Joyful Dance Laura Stanyer

Joyful Dance Laura Stanyer

Friday 22 July 2011

Visualisation for Dancers



Your imagination is a powerful inner resource that you can tap into to achieve your best with greater consistency.  It can enhance the manifestation of your dreams and goals in dance and in life as it allows you to put yourself into the appropriate state of mind, be in the flow state where everything is effortless and flows beautifully.

The aims of visualisation techniques are to focus the dancer so that they are positive and confident in their ability and enjoy the experience of learning and performing and achieve their true potential.

Scientists have discovered there is an area of the brain called the pre motor cortex that is activated when you imagine your body moving, the area that plans movement so when you rehearse a dance skill or sequence in your mind you create neural pathways in your brain as if you were actually moving and performing the sequence. All without moving a muscle this means when you do perform the skill or sequence you should find it easier as the pathways in your brain are already in place.

Generally dancers spend most of their time physically training and rehearing for performance but they don’t spend enough time preparing themselves psychologically for the pressures of dance training, rehearsal and performance.  Visualisation enhances your dance performance, this is especially important for the skills or strategies where there is little opportunity in daily training or rehearsal, the situations that only happen in performance.



Repeatedly rehearsing in your mind allows you to strengthen the neural pathways that will produce the step or sequence and help to refine your skills without putting the body through excessive stress. It enables you to rehearse anywhere.

Visualisation involves the dancer imagining themselves in a class, rehearsal or performance. The visualisations have the dancer performing the skill or sequence at their very best, enjoying the experience. Enter completely into the visualisation with all your senses: visual, sound, touch, smell and felt sense. Being in a totally relaxed state allows you to be receptive to visualisation.

Benefits of Visualisation:

  • Enhances learning and motivation
  • Enhances self-confidence, helps to visualise success
  • Create coping strategies in stressful situations
  • Enhance focus, concentration and self-discipline
Just as you practice dance skills, visualisation needs to be practised on a regular basis for you to become highly skilled and can be incorporated into your training or daily routine.

Visualisation for rehearsal of specific movements

Visualisation used to learn and rehearse specific movements or dance skills enhances learning and performance. Visualisation can explore the mechanics of how to execute the movement and can allow a dancer to explore symbolic sense the quality or energy related to improve a particular dance skill. For example, whilst executing a pirouette a dancer may visualise spinning like a top.


Visualisation for rehearsal

Visualisation can enhance you learning ability when learning new movement sequences or choreography for performance. It can enhance the dramatic aspects of a dancer character within a piece of choreography by imaging the emotions or motives felt by the character they are performing. Rehearsing in your mind allows the body to rest while strengthening the neural pathways in your brain.

Visualisation for Performance

To reach your true potential in dance it is important you have a high level of confidence in your ability to perform at your best consistently.  It is important to visualise yourself performing in a confident manner in full control of yourself excelling in you execution and feeling confident within the performance environment.


Positive Mental Attitude

Breaking negative behavioural patterns by the use of a trigger - a word, phrase or action can help to prevent negative attitudes when learning.

A trigger can be:
  • A word or phrase spoken inside your head
  • A physical action, for example squeezing first finger and thumb together
  • A physical reminder, for example a wristband
When hearing, seeing or feeling the trigger you can shift your focus gaining a positive uplifting thought for a boost of motivation.

Visual Practice: Role Model

Observing a professional dancer who has practised the skills countless times can give you an excellent role model to develop the same skill you are hoping to learn. You can visualise being them or performing the skills as they do.


Visualisation and Goal Setting

Setting goals within training and performance is a useful tool to measure your progress. It provides an opportunity to improve your skills or learn new skills, technique or choreography. It allows you to review your training methods if you do not meet your original goals.
  • Specific - Goals are focused on precisely what you want to achieve. For example: goal to improve jumps and landings
  • Measurable - Assess your level of success so you can review your own progress. For example: a goal to improve the number of successful double pirouettes once you have achieved a successful single pirouette
  • Accepted - You and your teacher or choreographer agree on what your goals are
  • Realistic - You are able to achieve the goals you have set yourself
  • Time limit - You should set target dates to achieve your goals. For example: goal in 2 months to be able to handstand unsupported
  • Enthusiasm - You should be challenged and stimulated by your goal
  • Record - Keep a written record of how and when you achieve your goal to assess your progress

Visualisation Exercises

 
How to use these audio guided visualisations

NEVER listen to this audio recording when driving or when you need to concentrate on a particular task.  Only listen when you can relax and not be disturbed from any distractions.

This audio recording will guide you into a state of relaxation, it is best to be comfortable and either sit or lay down in a comfortable place free from distractions.

We advise you listen to this audio recording through headphones for best results.  To begin with, it is best to listen on a daily basis to develop your visualisation skills.

Audio running time: approx 20 minutes, as this audio recording is specially designed to become a part of your dance practice. 

Peak Performance Visualisation
Visualise actually attaining your best performance, such as receiving major recognition or a standing ovation and what it would be like.  Most success stories are first preceded by envisioning the success accomplished, visualisation is like role playing success.

Peak Performance Visualisation helps nurture strong belief in your self which provides the motivational fuel to put in the daily effort and discipline required to arrive at best achievements.

Peak Performance Visualization by lstanyer


Peak Performance Recall Visualisation

Recall is a technique that allows you to recall a positive perfromance experience. By remembering and feeling the positive sensations your body will go into the experience of flow which enables you to be relaxed and focused and in control.

Recall an experience where you were at your peak in performance, feeling wonderful. Recapture the feelings, sounds etc. and enhance them make them more vivid in light, colour, positive feelings and sounds. Watch your own feature film of your best performances when you need a boost of confidence.

Peak Performance Recall Visualization by lstanyer


 

Visualisation practice empowers and centres you for performance, allowing you to enter deeply into the present moment and harness your true potential. Along with diaphragmatic breathing it calms and unclutters your mind leading you to a place of freedom and unselfconsciousness. Visualisation is a very personal experience and skill that takes practice to discover its depth and power.



Visualization Skills in Dance Practice by Laura Stanyer


 
Disclaimer: The information contained on this web page is intended as general guidance and information only. Laura Stanyer and its authors accept no liability for any loss, injury or damage however incurred as a consequence, whether directly or indirectly, of the use this information. All advice on this web page should only be used under the supervision of a qualified dance / fitness / healthcare professional.

5 comments:

  1. Irrespective of receiving daily oral or future injectable depot therapies, these require health care visits for medication and monitoring of safety and response. If patients are treated early enough, before a lot of immune system damage has occurred, life expectancy is close to normal, as long as they remain on successful treatment. However, when patients stop therapy, virus rebounds to high levels in most patients, sometimes associated with severe illness because i have gone through this and even an increased risk of death. The aim of “cure”is ongoing but i still do believe my government made millions of ARV drugs instead of finding a cure. for ongoing therapy and monitoring. ARV alone cannot cure HIV as among the cells that are infected are very long-living CD4 memory cells and possibly other cells that act as long-term reservoirs. HIV can hide in these cells without being detected by the body’s immune system. Therefore even when ART completely blocks subsequent rounds of infection of cells, reservoirs that have been infected before therapy initiation persist and from these reservoirs HIV rebounds if therapy is stopped. “Cure” could either mean an eradication cure, which means to completely rid the body of reservoir virus or a functional HIV cure, where HIV may remain in reservoir cells but rebound to high levels is prevented after therapy interruption.Dr Itua Herbal Medicine makes me believes there is a hope for people suffering from,Parkinson's disease,Schizophrenia,Cancer,Scoliosis,Fibromyalgia,Fluoroquinolone Toxicity
    Syndrome Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva.Fatal Familial Insomnia Factor V Leiden Mutation ,Epilepsy Dupuytren's disease,Desmoplastic small-round-cell tumor Diabetes ,Coeliac disease,Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease,Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy, Ataxia,Arthritis,Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis,Alzheimer's disease,Adrenocortical carcinoma.Asthma,Allergic diseases.Hiv_ Aids,Herpes,Inflammatory bowel disease ,Copd,Diabetes,Hepatitis,I read about him online how he cure Tasha and Tara so i contacted him on drituaherbalcenter@gmail.com even talked on whatsapps +2348149277967 believe me it was easy i drank his herbal medicine for two weeks and i was cured just like that isn't Dr Itua a wonder man? Yes he is! I thank him so much so i will advise if you are suffering from one of those diseases Pls do contact him he's a nice man.

    ReplyDelete
  2. GOD has certainly lead me here this hour because before sharing this I prayed he lead me to site where my testimony will become blessing to people lives. I found out 4years ago that I was infected with HIV because I was engaged to a man that i knew I should have never had in my life. Like most of us here the HOLY SPIRIT was warning me but I decided to do what I wanted . He never came out to tell me he had it I just happened to go through some old stuff he left at my house and there some antiviral meds appeared . I got checked and was diagnosed. It instantly felt like agony!!! The enemy tempt me with suicide,depression and all kinds of unhealthy emotion. I was looking for love in all the wrong places and people. The enemy kept speaking to me that my life was over.. But one day I quickly with tears in my eyes prayed to GOD for healing. And GOD showed me a vision that my cure is in nature I woke up prayed over it, gradually I started having passion for herbs then gradually I started using for treatment. One evening I think early February this year after my evening prayer I was on a site on herbal remedies for STD and a page was telling possible cure for herpes, then on peoples comments I saw testimonies of people telling how same DR yakubu have successfully cured them of herpes and he cured all manner of STD including HIV. I copied his contact.. .... That same night in my dream I was in the doctor office and the doctor telling me there’s been a mistake THAT I’M FREE FROM ANY DISEASE in my body. I woke up the next morning and prayed over it then contacted DR YAKUBU who immediately responded to me he talked to me and assured me of permanent cure if I finish taking certain quantity of his meds of which I ordered for immediately and started use. Within few weeks of use I noticed total relieved in my body system then went for a test and was confirmed negative and another test and the result was same. Glory be to GOD who cured me as he promised. God is real and he still saves humans through fellow humans. Reach DR YAKUBU through his e-mail;dryakubuherbalhealingclinic@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Although therapy has become more tolerable and once daily FDC tables have made it easier to adhere to prescribed treatment, it still requires that patients take their medication regularly to achieve sustained viral suppression. When treatment adherence is inadequate and replication is therefore not suppressed, But dr itua promised and fulfilled his promised to me as he said I will share his work to people that are suffering from Infertility, Herpes, Hepatitis A/B, Fibroid, HIV/ Aids, Alzheimer's disease, Arthritis, Copd, Diabetes, Liver/Kidney Inflamotry, Fibromyalgia, Parkinson's disease, I have read a lot of testimony online from Jesus McKinney,Achima Abelard and Tara Omar on how dr itua heal them with his herbal medicine I contacted him on Email drituaherbalcenter@gmail.com then we talk on whatsapp +2348149277967 he gave me instruction on how to drink it for two weeks then after drinking it for two weeks I went for test then I find out I was cured of HIV, I thank him allot i also send him some money for appreciation, Contact this great herbal doctor if you are a sick person.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have been using this herbal cure remedy for 3 months now. So far, it has cured my HERPES, eliminated my COLD SORE, improved energy and metabolism, in the morning I feel recharged and I no longer feel sleepy after a meal. As for the scent, it does smell like motor oil but I chase it down with 100% Cranberry Juice 1tsp. twice a day AFTER a meal. I also experienced vivid dreams for about 5 days now it's diminishing to during the first 2 or 3 hours of sleep . contact dr OSE: EMAIL: droseherbalcurehome@gmail.com or call/whatsapp +2348117923778 you can get the cure from him and be free from all kinds of diseases.
    HIV/AIDS
    Diabtetes
    Cancer
    hepatitis

    ReplyDelete
  5. MY HIV HEALING TESTIMONY

    My mouth is short of words, i am so happy because Dr voodoo has healed me
    from HIV which i have been suffering from the past 5years now, i have
    spend a lot when getting drugs from the hospital to keep me healthy, i have
    tried all means in life to always i can become HIV negative one day, but
    there was no answer until i found Dr voodoo the parish of African who
    provide me some healing herbs that i uses , now i am glad telling everyone
    that i am now HIV Negative, i am very happy, thank you Dr voodoo for
    helping my life comes back newly without any form of crisis, may the good
    lord that i serve blessed you Dr voodoo and equip you to the higher grade
    for healing my life. i am so amazed. so i will announced to everyone in
    this whole world that is HIV positive to please follow my advice and get
    healed on time, because we all knows that HIV disease is a deadly
    type,contact Dr voodoo for your HIV healing herbs today at:
    voodoospelltemple66@gmail.com He will be
    always happy to assist you online and ensure you get healed on time,
    contact Dr voodoo today for your healing hearbs immediately, you can also
    add him on whatsApp +2348140120719 thank you sir.

    ReplyDelete

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.