20.11.2011 - Strength and Sweat

In Geoff’s class today we began by going through every exercise for ourselves to see how much we had remembered from the previous weeks. We then focused on a floor exercise, that focused on the use of our breath and the heaviness of our leg swings. With discussing this exercise, I know I need to use my legs much more through the heavy swings, I need to focus on not shifting my hips too much and really find a connection with my centre to swing my legs across my body. I would also like to work on throwing my body into certain movements such as the leg swings round to the front, brining my whole body over with me with my weight dropping to the floor. Sometimes a common weakness in Geoff’s class is that I over complicate the moves then give up easily. I would like to work on this so I begin to feel more confident in myself and the movement.

I have begun to film myself in certain lessons in order for me to look back at my technique and recognise my flaws and possible strengths. In Geoff’s classes I have filmed the end sequence to help me develop my movement and become stronger.

 In today’s class we broke down the final sequence to make sure we were completing the movement properly with the use of the right legs and the correct arm positions. I found this really helpful as the bits I had struggled with in the previous week I had corrected. It was also really helpful that Geoff asked us to perform with a partner so we had plenty of space in the studio and so we could really go for it. I was really comfortable doing this as I believe it is useful to watch others to help them as well as it being very beneficial and really helpful to my own technique. Geoff commented that my partner and I had really good timing and energy together, which is really positive. Comments like that again make me want to do even better and give even additional energy that I am already demonstrating. Again I have an element of confidence in this class as my body’s physicality strides in jumps and turns that allows you to use all the energy in your body and really push through all the movements.

This video highlights how my leg swing need to be heavier. In class, Geoff spoke about how certain moves can affect your final grade and how you have to know what your doing to apply the correct technique. Geoff commentated on how my legs needed to feel heavier and how I needed to throw my body around more opose to being afraid to.

Rebekah's technique class - Jump Phrase&Exercise on 6

This video is a demonstration of the jump phrase and the end of Rebekah’s technique class. The video highlights my weakness of losing my balance and my very weak grand jete. I would like to work on getting my legs higher on the leap and jumping through the space, allowing my arms to float up with me.

Exercise on six, is a short floor phrase completed in six counts. Each count represents a set position with the use of the back. The exercise includes a contraction in the centre from flat back. It also includes a back stretch with the support of the ankles. The count I most struggle with is count 4, which is is the back stretch supported by the ankles as you can see from the video. The reason I think I struggle the most with this is because for the duration of the whole exercise your hands are set to hold the ankles, and due to the shortness of my arms I struggle to hold on without releasing. I am determined for my flexibility to improve throughout the weeks to come so this particular movement becomes easier as my back will become more released to support this action.

Cheerleading - Northumbria Northstars

For 6 hours a week, I head over to coach lane sports campus for cheerleading rehearsals. During these rehearsals we focus on a 30 – 40 minute warm up session to build our strength and prepare us for the rest of the training session. The warm ups generally consist of head and shoulder work followed by arms, hips and then finally leg work. As vice coach I sometimes have to lead the warm ups as part of my role, when this is the case I try to work on the girls flexibility as I know in myself that is a common weakness. To do this I focus on warming the legs up first with a number of lunges to get the legs really working, followed with the splits to demonstrate which leg is perhaps the most flexible. In my case my left leg has always been the strongest out of the two, however in the last few weeks my right leg as shown signs of development when warming up at training but also in my ballet technique classes.  I am really happy with this improvement as it highlights how not only timetabled classes are helping improve my technique, but cheerleading practise too. I see this as a positive thing as it’s allowing me to become versatile within dance yet help me in general to improve overall.

As the official Cheerleaders for the Newcastle Eagles basketball team, it is our duty to perform every Friday night at Northumbria universities own Sport Central, to crowds of around 3,000 people. When focusing on my technique whilst performing with the girls, I notice small technical corrections in my own body. For example when stood in second position, if your stance is two wide you are prone to fall, or if your second position is just a little wider than parallel this perhaps will feel incorrect. I find many technique teachers have their own version of second position, when focusing on my own technique, I try to emphasis a vertical line from my hips to my toes then take a tiny step out  to achieve my own second position.

"a position in which the feet are spread apart and are at right angles to the direction of the body"  http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/second+position (accessed 14.11.2011)

In relation to Cheerleading, When I notice small adjustments like this there is a huge advance on my technique and style. Also perfroming to such a huge crowd every week gives me a boost of confidence, and I really enjoy the positive vibe that we recieve. This confidence therefore is carried through to performances that we have within our course.

A past video of our training sessions.

Optional performance project with Liz.

Martha Graham once stated "Practice means to perform, over and over again in the face of all obstacles, some act of vision, of faith, of desire. Practice is a means of inviting the perfection desired.”

In our optional project with Liz, we have been looking at working with each other in big group pieces but also with contact work looking at the movement and meanings of trees. In today’s session we were looking at working in groups of three to demonstrate contact work which resembled a tree and its roots, the work consisted of one dancer holding a position whilst the other two wrapped and intertwined their bodies around the legs or arms of the stood dancer. In the group that I was working with, the first position I had to display was a deep plié in second position with my arms wrapped over the bodies of the other two dancers. As rehearsals were continuous practising and improving what we had created we had to demonstrate to the other group in order for them to pick it up too, thus becoming a second trio. From the demonstrations our group were giving, every time I could feel my plié getting deeper and deeper, which felt great. It highlighted for me that the more you work on certain movements it will eventually get stronger and therefore improve. Even though our class was only an hour and 45mins I felt that I had really progressed in not only ways to choreograph but also on a personal level in my technique.

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

                                                                                       

                                                                                          

11.10.2011 - My weakest link

“Great dancers are not great because of their technique, they are great because of their passion.” Martha Graham

 In ballet again we had an hour of barre work to prepare our muscles and warm our bodies up for the remainder of the class. I really enjoy the Barre work as it allows me to recognise where my weaknesses really lie. I do think my de jambe en dehors, and rond de jambe en dedans have improved but I am still focusing on maintaining the strength in my feet to fulfil a full circle on the ground with my foot.

 This week we learnt a new jumping sequence which contents was as follows: Glissade, Jete over, Faille, Assemble and then one changement (then repeats to the left)

When we are taught small phrases, I think I can pick up material and choreography quite well. However in Ballet I find it a lot harder to retain the information as I still don’t feel as comfortable in this technique as others. I am working on using my whole foot when practicing jumps, especially in quick paced set sequences such as this one. As it is quick paced I sometimes lose which foot should be leading me and tend to just guess which foot I should be using. I would like to work on achieving the intricacy in the feet work of jumping sequences especially bringing my feet back into fifth position after each jump.

 I also would like to improve on my pirouettes and my landings. At the moment I do believe I use my head to spot well during pirouettes, and the placement of my feet is generally in the right place. I would love to improve on my pirouettes especially when attempting a double or triple. I will try to achieve this in the preparation exercise remembering to bring my legs in straight from the tendu up to the retiré devant then after the second tendu remember plié just before I attempt to pirouette. Both is elements are key in this exercise, and hopefully it will help me improve when practicing pirouettes across the room.

When leaving Shaun’s ballet classes I am still feeling a sense of achievement as again ballet is for me ‘stepping out of my comfort zone’. However I thoroughly enjoy the class as like many others it pushes me to really persevere to achieve the best of my ability.

This video highlights a pirouette on my right and left side. I know I need to focus on my spotting and choose one single spot to use in stead os several. I would also like to work on my foot placement.

12.10.2011 & 14.10.2011 - Merge of Cunningham & Graham

I had looked forward to our next class with Rebekah as I felt personally challenged in the previous technique class that she had taught. For our next class, we focused on the technique of Merce Cunningham. Cunningham himself once explained his technique as “This technique is rigorous, and is designed to create strength and flexibility—of both body and mind,” he says. “You have to be alert and focused in class.” http://www.dancespirit.com/articles/11. (accessed on 12.10.2011)

As we began with the centre work we focused on the sharp focused movement from the ribs and holding our arms in second without shifting our body weight. We also concentrated on the isolation of the rib cage shifting from the right back to the centre. I really enjoy the element of this exercise as it allows you to really isolate the rib cage without focusing on movement in the shoulders or arms thus just keeping everything in the centre. I think I can control my weight shifts quite well as I really enjoy isolated the body. I find it interesting as a choreographer how parts of the body can be isolated in many ways without having to use your whole body to initiate the movement.

A weakness that I can recognise in myself during Rebekah’s class is that when down in a plié, I am avoiding my turn out and rolling my knees forward. I need to work on my plié in first position making sure my knee is heading towards my middle toe as a guideline. To help me work on this I intend to practise holding my hands on my waist when completing plié’s without moving my hips to become uneven. This will hopefully allow me to practise my plié’s and see for myself in the mirror where I need to have my knees and really plant my feet down into the ground to recognise a different feeling.

We have also been working on our contractions in this specific class. I struggle the most with my contractions when my legs are in second position on the floor. During the exercise on the floor we focus on contracting from our centres then releasing to a flat back. However after I have contracted, the next motion of releasing the body forward over the legs to then sit up properly on the sits bones (in which the back should theoretically be in a straight line). However I think I am struggling with the release as I am trying to concentrate on the alignment of the back therefore I am forgetting to really drop my shoulders into the back and not strain my neck resulting in my back not placed in the correct position. To help me prevent this I am going to check the alignment of my back side ways on in the mirror to fully feel connected with the position that it should be in.

“Cunningham technique challenges a dancer’s ability to change direction within the body and in space, so explore your internal sense of direction as you move through a day. Observe the sensations that occur in the body as you round corners and make sudden changes of direction. Take note of how those changes impact your sense of self and your relationship to the space around you.” http://www.dancespirit.com/articles/11 (accessed on 12.10.2011)

During the Adagio, I would like to focus again, on my balance. I think a solution for this would be to lift my head up to project my performance out. I also think lifting my whole body from my centre will help me to balance on my standing leg. I know I don’t really get my legs very high when demonstrating a ponche; however I feel I still feel very present when holding my position. I believe my head alignment with my legs may need work but I would like to think it has improved since our technique classes from previous years. I know I need to have the confidence to push through my feet to keep my balance and just attempt to hit the right positions with the right counts.  With the beginning arabesque I believe the extension of my leg is conveyed very well, as I am really trying to push my body to its limits.

When looking back on the travelling sequence across the studio, Rebekah commented on the energy of me and my two of my fellow peers when working in a group demonstrating the movement. As a dancer it gives you great confidence to hear constructive comments and criticism and it also pushes you harder to succeed. When I was told we had great energy it felt as if my hard work leading up to the end sequence had paid off. It also encourages me to persevere even more so, I love phrases that allow me to extend my body and throw my weight about. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed our class and I am looking forward to working with Rebekah every week as I believe I can learn a lot from her lessons.