Is dancing a natural talent or an acquired ability?

Question:Hmm, I like JJ's answer in terms of social dancing, but being the mother of a talented dancer, I can see the qualities that are inborn in her that I know for certain that I don't have. I also see that there are qualitative differences between well-trained dancers in which they display different kinds of talent from each other.

I see dancers who are exceptionally graceful, but not necessarily good at projecting different kinds of emotions and facial gestures. There are dancers who are great at picking up new choreography at virtually the first showing, yet they may not be amazing leapers or turners. Some dancers are more artistically creative, which helps choreographers when a piece is being originally set and there are still problems to work out. Finally, there are dancers who have that undefinable "It Factor" known as stage presence that can be present in abundance even though they may have less acquired ability than someone who has been training their entire life. Juilliard believes in this form of natural talent and it's the sole basis of their admission practices.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Hmm, I like JJ's answer in terms of social dancing, but being the mother of a talented dancer, I can see the qualities that are inborn in her that I know for certain that I don't have. I also see that there are qualitative differences between well-trained dancers in which they display different kinds of talent from each other.

I see dancers who are exceptionally graceful, but not necessarily good at projecting different kinds of emotions and facial gestures. There are dancers who are great at picking up new choreography at virtually the first showing, yet they may not be amazing leapers or turners. Some dancers are more artistically creative, which helps choreographers when a piece is being originally set and there are still problems to work out. Finally, there are dancers who have that undefinable "It Factor" known as stage presence that can be present in abundance even though they may have less acquired ability than someone who has been training their entire life. Juilliard believes in this form of natural talent and it's the sole basis of their admission practices.

Dancing is like riding a bike. Its a muscle memory. The only way to learn to dance is to dance. Once the light bulb comes on, you will not be able to tell yourself why it was so hard. Neither will you be able to explain to others how you dance.

Think about the Bicycle, You where not born to ride, No books can help you learn to ride, and you can't explain in words why the bike does not fall. You get on, You fall down, until one day you stop falling. Then the fun starts.

Both. All sports have a chosen body type that excels. A short person could never be a professional basketball player. Ballet favors thin, small-boned bodies. Flexibility is set by the shape of you pelvis, but you don't know the limits of your flexibility until you try. The ability to move quickly is determined by the ratio of red -slow twitch muscle fibers to white - quick twitch fibers. Musicality seems to be a natural ability. The rest is blood, sweat and tears.

i have a geane of dancing in my family but horrbily fragile feet and ankles so i have to learn and require how to releve and turn so it can be in the genes or can be aquired but if you do want to help yourself aquire it keep good posture at all times and work on your buns thighs and calfs this helps your positions to make it easier to aquire

Its a lill of both .. c you have to be cordanated. plus no one nows a dance right off the back they have to learn it .. so its both

I think both. But you see that even if some one has the natural talent of dancing and doesn't practice he can't excel. While on the other hand if someone practices alot and was not born with te skill then he would surely excel.