I've been trying to get more comfortable with my body, on a dance level, and really letting myself express emotion through the movements as well as the music. Personally, the most nerveracking thing is I think sometimes I get too lost in the moment and my body tends to get a little spastic from time to time. I forget what certain parts of my body are doing because I'm too focused on a different area or what I should do next...what part of the song is next...there's actually quite a bit that goes through your mind during a freestyle dance.
For this post I'll be sharing X freestyle videos to the song I'm Better by Missy Elliot featuring Lamb. The first couple takes you can definitely tell I was trying to just get used to the song, but then once I got more familiar with the lyrics and the beat (I should probably mention I listen to this song on the REG! It's the go to beast mode song for sure in the gym), I just relaxed, trusted the music, and let my body do the talking.
FREESTYLE #1
This first freestyle take, I'm sad to say I was playing it really safe and taking too many "chill" moments, but instead of getting stuck in my head and feeling disappointed with myself I decided to replay the music and let it flow again. That's the thing with freestyle...it's continuous progress and evolution; as you grow so do the movements, musicality and you start developing a signature (hopefully recognizable) style. My hopes are to translate these freestyle sessions into my choreography and create innovative new pieces.
FREESTYLE #2
Here you can see I start to come out of my shell a little bit, but am still being kind of reserved. I'm not sure why I get so shy when doing freestyle because it's surprisingly the complete opposite when performing choreography. Probably might be that freestyle feels more vulnerable and personable because essentially you're expressing the random thoughts that pop into your head through body movements. It's definitely an art form I'm interested in dabbling with regularly.
FREESTYLE #3
Alright, alright, alright *Matthew Mcconaughey voice*...now we're getting somewhere!! The music started to become a lot more familiar to my body so I was able to express my personality much more and just have fun. Each time I let loose I end up discovering something new I can do with my body or I push myself to try/get certain moves. Not only am I learning more about my body, but I'm creatively developing and getting better at thinking on the spot. I'm excited to see where I'll progress with my freestyle.
FREESTYLE #4
I'm pretty proud of myself for pushing myself and exploring new avenues of life. Dance has absolutely been an outlet for dealing with stress and other issues that have come up, but not until I started experimenting with more freestyle sessions has my personal dance style began to develop. It's crazy to think I'm almost 30 and I'm just getting started...through dance and fitness. This is going to be a fun journey!!!
Sharing my choreography and freestyle moments with you guys is meant to inspire. I'm always finding out new things about myself and you all can be doing the same, but it doesn't have to be with dance. Explore your passions, meet new people...you never know what or who you may like... Keep checking back for more and more dance, fitness, and lifestyle inspirations.