Fall semester..

  My favorite part of the fall semester was the Fall dance concert. I enjoyed seeing all the performances and really liked the variety of each of the different dances. I was very glad I got to be in 4 out of the 8 dances, it really made me feel a part of the concert. Having it showed for 3 days was a good idea to me because a lot of people got the chance to see it since it wasn't only on one day. A lot of times when a performance is only one day a lot of people do not get the chance to come see it because they might be busy on that day but since there were 3 days I think a lot more people came out to watch. Having papa Malick Faye come and volunteer with us was a lot of fun. I got to learn a lot about his culture and really learn about living in Africa. I learned a lot more dances which had a lot of variety which made me more interested in the concert. It turned out so good and I think everyone enjoyed it. Performing is the best part and when it was time to go out on that stage I was ready. I would love to continue being in performances like the fall concert.

Anatomical Correction..

   In class I had got corrected on my head tail connection. I see now that she was trying to tell me to tuck in the pelvis and pull my head all the way in as if I were trying to be in a ball. To be able to really feel the connection from the tip of my head all the way to the small of my back to my feet. It is a lot easier to stretch my body when I am fully in the right position. As well as using far and near reach to be able to completely use all the space around me.

Being present.

  The real you only exists in the present moment, your feelings are calm, your reflexes are fast, you are decisive, you know what you want, you know what's right for you and you perform your best. When you are present you have to let go of any worries, problems, stress that is in your life. I forget about everything and try to rely on my energy and the energy of everyone else so that I am aware of the mood the room is set in. I relax and let my body be free of any tension that it has developed throughout the day. I pay attention to how my body is in position because sometimes standing in a certain position will not allow me to to be present . Improvisation is the best time to be present because you do not have to worry about anything or anyone else around you. Being present does not only have to be when I am dancing in the studio. I am present when I go to work so that I give the customers all of my attention. When I am present I am one with myself.

 

When I dance I.....

  Dance is a sport, to me it means self-expression to have the ability to express yourself and your emotions. When I dance I am in my own zone pretending like nobody is watching me but myself. I am free to express my thoughts through movement and show the talent I have been working on all my life. It is a way to relieve my stress or just to make me happy at the moment. The music usually takes away the train of thought and the rhythm is what keeps me moving. When I dance it helps me forget about any problems or obstacles I'm dealing with in life. There is never a time where you cant be yourself or have to worry about what people say or think of you. I think being able to communicate with others in dance by just using gestures is simply amazing. As Martha Graham once said "The body says what words cannot''. Telling a story with your body and becoming a character of whatever your trying to portray feels so good once you have actually accomplished it. The best feeling is learning a hard movement and continuously working on that movement to get it better, and having that awesome feeling once have accomplished it. Without dance I don't know where I would be in life. I think dance completes me in every way, when I don't dance my body feels off center or just weird because I didn't move. I guess I can say dance is my drug, I cant get enough of it and I never want to stop . When I dance I am truly myself and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I am so glad that I am a dancer and I am able to use my technique to the fullest. I hope to one day be able to teach others what I have learned and to continue doing what I love.


When I dance I am ME. :)

Aspects of my dance technique..

 Some aspects I have worked on this semester is remembering the combinations. Sometimes I don't seem to put it all together when it is said. Usually when I visually see the combination being done is what really helps me. I am trying to keep up with the appropriate tempo of the combination and making sure I try to finish out the movements. Also, I have been trying to keep a better posture when I am doing movements across the floor or turning in releve. When I do not have the right posture it is very hard to balance and continue on with the movement. I have been getting better on pointing my feet through out every step. Next semester I would like to improve my balance and a lot of my technique because, I would like to dance on pointe.

Ballet Piroutte

The pirouette, a spin around on one leg, is one of the most difficult of all dance steps. To do a pirouette, you must make a complete turn around yourself, while balancing on one leg. A pirouette may be performed en dehors or en dedans. Pirouettes usually begin in fourth, fifth or second position.  

• Stand in fourth position.
• Both legs should be straight.
• If your right foot is in front, make sure your left arm is facing the front, and vice versa.
• Fix your eyes on a spot at eye level.

Bend both legs into a deep plie.

• Concentrate on sinking both heels into the floor, so that you can push off into your pirouette.
• Keep your eyes fixated as you prepare to start the turn.
• Concentrate on holding your body in a tight position.

Spring up into retire position as you begin your turn.

• Releve to demi-pointe, or full-pointe if you are wearing pointe shoes, bringing your back foot up to your front leg.
• Hold your arms in first position.
• Find your center of balance and hold it tightly.
• Turn your body and legs together as a unit.
• Hold your shoulders level.
• Keep your eyes fixed as long as you can, then whip your head around and focus again.

Hold your body straight while you complete the turn.

• Stay tight by holding in your abs.
• Hold your foot exactly in place as you turn.
• Keep both legs turned out throughout the pirouette.
• As you spot, make sure your head completes the rotation before your body, as this will prevent dizziness and create momentum.

The ending position of a pirouette is just as important as the beginning position, gracefully end your pirouette in fourth position.

Correction

 In ballet class Ms.Claire gave me the correction of when I have my leg to the side and I am turning it to the back, sometimes I tend to put out my whole hip instead of keeping everything down and having my hips straight. It is a correction that is very important because I could potentially give damage to my hip bone. Also when I put my hip down it was a lot easier to keep my balance and turn to the side. I am going to always remember to keep my hips down because it really changed the way I danced. I know that I will use that correction all the time.