These are strange times, my friends. The world has virtually stopped and we are all kept indoors. For me, this has totally changed my educational landscape. For one, I’m a Spanish teacher and, though I feel languages are best learned in person, I now am learning how to modify my lessons for the digital world.

On the other hand, my dance world has suddenly adapted to go fully online, too. DJs are playing live mixes every day and hosting socials where dancers are listening from their living rooms and dancing either alone or with a quarantine buddy. Instructors are giving free workshops online from their living rooms to brighten our days and to keep the learning going. Some already had online learning platforms, such as www.areitoartsonline.com and www.ccbachata.com/training, and are reminding us to take advantage of their well-planned content during this time. 

This new environment is challenging me as a learner as well. Typically, I learn best when I can be in close proximity to the instructor (front row learner right here) and watch and imitate their movements. Learning from a screen where their bodies appear very small is a challenge for me. I do not naturally follow the same way I do in person and admittedly, my first reaction is to reject this type of learning. However, if I want to stay in touch with my passion and keep my own growth going, I’m going to have to adapt…. and adapt I shall!

Here are some clever learning hacks I’ve come up with to better facilitate a home-learning environment: 

1. Seize the day: You know those dancers you admire and want to be just like? It’s time to realize they now have a lot more free time on their hands since the pandemic has shut down all physical events and even their dance team practices. No amount of distance or time change can really keep you apart when technology and the internet are still working. Take advantage of this opportunity to learn from people you never thought you had access to before. I bet they’ll appreciate the opportunity during this time of low cash flow, too. 

2. See it bigger: If you’re like me and prefer to see the video larger than what your phone or laptop can provide, it’s actually very easy to find some quick adaptors to hook up your device to your TV. I got an iPhone dongle and an HDMI cable off of Amazon so I can plug my phone directly into the TV and so far, it rocks. I may also eventually invest in an Apple TV so I can screen share my laptop, phone, or iPad to my TV without a long cable. If you are an Android user, there are devices for you too. Amazon has it all! 

3. Make space: Push your furniture up against the wall and make your own home-studio just big enough for you to accomplish your dreams. 

4. Embrace the instant replay. You know the beauty of learning from a video, right? Yep, unlimited replays with zero annoyance to the person you’re replaying. That would be super frustrating in real life to keep asking the instructor to repeat what they just said, but now that’s it’s just you and a video, you can rewind as many times as you need to nail the move. 

5. Cultivate self-awareness: In this time when you’re learning by yourself, you are going to have to cultivate a healthy sense of self-awareness. Use a mirror. Record yourself. Ask yourself how it feels. Monitor your progress compared to what you see on the screen. Learning takes time, but when you learn to examine your dancing and body movement carefully, you can find the tweaks you need to make in order to grow.

6. Ask for feedback: Take a video of your dancing post-lesson and ask someone trustworthy, honest, and knowledgeable for feedback. If you are getting videos directly from an instructor, make sure to negotiate with them whether they are open to reviewing your videos and giving feedback. Most will be and may actually ask for your videos so they can continue to plan good practice for you.  

   
   

Do you have any other hacks to help you learn better at home? Share them in the comments below! 

Post written by: Jessica Taylor