Studios are closed for the holidays and here we are training at home once again. While you might feel downhearted and worried, there is still a lot that you can do in this situation to progress as a dancer. I am going to share my advice on how to make your at-home training exciting in this article. Keep reading!

Get in the zone

Staying focused while at home, where your leisure space and workspace don’t have border lines, is hard. Beginning your barre and stopping mid way to check new notifications on your phone, warming up before class and getting constantly distracted by your cat, procrastinating because you don’t know what to begin with. We’ve all been there, at least once. My piece of advice in these situations?

Create a set routine that helps you get in the zone before you start training. It can be anything, from doing feet exercises to writing your goals on your notebook. Notice how the simple habit of beginning your training by something that sets you in the right mental space will help you remain focused.

Remember to keep away all the potential distractions. Turn the TV off, mute the notifications on your phone and kindly ask your family not to disturb you until you’re done.

Let your creativity shine

A great outfit sets you up for a great class. Isn’t that true? Just because you’re stuck at home doesn’t mean that you should stay in your pyjama all day. Get creative with your outfits: pick your favorite dance clothes or revisit the ones at the bottom of your closet. Experiment with your hair, make-up and accessories. Have fun! You will notice how taking class will become more exciting.

Keep advancing towards your goal

Staying motivated during uncertain times is not easy, but it’s possible! One thing that will help immensely? Review your work at the end of the day. Note down what you did, what your focus was, what improvements you’re noticing and leave a couple of words on what you want to work on tomorrow.

Stay organized

Book or select the classes you are going to take in advance and mark it in your schedule. Live classes are a great option as you will feel as if you were in class, with a teacher directly correcting you. You will also avoid the temptation of skipping adagio! I wrote this article earlier about what I look for in online classes. Maybe it can help you decide which classes are worth it.

Follow-along classes are also a great option: they allow you to work at your own time and you can select the duration and kind of class. If you want to work on improving your own perception of your performance and develop the skill to auto correct yourself, I truly recommend follow-along classes. Want to make the most out of it? Try to record yourself and watch the video afterwards to evaluate your own performance.

Understand your body better

Use this time to get in touch with your body. Try including new conditioning exercises in your warm-up and cool-down routines and notice how they impact your training.

Don’t know where to start? Try some of the Majestic Challenge exercises for an impeccable placement or the new ‘Improve my turn-out’ program to access and increase your turnout range.

Recap

Let’s review all the main takeaways to upgrade your at-home training:

  • create a “get in the zone” routine and cut out all distractions

  • get creative with your outfits

  • remind yourself of your own goal, or use the time to find own

  • plan your classes in advance

  • try new things and educate yourself

  • review your work at the end of the day

Which piece of advice will you start implementing today?