You have probably been guilty of taking a class at a workshop that you spent time and money to travel to, take the effort to film a recap video of the instructors at the end of the class, and… doing absolutely nothing with it.

 

Here is a guide for you with 3 steps you can take to ensure you are getting the most out of your class recap videos and they aren’t just taking space on your phone!

1. Schedule Practice Time

After you have filmed the class recap video get access to whatever system you use for scheduling and put some time on your calendar to work on the class material you just filmed. If you can schedule a rehearsal space even better because that cements your commitment more.

This is important because you are making a commitment to review the class material you just learned where the video you filmed will likely be an asset.

Be careful not to let excuses get in the way of you scheduling practice time. I’ve listed some common ones below with my responses of why it is still good for you to put that time in your schedule:

• Excuse: I can’t practice until X time, I should wait until i’m done with Y before I schedule something.
  • Answer: It’s better to have something in your calendar so you don’t forget it even if it is far out. If your schedule is unpredictable and you end up having to move the practice it is always possible to reschedule it.
• Excuse: This is partnered material and it’s pointless to schedule something until I find someone else in the other role who has availability.
  • Answer: Many things can be worked on without a partner. In addition, you will likely be more motivated to find someone to work on the material if you have a commitment.
• Excuse:  I got the material pretty well and I just want to have the video as a reference point.
  • Answer: There have been many people who “had something” in a workshop then a few days later were unable to lead or follow it socially. In addition, you can get a deeper level of understanding of working on something multiple times. Just because something “works” doesn’t mean it looks good or if it is a partnered move feels comfortable for your partner.

Pro-tip: Make sure you have the appropriate recap videos available before you start your practice so you don’t waste time trying to find them.

2. Get Multiple Reference Videos

It is great to have teachers who demonstrate something from multiple angles for a re-cap video. Often, the reality of the situation is they are trying to do a recap video last minute for a class that is already over time and you may only get a view from the back or from the side.

If you have a friend who attends classes with you then you can coordinate and intentionally film class recaps from different angles. Otherwise, another method is to ask someone else you see in the room who is filming from a different angle if you can trade videos. I can’t tell you how many times i’ve had a video that has been from the back of an instructor and wished I had a view of the side to figure something out.

Another useful option is to film yourself doing the class material after a class is over. A major benefit is you can say during the video any information that was helpful for you to do the material well and use that as a reference point when you practice later. In addition, you get some extra reps of the class material while it is fresh.

3. Create An Effective System to Use Your Recap Videos

Your dance class recap videos are not useful if you arrive to practice and discover you can’t find them. I can speak from personal experience when I say it is frustrating to spend 10+ minutes in a rehearsal space you have paid for searching for a video clip so you can double check something. In addition, many people have made the mistake of getting ready to take a class recap video to discover that they are out of space on their phone.

You can avoid these potential frustrations by creating an effective system to store your recap videos.

An effective recap video storage system consists of these traits:

• A centralized location where you know all your dance class recap videos will be located.
• Consistent naming conventions to ensure it is easy to find the class recap you are looking for.
• The discipline to regularly transfer and annotate dance recap videos from your phone/camera to ensure they are where you expect to find them when you practice and prevent your recording devices from running out of space.

What system that works best is different for each person and you’ll have to discover what is best for you.

My system is I use YouTube as my centralized location with Unlisted videos to ensure I can share them with friends/practice partners if need be but also so random people on the internet can’t stumble upon them as well.

I have created Playlists for each dance I do and specialized topics. I include in the name of the video the workshop it was taught at, class title, and date to make it easy to search. In the description, I usually include the names of the instructors and any notes I remember that I think will assist me in practicing the material later. Lastly, when I schedule a practice session in my Google Calendar I add links in the calendar event to the relevant Youtube URLs for my videos so it is easy to find when I start to practice.

I hope you found these 3 steps useful in preparing yourself to use your class recap videos to improve your dancing.  If you have any tips on how you effectively use class recap videos or questions please feel free to share them in the comments below.