Timing is something that makes or breaks a dance! Watch this video to learn tips on how to get better timing among a team from dance expert, Haley Moorse.
A team can have great endurance, technique, flexibility, and strength, but not all of that can guarantee great timing!
One idea to get better timing is to put the song to your routine during practice and have your dancers run to the beat. This helps for the beat of your routine to get engraved into their heads and body. Once the running is on time, you can have them start doing straight kicks to the beat and then move on to adding your kick sets with the beat.
Another drill is to have your dance call out the even numbers in their kick sets. This helps dancers think about the down of a kick. Many dancers tend to whip their leg up, but let it float down. By dancers calling out the even numbers in their kicks sets, it allows them to think about being down on the certain count to make for better timing.
Another drill to use later in the season is to have the dancers do their current dance to a random song with different timing than they’re used to.
Videotaping is a lifesaver. Have each dancer find a partner to see if they are matching the exact timing as the girl next to them in the kickline. They may be even just a hair off, but they will be able to see better with a video.
Another idea is to drill the first kick of each kick set. Be sure to practice the transition into the first kick of each kick set.
The last idea is to download the song “Faith” by George Michael. It’s a very fast-paced song that makes dancers really pay attention to the beat of the music. Have the dancers run 1-8, then waist high straight kicks 1-8 for a few eight counts.