Floorwork awkwardness?

HilaryKate aka LolaSlaytor started this discussion · 2/18/2011

I haven't done much dance until starting to pole dance about a year and a half ago. I have a really hard time with freedancing because I like to have things mapped out for myself (I was a musician for years and HATED improvising music). This is especially true when I try to do any floorwork. I'm working on the splits but I'm still not there so there are some limitations with flexibility, but mostly I just feel really AWKWARD! I can't seem to think of what should come next and if I try to do any slow floorwork (which is what I love to see in other people's videos) then it just gets worse! And if I'm not busy feeling incredibly awkward (even when I'm alone), then I'm feeling antsy to move quicker and do some tricks. Anyone have this problem? Tips??

10 replies

Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace · 2/18/2011
Hi Hilary, I feel ya. I remember when I first started out and I had to consciously decide on which moev I was going to do next before I could do it. Its just attitude and practice that makes it all smooth and easy. Practice combining several floor moves together, in different sequences, over and over. Once you've got muscle memory, you can just let go, stop thinking and go with the flow. I find actually thinking about the moves makes my dancing seem so much more awkward... over-thinking can be very transparent. So STOP thinking about it.... just lie on the floor on your back, raise your legs slowly (toes always pointed!) and kick them leisurely in the air, kind of like your cycling. Then lower your legs, slowly roll over and push your bottom into the air and follow onto your knees, do some hip swirls, stretch your arms above your head, then do a little body-dip back to the floor, and so on. Its just repetition that makes it flow, but its attitude that makes it look sexy! Dont let yourself think about hte awkwardness, instead, pretend you are this hot dynamo who knows their stuff, knows their amazing, and doesnt even give a damn. Imagine yourself sexy and smooth, and your body willl eventually catch on! Also, I find watching youtube clips of my favorite pole-dancers a huge help... Check out Alethea Austin (she does alot of floor work) or whoever else has a style that you'd love to imitate, and use them as demonstrations and model yourself on them! Fake it till you make it love! Have confidence in yourself, or atleast pretend that you do! lol :) Hope some of this helps... Have fun! xox
Reyn · 2/20/2011
Try finding a floorwork sequence that you admire and are skilled enough to do... Go mimic that floorwork so you can see how it feels transitioning into other moves. ALSO, it might help to make a list (on a dry-erase board or your mirror?) that you can look to with other moves you know. That way if you blank you can just glance over and find something. Just keep working on it, the more you do it the easier it will become and soon you'll be freestyling it like its nothing!
LoneStarDiva · 4/22/2011
I call my feelings of awkwardness being 'Dorky". So.. to overcome it, I spent a good portion of last week puttin on music I loved and Just dancing.. around the living room, on tip toes, etc. It helped. Do it. :) (Oh,, and .. it doesn't hurt to throw in a lap dance for the significant other once a month or so - I require alcohol for the necessary relaxation! :):)
Serendipityma · 4/23/2011
I do a lot of floorwork in my dances, and it's probably my strongest area as a dancer... and I find (and was taught) to just take your head out of it... close your eyes and move where your body wants to move in relation to the music... :) Just let the music guide your soul, your hips, your legs, your arms, ... your whole body, really... :)
HollySatine · 4/23/2011
i just found this floorwork video on youtube and thought i'd post it here in case it might inspire anyone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztKu4_MdqOQ&feature=feedrec_grec_index :)
Svarri · 4/29/2011
As you're learning the splits this might help :) When I stretch I sometimes practice 'flowing' through a series of stretches. That helped me get comfortable with doing floorwork. It's nice to take a little floorwork break when stretching :D
polergirl · 4/29/2011
I love floorwork. LOVE LOVE LOVE it. But when I first started I didn't do much at all. I was self-conscious and not very flexible. Well, I'm still not as flexible as I'd like to be, but the self-consciousness is gone, lol. My suggestion is to do nothing but floorwork for 2-4 songs at least a couple of times a week. When you're not going to be up on the pole at all you'll quickly find interesting things to do on the floor. Experiment with timing, slow, slow, quickquick slow, etc. Pay close attention to how the floor feels underneath you, how your weight pulls you into or out of a move, how adjusting your weight/center of gravity affects that move's feel and appearance. It gets less awkward the more you do it--just like pole!! :)
Reyn · 5/13/2011
That is awesome advice, Polergirl So last night I went to practice my routine for my first amateur competition --- and I've been so worried about the floorwork in my dance, because I can never choreograph it, and I feel like when I freestye it I just keep doing the same thing over and over.. BUT last night after running through it with my instructor watching, she actually COMPLIMENTED my floorwork. I'm so excited to know that I don't look like a fool when I just move the way I feel like moving. +1 to confidence!
polergirl · 5/13/2011
"when I just move the way I feel like moving." THIS ^ is the key! Floorwork adds to the expression of a song!!!
Veena · 5/13/2011
Imagine a consent flow of movement, It takes practice like all things so just keep at it.