What is actually meant by musicality?

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dippydancing

14-11-2014

Originally Posted by An Thropologist:
“Just out of curiosity and picking up on something Pet Monkey said I am wondering what happens in people's heads when they hear music.

I think I might have a weird brain because when I listen to music I see images in my head. These are not pictorial but more shapes that appear and disappear or morph into one another. If I don't like a piece of music I don't get the images or maybe if I don't get the images I don't like the music.

It is those shapes I want to dance although I stress these are not shapes in the dance sense -i.e not flamenco shaping, long necks, finished lines etc

Is this just me or am I normal? ”

Maybe you learned to play an instrument as a youngster and now your brain does this:
http://trendinghot.net/what-playing-...to-your-brain/
That, or it's a touch of synesthesia

davegold

14-11-2014

I don't think that's strange. I certainly get some images but I don't try to dance to them. I also get a feeling of 'being elsewhere' or 'being with people' when I hear some music, but only the music I like. I could be sitting on the dock of the bay, wasting time with Otis Reading, all day long.

TerryM22

14-11-2014

Originally Posted by Rosegrower:
“I seem to specialise in asking obvious questions, but please forgive me, because I do want to know! What do the judges (and posters) means when they talk about "musicality? " Does it mean a sensitive interpretation of the music? Or simply keeping in time? Or something else?”

This is a very good question, thank you.

Rosegrower

14-11-2014

Originally Posted by TerryM22:
“This is a very good question, thank you.”

I am really glad I asked it now, because the answers have been so interesting and informative. So thank you too, Terry.

Rhumbatugger

14-11-2014

Becky's is a beautiful answer and so is this.

Originally Posted by Pet Monkey:
“For me, as a non-dancer, it's being able to feel which moments carry meaning or emotion; which elements build that meaning, and which are ready to discharge it. Musicality is like poetry in that sense.

Fair to say that whoever picks the SCD music lacks musicality”

It's about UNDERSTANDING the poetry that is music, the emotional tangent, the instinctive understanding of how that is expressed through the rhythm and flourishes.

An understanding of the feeling behind the melody and the words, and feeling and expressing that with the body.

It's instinctive, but can be honed. Sunetra's beautiful rhythm and finishing - that 'extra' bit that makes the music and dance one thing is vital in a GREAT dancer, and raises the mediocre into good.

Jim Kowalski

15-11-2014

You are the inspiration for Windows Media Player.

David Waine

15-11-2014

It is a term that was invented in the 1970s to describe the sonic performance of hi-fi equipment. Those that sounded better were said to have more 'musicality'. I do not see what its significance in Strictly is, other than that they all dance to music. Perhaps it describes Dave Arch's orchestra.

marinamau

15-11-2014

Originally Posted by David Waine:
“It is a term that was invented in the 1970s to describe the sonic performance of hi-fi equipment. Those that sounded better were said to have more 'musicality'. I do not see what its significance in Strictly is, other than that they all dance to music. Perhaps it describes Dave Arch's orchestra.”

No matter what they originally intended to mean, words meaning evolve as users use to describe other things. It is obvious that it has other meaning than sonic performance of a hi-fi equipment.

An Thropologist

15-11-2014

I was tested for musicality years ago at school. It was the selection process for being allowed to learn an instrument. They made us do a musicality test to see who had aptitude. It involved listening to notes and identifying the one that was a semi tone higher/lower etc. I flunked, Condemned forever to remain one of the unmusical people.

An Thropologist

15-11-2014

Originally Posted by Jim Kowalski:
“You are the inspiration for Windows Media Player.”

I wish.

But actually yes that is the sort of thing I 'see' when listening to music. Albeit a simpler version.

Veri

15-11-2014

Could it be a form of synesthesia?

Anyway, I wonder what you mean by "see images in my head". What is that like? Presumably, the images don't seem to be out in the world (like if you were hallucinating them), but if I close my eyes and try to see an image, such as a tumbling triangle, I feel I am imagining that tumbling shape (rather than just thinking the words), but I don't get anything that seems an image.

RobMiles

15-11-2014

Originally Posted by Becky245:
“Musicality is dancing the dance to the music, and not just counting the steps in your head. It's about being able to extend lines to the very last count on 8 and being able to gracefully transform into the next move without losing timing. This can be achieved by feeling the music, feeling natural and of course having natural rhythm.

This is Sophie and Brendan's foxtrot (just using this as an example because I remember Bruno pointing out the musicality)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yKgabkdkcw

Skip to 00:43:
Watch as the word "charm" is sung. The song goes "CHAAAAAAARM" with stress on the 'a' sound. Sophie and Brendan (she stumbles a little, so maybe watch Brendan) take the step for as long as the 'a' sound is being sung and then brings the other foot to finish the 'rm'. The ability to take longer to go into the step because the 'a' is sung longer than the 'rm' is called musicality. The rise and fall also fits in with the music.
At 00:50 (while the word "through" is being sung), watch as they're both turning their heads but turn them slow enough so that they are turning them at the same pace that the word "through" is being sung. The word then fades out (if you can say that - maybe think about movie credits for this, maybe) and they gently end their head turn.

(I hope that helped - it's so hard to explain through text).”

Brilliant explanation. I wish that the Judges had given Sophie the chance to dance this again for the final instead of the Viennese Waltz. I love both dances, but the Foxtrot is maybe a bit more interesting to watch, and might of got her into the final three.

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