Personal Stylization

Last week I discussed The Language of Connection and how movement technique in FCBD® Style is like a language that allows us to more confidently communicate with each other. I touched on why movements look different on each person, but how ultimately the technique will express itself in your own body.

This reminded me of a question I was asked a few months back about personal stylization within FCBD® Style.

"How do you feel about personal stylization?"

First, what is “personal stylization”?

It’s the little accents, flair and sometimes even a drop of sass like a sticking out your hip or changing up an arm pathway (pulling the arm in closer or extending it further). It can even be a certain type of gaze or lean.

In my opinion, there are two types of personal stylization:

1. Intentional changes of technique for the sake of adding emotion, attitude and accents.

This type of stylization is typically reserved for solos. Often what happens is a dancer sees a popular dancer, or someone they admire, do a solo and they love the way the performing dancer did xy or z. Then the dancer tries to mimic what they saw. Unfortunately, many people try to add this solo flair while dancing within a group. This ends up creating an “all eyes on me” type of scenario and can make others in your group feel less confident.

2. Unintentional stylization based on how a movement expresses in someone's anatomy.

Sometimes what we think of as personal stylization wasn't actually unintentional. It is simply what technique looks like on that dancer based on anatomy and structure. For instance, someone with broad shoulders and long arms may take up more space in a Swivel Step, Barrel Turn or Torso Twist. It may look amazing on them. You want to look that amazing too, right? Well…the same change or stylization on you may not actually come across as you intend it to be. Simply because you are built differently.

Personal stylization is just that. It’s personal expression. It’s either a choice the dancer is intentionally making based on their solo performance, expression of music, accenting costuming,etc. OR it's unintentional and simply based on how the movement expresses itself on their body based on their own anatomy.

That said, if you are copying someone else’s personal stylization, is it really personal? Do you know why they opted to accent the step differently or what they were trying to express in the song? Are you trying to change yourself to look like them?

I love this excerpt from Steezy Blog:

This is another reason why I love teaching dancers anatomy, technique and discovering YOUR FCBD® style within your own instrument...your own body.

Instead of focusing your attention trying to mimic how someone else looks, focus on how the movement FEELS. What’s contracting, what is releasing, etc.

Let YOUR personal stylization express itself naturally. You're likely to feel more confident because you are dancing from a place that is more authentically "you".

Of course, for a solo or choreography…feel free to break some rules and experiment!