A Lyle Beniga workshop.

There’s nothing more to say than how giant of a step it was outside my comfort zone.

So being a contemporary dancer, I never imagined I would be taking a class by one of the sickest urban-based dancers known.

Leading up to today, I was panicking like this class was an examination I’d never pass. I was so worried whether I’d even be able to keep up, whether it was worth occupying a space in that studio that could’ve been used for a better dancer…

But I must say, despite my natural groove of a wooden puppet, I had an amazing time. I have learnt so much. The way he teaches and the way he dances? Brilliant. His intricacy and his musicality is incomparable to any other dancer I’ve seen.

I would have said more to him as I hugged him and thanked him for teaching me, but my tongue refused to move….

What a day.

x

And from this workshop I’ve learnt two main things:

1. Dance is nothing without music. Everything you do, the way you do things, the dynamics that you put into your dancing comes from the music. The lyrics, the beats and the feel of the song. Pay attention to the music. Fill it out.
   
   
2. Dance with a purpose. Dance is not just movement of limbs, it is so much more than that.