17.10.2011 - The return of Juliet

It was a lovely surprise on Monday morning to return the studio after a restful weekend to see Juliet waiting for us. After thoroughly enjoying Juliet’s technique classes last year I was looking forward to getting back in to her teaching ways.

After recently focusing on the technique of Merce Cunningham at the end of last week, I was looking forward to another class with fast paced, strong and sharp movement. Despite already having one technique class in the week that focuses on Cunningham, from experience, I knew Juliet’s class would be laid out completely different. To begin the class we went back to old exercises from last year to try and get our brains working, it certainly got my head working and I had enjoyed the challenge. The exercises had advanced a little from last semester which was great as it had proved to us all that we had improved. During the beginning exercises, I like how Juliet commented on how the class focuses. It has begun to feel natural and nice to hold up your centre, drop the shoulders down the back and really just relax the face. However in contrast to that, I enjoy projecting my face out passed the room and looking just above the mirror panelling to avoid staring at myself.

Arms in second position.

In one of the beginning exercises we demonstrate 16 bounces in an over curve, I would like to focus on not making the bounce become a rebound in which my head bounces back. A way to amend this is to focus on taking my head down to the floor and not move my shoulders allowing me to just hold my centre through the exercise. 

Another one of my main weaknesses in this technique is releasing my arms. I regularly start the exercise with my arms held strong in second position, yet my elbows begin to slip as I tend to put all my concentration into my legs. To focus on this, I intend practise in the mirror holding my arms in second to make sure I can see when I am dropping my elbows and fight against this. I also need to lift my elbows in the grand battement phrase. When I take my leg to second position and place my arms in third position I need to try not drop my inside arm when brushing my leg, again my focus becomes dominate to my leg work.

Another aspect of Cunningham technique I struggle with is triplets. During our triplet sequence I am aware of the steps I need to display, however if I lose the direction I intend on heading and which leg I am leading with I lose my way and struggle to pick it back up again. I think the use of the head and arms are very important to help with direction and using my plié to its full advantage through each step and to concentrate on stepping through fourth each time.

“Triplet – In modern dance, it is a three step movement executed in turn out to music in ¾ or 6/8 time, in the following order: plié, releve, releve. A jazz triplet would be these three steps done to a 4/4 tempo and counted as one-and-two, and most likely done in plié” https://secure.class.uh.edu/.../JACQUELINENALETTBasicDanceVoc  (accessed on 18.10.2011)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6UsrvFYLOA- (accessed on 18.10.2011)
This link is a demonstration video of a contemporary triplet. It is the second part of the video that relates to this blog as it breaks down the structure of a triplet with a helpful demonstration.When leaving Juliet’s class, I take on all the feedback I have been given to try and improve for the following lesson. As the classes will be split with another teacher, I think it will encourage me to practise and try even harder to gain more awareness of my weaknesses. But will hopefully highlight an improvement in my technique.

Triplet sequence

16 bounces in an over curve