Contemporary dance thrives on fluidity, emotional depth, and technical precision. If you’ve mastered the basics but feel stuck in the intermediate plateau, it’s time to challenge yourself with advanced drills designed to expand your range, control, and creativity. Here’s how to push your limits.
1. Dynamic Floorwork Sequences
Floorwork is a cornerstone of contemporary dance, but advancing requires seamless transitions and heightened body awareness. Try this drill:
- Spiral Roll Combos: Start kneeling, spiral down to the floor into a backward roll, and transition into a low arabesque. Repeat with variations (e.g., adding a stag leap after the roll).
- Challenge: Perform the sequence backward or at half-speed to refine control.
2. Weight-Shifting Improv
Advanced contemporary dancers manipulate balance and momentum effortlessly. Practice:
- Partnered Weight Exchange: With a partner, explore off-center leans, falls, and rebounds without verbal cues. Focus on tactile connection.
- Solo Drill: Improv for 3 minutes using only three points of contact with the floor at any time.
3. Multi-Directional Phrasing
Break out of linear patterns with complex directional shifts:
- Choreograph a 16-count phrase where each 4-count changes facing (e.g., diagonal, upstage, spiral to the floor, reverse).
- Layer in textural contrasts (sharp vs. sustained) to deepen expressiveness.
4. Emotional Architecture
Advanced dancers don’t just move—they communicate. Refine your storytelling:
- Emotion Switch: Perform the same phrase as joy, grief, and defiance. Notice how kinetics shift.
- Props as Extensions: Use a scarf or chair to explore new physical metaphors.
5. Stamina-Building Intervals
Contemporary pieces demand endurance. Try this studio-friendly cardio drill:
- 45 seconds of high-energy jumps/floor spins → 15 seconds of slow-motion recovery → Repeat 6x.
- Pro tip: Sync intervals to music with tempo changes (e.g., Ólafur Arnalds remixes).
Remember: Progress happens at the edge of discomfort. Film yourself weekly to spot subtle improvements in fluidity and intention.
