How to Learn Choreography
try this: first, examine how the previous step ends. Analyze what you need to do with your feet, your hips, and your arms to transition from the previous step into the one that you always forget. Now, practice just two steps: the previous step followed by the one you usually forget. Emphasize in your brain the process of ending the previous step by then proceeding through the transition, whatever it is. In your head, revise the ending of the previous step by adding the transition to it.
Other Ideas
Some people find that inventing memory aids helps. For example, give every step the name of an animal. You might call an undulating step a cobra step, or a bouncy step a jackrabbit step. If the undulation comes after the bouncing, imagine the cobra chasing the jackrabbit.
Find a classmate to practice with outside of class. Together, the two of you can help each other remember what is being taught.
If you have a learning disability, consult a professional educator with expertise in your particular disability to advise you on techniques that may help you work around it.
If All Fails
First, don't blame yourself. It's possible that this particular choreography is especially hard to learn. Not all choreographers create intuitive, easy choreography. One key to easy-to-learn choreography is repetition. If this one doesn't have much, that might explain why you're having trouble learning it.
Second, again remind yourself that your classmates may be more experienced than you at learning choreography, or they may have in the past learned some of the step combinations that this particular choreography contains. Learn what you can, and stick to realistic goals that work for you personally.
Third, if you're learning the choreography over the course of a weekly class, practice my suggestions for mental rehearsal and applying your preferred technique for learning (sight, hearing, movement). With practice, these techniques will become more intuitive for you, and they'll make it easier to learn future choreography.
This article is part of the Suite101 "Middle Eastern Dance" topic area. For the other Suite101 articles, discussion forums, and opinion polls related to Middle Eastern dance, music, and culture, see the Welcome page on Suite101. For other articles written by Shira about these topics, please see Shira's own popular web site at www.shira.net.
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