Lyrical can be recognised by often smooth and flowy movement, featuring specialised leaps and turns. Dancers learn to incorporate body language and facial expression to emote and connect with the audience. How does Lyrical differ from Contemporary? The styles do have similarities, drawing on techniques rooted in ballet, jazz and more. But there are important differences. While there is greater nuance to the distinguishing features of both styles, in simple terms, Lyrical will focus on connecting movement to song lyrics. Contemporary, in turn, will more so emphasise the movements in and of themselves, exploring boundaries, versatility and improvisation. Typically, Lyrical might look more “flowy” and fluid, and Contemporary sharper with hard-hitting movements. However, this is not always exactly the case, and both styles are beautiful to perform, allowing for plenty of self-expression and technical development. We are very excited to be introducing Lyrical to GLM for the first time in 2024! If you’ve previously danced with GLM, it may be helpful to understand that in the past our Contemporary classes have often included elements of Lyrical dance, with the style not being offered separately. You will notice the distinction as Lyrical is introduced to our Studio. Feeling inspired to explore the lyrical dancer in you? We would love to welcome you along for a free trial. No dance experience is necessary. See you in the Studio!