2016 Reflection

My goals for 2016 were:

1) To be able to hold all ballet foot positions on point with out the aid of something to hold on to!

ACHIEVED

I'm happy to say that this goal I've achieved, I've been taking pointe classes regularly and am able to do some centre work, there's still a lot of work to be done but I'm picking it up really well, probably because I've always wanted to go on pointe so i have a lot of determination to progress. I'll be continuing to practice pointe in 2017, and will be working on some ankle strengthening exercises to improve my abilities.

2) To work on developing an over split, so that I can achieve full split when leaping in the air

 NOT ACHIEVED

Unfortunately this is something I've not achieved due to laziness in keeping up my day to day stretching routine; I found that I didn't have enough time for it in the mornings and was too tired to do it at night. Over split is a very set goal so for 2017 id like to reflect on my technique/stretching routine make alterations to it so that its more manageable not setting myself a clear flexibility goal but tracking my progress regularly and seeing the improvement.

3) Improve and further develop my confidence in my own capabilities and solo performance

 CONTINUE IN  2017

Confidence in general his a very tricky thing  for me and is a constant target of mine. I found this year i built up my confidence a lot and then it dropped alot near the end of the year as i went through a rough patch with my mental health. In order for me to continue this goal i intend on making and maintaining a healthier lifestyle for myself. I will be keeping a close eye on my sleep, eating habits and day to day activities. 

4) Work on focus, making sure my head is up and not looking at the floor. Also direct eye contact with audience members

CONTINUE IN 2017
I feel i neglected this target a lot in performance i tend to bring my focus up however in day to day class i should be doing the same, this year i want to also work on my posture so my focus should lift as i correct my posture.

5) To participate in at least 5 different workshops

ACHIEVED

 I'm really happy to say I've done this some workshops I've done have been provided by the uni such as the alexander whitley one  and others I've sourced myself such as the Charleston and lindy hop workshops which i thoroughly enjoyed id like to maintain this in 2017 so that i keep my creative mind open.

6) To start my own dance you tube channel

 CONTINUE INTO 2017
i did start up my on YouTube channel in 2016 and posted but i failed to maintain it, in 2017 id like to post more on my YouTube channel but not feel restricted to creating something week to week on a schedule

Emma Louise xx

Alexander Whitley Workshop - 19th september 2016

As part of my course at uni we are visited by various practitioners and artists in the first couple of weeks. this allows us to look and understand how they work and practice, learn a little bit about their style and the projects/ performances they are working on!

The first of our visiting artists was Alexander Whitley, a London based choreographer who has created work with Rambert, Ballet Boys and the Royal Ballet. Establishing is own company (Alexander Whitley dance company) in 2014 he aims to develop 'a creative environment that attracts and nurtures enquiring people'  creating work that provokes thoughts and emotions.

His latest piece pattern recognition works with multimedia and film. Working with beams of light that the dancers interact with, the lights being projected are pre-filmed which means the dancers must have brilliant timing and spacing to match up with what is being projected on the stage. the idea behind the light is that the light is a sensor to the various points on the body, much like on an Xbox connect, the lights are a rough guide to the different parts of someone's body, this is where the idea stimulated from and give the performance an extra layer. Use of media/lighting and other constituent features helps to add another dimension to a performance when used effectively (of which whitley does), it can enhance the audience understanding of the message/idea you're putting across.

Talking to alexander whitley we know that many of the movements are initiated by the use of the spine and this was something that he looked at and choreographed from, its interesting as looking at the performance (or the clip) you wouldn't necessarily know that this was a starting point when he was creating because he's used the spine in different ways and explored different ways of using it.

View clip here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY4GvnDpMaE


 For the workshop we started with some warm ups of ballet and contemporary technique, focusing largely on warming up the spine.
in the workshop we were taught a 1 min- 2 min phrase from pattern recognition, the movement was very athletic and contemporary, it demanded a large amount of technique and flexibility. Majority of the movements are initiated by the back and use of the spine, demanding good core strength to balance, pull up from the floor and give momentum to spin. I really enjoyed the workshop and the t routine, to me it had a really nice flow and smoothness to it, with built complexity through layering different choreographic principles such as dynamics, directions, travel and gestures. Prolonged pauses and use of extension through the body and particularly the spine made it seem elegant, showing Whitley's background in ballet and development into contemporary.

I found that certain movements due to layering were hard to pick up straight off but were a lot less complex once broken down.  this was something that i found Whitley did very well, he broke down the choreography  in a way that we all  understood and was happy to go through with us. I personally really enjoyed the workshop and the routine due it being in a ballet/contemporary style, which is enjoyable and familiar to me.


Unfortunately i was unable to see the show, however I'll be looking out for more of his work in the near future!
Many thanks to Alexander Whitley for a brilliant workshop!

Reference: http://www.alexanderwhitley.com/#home

Emma Louise xx

Youtube channel

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLU-rzF4wclz-R2D8ojbX3g

-please visit my YouTube channel above, hopefully more videos to come soon-

Dying of devotion to your art

  ‘what more poetic fait could await anyone: the artist dying of excess devotion to art?’ - Deborah Jowitt

Reference: Deborah Jowitt-In pursuit of sylph: ballet in the romantic period, referenced in the Routledge dance studies reader by Alexander Carter

Update

So unfortunatly I've been abandoning my blog for most of the year. I've been writing a tone of review and not finishing them, hopefully my earlier post explains most of it except for the last 3 months of summer!

The dance show and the musical both went really well im proud of all my cc dancers (and actors) for that. I wrapped up my final year at college well! In a nutshell college has boosted my confidence and developed me as a dancer no end!

As for the cc dance school show that went amazing to, i love working on a big theatre stage even if i perform once my stage makeups defiantly got alot better!

Over the summer I've done some zumba classes, burn 360 and zumba toning, I've spent alot of my holiday swimming in the sea and in the pool so hopefully... *drum roll please* ill be toned up for my next adventure.... Uni!!!

Yes i have committed myself to 3yrs of dance, and a lifetime of student debt! Im hoping itll help develop my knowledge and understanding of those who came before me, as well as developing my skills (and learning new ones) while giving me a gateway to gain contacts and paths into the industry.
As for the future of this blog i want to try and  finish and post the reviews sitting in my drafts, and bring a more relaxed vibe of my day to day life of dance

Thanks small family,
Emma Louise xx

Where have i been? (Written before the summer :/)

So unfortunatly I haven't had a chance to update my blog in a very long time, I have a tone of posts and reviwws qued up to finish so they are on they're way!

Recently I've been doing a lot for my dance I've still been going out and watching the live streams and recordings of the Bolshoi ballets works including the Taming of the Shrew, Sparticus and very recently Don Quixote. Which have all been very different and unique to watch as they don't fit the exact ballet stereotype set by the media, they're sharper and creative in their movemnt material than the media displays.

I've also been preparing for several shows with my college dance group and ballet group. So unfortunatly I feel my blog has had to take a back seat due to that.
In two weeks time I'll be going on a primary school tour with my college dance group, doing 7-8 performances over the two weeks and then finishing up with are annual dance show dynamix.   Our show normally has a theme and this year its "the history of cinema " so all the dances look at different films from Disney, to musicals, to old fashioned movies,  to how a film is made and hits Hollywood.  Let's just say there's blue body paint, bowler hats and flares although not all on stage at once.
I've got to admit I honestly can't wait I love the adrenaline of performing to audiences of all kinds.
I then have to think about the musical, thankfully I won't be doing any solo singing, however I do get the opportunity to do solo pointe which is going to be fun, let hope my little training can pull it off!

Then lastly I get to wrap up my show real in june with the ballet shoe, i shall channel my inner raindrop! 😂

So as you can tell a busy time of year atm. To whoever may be reading this thanks for listening to me ramble on! I shall try and produce y most recent review of don Quixote asap

Emma Louise

Dance goals 2016

1) To be able to hold all ballet foot positions on point with out the aid of something to hold on to

 

 

2) To work on developing an over split, so that I can achieve full split when leaping in the air

 

 

 

3) Improve and further develop my confidence in my own capabilities and solo performance

 

 

 

 

 

4) Work on focus, making sure my head is up and not looking at the floor. Also direct eye contact with audience members

 

 

 

 

 

5) To participate in at least 5 different workshops

 

 

 

6) To start my own dance you tube channel