorry for that one. Anyway, I'll pretty much echo what's already been said... when a dancer is passionate about what she does it shows in her performance, and for me, that's what elevates a good performance from something pleasant to watch to something truly exciting.


<3Mair