Models don’t catwalk naturally. They learn to do so courtesy the various catwalk lessons they took during their training and the experience they gathered over the years working as a professional model. Catwalk in general isn’t too complicated. But there are certain nuances to the walking style that you should be wary of. The basics and different nuances of catwalking can be mastered in a few days if the training is right.
Walking Is Not as Easy as It Looks
People generally assume walking is pretty straightforward. But the truth is it’s a lot difficult than it appears, particularly if you’re doing it on a ramp in front of hundreds of people keenly observing you. Walking the ramp like you mean it is all about incorporating the essentials of catwalking and not giving up on your personal style. At the end of the day, you don’t want to look like a robot.
The Training Process
Catwalk lessons or coaching usually begin with the head. You must look straight ahead at all times. If your eyes are moving around too much, it means you are not confident. Next come the shoulders. Most tall girls usually do the mistake of slouching so that they don’t look too tall. Irrespective of how tall you are, you should never be slouching and always standing up straight. Your back must be upright, yet relaxed.
Arms can be a bit tricky to manage during a catwalk. This is primarily because people usually do not think about their arms while walking. And once they start moving their hands, things tend to become mechanical. The key here is to be natural. Also, your hips must not move too much. With high heels on, ensuring minimal hip movement could be difficult. Catwalk training sessions, therefore, spend good amount of time on the hip movement of aspiring models.
Rhythm is Vital
Rhythm is invariably the last thing taught in catwalk training, but it’s also arguably the most important aspect of the lesson. Maintaining proper rhythm during a catwalk is as important as dancing to the beats of a song. In fashion shows, choreography is an intrinsic element even if it doesn’t show much. During the catwalk, models walk in a line with some distance between them and proper timing. If a model misses the rhythm during the walk or doesn’t return from the edge of the ramp at the right time, she could upset the rhythm of the order and mess it up for the models behind her.
